In this episode of Tuning into Development, Deborah Sussman steps in for host Kassie Allison for a thoughtful conversation with clinical social worker and developmental specialist Ruby Salazar. Together, they explore Ruby’s passion for working with families through the DIR® perspective and what it truly means to partner with caregivers in relationship-based, family-centered ways.

Ruby shares how helping families understand behavior developmentally can strengthen connection, support regulation, and bring greater balance to everyday family life—particularly in moments of stress, limited resources, or following an autism diagnosis. The conversation highlights the importance of caregivers serving as a secure base, “putting on their own oxygen mask,” and creating small, meaningful rituals that nurture joy, attunement, and communication.

The episode also offers a preview of Profectum’s March conference focused on supporting families across the lifespan, featuring expert faculty, keynote sessions, and access to recorded content following the event.

What does love look like when we let go of social expectations and truly meet each other as we are?

In this episode, guest host Dr. Jennie Trocchio is joined by Monica Osgood, a longtime leader in developmental, relationship-based approaches, and Anie Knipping, an autistic homemaker, author and artist, for a deeply human conversation about love, neurodiversity, and connection.

Together, they explore how autistic individuals experience love through comfort, trust, honesty, and shared support—and how many of these needs are universal, even if they show up differently. Anie shares powerful lived-experience stories about partnership, sensory safety, honesty, identity, and what it means to be a true team in a relationship. Monica adds a developmental lens, introducing frameworks that help explain why safety, competence, confidence, and shared control are essential foundations for meaningful connection.

This conversation moves beyond dating “rules” and stereotypes to highlight what helps relationships thrive: being understood, honoring individual differences, finding your people, and building love that makes space for who you truly are.

In this insightful and engaging episode, host Kassie Allison and guest Traci Swink, MD delve into the intricate dynamics of stress, resilience, and nervous system regulation within families, particularly during challenging times. They explore how various stressors, including environmental and social factors, can impact both children and adults, and why some individuals are more susceptible to stress due to early developmental influences and unique nervous system wiring.

The discussion highlights the importance of co-regulation, relational safety, and understanding individual differences in managing stress. Traci introduces the concept of body budgets and provides practical strategies for caregivers to support both their own and their children's nervous systems. Additionally, Traci shares a real-life example of how tailored interventions in a daycare setting helped a child navigate his stress, illustrating the principles of neuro-relational care in action. The episode underscores the significance of building resilience through supportive relationships and adaptive stress management, offering hope and practical guidance for families in stressful seasons.