Springbrook Autism Behavioral

Listen to the podcast: https://www.allabilitiesnofilter.com/beyond-picky-eating/

In this episode, Jake sits down with Lena Livinsky, Speech-Language Pathologist and Feeding Therapy Expert, to discuss a topic that many of us encounter both professionally and personally: picky eating. We explore the underlying factors that may contribute to feeding challenges, including sensory processing, gut health, oral motor development, nervous system regulation, and family dynamics.

This conversation provides practical strategies and a unique perspective on supporting children who struggle with food preferences and feeding difficulties. Whether you work directly with our students and residents or simply have an interest in child development and behavior, I think you'll find some valuable takeaways from this discussion.
Some of the topics we cover include:
• The difference between typical picky eating and feeding concerns
• The connection between gut health and eating behaviors
• Sensory processing and food aversions
• Strategies for reducing mealtime stress
• Supporting children without creating power struggles around food
• Practical tools families can use to encourage positive relationships with food

For a young person who has struggled to be understood, finding their voice can change everything. 💙🦋

This National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, we’re celebrating the incredible Speech-Language Pathology team at Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health.

Working with children and adolescents with autism goes far beyond the therapy space. Our Speech-Language Pathologists provide individualized support that helps youth strengthen communication, increase self-expression, and develop skills that support greater independence in everyday life.

That may look like a child using a communication device to ask for their favorite snack for the first time, a moment that can feel enormous to a family. Or a teenager discovering new ways to connect and engage socially on their own terms.

Whether supporting verbal communication, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), or social engagement, their impact extends into the everyday moments that matter most.

Thank you to Kenny, Meghan, and Lakisha for the compassion, expertise, and dedication you bring to our patients and families each day! You help create opportunities for connection, growth, and meaningful moments, and that is everything.

✨ A warm welcome to our newest Springbrook Behavioral Health team members! ✨

This week, we welcomed a wonderful group of new colleagues across Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health, Havenwood at Springbrook Behavioral Health, and throughout our hospital system.

We are truly glad you’re here. The work we do, supporting children and adolescents with autism and walking alongside adults through some of their hardest moments, is made stronger because of the people who choose to be part of it.

Whether caring for patients directly or supporting our teams behind the scenes, every role plays an important part in making Springbrook Behavioral Health what it is.

We’re so happy to have you with us. Welcome to Springbrook Behavioral Health! 💙

Healing Happens Here 💙

National Hospital Week is May 10–16, and we want to take a moment to genuinely thank the people who make healing possible every day.

At Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health and Havenwood at Springbrook Behavioral Health, the work is hard. The hours are long. The cases are complex. And yet, every day, our teams show up for children and adolescents navigating autism, for adults in crisis, and for families who do not know where else to turn.

Healing is not just about treatment. It is about connection, trust, and safety. It is about the people who make others feel seen and supported during some of life’s most difficult moments.

That does not happen by accident. It happens because of the people here.

To our psychiatrists, clinicians, direct care staff, front desk teams, and everyone working behind the scenes, you are the reason healing happens here! Not the building. Not the program. You!

Thank you! Genuinely! ✨

Celebrating our Springbrook Autism Special Education Teachers this Teacher Appreciation Week 🦋💙

At Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health, our Special Education Teachers play a vital role in supporting children and adolescents with autism through individualized, structured learning environments designed to meet each student’s unique needs.

From the classroom to everyday interactions, Jake, Tyler, Sierra, Felisha, Amy, Shatoria, and Jo support communication, reinforce social and emotional regulation, and help students build functional skills that extend beyond academics.

Through consistency, collaboration with clinical teams, and a deep understanding of autism, they create environments where students feel safe, supported, and able to grow.

We are grateful for their dedication and the meaningful impact they make each day! Thank you for all that you do!

This week, we celebrate the incredible nurses at Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health and nurses everywhere! ✨

Nursing in autism behavioral health takes someone special. It goes beyond clinical skill. It requires the ability to connect, adapt, and show up each day with patience and compassion for individuals and families navigating some of life’s most complex challenges.

Your dedication makes a difference in ways that often go unseen but are deeply felt by every person you serve.

We are grateful for the impact you make. Happy National Nurses Week! 💙

A child who struggles to put down a tablet isn’t being difficult. They may be seeking connection in the only way that feels manageable right now.

This week is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 3–9), and this year’s theme, “Beyond the Screen: Education, Prevention, Connection,” resonates deeply with those of us who work with children and adolescents with autism.

For many of these children, screens can be a source of comfort, stimulation, and even genuine connection. But they can also make regulation, communication, and real-world interaction more difficult to navigate. The answer isn’t simply less screen time. It’s understanding why the screen matters to them and building the skills and relationships that help the world beyond it feel safe and accessible.

At Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health, that is the work we do every day. Individualized, structured support focused on emotional regulation, communication, and meaningful connection, both on and off the screen.

Mental health support for children with autism starts with being seen. Everything else grows from there! 💙

April is the Month of the Military Child, a time to recognize the strength and resilience of military-connected children and adolescents.

At Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health, we are honored to support these youth and their families, especially during times of transition, when consistent and structured care can make a meaningful difference.

As a TRICARE®-certified provider, we are proud to be a trusted resource for military families.

We are grateful for the sacrifices these families make and for the opportunity to support them every step of the way! 💜

Listen to the podcast: https://www.allabilitiesnofilter.com/supporting-selective-eaters/

In this episode, Small Bites, Big Wins: Helping Support Selective Eaters, I sit down with Jessica Setnick to discuss working with individuals with eating disorders, with a specific focus on supporting picky eaters on the autism spectrum. We explore practical, compassionate strategies to help expand food choices while reducing pressure and encouraging positive mealtime experiences. This episode offers meaningful insights for anyone supporting individuals with selective eating patterns.
Be sure to tune in and join the conversation!

You can also stay connected and access additional resources by visiting our website, where you can subscribe to our blog and newsletter for more insights on the topics we discuss in each episode:
https://www.allabilitiesnofilter.com/

Building skills! Empowering independence! Changing lives! 🦋💙

This Occupational Therapy Month, we’re proud to recognize the vital role OT plays in supporting children and adolescents with autism at Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health.

In our PRTF programs, Brody and Sheila (left to right) help patients build essential daily living skills, improve sensory regulation, and strengthen emotional regulation, supporting greater independence and functional participation in everyday life.

Within a structured, therapeutic environment, their work focuses on helping patients develop the skills needed for long term success across home, school, and community settings.

Thank you, Brody and Sheila, for the difference you make each day!