I am a behavior analyst with a passion for New York City and its families.
About
I have 12 years of experience in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis and 17 years working with children and adults on the autism spectrum and with related disorders. My experience has been center-, school-, and home-based, with 5 years as a BCBA in a special education school. Currently, I provide 1:1 direct ABA therapy, as well as parent- and teacher-training, across environments.
I focus on positive reinforcement, natural environment teaching, and play to support skill development across behavior, language and communication, social skills, self-care, daily living skills, self-regulation, community skills, and more. All programming is developed following thorough assessment of developmental milestones and is individualized to the child’s needs, motivation, culture, and daily life.
I use functional behavior assessments and data collection, in collaboration with caregivers, to develop evidence-based, child-specific behavior intervention plans (BIPs). BIPs address increasing functionally appropriate behaviors while decreasing unsafe or challenging behaviors, to support a child’s safe and meaningful connection to their greater community.
I am devoted to a multidisciplinary approach to intervention – incorporating parents, families, teachers, and related professionals (e.g., SLPs, OTs) in treatment planning and goal development.
Experience
Education
I completed my undergraduate degree from The University of New Mexico and received my Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis from Ball State University. I am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in New York State.
Training & Components of ABA
• Functional behavior assessment
• Practical functional assessment and skills based training
• Skills based assessment (ABLLS-R, VB-MAPP, AFLS)
• Natural environment teaching
• Discrete trial teaching
• Functional communication training & verbal behavior
• Data analysis & treatment planning
• Reinforcement systems
• Maintenance & Generalization
• Caregiver training
• Reduction of challenging & unsafe behaviors
• Feeding (SOS Approach to Feeding)
• Toilet training
• Social skills
• Classroom routines
• Augmentative & alternative communication (AAC)
• Participation in IEPs, impartial hearings, and other school meetings
• Insurance authorization reporting for those seeking reimbursement (out-of-network ABA)
• Bi-annual assessments and progress reports
• Quarterly team meetings with related service providers
Working Together
Applied Behavior Analysis
ABA is an evidence-based approach to understanding and changing human behavior. It focuses on behaviors which can be objectively defined and are socially significant to the individual’s daily life. ABA goals focus on increasing useful and significant behaviors while diminishing unsafe, maladaptive behaviors. It uses modification of environmental variables to support the development of skills. ABA therapy is conducted in the natural environment and uses positive reinforcement, prompting and prompt fading, and thorough data collection to increase independence of skills.
*Skills addressed include, but are not limited to: Behavior Reduction, Language/Communication, Social Skills, Self-care/Daily Living, Self-regulation, Classroom Skills
Natural Environment Training
NET incorporates goals into an individual’s natural learning environment. This approach includes play, social opportunities (e.g., play dates), targeting goals in a school/home setting, and working toward generalization of skills across people, reinforcers, and environments. Addressing goals in the natural environment allows for a functional, generalizable approach to learning.
Functional Communication Training
FCT addresses challenging behaviors through establishing an appropriate communicative response which serves the same function. FCT establishes an alternative behavior which is then reinforced, leading to a reduction in the target challenging behavior. FCT may include requesting attention, breaks from demands, and access to preferred items/activities. FCT includes use of vocal-verbal communication, gestures and signs, Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems (AAC), Picture Exchange Communication (PECS), visuals, and more!
Parent Coaching
Caregiver involvement is key in a well-rounded therapeutic plan. Caregivers will be provided with frequent opportunities to participate in ABA sessions, receive on-the-spot feedback and collaboration, and hands-on strategies to address target behaviors. The assessment process relies heavily on caregiver feedback, anecdotal data, and narrative histories. Goals will be developed hand-in-hand with parents and caregivers to ensure practical, individualized, and culturally significant behaviors are addressed in a meaningful manner.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Collaboration with related service, medical, and educational teams is essential in supporting an individual’s learning. Collaboration occurs frequently across disciplines, including occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physicians, and classroom teachers. Providers will be trained on behavior interventions and consulted on goal development.
