Love letter to myself: Radical self-care in practice in behavior analysis is the kind of topic that looks straightforward until it collides with the speed, ambiguity, and competing demands of transition planning, adult service routines, vocational programming, and long-term support decisions. In Love letter to myself: Radical self-care in practice in behavior analysis, for this course, the practical stakes show up in skills that remain meaningful when school supports disappear and adult expectations change, not in abstract discussion alone.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Women in Behavior Analysis
Take This Course →Including ethics, supervision, and topics like this one. New live CEU every Wednesday.
Join Free →The term "radical self-care" emerged in the late 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement, when Black and Latinx feminist writers (e.g., Anzaldúa, 1987; hooks, 1993; Lorde, 1988), and political activist groups (such as The Black Panther Party) began emphasizing self-care as a tool for social justice and survival for marginalized groups. Radical self-care involves fully prioritizing one's own well-being over all else, with an emphasis on self-preservation, self-appreciation, and full acceptance of oneself - 'body and mind' (Lorde, 1988). Given that the "self" exists only within the context of others, including current and historical socio-political and cultural systems, learning to "care for oneself" in sustainable ways (whilst also caring for others), can be extremely challenging (Davis, 2018; Fiebig et al., 2020; Meron Assefa & Stamm, 2023; Michael, 2017). This talk will explore, from a personal perspective, what it means to "care for oneself" as a behavior analyst seeking to impact change in the world, acknowledging the complex learning histories and intersecting identities that are always present and influencing all that we do as behavior analysts. Dr Gould will discuss the continued relevance of radical self-care as a concept within and outside of our field, while highlighting key repertoires that can support and sustain well-being and resilience across contexts and levels of analysis (from self and individual, to groups, systems and cultures). Audience members will be invited to explore what radical self-care means to them (in their own particular context) and will consider how fostering a culture of 'collective care' (Kaba, 2018; 2021) and sustainability (Fiebig, 2022) might further contribute to the health, relevance and impact of our field - now and in the future.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | General |
| COA | 0 | — |
Evelyn R. Gould, PhD, BCBA-D, CPsychol (they/she) is a clinical behavior analyst and licensed psychologist from Northern Ireland who has provided clinical services to families for two decades in addition to engaging in applied research and scholarship. They are also a trainer and supervisor at The New England Center for OCD and Anxiety, an assistant clinical professor at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, and a research associate in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Evelyn is passionate about the dissemination of contextual behavioral science and addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion within and outside of behavior analysis. She is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and her work reflects personal and professional values of authenticity, compassion, collaboration, humility, and social justice. They currently reside in Los Angeles, California, with their partner and three cats.
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.