Help Your Teen Build More Confident Conversations
A self-paced online course created by licensed speech-language pathologist Shivani Patel, PhD, CCC-SLP, giving parents practical strategies to support conversational growth at home.
Created by Licensed SLP
Evidence-Based Strategies
Self-Paced Learning
Designed for Families
Talking Together: A Parent-Supported Conversational Skills Coaching Program for Autistic Adolescents
Talking Together is a self-paced online course designed to help parents support conversational skill development at home.
The course combines practical instruction, real-world examples, guided home practice, and parent-friendly strategies that can be used during everyday routines.
Unlike general social communication advice, this program is designed specifically for autistic adolescents ages 10 to 18 and the parents who support them.
The goal is to help families build more comfortable, meaningful, and confident conversations over time.
Parent-Teen Conversational Coaching
For parents and caregivers of autistic teens ages 10 to 18.
Includes:
Video lessons
Parent guides
Printable worksheets
Real-life examples
Practice activities
Lifetime access
Created by Shivani Patel, PhD, CCC-SLP
This course was created by Shivani Patel, PhD, CCC-SLP, a licensed speech-language pathologist with expertise in communication, social interaction, and supporting autistic individuals and their families.
Her approach is practical, respectful, and grounded in real-world communication. The course is designed to help parents understand the “why” behind conversational challenges while giving them clear tools they can begin using at home.
This is not about changing who your teen is. It is about helping them feel more prepared, supported, and confident when conversations matter to them.
“Parents do not need to become therapists. They need practical tools, clear guidance, and supportive ways to help their teen practice communication in real life.”
Who This Course Is For
This course is designed for parents and caregivers of autistic adolescents ages 10 to 18 who want to better support conversational growth at home.
It may be a good fit if your teen:
Finds it hard to start or continue conversations
Often gives short answers or struggles to expand on ideas
Has difficulty asking follow-up questions
Wants friends but feels unsure how to connect
Feels anxious, stuck, or overwhelmed in social conversations
Needs support preparing for school, friendship, family, or community interactions
This course is also for parents who want practical strategies they can use without needing a clinical background.
What You Will Learn
1
Understanding Conversation
Learn why conversations can feel difficult, what barriers may get in the way, and how to better understand your teen’s communication needs.
2
Coaching at Home
Discover simple, parent-friendly strategies you can use naturally during everyday routines without turning every interaction into a lesson.
3
Building Confidence
Support your teen’s independence through real-life practice opportunities that feel useful, respectful, and manageable.
4
Navigating Social Situations
Help your teen prepare for conversations at school, with friends, in family settings, and in the community.
5
Encouraging Flexibility
Learn strategies that support more meaningful two-way conversations, including turn-taking, topic shifts, follow-up questions, and repair strategies.
6
Creating Lasting Progress
Build habits and practice routines that can continue long after the course is complete.
View the Curriculum
A simple, step-by-step course designed to help parents understand, support, and practice conversational skills at home.
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Learn what makes conversations challenging and how communication differences can show up in everyday life.
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Learn how to guide your teen without putting too much pressure on the interaction.
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Practice strategies that help your teen begin conversations and keep them going.
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Use everyday routines to create natural opportunities for communication.
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Help your teen feel more prepared for school, friendships, family gatherings, and community interactions.
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Create sustainable habits that support continued growth beyond the course.
What Is Included
Video Lessons
Clear, self-paced lessons you can watch from home.
Parent Guides
Simple explanations and strategies you can return to anytime.
Printable Worksheets
Tools to help you plan, practice, and reflect.
Real Examples
Practical examples that show what support can look like.
Practice Activities
Guided activities for everyday conversation practice.
Lifetime Access
Return to the course materials whenever you need them.
Join the Waitlist
Be the first to know when Parent-Teen Conversational Coaching opens for enrollment.
Waitlist members will receive launch updates, early access details, and founding member pricing when the course becomes available.
Get Early Access
***We will only send updates related to this course and helpful communication resources.
Important Note
This course is educational and coaching-based. It is not a substitute for individualized speech-language therapy, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If your teen needs individualized communication support, a licensed speech-language pathologist can provide an evaluation and personalized recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It is a self-paced video course designed for parents and caregivers of autistic adolescents (ages 10–18). This course gives families the tools to support real-world conversational growth at home.
This program was designed by speech-language pathologist Shivani Patel, PhD, CCC-SLP for motivated adolescents seeking to enhance their conversational skills with the support of caregivers who are willing to learn alongside them.
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Not at all. The course is designed for families, not clinicians. The lessons are explained in clear, parent-friendly language with practical examples you can use at home.
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The course includes 8 modules. Plan on about an hour per module. Each module includes a few instructional videos under 10 minutes long, as well as role-play demonstrations and practice exercises. One module per week is the pacing I recommend, which makes it about a two-month journey. The course is fully self-paced though, so if you need more time, take it!
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No, this is not speech therapy. This is a coaching program. I teach you — the parent/caregiver and adolescent — the conversational skills and framework that I use in my practice. However, this program isn't a replacement for speech-language therapy, mental-health care, or other services your adolescent currently receives. This coaching program can work beautifully alongside those services.
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The course is delivered through self-paced video modules that can be accessed from any device. It also includes downloadable worksheets, parent guides, and practice activities.
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Your access doesn't expire — one payment, and the program is yours to work through and return to at whatever pace fits your family. You may choose to revisit modules months later as new situations come up: a new school year, a first job interview, a friendship that's deepening. The course is built to be a resource you come back to.
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This course is an educational program rather than a billed therapy service, so it is not billable to insurance.
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Adolescents who:
are between the ages of 10-18 years old
are diagnosed with autism or related social communication differences
have grossly age-appropriate or mildly delayed receptive and expressive language differences
want to enhance their conversational skills and confidently connect with others
Parents or Caregivers who:
want to actively support their child at home
believe their teen's authentic voice deserves to be heard — not masked or scripted away
*This course is not appropriate for non-speaking adolescents or those with significant cognitive differences.
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The course is designed for parents and caregivers of autistic adolescents ages 10 to 18.
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The Conversational Coaching Program is $397 — a one-time payment for full access to everything.
Families who join the waitlist get founding member pricing of $297, along with one-week early access, and a Founding Families Q&A where I answer your submitted questions directly in a recorded video.
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Every teen is different, so results will vary. The course provides parents with practical strategies, examples, and guided practice tools to support conversational growth over time.
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Your access doesn't expire — one payment, and the program is yours to work through and return to at whatever pace fits your family. You may choose to revisit modules months later as new situations come up: a new school year, a first job interview, a friendship that's deepening. The course is built to be a resource you come back to.
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Try the first two modules. If within 14 days of purchase, you've given it an honest start and it isn't the right fit for your family, email us and we'll refund you in full. I'd rather you find the right support than keep the wrong purchase.
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Built by a clinician and researcher. This coaching course is grounded in evidence-based, speech-language pathology practice.
Neurodiversity-affirming from the ground up. We teach conversation skills as tools — not scripts. Your child keeps their authentic voice. The goal is connection, not conformity.
Designed for families, not just adolescents. The research is clear: when parents are active participants in communication support, outcomes are significantly better. This course sets you up for success through collaboration.
Practical and specific. Each module teaches a concrete, usable skill. By the end, parents/caregivers and adolescents will know exactly what to do — not just what to think about.