Kathryn Germer

Kathryn Germer

Director of School Services at SPG Therapy & Education

[email protected]

Lessons Learned

• Reframing behavior through a social-ecological and neurodiversity-affirming lens reduces punitive responses and increases connection.
• Students with reliable, respected communication systems experience fewer moments of crisis. Ensuring that students can express refusal, needs, and emotions reduces frustration and increases agency.
• Skills become durable when we pair them with relational support.

Suggested Resources

• Practical Functional Assessment (https://practicalfunctionalassessment.com/)
• Culturally Responsive Interventions & Trauma-Informed Care Checklist (https://ed3bd4fa-2c24-4287-8745-38d09dc5424f.filesusr.com/ugd/c9638a_36…)
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (https://casel.org/)

Collaborative Areas of Interest

• Trauma-informed care in applied behavior analysis
• Designing environments that honor learner variability
• Capacity-building for staff through coaching, mentorship, and professional learning