Dear parents,
- MA (Psychology)
- MA (Education)
- Waldorf education teacher
- MBA, BTech (NIT Trichy)
- NDBI-certified counselling psychologist
“We are limited not by our abilities but by our vision.”
Sudha K Y, founder and director, ASDBUDDY
I am a psychologist from Mumbai, India. In my journey, I realised there were heavy gaps between the research and the practice of autism intervention.
I am an NDBI-certified counselling psychologist. NDBI is the modern, naturalistic approach to ABA, developed by the international scientific community and championed by Seattle Children’s Hospital, Stanford Medicine and WHO.
NDBI defines parent education as the strongest pillar of autism intervention. It is the single best way to improve quality of life for families. ASDBUDDY delivers it through in-depth content that parents can learn from at their own convenience.
We observed that what we were really changing was how parents engaged with their children. It is not the “what to do” but the “how to do” that produces results.
Every autistic child is born with a differently wired brain that is fully capable of learning. They learn differently. Don’t we need to learn how to guide them? We help you understand the gaps through our 10 Freedoms Growth Model, which gives you a clear path forward.
Our journey to NDBI
- 2012–13
The diagnosis
Sudha’s elder child receives an autism diagnosis. Unhappy with the therapy provided, she reads about developing dynamism in autistic children through newer models, far more advanced than ABA, and quits her IT consulting job.
- 2014
Relationship first
Begins Relationship Development Intervention (RDI).
- 2015
The first turnaround
Remarkable improvement in her child, and in the family’s quality of life, through RDI.
- 2016
Helping other families
Starts supporting other families for free, and studies Waldorf education and developmental guidance and counselling.
- 2017
The key challenge
Identifies the gap: families struggled to translate naturalistic ideas from course theory into everyday practice. They were scared, and they didn’t have a plan.
- 2018
Guiding families
After completing her Master’s in Education, begins guiding families professionally, using developmental ideas.
- 2019
NDBI goes mainstream
The emergence of NDBI at Seattle Children’s Hospital reflects a modern evolution of ABA becoming mainstream. It resonates with Sudha’s philosophy of taking autism intervention in more naturalistic, developmental directions. WHO also refers to it in its Caregiver Skills Training (CST).
- 2020
ASDBUDDY begins
Completes a Master’s in Psychology, and begins developing ASDBUDDY: a platform to teach parents and professionals the NDBI model.
- 2021
Built in the pandemic
ASDBUDDY’s educational videos are created, filmed, edited and uploaded to a learning platform.
- 2022
Launch
ASDBUDDY launches, offering self-learning modules and parent-mediated programmes for dedicated families, following NDBI guidelines.
- 2023
Growing reach
Doctor couples and NRI families join ASDBUDDY, expanding its reach and impact.
- 2024
700+ learners
The platform grows to more than 700 learners worldwide.
- 2025
Self-sustaining
With 800+ learners, ASDBUDDY becomes self-sustaining, and focuses on individualised turnaround programmes.
Released worldwide
A must-read for every parent of a young autistic child. Real stories, practical insights, proven strategies. Gift one to a parent in need.
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