It Takes More Than a Session: Building Bridges Between Therapists and Parents

Recently, a Facebook post by a fellow mom of a child diagnosed with Level 3 autism at age 10 has gone viral. She expressed her disappointment at the high cost of therapy services and the perceived mismatch between rates and value. She also called out the government for not doing enough to support families raising children with special needs. You can read her post here.

In response, Dr. Mike Sy, an occupational therapist, also posted his thoughts on the issue, hoping to shed light on the perspective of those working in therapy. His post can be found here.

As a mom of a child on the autism spectrum, I felt the need to share my personal experience (not to invalidate anyone’s feelings) but to give a fuller picture of how therapy has helped not just my son, but our entire family.

Therapy Is More Than Just a One-Hour Session

When we started therapy, I admit I didn’t know what to expect. At first, I thought it was just for my child to “improve.” But as we continued, I realized the sessions were also helping us as parents understand what’s going on in his mind.

We learned why he reacts a certain way, how to respond without triggering more stress, and how to support him during meltdowns. That knowledge is something I bring home and apply every day, not just during that 1-hour session.

Yes, Therapy Is Expensive—But There Are Ways to Maximize It

I hear the mom’s frustration. Therapy is not cheap, especially for minimum-wage earners. And yes, it would make a big difference if government subsidies for therapy services were in place. This is a fight that many of us support and continue to advocate for.

But for families currently navigating this path, here’s something I’ve learned: what happens at home matters just as much as the therapy center. You can ask questions after every session. What activity can we do at home? What triggered this behavior? What should we avoid?

You can take the strategies taught in therapy and make them part of your daily routine. That’s how we saw faster and more sustainable improvements (because therapy didn’t stop when we left the center).

Early Intervention Is Key

In our case, we started intervention before the age of 4. I believe this made a huge difference. Early intervention opens up more developmental windows and allows a child to build foundational skills early on. It’s not about forcing them to “catch up”, it’s about giving them a stronger support system from the start.

That said, it’s never too late to help your child. But the earlier we spot the signs, the better the outcome.

Let’s Support One Another

I understand where both the mom and the therapist are coming from. The mom speaks from her pain and frustration as a parent trying to give her child the best possible future. The therapist defends his profession, which also deserves dignity and respect.

Rather than seeing this as a debate, I hope we see it as a call for better understanding of each other’s struggles, sacrifices, and roles.

To fellow autism parents: keep asking questions, keep learning, and keep showing up. What we do at home matters just as much (if not more) than the therapy sessions we pay for.

To therapists: thank you for your dedication. But please continue finding ways to connect with the parents, too. Because we are your partners in our child’s development.

And to the government: we need you. Therapy should not be a luxury for the few, it should be an accessible right for all children who need it.

Let’s be each other’s allies. Not competitors. Not enemies. We’re all on the same side…. our children’s future.