1. Why did you choose this career path? I found my way to this field by working with some really wonderful kids. Sometimes during a session I’ll have a shared moment with a client–maybe we’re building trust, or learning something, or just having fun. In those moments I know this job was the right decision. I’ve also had some wonderful mentors in this field, which was a game-changer!

2. What’s your favorite part about this job? My favorite part of my job is working with families. Sometimes the services we provide open doors for kids to have all sorts of new experiences in the world, which means they get to make new memories with their families. It’s a huge privilege to go on that journey with them.

3. How do you collaborate with other members of the Behavior Interventions team? For anything I’ve ever needed, I’ve always found someone willing to jump in and help here at BII. Our leadership team is on the ground and involved, which is especially beneficial when we’re working through a more complex clinical issue together. The other EP BCBAs are brilliant, so it’s always fun to bounce ideas off of them as well.

4. How does your job make a lasting impact on the lives of the children you work with and their families? I think part of the reason I’ve been drawn to ABA is that our field emphasizes effective treatment. I really appreciate the clinical resources that BII has in place to support meaningful treatment outcomes. This job makes an impact not only because the daily work is meaningful to our clients and their families, but also because we work hard to show them data that reflects their progress.

5. The Enhanced Program uses a compassionate, assent-based approach. What does that look like in practice? Early in my career, I was exposed to some pretty restrictive approaches for managing dangerous behavior. This experience was confusing and overwhelming because I hadn’t been taught any alternative strategies to try. When I joined the Enhanced Program, I quickly realized that it was the change I was looking for. The clients I work with here have severe dangerous behaviors in their repetoires, but they spend most of their sessions happy and relaxed. We focus on building relationships and always meet distress with kindness. Within this context, we hold our clients to incredibly high expectations while we teach them critical new skills, and they totally rise to the occasion.