The Compassionate BCBA: Understanding the Impact of Empathy matters because it changes what a BCBA notices when decisions have to hold up in clinic sessions and day-to-day service delivery. In the Impact of Empathy, for this course, the practical stakes show up in better alignment between intervention and the family context in which it must survive, not in abstract discussion alone.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Verbal Beginnings
Take This Course →Including ethics, supervision, and topics like this one. New live CEU every Wednesday.
Join Free →The discussion of compassionate care is becoming more prevalent within the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. Historically, behavior analysis has relied on strategies that call into question our practice. The negative side effects of extinction and other intrusive practices in ABA are well documented by both professionals and past consumers of ABA alike. We now understand the importance of employing a trauma informed care approach with our clients and their families, but many novice clinicians do not receive training on integrating compassion and empathy into their work. These soft skills are essential for building rapport with learners and caregivers alike and have been found to improve clinical outcomes. As the field continues to grow and change, it is the responsibility of behavior analysts to conduct risk-benefit analysis in order to remove possible harmful interventions from our practice, while embracing alternative evidence-based approaches.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | General |
| COA | 1 | — |
Alyse started her career as a Social Worker in an inpatient hospital where she was first exposed to ABA. Shortly after, Alyse obtained a second masters in Applied Behavior Analysis and received her supervised experience hours as an RBT at Verbal Beginnings. In 2018, Alyse became a BCBA and gained experience providing early intervention services in the field and consulting with residential settings. In 2020, Alyse returned to Verbal Beginnings as a Clinical Supervisor and became a Program Coordinator at their Millersville location in 2021. Alyse is passionate about incorporating her experience with Trauma-Informed Care as a Social Worker and into her evidence-based work as a Behavior Analyst. Alyse is a proud mother of a two-year-old named Kivi and enjoys spending the weekends with her family and dogs.
Side-by-side comparison with a clinical decision framework
Research-backed educational guide for behavior analysts
Research-backed answers to common clinical questions
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.