(REC) Radically Assessing the Behavior of the Implementer

Change can and should begin with the self. Through systematic self reflection using assessments such as the ones below, we are able to remember our story and the important qualitative data points in our lives that impact us as practitioners and colleagues. The idea of self-as-context comes from the research that supports the six core process of ACT (CITE).  The self is simply that.  The perspective of being and feeling while holding the perspective that others also are and feel.  Creating a timeline of past events is one step in creating comfort with exploring one’s own self.  These reflections can show to the self-assessor times in which their actions may have been out of balance with their values, or it could help determine that their values have had little to do with their lives and their behavior.  Determining one’s values can come from intrinsic digging while searching for overt behavioral patterns.  It can also be as simple as a reflection of what inspires or motivates someone.  Assessing others’ behaviors before the assessor assesses their own behavior and learning history may lead to faulty chains of learning because not all of the environment has been assessed.

The use of such assessments are intended to serve as a guide for any professional working directly to support and increase the quality of life of the individuals they serve.  They provide us with clearly defined pinpoints of behaviors for us to reflect upon to address areas of strength and weaknesses prior to working with an individual in want of services.  

Not only will we dive into what these types of assessments look like and how they can be applicable, we will discuss how our own behaviors have been barriers to our learners’ progress.

About Meg Solomon

I am Meg Solomon, the founder and lead Board Certified Behavior Analyst at ABA Across Environments. Although I have always been inspired by children, I never realized that I would find so much fulfillment working in the field of Behavior Analysis. Upon graduating with my Bachelor’s from Southwestern University, I was unsure of what next step I should take. I lived in both Dallas and Los Angeles and worked in high-paced corporate environments, high-end retail, and with some of the most incredible restaurants and with some of the most talented chefs and winemakers in the world. As much personal growth as I experienced, I did not feel fulfilled with my career, and I didn’t feel as though I was working inline with my values of helping others. After volunteering with a school in Los Angeles and working many other jobs with children, neuroscience, neurodiversity, play, and developing foundational skills to help further my career, I began working for a national ABA company and soon fell in love with the science of helping others. I went on to get my Master’s degree from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. In 2015, my husband and I welcomed our first child, and I started my career as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. While working in the clinical setting, I noticed that I wanted to do more. The behavior changes that we were seeing at the centers were not generalizing to the home or community, and parents were struggling. In 2018, I took a huge leap of faith and started Across Environments. My hope was that these amazing changes would generalize to the home, school, and beyond. Shortly after founding the company, our daughter was born, which added more challenges and inspired more creativity with how to raise our children while building a business. Being a business owner, a BCBA, and a parent has improved how I use ABA as a tool to help grow and use my values to help others. We use ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) as the foundation for all of our behavior change programs so that we are person-centered and value-based. We hope to continue to grow and help facilitate positive outcomes for future generations! Website: www.abaacrossenvironments.com | Facebook

About Dr. Mari Cerda
Dr. Mari-Luci Cerda BCBA, LBA is a Mesoamerican Indigenous woman, wife, mom, Autist, and board-certified behavior analyst with over 19 years experience working with Neurodivergent individuals and their families.

A former special education teacher, behavior specialist, and inclusion coordinator of 17+ years, Mari has a deep passion for advocacy work with both schools and clinics to develop trauma-responsive, neurodiversity responsive practices. Her work focuses on shifting language and systems used in practice to reframe and move away from unintentional ableist frameworks that are often rooted in traditional therapy and educational settings. Much of this work pulls from IRM (Indigenous Research Methods) and medical models of care rooted in Cultural Safety and Responsiveness.

She recently opened her own trauma-responsive center, The Lighthouse Learning Center in Lubbock, TX with the goal of creating a model of true neurodiversity affirming and assent-based practices. Mari is also the co-founder of the The LEAP Institute, a non-profit with a mission to address the disparity of diverse practitioners in the ABA field. Connect with Dr. Mari on IG @autie.analyst and on the web at www.lighthouselearning.org

About Jennifer Farris
Jen Farris is a BCBA and the Founder and Chief Science Officer of Sprout, MBC. She’s been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis for over 20 years and has held positions across all areas of direct and clinical leadership in schools, centers, and in-home. Jen has a passion for providing high-quality ABA services using today’s best practice and is a self-proclaimed data nerd. Her values as a BCBA align with providing compassionate care, paired with precision teaching and precision measurement. When she’s not working, Jen loves to travel and spending time with her family, including her 3 beautiful little boys. Connect with Jen on IG @my_behavior_brain and on the web at www.sproutmbc.com