Stephanie BERMED

Special Education Teacher & Neurodiversity Specialist

515K+

Community members

1,000+

SPED resources

10+

Years in SPED

Stephanie BERMED is a special education teacher and neurodiversity specialist, founder of IEPFOCUS.COM and the IEPPLANNERS community (515,000+ members). She develops evidence-based IEP resources and strategies for educators and families supporting students with ADHD, autism, AuDHD, and PDA — grounded in neuroaffirmative, strengths-based pedagogy.

515,000+

IEPPLANNERS community members on Facebook

1,000+

Classroom-ready SPED resources on TPT

IEPFOCUS

Authority hub for neuroaffirmative special education

Areas of Expertise

Stephanie specializes in neuroaffirmative, regulation-first, strengths-based approaches to special education. Her work covers the full range of SPED practice — from IEP planning to daily classroom strategy.

IEP goal writing and IEP meeting preparation

ADHD in girls and women

AuDHD — co-occurring autism and ADHD

PDA profile (Pathological Demand Avoidance)

Sensory regulation and sensory processing

Executive functioning strategies

Behavior intervention planning (BIP/FBA)

Transition planning for neurodiverse students

Family advocacy and parent support

Autism spectrum — school and adult life

Resources and Community

Stephanie has developed more than 1,000 classroom-ready resources available on Teachers Pay Teachers under the brand Prof BERMED. Her IEP guides, strategy tools, templates, and social stories are used by special education teachers and families across the United States and beyond.

She founded and administers the IEPPLANNERS Facebook community, a public group of 515,000+ special education teachers, parents, and advocates who share daily strategies, IEP tips, and neuroaffirmative resources.

Editorial Approach

All content published on IEPFOCUS.COM is neuroaffirmative, identity-first, and grounded in current peer-reviewed research. Stephanie does not endorse ABA-based or compliance-focused approaches. Every article and resource prioritizes the student’s regulation, strengths, and long-term wellbeing over surface-level behavioral compliance.