Services / Meltdown & De-escalation Support
Meltdown & De‑escalation Support
Meltdowns are not misbehavior; they are a nervous system in overload. That is why consequences and sticker charts do not stop them. This support helps you find what pushes your child into overload, respond safely in the moment, and change the conditions so meltdowns happen less often and less intensely.
This is for you if…
Parents living around the meltdown schedule: leaving events early, dreading transitions, walking on eggshells at home.
- Meltdowns that last 20 minutes, an hour, or longer
- Aggression or self-injury during overload that frightens you
- You can feel one coming but cannot stop the train
- After-school explosions, transition battles, public meltdowns
What we work on together
Seeing the meltdown before it starts
Most meltdowns are predictable once you know what to look for. Jess helps you map your child's early warning signs and triggers, so you can act at the on-ramp instead of the peak.
A safe in-the-moment plan
You get a concrete plan for the peak of a meltdown: what to say, what not to say, how to keep everyone safe, and how to help your child come down without shame.
Fewer meltdowns, not just shorter ones
The real win is prevention: adjusting demands, sensory load, communication, and routines so your child spends less time near the edge in the first place.
How it works
- Start with the free mini-training
Understanding Autism Meltdowns shows you what is happening for your child and simple de-escalation techniques, free, by email.
- Book a free call
If meltdowns are running your home, a discovery call maps what is happening and what support would change it.
- Work the plan
Together you will reduce triggers, build regulation skills, and replace the meltdown cycle with earlier, safer communication.
Prefer to start self-paced? Understanding Autism Meltdowns teaches the same approach: understand why autism meltdowns happen and learn simple de-escalation techniques.
Get the free video trainingCommon questions
What is the difference between a meltdown and a tantrum?
A tantrum is goal-directed: the child wants something and stops when they get it or realize it will not come. A meltdown is a loss of regulation, a nervous system overwhelmed past its limit. A child in meltdown is not choosing the behavior and cannot simply stop. That difference matters because tactics that end tantrums, like ignoring, often make meltdowns worse.
Should I punish meltdown behavior?
No. Punishing a meltdown punishes a child for being overwhelmed, which adds fear without adding skills, and usually increases meltdowns over time. The effective path is reducing overload, teaching regulation and communication skills, and responding in ways that help your child feel safe enough to come back down.
My child seems fine at school but explodes at home. Why?
That pattern is common enough to have a name: after-school restraint collapse. Many children mask and hold it together all day, then release the accumulated stress in the place they feel safest, home, with the person they trust most, you. It is exhausting, but it is not a parenting failure, and it is very workable.
What Families Say
From the beginning, Jess was kind, thoughtful, and patient, and she quickly developed a strong rapport with our daughter. … We would highly recommend Jess to other families looking for a compassionate and effective therapist.
David MWe had Jess working with us to help out with behavioural therapy for several months and it was fantastic! … We saw so much progress working with Jess and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her services.
Nicholas RanicarI love love love the flexible and fixed strategy learning. We have been working hard on changes this week. … We have made huge gains.
C.R.
Talk to Jess about meltdown & de-escalation
A free 45-minute conversation about your child, no pressure and no obligation. If this service is not the right fit, Jess will say so and point you to what is.
Book your free discovery call