Behavior Coaching & Life Support

A calm, safe place to understand behavior

Whether you're a parent navigating the unexpected or an adult ready to understand yourself better — The Behavior Cove offers personalized behavior coaching that meets you exactly where you are. No jargon. No judgment. Just real support.

Book a Free Intro Call See Services
What we work on together
  • Understanding the why behind challenging behaviors
  • Building personalized behavior plans that actually work
  • Support for autistic children, teens, and adults
  • Navigating ADHD, big emotions, and daily routines
  • Coaching the whole family, not just the individual
Not ABA. This is strengths-based, person-centered coaching that honors who you are — not a system designed to change you.
Who This Is For

Everyone deserves a safe place to be understood

Whether you have a diagnosis or you're just trying to make sense of things — you belong at The Behavior Cove.

🧩

Autistic Children & Teens

Behavior support and family coaching tailored to your child's unique communication style, sensory needs, and strengths.

🌊

Autistic Adults

Life coaching and behavior support for adults navigating work, relationships, routines, and self-understanding on their own terms.

⚡

ADHD & Big Feelings

Practical support for anyone who struggles with impulse control, transitions, emotional regulation, or staying consistent.

💛

Families Who Want More

Looking for support outside the traditional system? This is a judgment-free, family-first space built around listening first.

The Process

Simple, personal, and built around you

No overwhelming intake packets. No clinical hoops to jump through. Just a real conversation and a plan that fits your life.

1

Book a Free Intro Call

We spend 20 minutes talking — about you, your goals, and what's felt hardest lately. Zero pressure. Just a conversation where you feel heard.

2

I Build Your Behavior Plan

Based on your unique needs, I create a personalized behavior support plan — clear, readable, and actually usable in real life. No clinical jargon.

3

We Walk Through It Together

We review your plan on a coaching call and I answer every question. You leave with confidence, tools, and a clear path forward.

4

Ongoing Support (Optional)

Check-ins, plan updates, and continued coaching as life changes. I'm in your corner for the long haul if you need me.

Sammi, founder of The Behavior Cove
About

Hi, I'm Sammi

I'm a behavior life coach and autism specialist currently completing my Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis on the path to becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

I created The Behavior Cove because I believe everyone deserves a safe, calm place to be understood — not diagnosed, not fixed, not managed. I work with children, teens, adults, and families who are ready for support that actually listens.

My approach is gentle but it works. I lead with curiosity, build around your strengths, and create plans you can realistically use in your everyday life.

Autism Life Coach M.S. ABA (In Progress) BCBA Candidate Behavior Specialist
Services

How I can support you

Every service is built around listening first and creating something that actually fits your life.

📞

Free Intro Call

A no-pressure 20-minute call to talk through what's going on and see if we're a good fit. Always free.

Free — always
📋

Behavior Support Plan

A personalized behavior plan built around your unique needs, plus a coaching call to walk through every strategy together.

Most Popular
🔄

Ongoing Coaching

Monthly check-ins, plan updates, and continued support as life evolves. Stay consistent with someone genuinely in your corner.

Monthly Package
Sample Behavior Plans

See what a plan looks like

Every plan is personalized — but here's a glimpse at what you'll receive. Real strategies, real language, real results.

🔄
Transitions & Change Support Plan
For anyone who struggles with moving between activities, unexpected changes, or ending preferred tasks.
All Ages · Autism & ADHD Friendly
🔍 What We're Seeing
  • Meltdowns or shutdowns when transitioning away from preferred activities
  • Resistance to leaving familiar places or routines
  • Difficulty with unexpected schedule changes
  • Prolonged recovery time after transitions
💡 Why It Happens
  • Transitions require shifting attention — a genuinely hard neurological task
  • No predictability = no sense of control = big feelings
  • The brain may not have a reliable "what comes next" map
  • Time is abstract; warnings without anchors don't work
✅ Strategies to Try
  • Use visual or auditory countdowns (timers, visual schedules)
  • Give a "transition warning" with a concrete anchor: "after this episode ends"
  • Offer a choice within the transition: "walk to the car or skip?"
  • Name what's coming next before ending the current activity
  • Build a consistent transition routine (e.g., shoes → coat → hug)
🚫 What to Avoid
  • Surprise endings with no warning ("okay, we're leaving NOW")
  • Negotiating once the meltdown has already started
  • Repeating the instruction in escalating tones
  • Power struggles over speed — focus on the destination, not the pace
A note from Sammi: Transition struggles are rarely about defiance. They're almost always about a nervous system that needs more predictability than the environment is providing. When we build the right scaffolding, these moments get so much easier — for everyone.

This is just a sample. Your personalized plan will be built around your specific triggers, strengths, and daily life.

Get My Personalized Plan
🌊
Meltdowns & Emotional Regulation Plan
For anyone experiencing intense emotional episodes, shutdowns, or difficulty returning to calm after dysregulation.
All Ages · Autism, ADHD & Sensory-Sensitive
🔍 What We're Seeing
  • Intense emotional reactions that feel disproportionate to the situation
  • Long recovery times after emotional episodes
  • Difficulty identifying or naming feelings in the moment
  • Aggression toward self, others, or objects during overwhelm
💡 Why It Happens
  • Meltdowns are neurological — not manipulative or intentional
  • The "thinking brain" goes offline during emotional flooding
  • Sensory overload, unmet needs, or fatigue lower the threshold
  • Many people lack the language to communicate distress before it peaks
✅ Strategies to Try
  • Create a calm-down kit with sensory tools that work for you
  • Teach and practice a "cool down spot" during calm times — not in crisis
  • Build a daily feelings check-in to grow emotional vocabulary over time
  • Watch for early warning signs and intervene before the peak
  • After the storm: reconnect first, debrief later (and only briefly)
🚫 What to Avoid
  • Reasoning or problem-solving during the meltdown
  • Punishing for behaviors that occurred during dysregulation
  • Matching the energy — your calm nervous system can help regulate theirs
  • Expecting an immediate apology or acknowledgment afterward
A note from Sammi: A meltdown is not a behavior problem — it's communication. When we stop trying to stop meltdowns and start trying to understand them, the frequency and intensity almost always decrease. That's the work we do together.

This is just a sample. Your personalized plan will be built around your specific triggers, strengths, and daily life.

Get My Personalized Plan
🏫
School Behavior Support Plan
For children and teens who struggle during the school day — and for families navigating school teams, IEPs, and advocacy.
Ages 5–18 · IEP & 504 Families Welcome
🔍 What We're Seeing
  • Refusal to go to school or daily morning battles
  • Reports from teachers of aggression, non-compliance, or shutdowns
  • Difficulty focusing or completing work in the classroom
  • Coming home completely dysregulated after the school day
💡 Why It Happens
  • School demands enormous self-regulation across a long, unpredictable day
  • "Masking" all day is exhausting — home is where it releases
  • Environment mismatches (sensory, social, academic) drive behavior
  • Many kids don't know how to ask for help before they reach overflow
✅ Strategies to Try
  • Build a decompression routine for after school (no demands for 30 min)
  • Use a visual morning checklist to reduce decision fatigue before school
  • Work with the school on a "safe person" and calm-down space
  • Document patterns: what days, times, and subjects are hardest
  • Communicate with teachers in writing to establish a shared language
🚫 What to Avoid
  • Debriefing behavior incidents right after school pickup
  • Adding homework demands during the decompression window
  • Assuming the school's framing of behavior is the complete picture
  • Waiting for things to get worse before requesting a team meeting
A note from Sammi: You are your child's best advocate — and you don't have to walk into IEP meetings alone or underprepared. Your plan can include communication scripts, questions to ask the school team, and documentation strategies to help you get the support your child deserves.

This is just a sample. Your personalized plan will be built around your child's specific triggers, strengths, and school environment.

Get My Personalized Plan
Book a Call

Let's start with a conversation

Fill out the form below and I'll reach out within 24 hours to schedule your free intro call.

🔒 Your info is private. I'll reach out within 24 hours.

🌊 Thank you! I received your request and will be in touch within 24 hours. I can't wait to connect with you.