The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

So one of my podcasting dreams has now come true! I finally got the chance to interview Russ Harris! If you're not familiar with Russ, he is the best-selling author of The Happiness Trap, and has provided ACT training to over 25,000 health professionals across the globe. In today's episode we discuss the basics of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Russ' son's Autism diagnosis and treatment, how to manage stress and burnout, and of course, listener questions. Unfortunately we didn't have time to get to all listener questions, so Russ has agreed to come back for a Round 2. So feel free to leave questions in the comments section below. During the interview, we mentioned several websites, so here are the links: thehappinesstrap.com Imlearningact.com actmindfully.com.au contextualscience.org mataraservices.com The last site there is Simcha Charna's website. He was kind enough to orchestrate an introduction, to which I am grateful. Lastly, here is a link for a PDF of the Choice Point diagram Russ talked about at the beginning of the interview: Russ Harris' Choice Point Special thanks to Chartlytics.com and Operantcoffee.com for sponsoring today's show. To get a Precision Teaching starter package (i.e., some really cool free stuff), go to Chartlytics.com/matt. If you want some awesome coffee that is sustainably produced that happens to be 10% off, go to operantcoffee.com/shop and use the discount code BEHAVIORCOFFEE.

Mark 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 if you are an ACT-skeptic, I think there are plenty of lessons that are contained in this episode. I've had a chance to review excerpts of the book and in short, it looks fantastic. Personally, I can see many applications of this work in my practice as a school-based consultant. It's available right now at the Shawnee Scientific Press website. We also get into tons of listener questions on Mark's PEAK curriculum. In fact, we could probably do an entire Q & A show on PEAK given its popularity. In that segment of the show, we discuss the PEAK ABA YouTube channel and the PEAK ABA Solutions training arm. You can find links to these resources here and here. This episode is supported by Chartlytics. Chartlytics is a single, comprehensive system for behavior reduction and academic improvement through Precision Teaching. It is based on 50+ years of peer-reviewed research and experience in applied academic and behavioral settings. Chartlytics has modernized the science of Precision Teaching by simplifying the data collection, visual analysis and reporting processes. It is fully automated and easy to use. It produces dramatic, rapid and reliable results, with elegant and simple visual displays. Chartlytics offers an intensive 2-day workshop on Precision Teaching and the Standard Celeration Chart at locations throughout the United States. Participants learn how to supercharge their ABA programs using this powerful technology, which can often produce 10 times the change in targeted pinpoint behaviors - academic, skill, or behavior reduction. For more information, please visit Chartlytics.com/events. Finally visit chartlytics.com/matt for an exclusive offer that provides the following: A brief video showing the effects of using Precision Teaching along with the Chartlytics platform in a clinic that serves children with Autism. A free 1-credit Type 2 BACB Continuing Education webinar, which features Drs. Rick Kubina and Amanda Kelly. A free eBook on precision teaching. Thanks for checking out this show! If you get value from the podcast, please consider visiting iTunes to provide a rating and review. Also, if you have a chance to share this podcast (in person, or online) with like minded behavioral folks, that would be awesome too!

Precision Teaching (PT), and the Standard Celeration Charting that goes along with it, is an area of Behavior Analysis that I've never really understood. In fairness, I never really took the time to learn it either. That said, since the inception of this podcast, I have had numerous emails from listeners asking me to interview Rick Kubina on this very topic. For various reasons that I describe in our interview, I was scared reluctant to do so, but I'm so glad that Rick and I finally carved out time to record this show. Rick, with Captain James Tiberius Kirk In this episode, Rick covers the basics of PT, why the Standard Celeration Chart is a superior measurement tool, and answers numerous listener questions. Throughout our conversation, we mentioned a few articles and other resources, which can be found here: Rick's YouTube channel, which has some nice primers on the SCC The Chartlytics website and YouTube channel The Precision Teaching Book, by Kubina & Yurich (2012) The Standard Celeration Society's website and Facebook page A cool study (Datchuk & Kubina, 2017) on using these strategies for improving sentence writing Kubina et al. (2015). A Critical Review of Line Graphs in Behavior Analytic Journals So when you listen to this episode, you'll hear me profess my ignorance on all things PT. However, I will be taking action to remediate this by attending Rick's 2-day PT workshop that's coming up in Las Vegas. Rick, and the company he co-founded, Chartlytics, also have workshops that are coming up in Miami and Pittsburg, with more to be scheduled. If you are interested in diving into PT like I am, but can't get away to attend one of Rick's workshops, the folks at Chartlytics have put together a comprehensive online learning package that includes 30 hours of instruction, the Kubina & Yurich textbook, and a very special bonus that you'll have to see to appreciate. To sweeten the deal, they are offering a huge discount for listeners of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. You can check out the deal by clicking the here.

Hi Folks, I am on day 2 of not having any power (huge windstorm hit New Hampshire on Sunday night/Monday morning), so please excuse the lack of show notes for this episode. I'll update as soon as I can. So here's the Twitter version: I speak with five out of the seven or eight speakers at the 2017 NextGen Revolution Summit Conference, which is being held in Miami, FL on 11/11/17. It is also available to live stream on the interwebs! If you're interested in checking it out, and you want to save a few bucks, use the promo code MATT at checkout. It's well worth checking out, so if you want more details, head over to https://nextgenrevolutionsummit.com/ for more info!

Do you want to hear a cool story about using Behavior Analysis to improve the environment? Glad you asked! Dr. Amanda Kelly returns to the podcast to discuss her #nostrawforme campaign. What started out as essentially a self-management intervention is evolving into movement to reduce the usage of disposable or single-use items. Personally, I rarely use straws, but this conversation prompted me to think about other ways in which I consume single-use items, such as paper towels, aluminum cans, and so forth. I hope you find this conversation just as thought provoking. And feel free to share these thoughts in the comments! Here are some links to things Amanda talked about: The Lonely Whale Foundation ABAI's Behavior Analysis for Sustainable Societies SIG A paper from Dr. Scott Geller's early seat belt work The Behavior Analyst's special edition on sustainability Research Gate If you enjoy this episode, please take a minute to head over to iTunes and leave a rating and review. In-person referrals to like minded behavior-folks are always appreciated as well! This podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D specializes in providing independent fieldwork supervision in a remote context. If you listen to Session 29, you'll learn that she has a wealth of experience in both the practice of Behavior Analysis, as well some great processes in place for mentoring soon-to-be BCBA's. I have corresponded with previous mentees of hers, and to a person, they sang her praises as a supervisor. Also, if you need BACB Type 2 continuing education, why not earn them while you're on the go? How does this work? Again, glad you asked. Click here to find out more.

Brandon Franklin, a behavior analyst at Clinical Behavior Analysis in Louisville, shares insights into effective parent training. He discusses the RAPID approach, designed to empower parents of strong-willed children, emphasizing communication and reinforcement techniques. The conversation dives into strategies for managing behaviors, the importance of cultural competence, and the complexities of different parenting philosophies. Franklin also highlights upcoming training opportunities aimed at fostering supportive family environments.

In session 35, I get a chance to chat with some fellow residents of the Granite State, the husband and wife duo Kim and Tim Heald. In this episode, we discuss the nitty gritty associated with starting an ABA Clinic. Having a clinic is an alluring idea. The obvious benefits include the promise of increased efficiency and quality control. That said, through this discussion, you'll learn there's a lot more to operating a clinic than finding the ideal location. The Healds open up about the challenges of running a clinic, such as putting together an effective team, establishing a common organizational culture, coaching staff performance, and even working together as a married couple. During this interview, Tim and Kim mentioned a few resources, and as promised, here are the links to them: The Lean Startup by Eric Reis William Abernathy's Pay for Performance compensation systems Click here to learn more about Constellations Behavioral Services. In other podcast-related news, on September 27th, at 8 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Megan will be joining me and the members of The Behavioral Observations Membership group for a Zoom meeting. In this meeting, members will have the opportunity to ask Megan about instructional control, alternatives to escape, the PEAK ABA curriculum, and anything else (ABA related, of course!). We will also have none other than Greg Hanley joining us sometime in November (date TBA). If you're interested in learning more, then click here. This podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D specializes in providing independent fieldwork supervision in a remote context. If you listen to Session 29, you'll learn that she has a wealth of experience in both the practice of Behavior Analysis, as well some great processes in place for mentoring soon-to-be BCBA's. I have corresponded with previous mentees of hers, and to a person, they sang her praises as a supervisor.

OK folks, it's back to school time in New Hampshire and elsewhere, so I thought it would be timely to bring Dr. Megan Miller of Navigation Behavioral Consulting back on the show to talk about effective strategies for obtaining instructional control, as well as dealing with disruptive behavior without using extinction. These are topics that Megan presents on frequently, and many of these themes can be found in the book that she co-wrote with Robert Schramm, The Seven Steps to Earning Instructional Control. Megan also has a more specific training on this (CE's available!) for on her agency's website for those looking for additional information on this topic. Finally, on September 27th, at 8 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Megan will be joining me and the members of The Behavioral Observations Membership group for a Zoom meeting. In this meeting, members will have the opportunity to ask Megan about instructional control, alternatives to escape, the PEAK ABA curriculum, and anything else (ABA related, of course!). We will also have none other than Greg Hanley joining us sometime in November (date TBA). If you're interested in learning more, then click here. Megan mentioned a few studies and other resources in our conversation, so here are the links: Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior and Demand Fading in the Treatment of Escape-Maintained Destructive Behavior (Piazza, Moes, & Fisher, 1996). Assessment of the Relative Effects of Attention and Escape on Noncompliance (Rodriguez, Thompson, & Bayhnam, 2010). The Use of Positive and Negative Reinforcement in the Treatment of Escape-Maintained Destructive Behavior (Piazza et al, 1997). Robert Schramm's YouTube channel. This podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D specializes in providing independent fieldwork supervision in a remote context. If you listen to Session 29, you'll learn that she has a wealth of experience in both the practice of Behavior Analysis, as well some great processes in place for mentoring soon-to-be BCBA's. I have corresponded with previous mentees of hers, and to a person, they sang her praises as a supervisor.

The ABA Study Group is a Facebook group that is dedicated to helping people learn about behavior analysis, prepare for the BACB exam, and for those already certified, to maintain fluency with the terminology of our field. As of this writing, they have over 15,000 members so they certainly have found an audience for their work. One of the cool things that the ABA Study Group does is host frequent Zoom meetings. For those who don't know, Zoom is an online video meeting platform which allows members of the group to meet face-to-face, and the group hosts these meetings to cover specific topics for those who are learning about Behavior Analysis. Getting back to this episode, about a month ago, Roger Matar and Celia Heyman reached out to me and invited me to speak with the group on one of their Zoom calls. Specifically, they turned the tables on me, so to speak, and interviewed me for a change. What I learned from this is that I have a even deeper respect for what my guests go through! In other words, asking the questions is WAY easier than answering them!!! In all honesty, there were a few answers that I provided that I would have liked a second try on. I guess if there is a lesson in this for others, it would be to practice interviewing with peers if you're in a stage of your career in which you're applying for jobs, internships, and so on. Self deprecation aside, I had a great time, and I truly appreciated everyone who attended the Zoom call. Again, I can't overstate the good work that the study group is doing, so if you're not familiar with them, I highly suggest checking them out. Finally, after re-listening to the interview, I realized that I neglected to credit my good friend, John Corley, who is a constant source of technical assistance. When I first thought about starting a podcast, John was one of my biggest cheerleaders, and he provided (and continues to provide) tons of assistance. Despite his help, it is important to note that all technical errors are mine. John and me, August 2017 This podcast is sponsored by Britton Behavioral Consulting. Dr. Lisa Britton, BCBA-D specializes in providing independent fieldwork supervision in a remote context. If you listen to Session 29, you'll learn that she has a wealth of experience in both the practice of Behavior Analysis, as well some great processes in place for mentoring soon-to-be BCBA's. I have corresponded with previous mentees of hers, and to a person, they sang her praises as a supervisor.

Today's show is a little different than they typical episode. On September 30th, 2017, the New Hampshire Association for Behavior Analysis will be hosting its 3rd annual conference (tickets are available here). In order to promote this event, and more generally, highlight the great work that NH ABA does, I put together a sequence of five mini-interviews with all of the conference speakers. This year's line-up is great. We will feature a Keynote address from Dr. Greg Hanley, and a closing Distinguished Speaker presentation from Dr. Mark Sundberg. Between these talks, we'll hear from Dr. Derek Reed, Caitlin Kirkwood, and Michael Miklos. In this episode, you'll hear about what they will talk about, but you can also click here to access the conference brochure. The conference is a fantastic value. The early-bird price of $99 gets you 6.5 CEU's, a buffet lunch (yes, there is a free lunch), and opportunities to meet and network with fellow behavior analysts. The early bird price is available through August 31st, but if I had to guess, the event is going to sell out prior to that. As such, if you're considering attending, I recommend picking up your tickets right away. Click here to access the online portal to make that happen. In this episode, I've asked each speaker to recommend readings, websites, and other resources to check out. Here are those references in the approximate order in which they are mentioned in the episode. From Greg's interview: www.practicalfunctionalassessment.com Slayton, Hanley, & Raftery 2017 From Derek's: Some random podcast episode Derek's tutorial video on the SQAB YouTube channel The Behavior Analysis in Practice tutorial article From Mike's: www.pattan.net From Caitlin's: Addison, et al., 2012 Peterson, et al., 2016 The SOS approach to feeding From Mark's: The Verbal Behavior Approach, by Session 12 guest, Dr. Mary Lynch Barbera Jumpstarting Communication Skills in Children with Autism, by Dr. Mary Jane Weiss The Analysis of Verbal Behavior Special Issue on the Intraverbal Thirty Points About Motivation from Skinner's Book Verbal Behavior