Shows
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaHow to Train Staff and Improve Outcomes in Adult Autism Services: Session 306 with Dr. John Guercio Dr. John Guercio returns to the Behavioral Observations Podcast for his third appearance, bringing his extensive experience and fresh insights into the world of adult services in behavior analysis. In this episode, John and Matt discuss the vital, yet often overlooked, field of supporting adults with autism and other developmental disabilities—particularly those with severe behavioral challenges. They explore: John's new leadership role at The Arc of the Ozarks The Applied Behavior Analysis Center The development of a new adult-specific RBT training program His latest book on staff training in adult service settings Key findings from his rece...
2025-07-181h 23
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaUnderstanding Repetitive Behavior: Session 299 with Bill AhearnDr. Bill Ahearn joins me in Session 299 of Behavioral Observation. I met Bill a few times at conferences and I'm so glad we finally had a chance to sit down and record a podcast together. Bill is the Director of Research at The New England Center for Children. Long time listeners may recall that NECC sponsored a series of episodes, and in this podcast, we talked about some of the great research that has come out of that storied institution. As an aside, if you want to learn more about NECC, particularly working at NECC, you...
2025-05-051h 34
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaAltering the Relative Efficiencies of Responses for Behavioral Improvement: Session 297 with Steve WardSteve Ward returns to the podcast to talk about a paper he recently published with co-author Teresa Grimes, titled, "50 Practical Ways to Alter the Relative Efficiencies of Behaviors." In this conversation, we review the highlights of this paper, and discuss things like The Matching Law, making desired behavior more efficient in generating reinforcement, making problem behaviors less efficient, and how altering reinforcement parameters like delay, magnitude, and schedules can enhance learner progress. We also talk about the work that Steve does with his company, Whole Child Consulting, as well as a Q & A he will b...
2025-04-1656 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaImproving Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: Session 296 with Brandon FranklinBrandon Franklin returns to the podcast after a very long hiatus. You'll have to go back to Session 36 to hear his first appearance as a matter of fact. It turns out that he's been doing a lot of innovative clinical work in that time. Currently, he is the Chief Behavior Analyst for the Lee Specialty Clinic and a Behavioral Consultant at Kramer Behavioral Health. In these roles, Brandon has implemented various interventions to help individuals with intellectual disabilities access routine medical and dental care. If you're not familiar with this topic, it might sound pretty mun...
2025-04-071h 05
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaEthical Decision Making in Applied Behavior Analysis: Session 294 with Ilene Schwartz and Beth KellyDrs. Ilene Schwartz and Beth Kelly joined me to discuss the never ending conundrum of navigating ethical dilemmas. As Ilene points out in the podcast, most people know right from wrong, but the types of dilemmas BCBAs encounter are what she calls 'right vs. right' dilemmas... Therefore, ethical practice requires a continuous decision making process. And in my guests' view, this is not a matter of decontextualized rule-following. In this podcast, we get into these nuances, using Ilene and Beth's newly published book, Ethical Decision Making in Applied Behavior Analysis. We also discussed a framework f...
2025-03-221h 16
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaAutistic-Led ABA Services: Session 290 with Armando Bernal and Andy BondyWelcome to Session 290 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. In this episode, I'm joined by Armando Bernal and Andy Bondy. Andy is a known entity both in the field, and to the audience as well, and therefore needs little in the way of introduction. Armando is the founder of Autism International Consulting, which is the only Autistic-owned ABA provider in the Houston, TX area. He shares a truly inspiring story of how he went from not speaking at all, up through the present day, where he and his team provide ABA services. In this show, we dis...
2025-02-251h 07
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaWhat are Open Science Practices and Why do they Matter? Inside JABA 21Dr. Matt Tincani joins Dr. John Borrero and me for the 21st (can you believe it!?!?) installment of the Inside JABA Series on Behavioral Observations. From a research perspective, this Inside JABA episode is by far our most wonkiest one to date. By that I mean we take a deep dive into the area of Open Science Practices. If you're not familiar with the Open Science movement, Matt walks us through the basics. In doing so, we review the lead paper in the fall 2024 issue of JABA that he co-wrote with Drs. Shawn Gilroy and...
2024-11-161h 04
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaABA in the Spanish Speaking World: Session 275 with Miguel AvilaMy partner in crime and host of the BOP en Español Series, Miguel Avila, joins me to talk about Behavior Analysis in Spanish-speaking cultures. In addition to his day job with Essential for Living, Miguel has been hard at work, and recorded over 10 Spanish language podcasts for Behavioral Observations listeners. So in this episode, which we of course conduct in English because my Spanish did not progress past my Freshman year of college, I turn the tables and interview Miguel for a change. We talk about his experience as an immigrant to the...
2024-09-251h 42
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaRestraint and Seclusion in Public Schools: Session 271 with Matt BrodheadListen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Dr. Matt Brodhead returns to the podcast to talk about a topic he's dedicated the better part of nearly completed sabbatical trying to understand: restraint and seclusion practices in public school settings. In this episode, we talk about why he chose this topic to study, the difficulty in defining what constitutes a restraint, the challenges with documenting events, the terrible state of systematic, nation-wide data collection on restraint and seclusion events - particularly those that result in injuries and deaths, the pros and cons of banning these practices, potential legis...
2024-08-091h 23
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaLeadership in Alternative Education Settings: Session 267 with Bruce TinorDr. Bruce Tinor returns to the podcast for an informative conversation about his work as a principal at The Child and Career Developmental Center of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Long-time listeners will recall that Bruce originally joined me in Session 197. In this podcast, we talk all things alternative ed. Specifically, Bruce gives a quick review of how students find their way to his school, and in doing so, provides a mini-seminar in FAPE (and if you're not familiar with that acronym, you will be shortly). We talk about working in a multidisciplinary setting, how those related services are prov...
2024-06-251h 33
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaBehavior Analytic Approaches to Counseling and Therapy: Session 262 with Pat FrimanDr. Pat Friman returns to discuss the Behavior Analytic approaches he uses with patients. In this episode, we harken way back to Session 16, and review some of what we know about Anxiety and Depression, which are the most common forms of mental health distress. Pat talks about how he conceptualizes these challenges, what he does in the first session with patients, his general approach to treatment, the role of medications, his view on when to begin or cease therapy, important therapist characteristics like kindness, compassion, and acceptance, and lots more! Here are links to the...
2024-05-011h 25
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaHow to Use Whole Group Responding: Session 260 with Bill HewardDr. Bill Heward was gracious enough to return to the podcast in Session 260. In this episode, we talked about a handful of different topics, including how to respond to criticisms of reinforcement practices, and the international dissemination of the excellent book, Let's Make a Contract, which he coauthored with Dr. Jill Dardig. However, we spent the majority of the time discussing Bill's extensive knowledge of whole-group responding practices in classroom settings. Specifically, we talk about how he first learned about this practice, why he wanted to study it, how he and his colleagues carried out one of...
2024-04-181h 22
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaPractical Strategies for Passing the Exam: Session 259 with Dana Meller and Steve EversoleIf you're a student, supervisor, or university instructor, this is an episode for you. In Session 259, I speak with Dana Meller and Dr. Steve Eversole, of Pass The Big ABA Exam and Behavior Development Solutions, respectively. In this conversation, they reflect on what they've learned about helping thousands of people pass the BCBA exam over many years. In this conversation, we covered why they got into the test prep business, the state of BCBA testing today, re-taking the exam, interpreting the board's re-take data, barriers to passing the exam - including things like test anxiety and specific...
2024-04-051h 21
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaWhat is Profound Autism, and Why is it Important? Session 258 with Alycia Halladay Session 258Dr. Alycia Halladay joins we to discuss the topic of Profound Autism. If you're not familiar with Alycia's work, she is the Chief Science Officer for The Autism Science Foundation, and host of the excellent show, The ASF Weekly Science Podcast. In this episode, we discuss the changes in Autism diagnosis from the DSM IV to V, the Lancet Commission paper on Profound Autism, why there is a need for this distinction in the Autism spectrum, the conditions under which an individual would be classified as having Profound Autism, the estimated proportion of Autistics who have Profound Auti...
2024-03-1452 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaMentoring Students, the Future of ABA, and the Problem with Ignoring: Session 257 with Tim VollmerI'm thrilled to be joined by none other than Dr. Tim Vollmer. In this podcast, we talk about a wide variety of research and practice topics, as well as some funny stories from his long and prolific career. Specifically, talk about how his dog ate his copy of Strategies and Tactics, how he and his colleagues analyzed 2 and 3-point shot patterns in basketball games, his line of research that examined The Good Behavior Game, Behavior Analysis and the game of Poker, and his take on why he and his students have such an affinity for one another.
2024-03-101h 12
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaHow to Disseminate Behavior-Analytic Technologies: Inside JABA 18In the 18th installment of the Inside JABA Series, Dr. Dorothea Lerman joins Editor-in-Chief John Borrero and I to talk about her dissemination efforts, which are described in the Winter 2024 issue of the journal. Specifically, we talk about her discussion paper, "Putting the power of behavior analysis in the hands of nonbehavioral professionals: Toward a blueprint for dissemination." This paper is definitely worth checking out. In it, Dorothy describes some common barriers to disseminating behavioral strategies and how to overcome them. We then talk about the blueprint she offers for dissemination, which is broken down into seven steps. These dissemination ef...
2024-02-1558 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaHow to Assess Early Echoic Skills: Session 253 with Barbara EschIf you've completed a VB-MAPP at some point in your career, you're familiar with the EESA component of the assessment protocol. In today's podcast, I had the chance to talk with Dr. Barbara Esch, who created the Early Echoic Skills Assessment, which has evolved into the stand-alone product called the Early Echoic Skills Assessment and Program Planner. In this conversation, we talk about how Barb got into Behavior Analysis, she shared some humorous stories from being mentored by Drs. Jack Michael and Jim Carr, why she created the original EESA, who the EESAPP is for and who i...
2024-01-2659 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaA Review of Autism Diagnostic Practices: Session 248: Whitney Ence and Elisabeth SheridanDrs. Whitney Ence and Elisabeth Sheridan joined me to talk about the diagnosis of Autism. You might be thinking that this sounds like an impossibly broad topic... and you're right. But in this show, we tried to narrow it down a bit to discuss the various routes in which people can acquire an Autism diagnosis, which of these routes represent best practice, the critical diagnostic features of Autism, severity levels in Autism (and the extent to which these terms are useful), the role of intense interests, specific assessment instruments and techniques, and the importance of working with...
2023-12-131h 02
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaIs Self-Reinforcement a Thing? Session 242 with Merrill WinstonMerrill Winston returns to the podcast for what seems to be the umpteenth time (and if you didn't catch the SNL reference we discussed, see here). In this episode, we discuss a presentation he recently gave that dove into the seminal Catania paper, The Myth of Self-Reinforcement. In this episode Merrill distinguishes between procedures and processes, why what we think of as self-reinforcement is likely more attributable to negative reinforcement, and the age-old problem of the term "non-contingent reinforcement." Merrill also spends a few minutes discussing the contributions of Dr. Henry "Hank" Pennypacker, what he intends to...
2023-10-1159 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaEye Contact, Joint Attention, and Autism: Session 238 with Francesca Degli EspinosaWhat exactly is Joint Attention? How does Joint Attention interact with Eye Contact? What does the literature say about these repertoires, and how does that coincide with self-reports of the aversive nature of eye contact from Autistic people? These have been a few of the questions rolling around in my head for some time. A few years ago, we briefly touched on this subject with my guest today, Dr. Francesca Degli Espinosa, but it was in the backdrop of a larger panel discussion at the 2022 Verbal Behavior Conference. Fast forward to 2023, I recently heard Francesca on...
2023-09-141h 09
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaDoes TikTok Provide Accurate Information about Autism? Session 237 with Elisabeth Sheridan and Giacomo VivantiWhile I don't personally use TikTok, I am aware of the considerable influence it has across a range of topics. As many listeners can imagine, Autism is one of those topics that generates unfathomable amounts of content on the platform. Unlike other forms of medical and scientific dissemination, there are really no barriers to saying whatever one wants, not only on TikTok, but on any other internet-based media platforms, podcasts included of course. And as you might imagine, this brings with it lots of variability in terms of information accuracy. Today's guests, Drs. Elisabeth Sheridan a...
2023-09-051h 13
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaRecognizing Your Personal Biases: Session 225 with How To ABAIn Session 225, Shira Karpel and Shayna Gaunt from How To ABA return to the show to discuss a recent webinar that they provided for their online community (note: see here for their first appearance on the podcast). Their talk discussed code element 1.10, from the Behavior Analysis Certification Board's Ethics Codes for Behavior Analysts. For a quick recap, it reads as follows: 1.10 Awareness of Personal Biases and Challenges • Behavior analysts maintain awareness that their personal biases or challenges (e.g., mental or physical health conditions; legal, financial, marital/relationship challenges) may interfere with the effectiv...
2023-05-1554 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaMyths and Misconceptions About Verbal Behavior: Session 224 with Andy BondyMany-time guest Dr. Andy Bondy returns to the podcast for a fun chat. Our conversation centered around a recent talk he gave which was titled, "Verbal Behavior: Myths and Misconceptions." What myths and misconceptions are we talking about here? Well, I certainly don't want to spoil the podcast, but we did manage to cover a wide variety of topics, including: PECS' Certified Classroom process. The conceptual rather than data-based nature of the Verbal Behavior book itself. Recall versus recognition. Aided versus unaided communication systems. Selection versus topography-based communication systems. The more subtle aspects of the autoclitic...
2023-05-051h 08
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaHow to Optimize Learning with Guided Notes, SAFMEDs, and Instructional Design: Session 216 with Sal RuizDr. Sal Ruiz and I recorded a long overdue podcast where we went over all things SAFMEDS, Instructional Design, best practices for online learning, and much more. In this podcast we covered a lot of ground, but I think one of the most interesting things I took from the conversation are the procedural variations that have been explored. It turns out that there are some ways to do SAFMEDS that lead to better results depending on what outcomes you're looking for. We also explore instructional design, and in that, we talk about starting with the en...
2023-02-131h 10
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria2022 Year in Review with ABA Inside TrackIt's that time of year again folks. If you're new to the show, every year, I get together with my friends from ABA Inside Track for a Year in Review show, and this year was no different. In this podcast, we went over a handful of happenings in the world of Applied Behavior Analysis. In this episode, we covered: The changes in leadership of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and the Association for Professional Behavior Analysis. What shows from each of our pods resonated with our respective audiences. Whether West Coast or New England IPAs a...
2022-12-2851 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaAn Analysis of Bad Leadership Practices: Session 208 with Paulie GavoniI'm really excited to chat with Dr. Paulie Gavoni again on the podcast. As long time listeners know, he's been on the show many times, and always brings a down-to-earth, practical point of view to what we do as Behavior Analysts. In preparation for a talk at the recent Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis event, Paulie did a deep dive on characteristics of bad leadership. It went over very well, and we thought it would make for an informative podcast episode. And Paulie presents his findings in his own unique and fun manner. I won't spoil it...
2022-12-021h 01
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaFrom Newly-Minted to Confident Practitioner: ACSS 6In the 6th installment of the Apollo Case Study Series, I'm joined by my regular conversation partner, Dr. Jim Moore, along with Christina Nylander. Christina is a BCBA who works at Apollo's Lawrenceville, GA clinic. In this episode, Christina opens up quite a bit and describes how she encountered Applied Behavior Analysis, her early experiences as an RBT, the mentoring and supervision she's received as a BCBA in the early stages of her career, the value of learning about typical child development, the successes she's had as a clinician, learning the PEAK curriculum, and much more.
2022-11-181h 12
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaLooking back, Looking forward: Inside JABA 13On November 26th, 2019, the first Inside JABA Series podcast was published. This series was the brainchild of Dr. Linda LeBlanc, who at the time was the incoming Editor in Chief, and I have to say, doing these shows has been a highlight of producing this podcast. As I remind people often, I'm not involved in the production or publication of Behavior Analytic research, so you can imagine how much I've learned about this process in making what is now 13 Inside JABA Series podcast episodes. At the same time, it's been an incredible privilege to share th...
2022-10-261h 07
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaSpeech Therapy and ABA: Session 203 with Rose GriffinIn the world of Behavior Analysis, Rose Griffin is a unicorn of sorts, which is the unofficial mascot of those select few who hold both Speech Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst credentials. For 20 years, Rose supported students in public school settings, but these days, she is concentrating on taking all the knowledge she's acquired and sharing it in the form of podcasts, online trainings and courses, and much more. In this interview, Rose and I discuss how she got into speech therapy and then behavior analysis, the challenges and benefits of collaboration, the su...
2022-10-1855 min
Building Better Businesses in ABAEP 36: Dissemination Through Podcasting with Matt CicoriaDissemination Through Podcasting with Matt Cicoria
But for a chance encounter at ABAI Boston, I might not have met the guru of ALL things related to Podcast dissemination, Matt Cicoria. We dish on podcasting, the field and our mutual love for mountain biking :). Enjoy, kind listener!
Resources
Matt on LinkedIn
Matt's Behavioral Observations Podcast (earn CEUs!)
The "Behavior Analysis of Lying" episode
Atomic Habits
Sponsored by: ElementRCM
2022-09-201h 15
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaWhy Your Behavior Plan Stinks!!! Session 180 with Merrill WinstonThis recording was a fun and way-overdue Patreon member hangout with the incomparable Dr. Merrill Winston. In this episode, we discussed how Greg Hanley influenced Merrill's departure from his previous employer, how he wanted to do more than be considered as the restrain and seclusion guru, his new enterprise, Winston Behavioral Solutions, when it's OK to break the rules, and much more. As a matter of fact, we spent the most amount the hangout discussing what makes a good behavior plan (and conversely, why some of them stink!). This session started out in an interview fo...
2022-02-221h 22
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaDiscovering ABA and PT... A Truly Inspirational Story: Session 172 with Mandy MasonMandy Mason's road to discovering Behavior Analysis is a little different than most of my guests. When her daughter was diagnosed with Autism, she literally traveled the globe to find out how best to help her. I don't want to spoil the story too much, but what I will say is that Mandy's search for an effective treatment changed not only her daughter's life, but the lives of countless others. That's because once Mandy discovered ABA, and combined it with the power of Precision Teaching and Precision Measurement, she was off to the races. Mandy...
2021-12-061h 09
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaThe 2021 Virginia ABA Panel Discussion: Session 168My friends at the Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis were kind enough to invite me to moderate their panel discussion at their annual conference that took place last April. One of the fun parts of moderating panels like these is being able to share it with the wider Behavioral Observations audience. This event was no exception. The 2021 VABA panel featured Drs. Nasiah Cirincione-Ulezi, Christine Barthold, and T.V. Joe Layng. In our chat, we fielded questions from VABA attendees, which occasioned discussion of some of the following topics: How to deal with Imposter Syndrome. Subtle biases in th...
2021-10-081h 27
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaWhy Standards Matter in ABA Service Delivery: Session 163 with Sara Litvak and Ellie KazemiSara Litvak and Dr. Ellie Kazemi return to the podcast - this time together - to catch us up on what's new with the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, or BHCOE for short. Specifically, we discuss how the BHCOE has grown since Sara last checked in with us, how Ellie joined up with the organization as their Chief Science Officer, how the BHCOE determines quality standards, documentation guidelines for clinical records, ethical marketing practices, why the BHCOE is the "nicest place to complain to," and much more. We close the show by talking about what newly-minted BCBAs sh...
2021-08-101h 00
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaUsing OBM to Improve Systems and Culture in Fire Departments with Natalie ParksDr. Natalie Parks from Behavior Leader stopped by the podcast again for another fun conversation. In her previous appearance, we talked about the importance of providing feedback "the right way." And in this episode, we extend that theme and discuss the work that she and her colleagues have done in helping several fire departments in the St. Louis area improve their operations. In particular, we covered: The challenges of consulting in a shift-work setting. The cultural idiosyncrasies of fire departments. Working with unionized personnel. Streamlining policies and procedures for more efficient fire department operations, and, Making i...
2021-07-231h 09
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaLeveraging Technology and Philanthropy to Teach Impoverished Children to Read with Michael MaloneyIn Session 159 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, Michael Maloney returns to the show. We spend a few minutes catching up since the last time we spoke (see Session 129), but then pivot to his recent collaboration with the Canadian charity organization, the Amorak Society. With help from the Rotary International's literacy initiative, these partners deployed Michael's reading program, The Maloney Method, to over 2500 children in some of the poorest areas of Bangladesh via a smartphone-based app. I won't spoil the all the good parts here in the episode description, but let me just say that this is an amaz...
2021-06-1250 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaEnhancing Learner Choice in Skills-Based Treatment with Adithyan RajaramanDr. Adithyan "Dithu" Rajaraman joins me in Session 156 to discuss his work in the Practical Functional Assessment/Skills-Based Treatment literature. Dithu is a former student of pod-fave Dr. Greg Hanley, and as one might expect, Dithu approaches his work with a similar degree of humility and open-mindedness. He earned his Ph.D. at Western New England University, and is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County As we discuss in the first few minutes of the show, I met Dithu about four or five years ago at APBA, and I was ins...
2021-05-041h 28
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaInside JABA #7: There's No Such Thing as a Bad Boy, with Pat FrimanIn previous appearances on this podcast and elsewhere, Pat Friman has told the story of Father Flanagan, founder of BoysTown. According to Pat, Father Flanagan often made the following statement when describing his philosophy of helping troubled youths: "there is no such thing as a bad boy, only bad environments, bad modeling, and bad teaching." For the Spring 2021 issue of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Dr. Linda LeBlanc invited Pat to expand on these remarks in the issue's lead paper. In this podcast, I'm joined by both Linda and Pat, as well as Inside JABA regular, D...
2021-04-261h 38
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaWhat does exertion, sleep, and Covid-19 have to do with each other? John Capodilupo from Whoop In Session 143, I chat with John Capodilupo, co-founder of Whoop, the maker of the Whoop strap system I've been talking about for the last several episodes. At the risk of sounding like an informercial for this neat product, I've really enjoyed using the Whoop strap for the last few months. If you aren't familiar with it, the Whoop strap is a wearable device that tracks all sorts of cool metrics, including sleep, calorie burn, heart rate, and more. As John notes in the podcast, the folks at Whoop are...
2021-01-0545 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaThe ACT Matrix and Training Law Enforcement OfficersShortly after I published Session 124 on Police Academy training with John O'Neill, Tina Long, a BCBA from Northern Virginia, emailed me to share the outreach work that she has done with her local police department in Fairfax County. Specifically, in the wake of the nationwide re-examination of the role of policing, Tina felt compelled share what she has learned about the ACT Matrix with local law enforcement personnel, and after leaning more about her story, I thought it was definitely worth sharing on the podcast. Tina and I had a brief conversation that we recorded ba...
2020-11-231h 47
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaTraining the Next Generation of BCBA's with Mary Jane Weiss Dr. Mary Jane Weiss joins me in Session 128 to talk about the evolution of the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis. This is the second interview that was recorded live during the virtual Behavior Analyst Leadership Council Conference that was held in April 2020. Mary Jane's accomplishments in the field are too great to list here in their entirety, but this bio-sketch should give you a bit of background: Dr. Mary Jane Weiss is a Professor at Endicott College, where she serves as the executive director of programs in ABA and autism, and as director of the Ph...
2020-08-2850 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaWhat is Behavioral Sports Psychology? Session 127 with Brandon MayAs we discussed in the recent Inside JABA Series podcast, Applied Behavior Analysis has a long history of helping people improve their fitness, nutrition, and overall well-being. In Session 127, Brandon May joins me to delve into this history a little further, while at the same time highlighting some of the amazing research he's conducted in this area (two quick examples of this include teaching college athletes to lift weights with more velocity, and creating a token economy to improve the health and well being of group home residents). Whether you care about these topics or n...
2020-08-221h 01
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaBehavior Analysis and Policing with Dr. John O'NeillThe killing of George Floyd and others by police officers seems to have caused considerable reflection on how policing occurs in the United States. We first covered this topic in Session 73 in my interview with Dr. Amy Smith Wiech, and if you're interested in this topic, I would suggest going back and checking that one out. That episode aside, I think many of us in America are trying to come to grips in terms of how these events continue to happen. It is with this in mind that I'm delighted to be joined by...
2020-07-171h 03
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaInside JABA #4,: Telehealth and Public Health Special SeriesIn the fourth edition of the Inside JABA Series, I am joined by Drs. Dorothea Lerman, Linda LeBlanc, and Matt Normand to discuss the forthcoming JABA Special Series on Telehealth and Public Health. Linda and Matt are no strangers to this podcast, but this is Dorothy Lerman's first time on the show, so by way of introduction, she is currently a Professor of Behavior Analysis at the University of Houston - Clear Lake, where she directs a master's program in behavior analysis and serves as Director of the UHCL Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Additi...
2020-07-101h 02
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaThe Case Against Social Stories with Justin Leaf"Does anyone have a social story for [insert challenging situation here]?" Chances are if you're like me, you've seen this question on the various ABA Facebook groups. Very often, the responses to questions like these generate some controversy, or at the very least, arguing over the empirical support for the use of Social Stories and other story-based narrative interventions. One of these types of Facebook threads popped up a month or two ago, and in response to it, I saw a post from Dr. Justin Leaf from the Autism Partnership Foundation. In it, he described...
2020-06-251h 17
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaVerbal Behavior Conference 2020 Speakers' Panel: Session 117You may recall that in Session 112 I chatted with Kelle Rich about, among other things, the upcoming Verbal Behavior Conference. In these pre-pandemic times, the event was supposed to be held in Austin, Texas. However, in anticipation of the stay-at-home orders, quarantines, and so forth, Kelle wisely shifted this event to the online space. So VBC 2020 became a virtual conference, and was executed as scheduled on April 2nd and 3rd. I had the pleasure of moderating the speakers' panel, and I thought it would be fun to share it with you here. This was indeed an...
2020-05-111h 01
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaTelemedicine and ABA, an Episode That was Ahead of its Time with Wendy Machalicek This episode of the Behavioral Observations Podcast is brought to you by Behavior University and GoLotus. Behavior University's mission is to provide you with university quality continuing education. If you're in quarantine like I am, take this time to brush up on your skills, or push yourself to learn something new. For great deals for podcast listeners, head over to behavioruniversity.com/observations to learn more. GoLotus recognizes that ABA providers are facing their most difficult challenges right now. So in light of recent events, Go Lotus has decided to open up its...
2020-04-2953 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaHow to Keep Your Kids Learning While at Home with Amy EvansIn these unprecedented times of social isolation, public education has made a rapid shift towards a distance learning model. It's probably not a surprise that outcomes will vary for students based on myriad factors. If you'd like to become more involved in your child's educational progress to ensure your child's success, then this is the podcast for you! Amy Evans, who is an expert in Instructional Design and Precision Teaching, joins me in Session 114 to discuss how setting up brief practice sessions with your learner can really enhance not only skill acquisition, but retention too (which is...
2020-03-271h 14
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaWhen Language Becomes a Barrier with Pat McGreevyHey Everyone, welcome to session 109 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast! I'm joined by multiple-time guest, Dr. Pat McGreevy. We talk about what he's been up to lately, how to support learners who have barriers in communication, implementing Essential for Living in public school settings, why he prefers working with non-behavior analysts… and we end with a fun and poignant story about Pat's mentor, Ogden Lindsley. We also spend some time discussing the upcoming Verbal Behavior Conference. It's taking place on April 2nd and 3rd in Austin, Texas. In the spirit of transparency, I'm helping the Central Texas Autis...
2020-02-1949 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaGet fit in 2020 with Nick Green!Dr. Nick Green from BehaviorFit joins me in Session 105 to discuss my plans to shed a few pounds in 2020. If you're like me, you may have put on a little weight over the holidays. In my case, I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to take my family to France to stay with my oldest friend (an ex-pat who has been living there for the past 20 years or so). As such, the normal workout routine fell by the wayside, while at the same time, cheese and bread were consumed in great quantities! This was on the menu all...
2020-01-131h 37
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria2019 in Review with ABA Inside Track!My friends at ABA Inside Track - Rob, Diana, and Jackie - invited me back for another Year-in-Review episode. I've enjoyed getting to know these guys over the last few years, and doing an episode like this seems like it's a fun tradition-in-the-making. So what did we talk about? Well, it seems like 2019 was the year of the ABA podcast. So many shows were launched that it's hard to keep track of. In addition to Behavioral Observations, I've listed all the currently published ABA shows below, and I'll apologize in advance to my podcasting brethren if I've...
2019-12-251h 26
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaKim Berens Live from the Tate Behavioral Conference!Welcome to Session 103 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast! What you're about to hear is my follow up interview with Dr. Kim Berens from Fit Learning. I spoke with her way back in Session 44, which went out in January of 2018. This interview was conducted at the First Annual Tate Behavioral Conference, which was held in Springfield, Massachusetts, back in October of 2019. As an aside, during the interview itself, I reference our location as Springfield, New Hampshire… which was probably stuck in my mind because it's two towns over from where I live. So to be clear, th...
2019-12-121h 08
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaSession 100 Special: Greg Hanley and the Luckiest Guy in Behavior AnalysisSeveral weeks ago, Greg Hanley reached out to me and asked if he could help do something to commemorate the 100th episode of the show. Specifically, he invited me down to the offices of FTF Behavioral Consulting in Worcester, Mass to hang out with all the amazing behavior analysts he works with for the afternoon. During the visit, Greg turned the tables on me and put me in the interview hot seat. He asked me some really good questions about the podcast, and what I've learned from doing it over the last 4 years or so. I've been i...
2019-12-0752 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaThe Inaugural Inside JABA Series with Drs. LeBlanc, St. Peter, and TigerWelcome to the first installment of The Inside JABA Series. A few months ago, Drs. Linda LeBlanc and Dorothea Lerman approached me about creating an ongoing podcast series that highlights and disseminates the work of The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The goal of this series is to give listeners a better idea as to what goes into the studies that end up being published in JABA, and to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how a research study goes from inspiration, to execution, to submission, revision, and eventually publication. So about once a quarter you can expect to see...
2019-11-261h 55
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaThe Ethics of School Consultation for BCBAs with Missy OliveIn Session 101, Dr. Missy Olive and I talk about a topic that's near and dear to my heart: consulting in public school settings. Long-time listeners will recall that I did an episode on this topic in January of 2019. Since then, I've received numerous listener requests to return to this important issue. My colleague Jen Farris saw Missy speak at a conference a few months ago, and insisted that I reach out to her to get her on the show, and I'm grateful for the recommendation, as this episode is chock full of great information for those of us who...
2019-11-221h 41
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaWhat does Private Equity investment, diversity in ABA, and ABA in sports all have in common? My conversation with Beverly and Kirk KirbyWhat does Private Equity investment, diversity in Applied Behavior Analysis, and Behavior Analysis as applied to sports all have in common? It just so happens that these are the topics I chatted about with Beverly and Kirk Kirby of Team ABA! At last year's ABAI, Rick Kubina introduced me to this dynamic duo, and boy do they have a great story to tell, and I'm frankly quite grateful that they're doing so on The Behavioral Observations Podcast. Along with Rick and Mark Dixon, Beverly was on a panel that I chaired that discussed the role of big money in...
2019-10-301h 36
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaShould you start an ABA practice, with Becca TaggDr. Becca Tagg, PsyD, MSCP, NCSP, BCBA-D, joins me in Session 97 to discuss the pros and cons to starting your own ABA practice. Becca owns and operates The Del Mar Center for Behavioral Health in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and produces and hosts The Business of Behavior Podcast. Becca also founded The ABA Business Builders Facebook Group, which, as of this writing, has almost 8,800 members. So it is with her vast experience in mind that I wanted to have her on the show to talk about her experiences, trials, and tribulations with regard to running a successful ABA practice. This...
2019-10-171h 18The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaShould you start an ABA practice, with Becca TaggDr. Becca Tagg, PsyD, MSCP, NCSP, BCBA-D, joins me in Session 97 to discuss the pros and cons to starting your own ABA practice. Becca owns and operates The Del Mar Center for Behavioral Health in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and produces and hosts The Business of Behavior Podcast. Becca also founded The ABA Business Builders Facebook Group, which, as of this writing, has almost 8,800 members. So it is with her vast experience in mind that I wanted to have her on the show to talk about her experiences, trials, and tribulations with regard to running a successful ABA practice. This...
2019-10-171h 18
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaPractical Functional Assessment with Greg HanleyGreg Hanley - the most popular Behavioral Observations guest by quite a bit - returns to the show for a fourth time, and this may be my favorite conversation with him yet! In this episode, we talk about the following: Why he started his new consultancy, FTF Behavioral Consulting, How he arrived at the decision to leave his academic post at Western New England University, Why he chose to "re-brand" the IISCA approach - which he now refers to as Practical Functional Assessment, How the PFA model has evolved over time, What should students and practitioners make regarding the...
2019-09-162h 02
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaRick Kubina Returns!I'm thrilled to bring back Dr. Rick Kubina of Central Reach and the University of Pennsylvania. It's been quite a while since he was first on the podcast, so we spend the initial segment of the program catching up on some exciting things that he's been involved with. Specifically, we discuss his triumphant return to podcasting with his brand new show, ABA on Call, and we also discuss the acquisition of Chartlytics, the company he co-founded with Dave Stevens, by Central Reach. Rick and I spend the most amount of time, however, discussing some really cool research projects that...
2019-09-061h 17
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaA Liberated Mind with Steve HayesSteve Hayes returns to discuss all things ACT, RFT, and his new book, A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot to What Really Matters. We begin the show with a quick tutorial of sorts on Relational Frame Theory, as well as it's relationship with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. We then spend quite a bit of time discussing the use of ACT in the context of preventing and responding to staff burnout. We also discuss managing "difficult people," optimizing staff performance, and other aspects of management and supervision. Along the way, we frequently reference A Liberated Mind. To be candid, to...
2019-08-211h 26
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaEffective Supervisory Behaviors with Zahra HajiaghamohseniIf you're looking to improve your supervision practices, this is the podcast for you! In Session 90, I'm joined by Dr. Zahra Hajiaghamohseni, who recently wrapped up her dissertation on this topic. Here's a short excerpt from her dissertation's abstract: The purpose of my study was to examine the supervision practices of BCBA/BCBA-D who supervise precertification candidates and to determine if there were any statistically significant differences between supervisor demographics and supervision practices. An additional correlation test ... was conducted to evaluate for any associations between self-reported frequency of supervisor behaviors and precertification candidates BACB exam pass rate. (Hajiaghamohseni, 2019) I...
2019-08-081h 29
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaMarketing Your ABA Services in 2019 with Rich BrooksMy guest for Session 89 was actually the first non-behavior analyst on the Behavioral Observations Podcast. It's true! Way back in Session 15, Rich Brooks joined me to provide what was essentially a Digital Marketing 101 class. He's back today – over 2 years later, to give us an update on digital marketing trends for 2019. In this episode we cover: Why you should pay attention to Google Analytics (and perhaps begin looking at Google Data Studio) Considerations for advertising on Google and Facebook How to blog more effectively (and why that helps attract people to your services) The basics of getting started with email ma...
2019-07-231h 02
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaA Deep Dive into Precision Teaching with Kerri MilykoMy guest today is Dr. Kerri Milyko, who is the owner of The Precision Teaching Learning Center in Tampa, FL as well as The Learning Consultants in Reno, Nevada. As you'll figure out right away, Kerri is Capital-P passionate about all things Precision Teaching. In this episode, she shares how she first got "the bug" at the University of Florida, and then continues on about how she's using PT today to help children with learning and behavioral challenges. In to providing services to children, Kerri also provides business to business consultation on system-wide assessment and implementation to transform agencies...
2019-05-202h 11
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaThe Front Lines of Parenting with Luis Morales KnightIn session 84, Dr. Luis Morales Knight joins me to talk about his work as a Clinical Psychologist, which, as you may have guessed from the title of this episode, involves a lot of parent training and coaching. Although Luis jokes that he's not a "real Behavior Analyst," trust me, he's one of us. He is the co-founder of the Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Center in Ocean County, California. In addition to completing a clinical psych graduate program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, he also trained with podcast favorite, Pat Friman, at Boys Town. We didn't even...
2019-05-071h 35
Turn Autism AroundMatt Cicoria: BCBA Supervision & School ConsultationFellow behavior analyst and author Matt Cicoria comes from a diverse background that includes a work-study job in a pigeon lab and work at Auburn University with mine-detecting dogs. These experiences gave him a unique understanding of the mind; now he's sharing that insight, along with skills acquired from working as a school consultant. Matt goes over some great info about self-care and ACT: acceptance and commitment therapy. Matt is also a member of the podcast club—he's been hosting his own podcast, Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria, for 3 years.
2019-04-2347 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaABA Beyond the 1:1 Context with Pat McGreevyI am really excited to present this follow up conversation with one of our most popular guests, Dr. Pat McGreevy. In this episode, we start out by talking about teaching more than one student at a time, and then we move on to some of his tips and tricks for teaching waiting skills, how to avoid ratio strain, how to fade prompts, the benefits of cold probes, and more. We close the episode by taking a wide range of listener questions (e.g., "who are some unsung heroes in our field?"), and you definitely do not want to miss...
2019-04-051h 20
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaPBIS, School Mental Health, and Supporting Students with Trauma with Barry McCurdyDr. Barry McCurdy is the Director of the Devereux's Center for Effective Schools. In this episode, we talk about his work in supporting students with significant behavioral challenges in urban public school settings. Barry's primary research interest in the treatment of disruptive behavior disorders has led to several prevention/early intervention initiatives in urban schools including the development of models for school-wide positive behavior support, school-based parent training, and classroom-based behavior management. During this interview, we referred to a variety of people, resources, studies, and so on. I have attempted to capture links to all of them here: The...
2019-03-071h 23
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaMatt Brodhead Returns to Discuss Scope of Competence for BCBAsThe last time we checked in with Dr. Matt Brodhead, he was putting the final touches on his book, Practical Ethics for Effective Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Well, he's been out on the speaking circuit now that the book has been out for some time, so I thought it would be a good idea for him to return to the show and discuss what he's hearing out in the field as he makes his way from conference to conference. And since Matt has been on the show, The Behavioral Observations Podcast has become one of his mother's favorite...
2019-02-071h 00
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaActively Caring for People Police with Amy Smith WiechDr. Amy Smith Wiech joins me in Session 73 to talk about the implementation of Geller's Actively Caring for People (AC4P) movement in Law Enforcement settings. At its core, ABA is about solving socially relevant problems, and the issue of police shootings, and in a broader sense, police-community relations, couldn't be more relevant these days. If you're not familiar with AC4P, don't worry... Amy breaks it down for us, and if you're still looking for more information, she provided me this treasure-trove of links to additional resources. This session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast is brought to with...
2019-01-1853 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaBridget Taylor and Devon Sundberg Discuss Compassionate Service Delivery and WIBA 2019In Session 72, I chat with Dr. Bridget Taylor (of Alpine Learning Group and Let me Hear Your Voice fame) and Devon Sundberg (of The Behavior Analysis Center for Autism and founder of the Women in Behavior Analysis Conference). In this episode, we discuss: Bridget's work in highlighting the need for BCBA's to be more compassionate in their service delivery. Bridget's role in Catherine Maurice's seminal book. Why Devon started WIBA. What to expect from this year's event. Advice for newly-minted BCBA's. Along the way, we referenced the following resources: Compassionate Care in Behavior Analytic Treatment (Taylor, LeBlanc, and Nosik (2018...
2019-01-0759 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria2018 Year in Review with ABA Inside Track!In Session 71, I join the folks at ABA Inside Track for a 2018 Year in Review. In this episode, we discuss: The passing of influential Behavior Analysts in 2018. Important events in the field, such as the #timesupABA and #dobetter movements. The good and bad associated with the continued growth of our field. Things we're looking forward to in 2019. As a bonus (or punishment) we even sing a few lines from Auld Lang Syne. I apologize in advance... Please do not let this influence any potential iTunes reviews for either of our podcasts! Our sponsors for this episode include: The Himalaya...
2018-12-271h 16
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaWhat BCBAs Can Learn from the Dog Training Community: A Conversation with Hannah Branigan, Session 68In this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with Hannah Branigan of Wonder Pups Training and the Drinking from the Toilet Podcast. We chat about how she decided to pursue dog (and human) training as a career and what it's like to teach people to train dogs. We then spend a considerable amount of time discussing how to conceptualize and address common behavior problems in dogs. As I note in the show, this is an area that I could stand to learn a lot more about. And if I'm being really honest, I don't spend much time at...
2018-11-291h 44
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaDeliberate Coaching in Public School Settings, Session 67: A Conversation with Paul GavoniOk I get it. You're probably tired of me talking about the 2018 Hoosier ABA conference, but this is the last Indy-related show... at least until next year. My guest today, Dr. Paul Gavoni, a.k.a. "Paulie Gloves," has each one of his feet firmly planted in two worlds: Coaching elite boxers and MMA fighters, and consulting in public school settings as the Director of School Improvement for PBS Corp. From his website, QuickWinsPro.com, he is described as follows: An expert in human performance and organizational leadership, Dr. Paul Gavoni has over 20 years supporting education and human services. S...
2018-11-201h 21
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaGetting Kids More Active with ABA... Session 65, a Live Interview with Matt NormandDr. Matt Normand graciously accepted my offer to be a test subject for the first live-audience taping of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. In this episode we discussed his entry into the field of Behavior Analysis, his line of research in helping children in schools engage in vigorous physical activity, and his thoughts on the development of our profession. Matt referenced a number of his studies and rather than duplicate them here, you can visit his website, where he has links to many of his publications. I also recommend following him on Twitter. We taped this interview at the 10th A...
2018-10-261h 13
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaLosing 110 Pounds, Getting Healthy, Powerlifting, and More! Session 64 with Jim MooreOK, so to be honest, I'm writing these show notes while on the road after an amazing Hoosier ABA conference (more on that in a subsequent episode or two ;-). As such, I'll be uncharacteristically brief. To risk hyperbole, I think that just about anyone can benefit from listening to this episode. My guest, Dr. Jim Moore, talks about his ups and downs (followed by more ups and downs... and ups) with weight loss. What I like about Jim is that he shares these deeply personal struggles in order to, in my estimation, help others who have similar problems. J...
2018-10-211h 43
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaHow to work well with others... Session 63 with Chuck MerbitzTo say that I enjoyed my conversation with Chuck Merbitz is a colossal understatement. As you will see when you listen to this one, Chuck has a rare combination of humility and wisdom, and he generously shares many lessons learned in his over four decade career in Behavior Analysis. This is one of our longer episodes, and I promise you it's worth listening to in its entirety! In Session 63, we discuss a wide range of topics that include the following: How to teach recovering alcoholic WWII veterans to get dates and find jobs (but not necessarily in that order!). W...
2018-10-091h 27
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaAccreditation for ABA Agencies with Sara Gershfeld LitvakTo paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, "What's the deal with accreditation?!?!" In Session 62, Sara Gershfeld Litvak joins me to talk about what accreditation is, what the process is like, why it's important for the field of Applied Behavior Analysis to have its own accrediting body, and most importantly, why you should care. Sara is the Chief Executive Officer of the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. If you're not familiar with the BHCOE, it is... ...an international accrediting body created to meet accreditation needs specific to the delivery of behavior analysis. The BHCOE's accreditation requirements undergo regular review according to international standards f...
2018-09-2656 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaThe Ethics of OBM and Coaching School Personnel with Nic Weatherly: Session 61Dr. Nic Weatherly of the Florida Institute of Technology joins me in Session 61 to explore a few areas of Organizational Behavior Management, namely coaching staff members in public school settings, whether Board Certification is necessary for OBM practitioners, as well as the ethical considerations of OBM practices. In our conversation, Nic fielded numerous excellent listener questions having to do with topics such as pay-for-performance, how to get good training and supervision in OBM, and book recommendations for BCBA's who are looking to learn more in this area. Nic is the author of the forthcoming book, Deliberate Coaching, which he...
2018-09-131h 23
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaABA Dissemination, Technology, and Marketing with Dave StevensThis session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast features the audio from a Facebook Live conversation I had with Dave Stevens, Co-founder and Director of Chartlytics. I didn't set out to have this be a podcast episode per se, but I decided to publish it as one because this conversation had so many good stories in it, I couldn't help but to share it to a wider audience. You see, Dave comes at Behavior Analysis as an "outsider," yet he was instantly able to appreciate our science, and see applications of it beyond where it's currently used. In other words...
2018-07-021h 00
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaResearch to Practice Challenges - Megan Miller ReturnsDr. Megan Miller returns for an unprecedented fourth appearnace on The Behavioral Observations Podcast! In todays episode, we cover the following: We get an update on the Do Better movement that we learned about in Session 43. We hear the latest on the training activities of PEAK ABA Solutions. Megan discusses some research to practice challenges we face as a field, especially coming off the heels of the recent ABAI conference. We close the show by discussing a handful of listener questions. And if you're a working parent, you don't want to miss the very last question, where Megan describes...
2018-06-271h 25
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaGet Your ACT Together with Jonathan Tarbox!When I first had Mark Dixon on the podcast, way back in Session 14, we poked some fun at the notion that principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, on the surface, didn't meet many of the 7 dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis. Well, in Session 50, I'm joined by Dr. Jonathan Tarbox, and he goes through all the ACT processes, and provides everyday examples of how they are consistent with our science. Specifically, he breaks down each ACT process into a simple to understand Problem Behavior / Replacement Behavior paradigm. So if you've been struggling to pick up the ACT lingo, this is...
2018-04-221h 39
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria48: Dan Law on Insuring Your PracticeDan Law of the Liberty Company Insurance Brokers stops by the podcast today to discuss all things risk management. To be completely honest, I didn't anticipate that this would be an interesting topic to talk about. However, as we dug into the complexities of what goes into preventing claims, mitigating risks, and the four types of policies every practice should have, I became increasingly fascinated. Even if you have nothing to do with your company's liability policies, you may want to give this episode a listen. Dan also shares some stories about unusual insurance claims that some of his...
2018-03-2657 min
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria47: Nick Green Wants You to Get Moving!We met Nick Green back in Session 38, and he was gracious enough to join me for a full length interview in Session 47. In this episode, we go a little deeper into his back story, talk about the cool work that his company, BehaviorFit, is doing, and take questions from listeners about all things health and fitness. For those who didn't catch Session 38, here is a little bit about Nick: Nick Green, is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and focuses on improving the health of others through practice and research. His formal education includes: * B.A. Psychology (Purdue University...
2018-03-141h 03
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria46: Tim Courtney Talks About EverythingTopics Covered: OBM... check; Supervision...check; Medical necessity... check; Mens' fashion... What?!?! OK, let me explain. Tim Courtney of Little Star ABA joins me to cover what can only be considered a wide range of topics in Session 46 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. Tim talks about how he learned about ABA by going to the gym, how he got started in ABA with the help of some key mentors, how he joined up with Little Star and became their Chief Operating Officer, and how they are implementing high quality ABA programs across a large number of clinicians and learners. T...
2018-03-011h 31
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaWayne Fisher on Functional Analysis and TreatmentDr. Wayne Fisher has spent decades researching the assessment and treatment of severe behavior problems. In Session 45 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, he joins me to discuss current Functional Analysis and Function-Based Treatment strategies, his concerns for the field as it experiences rapid expansion, and advice for new practitioners. Here is his bio-sketch from the Munroe-Meyer Institute's website: Wayne Fisher is the H.B. Munroe professor of behavioral research in the Munroe-Meyer Institute and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He is also the director of the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at the...
2018-02-141h 13
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria44: Kim Berens talks about Fit LearningKim Berens joins me in Session 44 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast in what I originally thought was going to be a discussion about the company she co-founded, Fit Learning. While we spoke about Fit Learning a-plenty, Kim also provided tons of historical anecdotes on the development of our field, the development of Precision Teaching (where she recounted many personal conversations with Ogden Lindsley), and her take on where our field's challenges lie. If you haven't heard about Fit Learning, you'll want to check out their website. Their unique instructional model typically results in 1 year of academic growth for every 40 h...
2018-01-171h 49
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaMegan Miller Wants us to Do Better in 2018Happy New Year!!! I couldn't imagine a better way to kick off 2018. Megan Miller returns to The Behavioral Observations Podcast to inform us of a movement-of-sorts that she is kicking off in this new year. Specifically, Megan is rolling out a multi-media campaign of professional development for 12 consecutive months. She is calling this the "Do Better Movement." And before you get the wrong idea, it's not intended to be preachy or judgmental per se. Instead, it is meant to be a call for practitioners at all stages to strive for continues improvement. This is an idea I can surely g...
2018-01-011h 04
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaPat Friman on Public SpeakingGiven both the guest and the topic, I don't know if I can add much to the title of this podcast episode. Pat Friman is arguable the best speaker in our field. I have seen him present at least a 1/2 dozen times throughout my career, and it is remarkable how consistent the quality of his talks are. So in this episode, you'll learn that this is no accident. Pat works hard at his craft, and shares methods that you can start working on right away to improve your public speaking skills. Much of what we talk about comes from...
2017-12-221h 20
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaThe AIM Curriculum with Mark Dixon and Dana PaliliunasMark Dixon and Dana Paliliunas join me for Session 40 to discuss the new curriculum they just published, which is called Accept, Identify, and Move. In short, it's a curriculum guide to help kiddos by combining Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Applied Behavior Analysis. In this episode, we touch on a wide range of topics, including classroom interventions, school wide supports, the role of Mark's previous works (e.g., PEAK and ACT for Children with Autism and Emotional Challenges), and even disseminating and teaching complex topics to school personnel. So even if you don't work in school settings, or i...
2017-11-281h 19
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaA Conversation with Aubrey DanielsIt's not everyday that one gets a chance to chat with someone with decades of experience in Behavior Analysis. It is equally rare to do so with someone who helped pioneer the field of Organizational Behavior Management. That's why I'm so excited to share this conversation with none other than Dr. Aubrey Daniels. Before I started this podcast, I drew up a list of potential guests. Aubrey was one of those people at the top of the list, though I doubted that he would have time for such a fledgling outlet like The Behavioral Observations Podcast. However...
2017-07-191h 27
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaGreg Hanley Answers YOUR Questions!In Session 20, Greg Hanley returns to The Behavioral Observations Podcast for an unprecedented third time! The first two podcast episodes with Greg (Session 1 and Session 7) were so popular that they have, as of this writing, been downloaded almost 18,000 times! Given the intense interest in this topic, a few months ago, I asked Greg if he'd like to come back on the show to answer questions from the audience. He graciously agreed to do so, and shortly thereafter, I sent out emails and FaceBook posts asking for listener questions. And boy, did you guys respond! As you'll see, we received...
2017-01-121h 35
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaBeyond Bourbon St, or Fun Reasons to Attend APBA!Several weeks ago Dr. Gina Green posted an impassioned request to support the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts on Facebook, noting, among other things, that the organization is uniquely suited to advocate for the needs of both practitioners and clients in this unpredictable world of ours. One of the ways that she suggested supporting APBA was to attend the annual conference. Well, her plea worked on me, and I am in the process of making travel plans to New Orleans, where this year's conference is being held. After that, I started thinking about things I could do to encourage...
2016-12-281h 07
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaPat Friman on BoysTown, Parenting, and More!In Session 10 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, I speak with none other than Dr. Pat Friman. Pat is the Vice President of Behavioral Health Services at Boys Town as well as a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Nebraska School of Medicine. In today's show, Pat tells the story of how he literally wandered into a career in Behavior Analysis as well as the remarkable story of how Boys Town was started and how it serves children and families today. We then talk about his point of view o...
2016-08-151h 13
The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaJim Johnston on the History of ABAIn this session of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, Dr. Jim Johnston, BCBA-D, joins me for a conversation about the history of contemporary Behavior Analysis. Jim is uniquely equipped to provide this perspective, having held presidential positions in all of our flagship professional organizations (e.g., the Association for Behavior Analysis International, the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts, the Behavior Analysis Certification Board, etc...). As a young graduate student at Auburn University, I had the opportunity to work in Jim's laboratory at the Institute for Biological Detection Systems, where we conducted federally contracted research on the o...
2016-06-2455 minThe Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaGreg Hanley on Function Based TreatmentDr. Greg Hanley returns to the Behavioral Observations Podcast, and in this episode we talk about best practices for functional analyses and function-based treatment. For additional resources on these topics, check out Greg's website, www.practicalfunctionalassessment.com. Greg also has an online CE training on these topics, and to learn more about this, check out this post at www.behavioralobservations.com. Greg has generously offered to return to the podcast to do some Q & A, so if you have questions about these topics, go to the contact page and let me know what's on your mi...
2016-05-251h 09The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaD.J. Moran on Acceptance and Commitment TherapyIn Session 6 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, Dr. D.J. Moran, BCBA-D joins me to provide an overview of one of my favorite topics in Behavior Analysis: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). D.J. has been a practitioner of ACT for over 20 years; applying these concepts across a range of applications that include supporting children and parents with Autism, providing therapy in mental health settings, and more recently, using the ACT model to help corporations improve their safety and leadership initiatives. He's also a fellow podcaster to boot! In this podcast, D.J. tells us h...
2016-05-0955 minThe Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaTodd Ward from bSci21.orgSession 5 of the Behavioral Observations Podcast features an in-depth conversation with Dr. Todd Ward, BCBA-D. Todd is the President of bSci21.org Media, which encompasses the Behavior Analysis news site, bSci21.org, as well as the online magazine, BAQuarterly.com.
In this interview, Todd tells us the story behind the creation of bSci21.org and what it's like to run a news website, manage the work of contributing writers, etc... in the niche world of Behavior Analysis. He tells a few fascinating stories along the way, and concludes with some sage advice for practitioners at all experience le...
2016-04-221h 04The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaAmanda Kelly on licensure, social media, and moreIn Session 4 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast I sit down with Dr. Amanda Kelly, BCBA-D, a.k.a., the Behaviorbabe. In this episode, I learn how to properly greet a local in Hawaii, how the licensure laws are playing out across the 8 islands of that state, what it’s like to practice in the midst of volcanos and intermittent water availability, how she developed her online persona, and what not-to-do on social media as a behavior analyst. I also lose count of how many jobs Amanda currently has. If you want to learn more about Amanda, I recommend following he...
2016-04-0355 minThe Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt CicoriaGreg Hanley on Functional AnalysisIn the first episode of the Behavioral Observations Podcast, we chat with Greg Hanley from Western New England University. We find out about how being a terrible painter and having poor grades set Greg off on a path to being a prolific contributor to our field. In all seriousness, Greg talks about the development of the Interview Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis (IISCA) procedure, and patiently walks me through how to set up and conduct this type of assessment.
If you are interested in more information on this, please check out Greg's website, www.practicalfunctionalassessment.com, where you w...
2016-02-2155 min