The supervision relationship in applied behavior analysis carries weight that extends far beyond the mechanics of skill acquisition. When Lisa Gurdin frames supervision as a vehicle for broadening impact, she is pointing to something that affects the trajectory of the entire field: the next generation of behavior analysts will practice the way they were supervised.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via BABAT
Take This Course →Including ethics, supervision, and topics like this one. New live CEU every Wednesday.
Join Free →While the application of ABA has grown substantially over the past decade, there is significant controversy, doubt, and criticism of our approach, particularly from the autistic community. Fortunately, many (but not all) behavior analysts are listening, responding, and adjusting how we practice. It is our ethical responsibility to appreciate and consider cultural variables when designing interventions, remove barriers to implementation, and collaborate with professionals from other disciplines. To do this, we must ensure that the next generation of behavior analysts know how to effectively work with a multidisciplinary team to design interventions that reflect the relevant culture and context, incorporate feedback, and inspire caregivers and change agents to buy-in to our evidence-based recommendations. Supervision is the most likely place to teach and model these practices for aspiring behavior analysts, RBTs, and direct care staff. In this presentation, we will talk about how to create a positive supervisory experience that is relationship-based, mutually beneficial and focused on ethically-driven, thoughtful, humble, compassionate, collaborative, and culturally responsive practices. The ultimate goal is to supervise with purpose and intention so we can foster a new generation of behavior analysts whose efforts both enhance and expand our positive impact for the individuals, families, and communities we serve. Participants will discuss the importance of supervising with purpose and intention.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | Supervision |
| COA | 1 | — |
For over 25 years, Ms. Gurdin has been working with students, families, and school-based professionals with students from preschool to age 22 with a range of special needs and complex profiles. She is founder of LSGurdin Consulting, LLC, where she provides consultation, student evaluations, parent consultation, professional development, and recruitment support to school districts across Massachusetts. She works collaboratively with parents and school professionals to facilitate integrated support across settings and maximize behavior change and skill development. Ms. Gurdin also provides parent coaching to help parents implement behavioral strategies to improve behavior, encourage independence, and build stronger family relationships. In addition, she offers cutting-edge live and on-demand continuing education events to behavior analysts. Ms. Gurdin is a Part-Time Lecturer in the Master's in ABA program and College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University. Ms. Gurdin is also on the board of MassABA. When she is not working, she is spending time with her husband, three children (ages 21, 20, and 15) and two dogs.
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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.