Shows
Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 20: Private Equity Part 2-Private Pockets & Patient Plunder: The Private Equity Takeover of ABAIn this fiery, no-holds-barred episode, Sean Yocum returns to the mic to rip the mask off one of the most dangerous forces creeping through the field of Applied Behavior Analysis — private equity. What started as a clinical revolution has become a corporate gold rush, and Sean calls it exactly what it is: behavioral gentrification.From Wall Street boardrooms to therapy rooms, Sean exposes how venture capital vultures have infiltrated autism services, transforming care into commodity and compassion into cash flow. He breaks down the “three D’s” — Debt, Dominance, and Destabilization — the unholy trinity driving overbilling, burnout, and the coll...
2025-11-2120 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 20: Private Equity Part 2-Private Pockets & Patient Plunder: The Private Equity Takeover of ABAIn this fiery, no-holds-barred episode, Sean Yocum returns to the mic to rip the mask off one of the most dangerous forces creeping through the field of Applied Behavior Analysis — private equity. What started as a clinical revolution has become a corporate gold rush, and Sean calls it exactly what it is: behavioral gentrification.From Wall Street boardrooms to therapy rooms, Sean exposes how venture capital vultures have infiltrated autism services, transforming care into commodity and compassion into cash flow. He breaks down the “three D’s” — Debt, Dominance, and Destabilization — the unholy trinity driving overbilling, burnout, and the coll...
2025-11-2120 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 19: The Digital Tightrope — Ethics, Ego, and the ABA Professional OnlineIn this unapologetic solo episode, Sean Yocum walks the digital tightrope — that dangerous, dopamine-fueled space where ABA professionals try (and often fail) to balance ethical integrity with online visibility. With zero filters and full accountability, Sean dismantles the myth of the “private” professional account and calls out the ethical trainwrecks playing out across social media feeds.From viral memes that weaponize client experiences to “hot takes” masquerading as science, this episode hits hard on professionalism, digital ethics, and scope of competence. Sean unpacks how algorithms reward outrage, how one careless post can dismantle a career, and why your digit...
2025-11-1232 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 18: The 40-Hour Lie: Fixing RBT Training (w/ Tara Zeller)When “check-the-box” courses crank out certificates, patients and frontline staff pay the price. In this Rad N Bad episode, Sean and Mike square up with guest Tara Zeller, BCBA—Chief Empowerment Officer at Apple Tree Connection and creator of the Empowered RBT program—to tear down the 40-hour myth and rebuild it around fluency, mentorship, and real accountability. We hit the quality gap between compliance and competence, how employers weaponize minimums, and why onboarding and BST—not glitchy videos—decide outcomes.Tara brings solutions: synchronous + asynchronous design, prove-it performance checks, “train–mentor–empower” pipelines, and a 91.7% RBT exam pass rate that...
2025-11-031h 20Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 18: The 40-Hour Lie: Fixing RBT Training (w/ Tara Zeller)When “check-the-box” courses crank out certificates, patients and frontline staff pay the price. In this Rad N Bad episode, Sean and Mike square up with guest Tara Zeller, BCBA—Chief Empowerment Officer at Apple Tree Connection and creator of the Empowered RBT program—to tear down the 40-hour myth and rebuild it around fluency, mentorship, and real accountability. We hit the quality gap between compliance and competence, how employers weaponize minimums, and why onboarding and BST—not glitchy videos—decide outcomes.Tara brings solutions: synchronous + asynchronous design, prove-it performance checks, “train–mentor–empower” pipelines, and a 91.7% RBT exam pass rate that...
2025-11-031h 20Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 17: The Data Wrecking Ball: De-Risking ABA with a CliniviseEpisode 17: The Data Wrecking Ball: De-Risking ABA with a CliniviseRad N Bad moves from calling out the broken system to showing you how to rebuild it. Host Sean Yocum welcomes special co-host Christopher Jones, PhD (CTO & Co-Founder of Clinivise) to dissect the intersection of data science, entrepreneurial excellence, and clinical impact.Dr. Jones, a Caltech-educated veteran and Tillman Scholar, brings his mission-driven expertise to the chaotic world of behavioral health. In this episode, we dive deep into:Eliminating the Blindfold: How data transparency and platforms like Clinivise dismantle the "information asymmetry" that...
2025-10-2443 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 17: The Data Wrecking Ball: De-Risking ABA with a CliniviseRad N Bad moves from calling out the broken system to showing you how to rebuild it. Host Sean Yocum welcomes special co-host Christopher Jones, PhD (CTO & Co-Founder of Clinivise) to dissect the intersection of data science, entrepreneurial excellence, and clinical impact.Dr. Jones, a Caltech-educated veteran and Tillman Scholar, brings his mission-driven expertise to the chaotic world of behavioral health. In this episode, we dive deep into:Eliminating the Blindfold: How data transparency and platforms like Clinivise dismantle the "information asymmetry" that gives multi-billion dollar payers leverage over smaller, clinician-owned practices.The...
2025-10-2443 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 16: The Legal Chains of ABA: Non-Competes, Non-Solicits, & The Hostage Crisis of Client CareRad N Bad drops a tactical nuke on the ABA industry's most toxic and manipulative legal tools: non-compete and non-solicitation clauses.Hosts Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero call out the corporate rulebook, arguing that these contracts are not about protecting proprietary secrets—they're instruments of aversive control used to weaponize the labor market, restrict client choice, and hold practitioners hostage.Using the lens of behavior analysis, this episode dismantles the legal "scarecrows" that rely on fear to manage a young labor pool. Is your company's mission statement client-centered, or does its contract signal that your pr...
2025-10-1554 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 16: The Legal Chains of ABA: Non-Competes, Non-Solicits, & The Hostage Crisis of Client CareRad N Bad drops a tactical nuke on the ABA industry's most toxic and manipulative legal tools: non-compete and non-solicitation clauses.Hosts Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero call out the corporate rulebook, arguing that these contracts are not about protecting proprietary secrets—they're instruments of aversive control used to weaponize the labor market, restrict client choice, and hold practitioners hostage.Using the lens of behavior analysis, this episode dismantles the legal "scarecrows" that rely on fear to manage a young labor pool. Is your company's mission statement client-centered, or does its contract signal that your pr...
2025-10-1554 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 15: Out of the Clinic and into the Chaos: Community-Based ABAAre we setting our clients up for failure? In this episode of Rad N Bad, Sean and Mike welcome the fearless Shanti Bradley, a BCBA who is challenging the biggest lie in ABA: that real therapy only happens in a sterile clinic environment. They dive into why the "tabletop simulator" approach is ineffective and unethical, teaching compliance over competence and ignoring the beautiful, messy chaos of real life.The hosts and their guest get into the weeds of why skills don't magically generalize from a clinic and how an overreliance on rigid curriculums and direct-to-staff instruction fails...
2025-10-061h 07Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 14: Correlation, Not Causation: Debunking the Tylenol Autism ClaimReady to stop getting your science from bedtime stories? In this wake-up call of an episode, Sean Yocum and Mike Carrero dive headfirst into the recent, controversial claims linking Tylenol to autism. As BCBAs, they break down the fundamental flaws in this argument, starting with the first rule of behavior analysis fight club: correlation is not causation.They discuss how this narrative oversimplifies a complex neurodevelopmental condition, ignoring decades of peer-reviewed research on genetics and other contributing factors. Sean and Mike challenge the "miracle drug" mentality, calling out the ethical dangers of promoting misinformation and the real...
2025-09-2659 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 14: Correlation, Not Causation: Debunking the Tylenol Autism ClaimReady to stop getting your science from bedtime stories? In this wake-up call of an episode, Sean Yocum and Mike Carrero dive headfirst into the recent, controversial claims linking Tylenol to autism. As BCBAs, they break down the fundamental flaws in this argument, starting with the first rule of behavior analysis fight club: correlation is not causation.They discuss how this narrative oversimplifies a complex neurodevelopmental condition, ignoring decades of peer-reviewed research on genetics and other contributing factors. Sean and Mike challenge the "miracle drug" mentality, calling out the ethical dangers of promoting misinformation and the real...
2025-09-2659 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 13: The Elephant in the Room: RBT Burnout with Nick KlinkefusIn this bold and edgy episode, your hosts Sean Yocum and Mike Carrero get into the most talked about but least solved problem in the field: RBT burnout. Joined by special guest Nick Klinkefus, a tech-savvy leader specializing in Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), they expose the hard truths behind the industry's staffing crisis.Are RBTs just billable machines? Is the high turnover rate a direct result of prioritizing profit over people? They dissect a system that has fundamentally distorted the RBT role, reducing it to a disposable resource and a mere means to an end. We challenge...
2025-09-221h 06Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 13: The Elephant in the Room: RBT Burnout with Nick KlinkefusIn this bold and edgy episode, your hosts Sean Yocum and Mike Carrero get into the most talked about but least solved problem in the field: RBT burnout. Joined by special guest Nick Klinkefus, a tech-savvy leader specializing in Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), they expose the hard truths behind the industry's staffing crisis.Are RBTs just billable machines? Is the high turnover rate a direct result of prioritizing profit over people? They dissect a system that has fundamentally distorted the RBT role, reducing it to a disposable resource and a mere means to an end. We challenge...
2025-09-221h 06
Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 12: The Behavioral Science of Going Effing ViralWelcome back, behavioral misfits! On this special episode, hosts Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero dive into a topic that bridges Sean's two worlds: music and behavior analysis.We’re breaking down the incredible, and unexpected, viral resurgence of Sean's old band, Lady Radiator, and their song, "Box Turtle." What looks like a happy accident is, in fact, a perfect storm of behavioral principles in action.Join us as we analyze:Intermittent Reinforcement: How social media algorithms, like a slot machine , drive compulsive scrolling and set the stage for a song from 18 years ago to...
2025-09-1249 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 11: Who The Hell Is That?-Lindsey Sneed: The Truth About Parent-Mediated InterventionOn a brand-new installment of our "Who The Hell Is That?" series, Sean and Mike welcome a guest who's not afraid to challenge the status quo: the brilliant Dr. Lindsey Sneed. As the Vice President of Clinical Excellence at Catalight and a licensed psychologist, Dr. Sneed is fiercely passionate about an approach with robust evidence that is often resisted by the mainstream: Parent-Mediated Interventions (PMI).In this no-holds-barred conversation, we dive headfirst into the why behind this resistance. We explore the ethical and clinical reasons for prioritizing PMI as a least-restrictive, highly effective treatment model. Dr. Sneed...
2025-09-031h 13Rad N Bad PodcastSpecial Episode: From Bassist in Lady Radiator to BCBA: A Blast From The PastOn this special episode of the Rad N Bad Podcast, host Sean Yocum takes a break from his usual bold and edgy takes on behavior analysis to dive into a wild personal story. Forgetting the textbooks and dry data, Sean reunites with his old bandmate, Adam Kobylarz, guitarist from the alternative band Lady Radiator.Join them as they reminisce about their days as loud, angry, and avant-garde musicians in a band that was "18 years too soon." Adam, the band's brainchild, recounts the band's origin story, from its formation to the legendary recording sessions. They discuss the unexpected...
2025-08-2929 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 10: Who the Hell is That?!-Kristyn Peterson: Slicing Through the "We're a Family" BSThis episode of 'Who the Hell Is That?!' features the incredible Dr. Kristyn Peterson, who cuts through the noise of corporate culture in applied behavior analysis (ABA). She joins hosts Sean Yocum and Mike Carrero to expose the uncomfortable truths behind buzzwords like 'psychological safety' and 'client-centered care.' Dr. Peterson, an expert in organizational behavior management (OBM), dismantles the myths of so-called 'family' work environments, revealing how things like rigged surveys and hollow mission statements lead to high employee turnover and compromised client outcomes. The conversation gets brutally honest, tackling everything from the dangers of the RBT...
2025-08-251h 08Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 10: Who the Hell is That?!-Kristyn Peterson: Slicing Through the "We're a Family" BSThis episode of 'Who the Hell Is That?!' features the incredible Dr. Kristyn Peterson, who cuts through the noise of corporate culture in applied behavior analysis (ABA). She joins hosts Sean Yocum and Mike Carrero to expose the uncomfortable truths behind buzzwords like 'psychological safety' and 'client-centered care.' Dr. Peterson, an expert in organizational behavior management (OBM), dismantles the myths of so-called 'family' work environments, revealing how things like rigged surveys and hollow mission statements lead to high employee turnover and compromised client outcomes. The conversation gets brutally honest, tackling everything from the dangers of the RBT...
2025-08-251h 08Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 9: Who The Hell Is That?! - Kristen Byra: Decoding the 51% for Clinical ExcellenceGet ready, Rad N' Bad fam! Sean and Mike are tearing into another unapologetically honest episode of "Who The Hell Is That?!"—our series dedicated to the fearless individuals igniting real change in ABA. This week, we welcome the brilliant and uncompromising Dr. Kristen Byra, PhD, BCBA-D, a true force in clinical excellence who's not afraid to push back against the norm.Kristen, a highly credentialed BCBA with vast experience in autism services, reveals the "fed up" moments that fueled her mission to transform quality and accountability in our field. She pulls back the curtain on the al...
2025-08-151h 05Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 9: Who The Hell Is That?! - Kristen Byra: Decoding the 51% for Clinical ExcellenceGet ready, Rad N' Bad fam! Sean and Mike are tearing into another unapologetically honest episode of "Who The Hell Is That?!"—our series dedicated to the fearless individuals igniting real change in ABA. This week, we welcome the brilliant and uncompromising Dr. Kristen Byra, PhD, BCBA-D, a true force in clinical excellence who's not afraid to push back against the norm.Kristen, a highly credentialed BCBA with vast experience in autism services, reveals the "fed up" moments that fueled her mission to transform quality and accountability in our field. She pulls back the curtain on the al...
2025-08-151h 05Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 8: Who The Hell Is That?! - Matt Cicoria: From Observations to School Smarts (Have You Tried ACT?)Ever wondered how Matt built his podcasting empire? We go behind the scenes to uncover the gritty origin story of Behavioral Observations, revealing the passion and drive that fueled its creation. If you've got an entrepreneurial spirit or a burning desire to make an impact, this segment is a goldmine.But it's not all business! Matt shares invaluable, real-world suggestions for navigating the complexities of the school setting in ABA. Get ready for practical insights that go beyond the textbook, designed to help you thrive and make a tangible difference where it matters most.And...
2025-08-061h 10Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 8: Who The Hell Is That?! - Matt Cicoria: From Observations to School Smarts (Have You Tried ACT?)Ever wondered how Matt built his podcasting empire? We go behind the scenes to uncover the gritty origin story of Behavioral Observations, revealing the passion and drive that fueled its creation. If you've got an entrepreneurial spirit or a burning desire to make an impact, this segment is a goldmine.But it's not all business! Matt shares invaluable, real-world suggestions for navigating the complexities of the school setting in ABA. Get ready for practical insights that go beyond the textbook, designed to help you thrive and make a tangible difference where it matters most.And...
2025-08-061h 10
Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 7: 2000 Hours, Zero Clinical Judgment: Welcome to ABA SupervisionLet’s stop pretending supervision is working just because someone hit 2,000 hours. In this episode of Rad N Bad, Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero rip into the broken culture of ABA supervision—and what we actually need to start producing real-deal BCBAs, not just test-passers with clipboards.We’re talking:Why more hours don’t equal more skill (and what to do instead),How agencies are using “supervision” to churn out cheap labor,The myth of “you’re ready to supervise after a year” (spoiler: you’re not),What real mentorship look...
2025-07-281h 25Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 7: 2000 Hours, Zero Clinical Judgment: Welcome to ABA SupervisionLet’s stop pretending supervision is working just because someone hit 2,000 hours. In this episode of Rad N Bad, Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero rip into the broken culture of ABA supervision—and what we actually need to start producing real-deal BCBAs, not just test-passers with clipboards.We’re talking:Why more hours don’t equal more skill (and what to do instead),How agencies are using “supervision” to churn out cheap labor,The myth of “you’re ready to supervise after a year” (spoiler: you’re not),What real mentorship look...
2025-07-281h 25Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 6: Therapy for Sale-The Private Equity Invasion of ABAIn this no-holds-barred episode, Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero crack open Cody Morris’ groundbreaking article “Private Equity in Behavior Analysis: A Reckoning.” We’re talking real talk about the corporate takeover of ABA—how private equity is reshaping the field, gutting clinical integrity, and treating therapy like a cash grab.Are we selling out science for scalability? What happens when investor ROI outranks client outcomes? Cody Morris lit the match—and we’re throwing gasoline on the conversation.
2025-07-1852 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 5: 30–40 Hours of ABA Gold Standard or Fool's GoldWe’re cracking open one of the most debated topics in ABA—does more always mean better? In this episode, we go full throttle into the 30–40 hour model of ABA therapy. Is it truly the “gold standard” for progress, or are we blindly chasing numbers without looking at the client’s actual needs? Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero bring the heat as they challenge the status quo, question outdated funding-driven practices, and ask the tough questions no one else wants to.It’s not about clocking hours—it’s about delivering meaningful, individualized care.
2025-07-0943 minRad N Bad PodcastEpisode 4-Collaboration or Collision: Coordination of Care in ABALet’s be real—“collaboration” gets tossed around like confetti in this field, but what does it actually look like when the rubber meets the road? In this episode, Sean and Michael break down the fine line between true interdisciplinary teamwork and a total trainwreck of crossed wires, clashing egos, and diluted goals.We get into it:Why BCBAs need to stop acting like lone wolvesWhat REAL coordination of care looks like (spoiler: it’s not just sending an email)How to navigate schools, SLPs, OTs, and everyone in between—without sell...
2025-06-301h 04Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 3-Tele-Health in ABA...Efficiency vs. Effectiveness—Helping or Hurting the FieldIn this episode, Sean and Michael throw down on one of the hottest and most controversial topics in the field right now: Telehealth. Is it a revolutionary tool that increases access—or a shortcut that sacrifices real impact?We ask the hard questions:Are we scaling ABA or just watering it down?Is telehealth making us lazy practitioners or forcing us to be more intentional?What does quality look like when you're not in the room?And are we helping families—or just checking boxes from behind a screen?
2025-06-201h 33Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 2: Beyond the Session Why Parent Buy-In Drives Real ProgressIn this unapologetically real episode, Sean and Michael rip the Band-Aid off one of the biggest truths in ABA: If the parents aren't on board, the progress doesn't stick. We're talking raw, unfiltered takes on what "buy-in" really means, why therapy doesn’t stop when the session ends, and how to stop enabling and start empowering.
2025-06-111h 19Rad N Bad PodcastEpisode 1: Meet the Minds Behind Rad N BadIn Episode 1 of the Rad N' Bad Podcast, titled "Meet the Minds Behind Rad N' Bad", hosts Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero pull back the curtain on their mission to revolutionize Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). With unfiltered honesty, they share their personal journeys, the frustrations that ignited their passion, and their commitment to challenging the status quo. This episode sets the tone for a podcast that doesn't shy away from tough conversations, aiming to inspire practitioners to think critically and push the field toward meaningful change.
2025-05-2333 min