Building BLOCS

Building BLOCS is a highly respected, clinician-owned therapy center in Austin, Texas, that has redefined the standard of early intervention through a unique, multidisciplinary integration of Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Founded in 2010 by Brandy Windham, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCBA, LBA, and Christie Layton Petersen, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA, the center was born out of a shared vision to create a therapeutic environment that reflects "how therapy should be"—effective, deeply engaging, and fundamentally child-centered. Brandy, a University of Texas at Austin alumna with a background in special education and speech therapy, and Christie, a certified special education teacher and BCBA, combined their expertise to address a critical gap in the market: the need for a collaborative approach where language acquisition and behavioral support are addressed as inseparable components of a child's development.

The core curriculum at Building BLOCS is the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), a comprehensive, play-based intervention specifically designed for toddlers and preschoolers. Unlike more traditional, table-based ABA, ESDM focuses on naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI), where learning occurs within the context of social play and daily routines. At Building BLOCS, therapy is intentionally indistinguishable from play. Children might be working on communication goals while building a block tower or practicing social turn-taking during a dramatic play session. This "play-first" philosophy ensures that children remain intrinsically motivated and happy, which Building BLOCS believes is the only way to achieve meaningful, long-term developmental breakthroughs. Their Intensive Early Intervention Program serves children from 12 months to 5 years old, utilizing literacy-based thematic units that prepare young learners for the transition into preschool or kindergarten settings.

What truly distinguishes Building BLOCS in the Austin landscape is their commitment to "Generalization Fridays." Recognizing that skills learned in a center must be functional in the real world, the center dedicates Fridays to in-home sessions. During these visits, therapists work directly with children and their families in their natural environment, using the child’s own toys and navigating real-life routines like potty training or mealtime challenges. This family-centered approach ensures that progress isn't confined to the clinic walls but is actively enriching the family’s daily life. Building BLOCS has intentionally chosen to remain a small, boutique-style business to maintain this high level of clinical intimacy and effectiveness. The founders are not corporate executives; they remain deeply active in clinical work and serve as educators at UT Austin, training the next generation of therapists.

The clinical team at Building BLOCS is composed of Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and BCBAs who are specialists in the ESDM methodology. The center is known as a premier training ground for ABA professionals in Central Texas, fostering a culture of continuous learning and ethical practice. Their multidisciplinary model means that behavior therapists and speech-language therapists collaborate on the same goals, ensuring a cohesive experience for the child. While the center’s high demand has led to a significant waitlist, the owners remain committed to their small-scale model and actively encourage families to seek early intervention elsewhere if they cannot be served immediately, prioritizing the child's developmental window over business expansion. For Austin families seeking a sophisticated, play-based, and deeply collaborative therapy home, Building BLOCS represents a gold standard in early childhood intervention.