What People Are Saying
"Dr. TJ, you put the light back Into these eyes and we’ll always be grateful."— Carole M.
Founding of Fun & Functional
The Fun & Functional behavioral approach was developed by Dr. TJ Glahn over 35 years ago, in Santa Barbara, California. While developing a school for young children with autism, it became apparent that the children are more engaged, and learn more rapidly, when they are having fun. In using such methods, the individual is provided with fundamental learning skills that can be sustained in natural settings, such as one's home, family, school, and community. Fun & Functional strategies have been utilized nationally, and internationally, across multiple settings. These strategies are employed with children, adolescents, and adults diagnosed with ASDand other related disorders.
Learning is attributed to multiple factors:
- Applying evidence-based naturalistic intervention
- Enhancing motivation by incorporating the individual's preferences
- Encouring parents to be continuosly and actively involved
- Training and teaching staff regularly
- Implementing ABA & ACT behavioral strategies by knowledgeable interventionists, in a compassionate manner
Fun & Functional vs. Standard Teaching Styles
“Show me The Data” is the driving force.
“Show me The Data” is the driving force.
“Show me The Data” is the driving force.
Fun & Functional Behavioral Services’ Director, Dr. TJ Glahn has been working in the areas of autism, curriculum development and program design as a clinician, university instructor, administrator and researcher. She trains and consults for individuals and agencies at the local, statewide and national levels. Dr. Glahn has extensive experience developing a comprehensive set of instructional tools and teacher training protocols which reflect a balance between head & heart, and between ABA & ACT. Both are evidence-based behavioral treatment approaches.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
“Show me The Data” is the driving force.
“Show me The Data” is the driving force.
ABA provides the systematic framework for specific instructional strategies based on the principles of behaviorism. ABA has been documented to be the most effective treatment for promoting therapeutic gains in persons with autism for the past 30 years. ABA includes but is much more than discrete trials. Naturalistic and Functional teaching within inclusive settings and classrooms is now where the fields of autism and education have headed. Fun & Functional behavioral teaching embraces these treatment approaches of teaching the toddler, the child, and the adolescent within his/her home, school and community. These behaviorally-based strategies permit for a more flexible and responsive therapy and teaching within the child’s individualized settings and using his/her motivators to make learning Fun & Functional and sustainable as evidenced by the data.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
“Show me The Data” is the driving force.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT, although less used with persons with autism, has been conceptualized and formalized for over 20 years by Dr. Steven C. Hayes and colleagues. ACT encourages MINDFULNESS or BEING PRESENT for teaching individuals to focus, identify and take action. Dr. Glahn has been teaching MINDFULNESS for over 20 years. But ACT has given her practice more expanded direction. Children with autism can and should learn to be PRESENT to facilitate positive changes identified in ABA behavioral plans. The combination of ABA & ACT promotes positive, naturalistic and behavioral programming to comprehensively meet the needs of the person with autism and their families.
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