The Play Base

In this deeply human, soul-stirring episode of The Play Base Podcast, Frances sits down with Revital (Rev) Anava- a gifted designer, a grounded truth-teller, and one of those rare people who feels like home the moment you meet them.What begins as a “how have we never met?” story becomes something much bigger: a conversation about divine timing, intuition, identity, healing, and the quiet power of being fully yourself. Frances and Rev explore what it means to live beyond conditioning—beyond perfectionism, fear, and the roles we’ve been assigned and how real growth often arrives through the very moments that feel like getting “punched in the gut.”Rev shares pieces of her journey as a builder and designer, navigating major transitions, losing trust, rebuilding from scratch, and living through a literal home rebuild after black mold turned life upside down. Frances ties it back to what she knows best: the nervous system, regulation, resilience, and the way our inner world shapes every experience we have.This episode is funny, raw, spiritual, and practical all at once, full of metaphors you’ll carry with you (the empty boat, the oak tree, the moon, the caterpillar to butterfly) and reflections that feel like a mirror.In this episode, you’ll hear about:The unexplainable feeling of meeting someone who feels like a sisterDivine timing, soul recognition, and “nothing is by accident” momentsRebuilding a life after betrayal, business stress, and major transitionsThe difference between self-regulation and dissociationWhy we bargain with fear instead of listening to intuitionHolding space for others without carrying their painThe ripple effect of kindness and being fully human in a numb worldWhy life is never “either/or” it’s the gray, the yin/yang, the whole selfHow parenting mirrors our healing and why our kids have their own path to live throughClosing question (Rev’s mic-drop):Rev leaves listeners with a powerful invitation:“If I asked you who you are, but you couldn’t use your job, your upbringing, your nationality, your religion, or any label, who would you be?”A reminder that beneath everything we’ve been taught to identify with… there’s still you.Connect with Revital Anava🌐 Website: https://www.bonstudioinc.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonstudioinc/?hl=enConnect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase

In this episode of The Play Base Podcast, Frances sits down with Marina Aronin, a powerhouse speech-language pathologist and practice owner who brings a whole-child, root-cause approach to therapy.Marina shares how her work goes far beyond “speech sounds” and into the real-life foundations that impact communication and behavior: sleep quality, mouth breathing, nutrition, food intolerances, screen time, stress, emotional regulation, and family routines. With a background in psychology and additional training as a functional nutritional counselor, Marina explains how small shifts—like a short elimination trial for dairy, building healthier routines, or teaching kids diaphragmatic breathing—can create meaningful changes not only in speech, but also in attention, regulation, and overall wellbeing.Frances and Marina also dive into the bigger parenting topics many families wrestle with today: technology boundaries, food overwhelm, guilt/shame, and how to create structure without losing compassion. This is a grounded, practical conversation for parents, educators, and clinicians who want to support children in a way that’s both evidence-informed and deeply human.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why Marina believes therapy should address the whole child, not just one skill areaThe connection between food sensitivities (like dairy), mucus/voice quality, and throat clearingHow Marina supports selective eating with systematic desensitization (smell → touch → taste → expand)The impact of screen time on attention, patience, and social communicationRegulation tools Marina uses in sessions: breathwork, movement, yoga, and sensory supportsParent coaching, boundaries, and why “structure” is often the missing ingredientBaby steps families can start today without getting overwhelmedClosing reflection:Marina leaves listeners with a powerful New Year prompt:“What is your resolution—and what will you give back to the world?”Connect with Marina and Roots To Rise🌐 Website: https://roots2risetherapy.com/📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/roots2risetherapy/Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase

In this episode of The Playbase Podcast, Frances sits down with longtime friend and educator Joy Badler—a passionate advocate for children (especially within the ADHD community) who has spent years building what many schools are only now realizing kids desperately need: regulation skills before academics.Joy shares the work she’s been developing for over a decade—an approach that blends mindfulness, social-emotional literacy, movement, breathwork, and resilient skill-building to help children understand their brains, regain control of their nervous systems, and navigate life with more steadiness and confidence. Frances and Joy also reflect on why the science is finally catching up to what many educators and therapists have felt for years: when the nervous system is dysregulated, learning can’t land.You’ll also hear about Joy’s school-based “regulation room” concept (a supervised space that includes movement, games, creativity, and connection), why it should never be used as a reward or punishment, and how movement can unlock expression for kids who struggle with traditional writing or classroom demands. Together, they explore the bigger parenting and education conversation around resilience—how it’s built, how it’s lost, and how we can help kids “fail forward” without rescuing them from every discomfort.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why Joy believes regulation must come before academicsWhat “mindful neuroplasticity” looks like in real classroomsHow breathwork, movement, and mindfulness become tools kids can use anywhereThe difference between a movement break that helps vs. one that escalatesA school “hangout/regulation room” that supports both high-energy and low-energy needsWhy removing recess, sports, or movement as punishment often backfiresStrength-based school culture: Joy’s Kindness Ambassadors programThe resilience gap: why some kids fear discomfort—and how to rebuild that muscleThe tension every parent feels: protecting kids vs. letting them grow through hard momentsClosing reflection:Joy leaves listeners with a powerful reminder:“No mud, no lotus.”Sometimes growth requires discomfort—because the lotus only blooms after the mud.Connect with Joy Badler📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/getitdonewithjoy/Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase

In this episode, Frances sits down with Dana Weiss, an incredible Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) who recently made the transition from New York City to South Florida and quickly realized: the pace, the culture, and the clinical landscape are a whole different world.Dana shares what it was like training and working across Manhattan and the Bronx in a large, cohesive clinic model… then moving to Florida, where many roles are independent and pay-per-client, which ultimately pushed her to take a brave leap: starting her own private practice.Together, Frances and Dana explore what it really means to be both a clinician and a business owner, how to separate your identity from your work, how to build confidence when you don’t have a supervisor to “phone a friend,” and how life (and nature!) can regulate your nervous system when everything feels like it’s crumbling.They also dive deep into the heart of Dana’s clinical philosophy: connection comes before progress.Because if a child doesn’t feel safe, regulated, and comfortable, learning can’t land.In this episode, you’ll hear about:The difference between New York’s clinic culture and Florida’s more independent modelWhy starting your own practice can be terrifying… and wildly empoweringWhat it’s like to be “the one” responsible for clinical decisions, creativity, and outcomesThe importance of not taking your work home emotionally (and why so many clinicians struggle with it)The “Wild West” reality of South Florida therapy and how integrity stands outDana’s approach: meeting the child where they are (even during a screener)Why play isn’t “not therapy” it’s the foundation of therapyA powerful conversation about assent, consent, and making therapy something kids want to joinIntrinsic motivation vs. extrinsic rewards and why internal pride creates real carryoverWhat speech therapy really includes (it’s so much more than sounds!):AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication)expressive + receptive languagecomprehension + classroom impactexecutive functioning + regulationWhy OT + Speech + ABA collaboration changes everything for kids and familiesHow Florida helped Dana slow down, reflect more, and grow her confidence personally and professionallyMoment to rememberDana describes building motivation from the inside out so kids leave sessions feeling:“I did it.”And Frances reflects on how that pride is one of the most powerful reinforcers there is.What Dana wants parents to sit withYou are doing great.If your child is receiving services like speech, OT, ABA, anything- take a breath and give yourself credit. You’re doing everything you can… and it will unfold the way it’s meant to.Connect with Dana Weiss🌐 Website: https://www.bocaspeechsolutions.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bocaspeechsolutions/Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase

In this episode of The Play Base Podcast, host Frances Fishman is joined by Lauren Henry, a sensory design consultant whose work challenges how we think about interior design, regulation, and well-being. What begins as a conversation about “sensory rooms” quickly expands into a deeper exploration of how color, lighting, sound, scent, texture, and space directly impact the nervous system, often without us realizing it.Lauren explains how sensory design goes far beyond aesthetics, helping individuals, families, and communities create environments that actively support focus, regulation, sleep, productivity, and emotional safety. From children with autism and ADHD to adults with trauma, PTSD, or chronic stress, this episode reveals how our environments can either dysregulate us, or help us heal.A powerful conversation for parents, educators, clinicians, designers, and anyone curious about why certain spaces feel calming, overwhelming, or “off,” and how small, intentional changes can make a profound difference.Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybaseConnect with Lauren Henry🌐 Website: https://laurenhenrysensorydesign.com/

In this heartfelt episode of The Play Base, Frances is joined by her middle child and sweet “angel boy,” Coby Fishman - an eight-year-old who lives and breathes sports (especially hockey).Coby shares what he loves most about the game - the speed, intensity, and the joy of scoring, but also opens up about the part that makes it harder: when his family can’t make it to his games. From there, the conversation becomes something deeper: confidence, perseverance, self-control, and what it takes to stay grounded when life (or the ice) gets tough.Together, Frances and Coby explore:What hockey teaches kids about strength, resilience, and standing up for themselvesThe difference between playing “for the puck” versus “for the body”  and why sportsmanship mattersHow Coby “clicks in” and hyper-focuses when things get intenseWhat happens when stress hits (fight/flight/freeze) and how Coby works through itProtecting teammates, loyalty, and having a big heart in a competitive sportThe quiet confidence that comes from not giving up when things are hardWhy self-control is a superpower at home, at school, and on the iceCoby also shares something incredibly powerful: how focusing on the next right move helps him tune out the noise and how letting stress take over can make your body feel like it’s “driving the car.”Before the episode ends, Coby leaves listeners with an important question to reflect on:“What do you think you should do when your body starts to take control of you?”And in a tender, tearful moment, Coby asks Frances two beautiful questions that every parent will feel in their chest:“Do you think it’s fun working with the kids you work with?”“Do you like being a parent?”This episode is a reminder that kids often understand far more than we realize  and that emotional regulation, empathy, and strength can exist in the same heart.Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase

In this deeply heartfelt and gentle episode of The Play Base, Frances is joined by her youngest daughter, Jojo (Jordyn), a seven-year-old old soul with a powerful heart and an extraordinary capacity for kindness.What unfolds is a slow, meaningful conversation about love, bravery, emotions, mistakes, friendship, and trust. Jojo shares what makes her feel calm, what her perfect day would look like, what it’s like to be the youngest in the family, and why kindness matters more than anything else.Together, mother and daughter reflect on:What it means to be kind  and why kindness is a true superpowerFacing fear and choosing bravery (even when it’s scary)Making mistakes and believing you can do better next timeFriendship, trust, and how we know who feels safeBig feelings in little bodiesThe beauty of being perfectly imperfectThis episode gently explores emotional awareness, empathy, self-reflection, and resilience  all through the honest and thoughtful lens of a child. Jojo’s questions, insights, and quiet wisdom serve as a reminder that sometimes the most profound truths come from the smallest voices.✨ A must-listen for parents, educators, therapists, and anyone who wants to reconnect with what really matters.Before signing off, Jojo leaves listeners with a powerful question to sit with:“How many friends do you have and how do you know you can trust them?”💛 This episode is a love letter to gentleness, connection, and leading with your heart.Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase

In this incredibly special birthday episode of The Play Base, Frances is joined by her firstborn daughter, Chloe Fishman, for a heartfelt, funny, and deeply insightful conversation that only a child could lead.Chloe shares her many passions, from baking, comedy, music, dance, theater, and art, to making friends and (lovingly) annoying her siblings. She talks about finding her voice on stage, overcoming fear in auditions, learning to persevere through big transitions, and what it was really like moving to a new country at a tender age.This episode is filled with laughter, original jokes, imaginative ideas (including a reimagined Pokémon game), and powerful reflections on empathy, creativity, and emotional awareness. Chloe opens up about being an empath, connecting deeply with animals, sensing others’ emotions, and how that can feel both like a gift and a challenge.Frances reflects on watching her daughter grow into herself - a beam of light, a “sunshine girl,” and a child whose courage, compassion, and curiosity leave a lasting impact on everyone she meets.✨ This episode is a celebration of:Perseverance and growthCreativity and imaginationEmotional intelligence and empathyFinding your voice, even when it feels scaryHonoring what makes you uniquely youWhether you’re a parent, an educator, a therapist, or someone who simply loves hearing the world through a child’s lens, this episode will leave you smiling and maybe tearing up just a little.🎂 Happy Birthday, Chloe. Thank you for sharing your light with us.Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase

Frances Fishman sits down with Laura Waldorf Reiss, founder of Kindness Matters, to explore how kindness, emotional awareness, and nervous system regulation can reshape the way we parent, lead, and live. Laura shares how Kindness Matters began, how the programming evolved, and why the work must be consistent and repeated to create lasting impact.This episode is an invitation to see emotions as signals, build tools for regulation, and practice kindness intentionally, toward ourselves and others.In this episode, we cover:How Kindness Matters was bornWhy the nervous system is at the center of behavior and connectionNaming emotions and choosing tools like reframing, grounding, and communicationWhy children respond so powerfully to emotional educationThe ripple effect of kindness and the impact we cannot always seePartnering with others to expand a mission beyond one personFind Kindness Matters:Kindness Matters 365 dot org (KM365 dot org)Note: Any event dates mentioned in the episode reflect what was said during the recording.Connect with Laura Waldorf Reiss & Kindness Matters 🌐 Website: https://kindnessmatters365.org/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindnessmatters365/?hl=enOR https://www.instagram.com/laurawaldorfreiss/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindnessmatters365org/Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase

In Part 2 of Frances’ conversation with Jayme Teplin—former Clinical Director at The Play Base Toronto—this episode goes deeper into Jayme’s clinical journey and what shaped her into the kind of practitioner families and teams feel safe with: compassionate, flexible, and fiercely human-first.While ABA is still widely associated with “autism treatment” and table-based programs, Jayme shares how her path expanded far beyond that traditional lane—into adult services, dual diagnosis, addiction, mental health, justice-involved populations, brain injury, and complex systems work. And the twist? That expansion began as an accidental job transition… the kind that would make most clinicians panic—yet it became the experience that “blew open” what ABA could truly be when it’s practiced as a science of behavior for humans, not a rigid protocol.Frances and Jayme unpack what so many clinicians quietly carry: the guilt and discomfort of early training that didn’t always feel right—and the hope that there is a better way. They talk candidly about rapport as the foundation of change, why consent and autonomy matter, what “non-contingent reinforcement” looks like with adults, and how a truly skilled clinician is defined by their soft skills as much as their credentials.This episode is for BCBAs, RBTs, educators, therapists, parents—anyone who wants to understand what compassionate behavior change can look like when we stop reducing people to diagnoses and start seeing the whole human.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why ABA’s reputation is still tied to old-school, table-based models—and why that’s incompleteHow Jayme’s work expanded beyond autism into mental health, addiction, justice systems, and brain injuryThe story of the phone call that changed everything (“Surprise—you’re moving to adult complex needs… in 15 minutes.”)Why rapport isn’t a phase—it’s the foundation of all changeWhat non-contingent reinforcement really means (and why it matters for trust)Reading the “small cues” before escalation (and why prevention beats crisis every time)The missing pieces in clinician training: attachment, trauma, neurodiversity, and practical competencyThe myth that autistic people lack empathy—and why Frances and Jayme strongly disagreeThe difference between being technically correct vs. being ethically alignedWhy a credential isn’t the same as clinical wisdom (and what should change in training/testing)Closing reflection:Jayme leaves listeners with a powerful check-in for every clinician and helping professional:“Does the way you’re doing ABA feel right in your heart—and do your clients respond to it?”If either answer doesn’t sit right, she encourages deep reflection… and trusting your gut to realign.Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase

In this heartfelt Part 1 conversation, Frances sits down with Jayme Teplin, Clinical Director of The Play Base Toronto, for a powerful episode that blends lived experience with professional insight.Jayme shares her personal story of growing up neurodivergent in Toronto navigating early diagnoses, struggling in an under-resourced public school system, and eventually thriving thanks to a life-changing private school designed for neurodivergent learners. She opens up about what it meant to learn self-advocacy, understand her brain, and build the strategies that carried her through high school, college, a top-tier master’s program, and ultimately passing the BCBA exam on the first try.This episode isn’t just about credentials. It’s about resilience, identity, and the deep healing that can come from turning pain into purpose, especially when you dedicate your life to supporting children, families, and systems in ways you once needed yourself.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Jayme’s early experience with diagnoses, labels, and feeling like a “misfit” in the school systemThe private school that helped her “love school again” and the sacrifices her family made to get her thereWhy learning how your brain works can change everything (even when you’re 12 and don’t want to hear it)How Jayme learned to self-advocate early: attending IEP meetings, booking accommodations, and owning her supportsFinding ABA “by accident” through a Section 23 classroom model (academics + ABA embedded in school)

In this powerful Play Base episode, Frances sits down with the one-and-only Alley Dezenhouse, founder of Magnificent Minds (MagMinds)—for a conversation that feels equal parts validating, visionary, and deeply human.Frances shares how Alley’s voice helped her step out of imposter syndrome and into her own truth as a clinician and leader. From there, Alley takes us through her journey: starting in childcare roles, landing in “clinic-y” early ABA environments, and ultimately building MagMinds (founded in 2011) to deliver evidence-based support in spaces that feel like school, because kids deserve to be kids.Together, they unpack what it looks like when science meets art, when data doesn’t equal meaning, and why the future of education depends on moving beyond compliance and toward trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming, nervous-system-aware practice.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why Alley built a school because she hated school—and how that shaped her missionThe difference between “good data” and real learning (and why some graphs can be misleading)The “science in the background, human in the foreground” approach to behavior changeWhy nervous system regulation should be foundational in education and therapyWhat ableism looks like in practice (including the harmful “indistinguishable from peers” mindset)How MagMinds trains staff with trauma-informed care + neurodiversity-affirming frameworksWhy educator perceived competence matters more than checklists for sustainable behavior supportsAllie’s prediction on where education is heading and why the pendulum may swing before it balancesA closing reflection inspired by Viktor Frankl: the power that lives in the space between what happens and how we respondQuote to sit with“I can’t control what happens—but I can control what happens in the space where I process it.”Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybaseConnect with Allie📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magminds/?hl=en💻 Website: https://www.magnificentminds.ca/

In this deeply heartfelt episode of The Play Base Podcast, Frances sits down with Rebecca Guez, someone who entered her life at exactly the right moment and quickly became a grounding guide and trusted support.Rebecca shares how she began as a conscious parenting coach after realizing she didn’t want to yell, punish, or parent on autopilot but also discovered that tools alone aren’t enough when we’re triggered and can’t access them. From there, her work evolved into a powerful, intuitive blend of conscious parenting, emotional healing, nervous system awareness, meditation, energetic protection, and deeper “why am I wired this way?” exploration.Together, Frances and Rebecca talk about:Why triggers are invitations to heal what’s happening within usHow sensitive and empathic children often “feel” what adults try to hideThe difference between being sensitive vs. being empathic (and how to tell)Why language matters (“I feel anxious” vs. “I am anxious”)Parenting as the ultimate mirror: the messy, magical work of repair, growth, and self-trustThey close with a powerful reminder: life isn’t happening to you—you have more power than you think, and staying committed to your inner work is one of the bravest things you can do.Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybaseConnect with Rebecca Guez🌐 Website: https://rebeccaguez.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaguez🎙️ Rebecca’s Podcast: https://rebeccaguez.com/podcast/

In this episode of The Play Base, host Frances Fishman is joined in person by Nicole Pekerman, founder of Health Collective and known by many as the “peptide princess.” Together, they dive into what it really takes to create lasting change, from the stories we repeat in our minds to the systems we build in our daily lives.They discuss:Why willpower isn’t the problem and how habit design and systems create sustainable changeThe power of rewriting your internal narrative (and how repetition shapes identity)Using gratitude and self-talk to shift mindset, confidence, and behavior over timeHow stress, cortisol, and nervous system dysregulation impact health, sleep, and weightWhy medications/peptides can be a tool in the toolkit, not a standalone solutionPractical strategies like tracking, creating friction, and breaking behavior chainsA motivating, heart-centered conversation about health, parenting, nervous system support, and building a blueprint for the life you want starting from the inside out.Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybaseConnect with Nicole Pekerman🌐 Website: https://healthcollective.us/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthcollective_usa/https://www.instagram.com/nicolepekerman/Listen to her on The Healthy Pod

In this episode of The Play Base, host Frances Fishman sits down with Dr. Tay (Dr. Taylor Day), a licensed psychologist, educator, and leading voice in neurodiversity-affirming care. Together, they explore how autism support must extend beyond the child to include the entire family system.Dr. Tay shares her personal story as a sibling of an autistic individual, her journey from academia to clinical practice, and her passion for reshaping how we approach ABA, assessments, nervous systems, and autonomy. This conversation dives into sibling experiences, trauma within traditional models, PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), low-demand approaches, and why listening, truly listening, is the foundation of ethical, compassionate care.A powerful episode for parents, clinicians, and educators who are ready to move beyond compliance and toward connection, understanding, and humanity.Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybaseConnect with Dr. Taylor Day🌐 Website: https://drtaylorday.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.dr.tay/