World renowned autism expert Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh answers viewers questions in real time. Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh is a visionary in the field of autism spectrum disorders and has spent 40+ years helping individuals and families to overcome challenges in order to lead their best lives. She is an outspoken advocate for those on the spectrum, fighting for them to have access to interventions that are compassionate, fair and meaningful. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and renowned behaviorist who as been at the forefront of acknowledging and treating medical issues as an essential component of successful autism treatment in addition to top quality intensive behavioral intervention.
Ask Dr Doreen: When Behavior Escalates: What Parents Should Do in the Moment?
Your child is melting down. Everyone is watching. You're exhausted, and nothing seems to be working. What do you do next? On Ask Dr. Doreen, we're talking about what parents can do in the moment when challenging behavior escalates—and how to respond in ways that support their child without making the situation worse.
00:00 Ask Dr. Doreen: When Behavior Escalates
03:31 Autism Care Today & the All Ghouls Gala
09:46 What to Do When Challenging Behavior Escalates
11:55 Staying Calm During Public Tantrums
15:42 ABC Data: Understanding Why Tantrums Happen
19:07 Different Causes Require Different Responses
20:49 Prioritizing Safety During a Tantrum
23:48 Attention-Seeking Behavior & When to Ignore
27:06 Teaching Better Ways to Communicate
29:04 How to Ignore Challenging Behavior Correctly
32:30 How Adult Reactions Can Reinforce Tantrums
40:04 When to Give In, Negotiate, or Stand Your Ground
44:10 What to Do When Behavior Becomes Dangerous
49:55 Helping an Autistic Child With Reading Comprehension
54:11 Challenging Behavior in Adults & Teaching Communication
Ask Dr. Doreen • Practical strategies for autism families
Hashtags: #AskDrDoreen #Autism #AutismParenting #AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance #ABA #BehaviorSupport #ChallengingBehavior #ParentingTips #AutismParents #Neurodiversity #PositiveParenting #EmotionalRegulation #BehaviorIsCommunication #ParentSupport
13 Oct 2026
Ask Dr doreen what does the behavior mean final
On this episode of Ask Dr. Doreen, Shannon Penrod sits down with Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh to talk about one of the most important questions we can ask when a challenging behavior happens:
What is the function of the behavior?
How can parents begin to figure out why a behavior is happening? What clues should they look for? And how can understanding the function help us respond in a way that actually teaches new skills?
We'll explore questions like:
🔹 Is your child trying to escape or avoid something?
🔹 Are they seeking attention or connection?
🔹 Are they trying to get access to something they want?
🔹 Could the behavior be providing some kind of sensory input?
🔹 What happens right before the behavior—and what happens right after?
Join Shannon and Dr. Doreen for a practical conversation about learning to become a behavior detective and looking beyond what a child is doing to better understand why.
00:00 Intro & Show Welcome
02:46 All Ghouls Gala Announcement
05:05 Meet Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh
07:32 What Is a Behavior Trying to Tell You?
09:15 Function #1: Attention-Seeking Behaviors
10:05 Function #2: Escape and Avoidance
10:56 Function #3: Access to Desired Items & Activities
11:46 Function #4: Automatic & Sensory Behaviors
13:24 Teaching Better Ways to Communicate
14:40 How Parents Can Identify Behavior Functions
21:45 Using AI and Functional Assessments
24:02 ABA Funding, Generalization & School Support
35:55 Zoo Safety, Elopement & Teaching Danger Awareness
40:18 ODD vs. the Need for Control
48:10 Bilingual ABA, Crying Behaviors & Final Takeaways
Ask Dr. Doreen — helping families find the clues behind the behavior.
#AskDrDoreen #Autism #AutismParents #ParentingAutism #ABA #Behavior #BehaviorIsCommunication #AutismSupport #Neurodiversity #ParentToParent
22 Sept 2026
Ask Dr. Doreen: The Hidden Reasons Behind Challenging Behaviors
Behavior is communication. But what is your child trying to tell you?
Meltdowns, aggression, refusal, and other challenging behaviors don't happen without a reason. This week, Dr. Doreen will answer your questions about understanding the "why" behind behaviors and what you can do to help.
00:00:00 Welcome & Show Introduction
00:03:20 All Ghouls Gala 2026 Preview
00:08:05 Autism Care Today Mission & Family Grants
00:09:25 Back to the Gala & Community Celebration
00:12:20 Challenging Behaviors Are Not Part of Autism
00:14:40 Behavior Is Communication
00:17:20 ABA, Functional Assessments & Finding the Why
00:18:45 Group Homes, Safety & Severe Behaviors
00:24:20 Teaching Replacement Behaviors
00:28:35 Kindergarten Anxiety & School Meltdowns
00:33:10 Identifying Hidden Causes of Meltdowns
00:36:00 Teaching Skills vs. Changing the Child
00:40:10 Parent Training Resources & Support
00:50:00 Blended Families, Aggression & Safety Concerns
00:55:45 School Refusal, Morning Routines & Final Q&A
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
30,366
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 56 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
57
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
60
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