A Mother with a Mission:

A New Autism Center Opens in St. Johns! Learn About the Inspiration for  Awetism Wonderland!

Awetism Wonderland is an autism therapy center created especially for children with autism. Located in St. Augustine, Florida, Awetism Wonderland was founded by Dr. Stephanie Vavilala, Ed.D, LMHC, BCBA, RPT-S, whose beautiful daughter Sabita has autism and is non-verbal. Dr. Vavilala is a behavioral therapist who resides and works in St. Augustine, Florida.


When Dr. Vavilala was faced with her daughter’s diagnosis, she became a leader in the space of special needs in order to find solutions to make her daughter’s life easier. Now she wants to share these solutions with other children on the spectrum, in order to help them flourish into their best selves!


Dr. Vavilala’s goal is to provide support for children on the spectrum, as well as their families. She is passionate about making life easier for special needs families, through the use of technologies, and with resources and support that she herself has found helpful in empowering her own daughter to unleash her full potential.


Dr. Vavilala is aware of the many challenges that parents of children with ASD face. Insurance is expensive and often doesn’t cover ABA therapy. And ABA therapy itself often doesn’t cover the teaching of basic life skills that children on the spectrum often struggle to learn, such as brushing their teeth, putting on shoes, cleaning, brushing their hair, or fixing themselves a simple meal. Awetism Wonderland is here to bridge that gap.


Awetism Wonderland is meant to teach these life skills that can be replicated at home and elsewhere so that children on the spectrum can gain more independence.


From her experience, Dr. Vavilala knows that public school was a constant battle to advocate for the needs of her daughter. It’s hard to find the right people to teach your children, and Awetism Wonderland provides the solution that many parents of special-needs children struggle to find.

​Awetism Wonderland
(904) 247-2179 • 180 Center Place Way • St. Augustine, FL 32095