Lessons in Leadership: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Promote a Culture of Growth and Collaboration is the kind of topic that looks straightforward until it collides with the speed, ambiguity, and competing demands of joint consultation, shared care planning, school-team communication, and interdisciplinary handoffs. In Lessons in Leadership: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Promote a Culture of Growth and Collaboration, for this course, the practical stakes show up in clearer roles, fewer duplicated efforts, and better coordinated intervention, not in abstract discussion alone.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Florida Association of Behavior Analysis
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Join Free →Applied Behavior Analysis is one of the most rapidly growing industries in both the medical and behavioral health sects (Carr, 2022). From July 2018 to July 2021, the number of BCBAs grew by 65% (Yingling et al., 2022). Additionally, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board's US Employment Demand for Behavior Analysts: 2010–2024, published in February 2025, reported a 58% increase in demand for BCBAs between 2023 to 2024 with Florida being one of the top 5 highest demand states (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2025). With newer BCBAs joining the field at unprecedented rates, the need for qualified leaders also increases, however, there is currently a wide range of qualifications and training processes for those clinical leaders. Significant variability in the tenure of certification at time of promotion and a lack of leadership training and support systems could result in inaccurate completion of essential tasks, inadequate personnel management, which in turn leads to emotional overwhelm and burnout. This presentation explores challenges most often faced by Clinical Directors and strategies to support new leaders; specifically, the application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to improve leadership across multiple levels of employees. ACT incorporates elements of behavior analysis, the philosophy of contextualism, and mindfulness to increase psychological flexibility and help people live more aligned with their values. To grow psychological flexibility and continue to move closer to their values, leaders must continuously explore the six core principles of ACT: acceptance, mindfulness, cognitive defusion, values, self as context, and commitment. Many new BCBAs struggle with developing and promoting the values that give their leadership meaning. Often, people possess vague or overly broad ideas about their values but find it challenging to establish a clear identity within the team they are leading. It's essential for a BCBA to understand the values they wish to promote, as this understanding will unify the team and create a culture that fosters growth. This can be developed and fostered through the hexaflex matrix of ACT. The effects of embedding ACT within leadership strategies can promote a culture of growth and collaboration, while also improving therapeutic outcomes and ensuring ethical standards in treatment. This allows the focus to remain on organizational and client goals while balancing the intricacies and complexities that come with being a leader in the field.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | General |
| COA | 1 | — |
| FL MH/PSY | 0 | — |
Kelly Gabriel is a BCBA currently serving in the Southeast Florida Director of Clinical Operations role for Bluesprig Pediatrics. She was introduced to the field of ABA in 2010 during her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and quickly recognized a passion for the science of behavior. Kelly obtained her Masters of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western New England University in 2015, and her BACB certification shortly thereafter, while working at the New England Center for Children (2012-2021). While at the New England Center for Children, Kelly worked in the residential department, focusing on the assessment and treatment of severe challenging behavior, staff training, and mentorship of aspiring BCBAs. In 2021, Kelly relocated to Florida where she joined Florida Autism Center, a division of Bluesprig Pediatrics. Over the last 9 years, Kelly has held various leadership roles across two companies, allowing her learned experience to guide the management, leadership, and mentorship of others.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.