What to Do When Nothing Seems to Work: Behavior Troubleshooting

👋 Episode Summary

Hey lovely humans! Ever had one of those “I’ve tried everything and NOTHING is working” moments? Yeah… same. In this episode of Teaching Autism and Special Education, I’m breaking down what to do when you hit that wall.

Because behavior isn’t always straightforward. And when strategies flop, it’s not because you’re failing, it’s because this work is hard, layered, and human.

Today I’m giving you a step-by-step troubleshooting checklist I personally use when things go sideways. You’ll leave with fresh ideas, honest validation, and some much-needed calm.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• Why your go-to strategies might suddenly stop working (and what to try next)

• How to reassess behavior functions when things don’t add up

• Why the environment might be making things harder than they need to be

• How skill gaps show up as challenging behavior

• The power of team consistency and regulation, for the student and you

• When (and why) it’s okay to let a strategy go and try something else

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• You’re not failing. You’re troubleshooting.

• Behavior is communication, and communication isn’t always clear.

• The environment plays a massive role in behavior outcomes.

• Lagging skills in communication, regulation, or executive function may be hiding under the behavior.

• Consistency across adults is key, misalignment causes chaos.

• Your regulation matters just as much as the student’s.

• Letting go of a strategy that isn’t working is not giving up, it’s adapting.

✅ Behavior Troubleshooting Steps:

1. Recheck the Function
    ➡️ Use ABC data to make sure you truly understand why the behavior is happening.

2. Look at the Environment
    ➡️ Assess lighting, noise, transitions, demands, and adult responses, tiny tweaks = big shifts.

3. Check for Skill Gaps
    ➡️ Is this actually a behavior problem… or a skill that’s missing?

4. Evaluate Consistency Across Adults
    ➡️ If the team isn’t on the same page, the student won’t know what to expect.

5. Regulation Check
    ➡️ Are they dysregulated? Are you? Start there, always.

6. Try Something New
    ➡️ If a strategy truly isn’t working, let it go. It’s feedback, not failure.

💬 Let’s Connect:

Feeling seen after this one?
Come say hi on Instagram, or grab some practical, neuro-affirming behavior tools and trainings.

🧡 Final Thoughts:

If you’re in that “nothing’s working” season, please know:
You’re not alone. You’re not failing.
You are showing up, and that means everything.

Behavior change takes time, but safety and trust are being built every day you keep trying.
You’ve got this. And I’m cheering you on every step of the way.

🎧 Hit play now and let’s troubleshoot together, with compassion, curiosity, and zero shame.
And if this episode helped you, share it with a teammate or leave a quick review so more SPED educators can find it too.