At Innovative Behavior Options, we’re proud of our team, and we feel honored to work with some of the best Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapists out there. Choosing a provider for ABA therapy for your child is an important, personal decision, and we want to give you a chance to get to know the outstanding people who are designing and implementing the individualized behavior plans that will help your family achieve your goals.
Today, we’d like to introduce you to one of our newest BCBAs, Natalie.
Atlanta Area ABA Therapy Center Staff Spotlight
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I was born and raised in California (with a brief two-year stint in Georgia when I was in high school). I love the sunny weather and the beach. My favorite hobbies are cooking, doing HITT workouts at the gym, and spending time with my kids.
I earned my undergraduate degree in psychology from Argosy University, a private school in California. While in school I worked with children as a behavior therapist and special education teacher’s assistant in both school and home settings. I later went to National University to pursue my master’s degree in applied behavior analysis and became a BCBA. I have always had a passion for working with children.
What is your roll at IBO?
I work as a BCBA! I develop treatment plans for children across the spectrum based on their individual needs. I evaluate and monitor each client’s treatment plan weekly, and I work with the registered behavior technician (RBT) assigned to the case. I also provide support to our clients’ parents and guardians.
I’m brand new at IBO, but prior to moving to Georgia, I worked as a BCBA in Los Angeles, CA where I served children from ages four through 21 in both home and school settings.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A day of work for a BCBA can really vary. Right now, I work at the Roswell therapy center, so I typically start the day responding to emails and then begin supervising clients’ therapy sessions. The ABA sessions are conducted by RBTs. When I go to a client’s therapy room for supervision, I spend time observing the RBT implementing the treatment programs (which are specifically designed for that client), providing feedback and on-going support and training, as well as working 1:1 with the client. I also review data collected in previous sessions and make updates to the treatment plan based on the client’s progress.
I usually supervise about two to three clients per day for two to three hours at a time. I also conduct parent trainings in which I meet with clients’ parents to check in and provide insight on how their child is doing. We discuss both recent successes and any concerns that they have, in addition to how they may be doing at school or with other therapies they have.
What interested you initially about this type of work?
I’ve been working with children in the special education field since I was in high school. The first day I walked into a classroom and saw how ABA therapy could so significantly help children across the spectrum it caught my interest, and I haven’t even considered another profession since.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love knowing that every day I am making a difference in a child’s life and positively impacting their whole family.
What is the best part of your week?
The best part of my week is hearing from the RBTs and clients’ families about all the week’s successes. I also love going into therapy sessions and seeing the progress a client has made.
Natalie’s experience and passion for working with children with special needs are part of what make her such an asset to our team and clients. If you’re interested in learning more about ABA therapy or working with one of our outstanding ABA therapists, like Natalie, check out our website or give us a call at 770-250-0093.