Miami Behavior Analyst

04/11/2025

Some superheroes don’t wear capes- some wear f***y packs and carry around starbucks, tally counters, timers and Mr.Pen. Meet the GBS team! Which one would you buy!?

04/04/2025

GBS is looking forward to supporting this weekend at Tropical Nights!

03/29/2025

With a sad and broken heart, we mourn the loss of one of my first GBS client’s moms today, Chrissye 💔
Chrissye was our biggest supporter- a mom who always had our back, a firm believer in ABA, and a mom who gave 110% in every training. She was a single mom when I met her and she worked so hard to make sure her son received the therapy he needed. At the time (16 years ago) this was not easy because insurance coverage didn’t exist, but she was UNSTOPPABLE when it came to providing for Izaak. Even after discharge, Chrissye was GBS’ biggest fan- always letting others know the life changing therapy her son received. Chrissye lost her fight with cancer today and I’m not sure how much Izaak will understand or how he will go through this life without his biggest fan, his mom. We hope we can somehow be there for you Izaak and will find a way to show the same support your mom always showed us.

Please pray for Izaak and Rob (Chrissye’s husband) and her dear friends during this very difficult time.

03/20/2025

Did you know our 13 out of our 16 therapy rooms have no doors! Doors are for our classroom spaces only. You may be wondering - why would we design our space with no doors! We did this because we wanted to make sure clients wanted to be in their therapy room with their therapist. IF a child is wandering or eloping then this tells us we need to 1) make therapy fun and enjoyable so they want us to be a part of their day- learning should be fun! and 2) no doors allows us to work on the child learning to let an adult know their needs (e.g. telling us they want to go on a walk, a wagon ride, or to the gym!). Even if the child is unable to speak (YET!) we can teach them to grab our hand, to point and to indicate to us what they want. Wandering is a huge risk for children on the spectrum so teaching a replacement behavior is so important. If you need ideas on how to teach this at home, let your BCBA know!

11/06/2024

THE IMPORTANCE OF ABA AND CURRENT DILEMMA
The goal of ABA therapy is to change and improve socially significant behavior, improve communication skills, social skills and learning skills. ABA techniques and procedures can be extremely useful in a classroom setting. While most teachers are not certified as ABA therapists, being trained in behavior analysis can have a positive, even life changing benefit for the children in the classroom.
Unfortunately, the way ABA is currently being used in the classroom in the Miami area is often unethical and illegal. These type of low quality services are not only discrediting the field of applied behavior analysis but most importantly are not benefiting the client.
This PowerPoint is designed to help educate and bring
awareness to teachers, ABA therapists, and parents on
best practice.

DM me for entire presentation!

09/20/2024

Remember the April 2017 BACB newsletter that talked about inappropriate activities RBTS should not do? Like transporting a child or child care. These are NOT behavior analytic services and would therefore constitute a dual relationship which is unethical and can result in losing your certification. In addition, it is insurance fraud if these services are being billed. So stop- YOU are causing the field to have a bad name.

09/07/2024

Problem 1: . Some of our RBTs are in the public schools this year because there is no good placement for our clients with high functioning autism.

For the few insurance companies that allow therapy in the classroom- RBTs become personal teachers while also trying to teach behaviors necessary for success. The goal should be to get out of the school but how can we fade services in these settings because who are we going to fade services to? There’s 26 students and 1 teacher. This doesn’t set up the child to function independently AND takes away from their 1:1 clinic/home hours (insurance only authorizes so many hours). 1:1 clinic/home hours are NECESSARY to treat the core deficits of autism AND NOT the same as being in the school. So basically- If we don’t go into the school the child suffers, if we go into the school the child suffers.

Problem 2: Private Schools. Some private schools- even special need programs/schools- are asking for an RBT! Some won’t allow the child to attend without one! If we don’t go in the child suffers because the child may not be allowed at that school but by going in the school full time again means the child may need to reduce or lose their 1:1 ABA - meaning the child still suffers.

Insurance will only authorize both school and 1:1 so long and if the schools don’t provide the support the child needs then we have no choice but to step in and the child will lose their 1:1 time… I have to say, I agree with the insurance companies that say the school MUST take responsibility as well. If schools are not educated on the how all day school RBTS takes away from 1:1 clinic/home services then I think this problem will continue to explode. This year is the worst year I have seen in my 20 years. It’s the responsibility of parents, RBTs, BCBA to advocate for our little ones who can’t speak for themselves.

08/17/2024

As a behavior analyst, who works in and outside of the schools, I see the positive influence a kind child can have. Unfortunately, more often than not, I see how cruel children can be and the negative influence they have in the life of anyone who is different from them 😔. My mom did a great job at modeling and teaching my sister and myself kindness and compassion. I believe it is something which MUST be taught- because I can tell you, it is not what you see when children are in social situations. So what do you teach your child? Here’s a few things I would advise teachers and parents to teach:

- Excluding someone from a game is not kind. Even if you are not the one telling the child they can’t play and keep playing then you are NOT making a kind choice. Choose to do better, stand up for others by leaving the game or letting others know what is happening is not kind.

- Making a decision to stop talking to your friends when someone you “don’t like” comes around is cruel and a type of bullying. Include others in your conversation, it will cost you nothing.

- Laughing with someone and laughing at someone are different. Know the difference by putting yourself in the other person’s shoes.

- Not answering someone or acting like you can’t hear them is not kind. Respect everyone the same way you would like to be respected.

- Telling someone to do something that is dangerous, will get them in trouble, or something that will make others laugh at them is cruel. If you see someone doing this to someone then tell the teacher and stand up against bullying.

- Using someone’s name in any other way than the way it should be said is not nice. Calling them anything other than their name is not kind.

- Being kind may mean you help- maybe help by playing with the other child, by smiling, by helping with something that may be easy for you but hard for them.

- Show compassion for the children that may not have nice clothes, school supplies, or may not smell to good- not everyone has parents that may be able to care for them the way you are cared for- so try to be extra kind to them- share your supplies or give it to them.

- Being kind is an action

05/12/2024

Happy Mother’s Day! With love, The GBS team 💕

04/27/2024

How did you pass the BCBA exam?

126 likes, 7 comments. “Ain’t nothin to it 📚😵‍💫📓🫠 hang in there all you future BCBAs, you got this!”

04/16/2024

Short video on how we teach problem solving to kids during social skill training!

Check out MiamiBehaviorAnalyst’s video.

03/02/2024

In our 4th Ethics BCBA Brunch, we discussed ABA in schools. The goal of an ABA company in the school should BE TO GET 👏🏼OUT 👏🏼OF THE 👏🏼SCHOOL 👏🏼 SO THE CHILD CAN FUNCTION INDEPENDENTLY - our job is to put ourselves OUT of a job- if you don’t see it that way, then you are not PRIORITIZING YOUR CLIENT AND NOT practicing ABA the way you should. Unfortunately, sometimes the schools don’t see it that way, and require ABA support, but in my opinion- if the school doesn’t support independence and fading of services then it may not be the best placement for the child. Swipe ➡️ for more discussion topics for our brunch! Hope you join us our next Brunch Miami BCBAs!