<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Meaningful Metrics]]></title><description><![CDATA[Explore Meaningful Metrics services including ABA-informed behavior support in homes and schools, parent training, IEP advocacy, FBAs/BIPs, CEU & PDUs]]></description><link>https://www.meaningfulmetricsny.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 19:33:08 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.drsarahheller.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Supervision Hours Are Not a Finish Line. What Nobody Told You About the Years After Your Exam.]]></title><description><![CDATA[By Dr. Sarah Heller, Ed.D., IBA, BCBA, LBA-NY · Meaningful Metrics There is a particular kind of exhaustion that sets in somewhere around month two of your post-exam life as a BCBA. The studying is over. The acronym is behind your name. You survived, told approximately everyone you know, and updated your email signature with appropriate gravity. And then you sit down to write your first independent behavior plan and realize something quietly unsettling: you now have to know what you are...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/supervision-hours-are-not-a-finish-line-what-nobody-told-you-about-the-years-after-your-exam</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69b00d18a547e1dd3d7cac28</guid><pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 13:01:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e2f69f_0890c894e9b4403c8d6fb99e93c61c66~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_768,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Behavior Plan Is Not Working. Before You Rewrite It, Read This.]]></title><description><![CDATA[By Dr. Sarah Heller, Ed.D., BCBA, LBA-NY · Meaningful Metrics You have a behavior plan. It was written thoughtfully, reviewed by the team, explained to the family. Maybe you even had professional development on it. And yet ... here you are, three months in, watching the exact behaviors it was supposed to address continue to occur, possibly with more enthusiasm than before. Before anyone suggests rewriting the plan from scratch, it is worth asking a different question: is the plan actually...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/the-behavior-plan-is-not-working-before-you-rewrite-it-read-this</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69b947cebae3e800161d4d5d</guid><pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:30:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e2f69f_f5eb2a751876452e93d815891245fe19~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_768,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["They Were Fine at Home." The Most Frustrating Sentence in Special Education (And What It Actually Means)]]></title><description><![CDATA[By Dr. Sarah Heller, Ed.D., BCBA, LBA-NY · Meaningful Metrics If you have a neurodivergent child, there is a good chance you have sat across a table from a teacher, a principal, or a well-meaning school psychologist and heard some version of the following: "It's interesting, because in school we really don't see that." And if you are the parent in that scenario, you have probably done one of two things. Either you smiled politely while something inside you quietly snapped, or you started to...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/they-were-fine-at-home-the-most-frustrating-sentence-in-special-education-and-what-it-actually-m</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c27ed8b1bfd68174de65bd</guid><pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 00:34:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e2f69f_9c0a9779f1544cb09227b18681eef376~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_768,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Learning Together From Wherever You Are: How Online ABA Training Is Strengthening Families and Schools ]]></title><description><![CDATA[By Dr. Sarah Heller, Ed.D., IBA, BCBA, LBA-NY · Meaningful Metrics One of the questions I hear most often from families (whether we're meeting at a school table in New York or connecting via telehealth) is some version of this: "How do I keep learning after our sessions end?" It's one of my favorite questions, because it tells me the family is already thinking beyond our session time together. They're not just looking for answers in the room. They want to carry the work home, into the car,...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/learning-together-from-wherever-you-are-how-online-aba-training-is-strengthening-families-and-schoo</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c27eded67c72d7ecb7ae63</guid><pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:38:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e2f69f_b24b65a3790041a0959e9cba6c8b6220~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_768,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Embracing Neuroaffirming Social Skills Training]]></title><description><![CDATA[When social skills are taught from a compliance mindset, children may learn to mimic behaviors without truly understanding them. They may smile when they are uncomfortable, agree when they mean no, or mask their differences to avoid standing out. Over time, this can create anxiety, fatigue, and a sense of disconnection from their own identity. A neuroaffirming  approach  views social learning through a different lens. Instead of focusing on “fitting in,” it helps children understand...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/rethinking-social-skills-teaching-connection-not-compliance</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ee437d1768becd352cbe00</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:01:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_3aff106059fc4e4c83b62ce1b6b1dfcc~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Understanding the Importance of Support for Families]]></title><description><![CDATA[What ABA Support Can Offer Families Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a science of learning and behavior. When practiced in a compassionate and neuroaffirming way, it can help children and young adults develop practical skills for independence, communication, and emotional regulation. For families, ABA provides a structured way to understand what is happening beneath behaviors, identify triggers or barriers, and replace frustration with clarity. Certified professionals known as Board...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/when-to-ask-for-help-recognizing-when-your-family-could-benefit-from-aba-support</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ed7910eed5248a24705b5b</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:00:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_374121634dfa4af1bb8d1901549c9784~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Parent Training for Every Family: Building Skills and Understanding That Last]]></title><description><![CDATA[Parenting is one of the most meaningful and complex journeys a person can take. It brings moments of pride, joy, and connection, but it can also come with uncertainty, especially when children express their needs in ways that are hard to interpret. Every family experiences these moments, whether raising a neurotypical child , whose brain processes information in ways that align with common developmental expectations, or a neurodivergent child , whose thinking, communication, or sensory...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/parent-training-for-every-family-building-skills-and-understanding-that-last</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ed7c7c4c02aa6b111443ab</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:31:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_84aaae820d00415a93be206a7e4190cc~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Building the Right Team for Your Child: How Collaborative Care Changes Everything]]></title><description><![CDATA[When families seek support for their child’s learning or behavioral needs, they are often met with a long list of specialists: teachers, speech-language pathologists, behavior analysts, occupational therapists, and others. Each professional plays an important role, yet families are often left to coordinate care on their own. At Meaningful Metrics , we believe children grow best when the people supporting them work together . Collaborative care brings every voice to the same table so that each...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/building-the-right-team-for-your-child-how-collaborative-care-changes-everything</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ed7454862f4431b1b9a522</guid><pubDate>Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:00:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_555862bf7c284b01beb199465166d831~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Seeing the Whole Child: Moving Beyond ‘Fixing’ Toward Understanding]]></title><description><![CDATA[When a child struggles at home, in school, or with peers, it is easy to focus on what seems “wrong.” Parents often hear messages about what needs to be fixed, such as behavior, focus, social skills, or communication, without being shown how to see what is already right. At Meaningful Metrics , we believe that lasting growth begins with understanding the whole child: their communication, their emotions, their sensory world, and the ways they naturally learn. By moving from “What’s wrong?” to...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/seeing-the-whole-child-moving-beyond-fixing-toward-understanding</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ed5f4c286ecf9769e2c396</guid><pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:00:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e60081d3002452cbbcacc98d063167e.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Understanding Neuroaffirming ABA: What Families Need to Know]]></title><description><![CDATA[For many families, finding the right kind of support for a neurodivergent child can feel overwhelming. There is so much information, so many opinions, and not always enough clarity about what compassionate AND evidence-based care looks like. At Meaningful Metrics , we believe that families deserve to understand exactly what kind of support they are choosing and how that support honors their child’s individuality. This is where the concept of neuroaffirming ABA  comes in. It is a way of...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/understanding-neuroaffirming-aba-what-families-need-to-know</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ed528d3c20e096ccd11e94</guid><pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 20:08:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e2f69f_1a303fc862d3450fa2cf4ce00c3cca7f~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Supporting Neurodivergent Learners Through Certified, Compassionate ABA Practice]]></title><description><![CDATA[Supporting children with diverse learning and behavioral needs should not feel overwhelming, yet it often does. Over the years, I have seen how Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) can create measurable and meaningful progress when it is delivered thoughtfully. At Meaningful Metrics , our focus is on using data and compassion together, ensuring that every intervention honors each learner’s individuality. Understanding the ABA therapy certification process  is key to that mission. It ensures that...]]></description><link>https://www.drsarahheller.com/post/aba-therapy-neurodivergent-learners</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ecf47d6fba127a77ad288c</guid><pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:04:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e2f69f_d94af540dc29444393a59319534304a3~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_768,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Heller</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>