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ABA on Tap is proud to spend more time with Stephen and April Smith:

It's a pod swap! Please go to the ABA Business Leaders podcast  to continue listening to this conversation. 

If you’ve ever watched a great BCBA become a burnt-out owner running on payroll panic, this conversation will feel uncomfortably familiar. Mike and Dan pod swap with Steven and April Smith from 3Pie Squared to get brutally practical about what actually keeps an ABA company ethical and sustainable when real-world pressure hits. The get into the nitty gritty regarding  payor rules, credentialing delays, overhead, turnover, and the constant temptation to choose “easier” over “right.”

We talk through Steven’s new book on building an ABA business and why he leans on questions, not cookie-cutter steps. The core idea is simple and hard: write down your vision, values, and red lines early, then use them to make decisions when the ecosystem tries to dictate your clinical work. That includes saying no to bad rates, resisting session models that drift toward daycare economics, and refusing shortcuts that sacrifice training, supervision, or compliance for short-term profit.

We also dig into the true cost of RBT turnover, why undertraining becomes a safety issue, and how leaders can avoid recreating the same company culture they tried to leave. Finally, Steven and April share what they’re building next: a new all-in-one practice management software with waitlist management, parent portal, data collection, claims submission, telehealth, team messaging, and an AI session note checker designed to teach, not ghostwrite.

Subscribe, share this with an ABA owner who needs guardrails, and leave a review with the one “non-negotiable” you refuse to compromise on.

For Part 2, go to:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aba-business-leaders/id1574542939

https://open.spotify.com/show/3JNNWZfF5p37XVwAH6coWO?si=7eabf9f34fc642b3

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ABA is proud to present Michelle Burr (Part 2 of 2):

A diagnosis can open doors, but it can also be withheld in ways that quietly shut families out. Mike and Dan continue the brew with Michelle Burr, to talk about what it looks like when autism diagnostic practices miss the mark, especially for families of color, and how those delays ripple into access to services, school support, and day-to-day quality of life.

From there, we get honest about labels. We’ve all seen how a label can bring relief, community, and clarity, and we’ve also seen how it can narrow expectations until every moment gets filtered through a diagnosis. We unpack the strange new reality of self-diagnosis trends, the growing understanding of autism in girls and women, and why “normal” is a wide statistical range, not a social pass or fail.

Then we go deep on assent-based ABA. Michelle lays out what assent actually looks like in behavior you can observe, why pausing matters, and how “assent-based” can get twisted into permissive, chaotic center-based services that do not teach functional skills. We talk functional communication, individualized programming, generalization beyond the clinic, and a hopeful model for ethical center-based care that starts with pairing, builds communication, and creates calm structure kids can succeed inside.

If you want ABA that feels humane and still works in the real world, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a colleague or parent, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

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ABA on Tap is proud to present Michelle Burr (Part 1 of 2):

The fastest way to lose what makes ABA powerful is to turn it into a checklist. Mike and Dan sit down with Michelle Burr, a veteran clinician with decades in autism services, to talk about what happens when real teaching gets buried under perfect data sheets, rigid protocols, and insurance-driven “progress” that doesn’t generalize.

Michelle walks us through her origin story, the early in-home era, and the Wisconsin initiatives that expanded access through Medicaid while also creating new bottlenecks like long waitlists and unrealistic parent-presence requirements. We also get honest about the complicated legacy of Ivar Lovaas, what the old structure got right, and what modern training often misses: the why behind prerequisite skills, the purpose of imitation, and the point of manding beyond scripted trials.

From there, we zoom out to the field today: BCBA credentialing pressures, private equity in ABA, and the push to standardize services until they feel like fast food. Michelle shares why Montessori education became a turning point in her work, and how developmental, individualized environments can strengthen ABA rather than weaken it. We also unpack “assent-based” practice, HRE (happy, relaxed, engaged), and why skill-based treatment (SBT) gets risky when teams stop progressing demands and accidentally reinforce escape.

If you care about ethical ABA therapy, practical autism intervention, and training clinicians to have both technical skill and real feel, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

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ABA on Tap is proud to present Jennifer Kraft (Part 2 of 2):

A single line in the wrong plan can change a child’s whole trajectory: “increase compliance.” We dig into what it looks like to replace that mindset with support that actually removes barriers, starting with augmentative and alternative communication and the broader world of assistive technology.

We talk with Jennifer Kraft about why you are never too young or too old to start AAC, and why it is devastating when someone only gets the right device and the right team in adulthood. We walk through the practical reality of access, including the IEP process, insurance requirements, and how SLPs and physicians often become the documentation gatekeepers for prescriptions and funding. If you have ever searched “how to get an AAC device,” “assistive technology evaluation,” or “AAC through Medicaid,” you will leave with a clearer picture of what to ask for and where to look.

Then we zoom out past speech devices into everyday assistive technology that changes lives: weighted bowls and spoons, pencil grips and slant boards, hearing supports, magnification tools, adapted computer mice, and the creative problem solving mindset behind it all. From there, we get real about school-based ABA consultation: building rapport with teachers, setting boundaries, observing the whole classroom system, picking targets that can actually work in a busy environment, and navigating the hard truth that sometimes school politics override good data.

If you care about neuro-affirming ABA, assent and safety, and helping clients become who they are, not who someone else thinks they should be, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest AAC or school collaboration question.

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ABA on Tap is proud to present Jennifer Kraft (Part 1 of 2):

AAC is everywhere right now, but too many people still treat it like a gadget instead of a voice. Mike and Dan sit down with Jennifer Kraft, a longtime special educator, assistive technology specialist, and BCBA, about what actually makes augmentative and alternative communication work in the real world and what goes wrong when devices get handed out without true assessment, training, or follow-through.

Jennifer shares a career journey that spans early intervention, life skills classrooms, ed tech facilitation, and behavioral health leadership in Pennsylvania’s evolving system (BHRS to IBHS). Along the way, she gets candid about the ethical pressure points in agency life, what it feels like to walk into a broken organization, and why protecting clients and clinicians sometimes means refusing to play along. That path ultimately leads her to launch her own practice, Krafted Care, and push through licensing and Medicaid barriers that can delay autism services for months.

Then we dig into practical AAC best practices: why AAC does not take away speech, how it can serve as a backup during stress or motor planning challenges, and why modeling matters more than “handing over the device.” We also cover device fit, customizing pages for real routines, separating entertainment screen time from the AAC system, and the nonnegotiable need for constant access and a charged battery.

If you care about ethical ABA, assistive technology, or helping kids and adults communicate with dignity, hit play. Subscribe, share this with your team, and leave a review with your biggest AAC question.

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ABA on Tap is proud to present Kristyn Peterson (Part 2 of 2):

The hardest part of behavior analysis isn’t the data sheet, it’s the human side: how you show up, how you lead, and how you make change feel doable. ABA on Tap is  back with Dr. Kristyn Peterson for a candid, practical conversation that connects behavioral artistry to the real-world pressures BCBAs face when business models clash with clinical values. If you’ve ever felt like you’re “making humans do the thing” without believing in the system behind it, you’ll recognize yourself here.

We talk through Kristen’s path from clinical work into OBM-informed consulting, including how she and her team help organizations survive big technology changes by balancing people, process, and technology. You’ll hear concrete ways behavior analysts add value outside autism services: defining what success actually looks like, choosing measurable metrics, and using organizational change management to reduce stress, resistance, and turnover instead of bulldozing people with “because leadership said so.”

Then we go deeper on leadership and sustainability: what it’s like to run a small company, document recommendations when clients won’t follow them, and protect your energy when your job becomes finance, sales calls, and crisis cleanup. Kristyn also breaks down Lean Six Sigma (including Master Black Belt training) and why its maintenance planning can be a model for better fade-out, parent training, and operational systems in ABA. We close with hot takes on culture (stop pretending pizza parties are an intervention), gatekeeping, and how to help BCBAs feel less trapped in a changing field shaped by private equity and regulation.

If this resonates, subscribe, share this with a colleague who needs it, and leave a review so more behavior analysts can find the conversation.

Tune In. Drink Up. And ALWAYS ANALYZE RESPONSIBLY.

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ABA on Tap is proud to present Kristyn Peterson (Part 1 of 2):

A BCBA passes the exam, gets promoted fast, and suddenly has to lead teams, train new RBTs, manage payer demands, and still protect the client’s care. That jump can feel like getting handed the keys to a moving car, especially in underserved markets where there is no mentorship bench and no clean roadmap for what a clinical director should actually do.

Kristen Peterson joins ABA on Tap to tell the truth about early-career leadership in applied behavior analysis, from building scalable supervision systems to navigating rural ABA service delivery across long distances. We dig into cultural competence in autism services, including how providers earn trust in communities with different religious norms, different parenting styles, and real skepticism toward “outside experts.” We also talk ethics in plain language, what happens when you see harmful punishment practices, and how to balance reporting obligations with compassionate parent support.

Then we get into the hard part: private equity buyouts, policy shifts that squeeze training opportunities, and the moral injury that hits when leaders are asked to defend decisions they believe will hurt staff or families. We unpack how algorithmic hours tools and templated programming can quietly replace clinical judgment, and why the art of individualized ABA still matters when research meets the living room. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review if it resonates. Where have you felt the strongest pressure between efficiency and ethics?

Tune In, Drink Up and ALWAYS Analyze Responsibly. 

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ABA on Tap is proud to present Mark Malady (Part 2 of 2):

If you have ever felt pressured to list “behaviors for reduction” even when you know the real need is skill building, this conversation will hit home. ABA on Tap continues our sit down with Mark Malady, to talk about constructional ABA, where the aim is not to stop behavior for everyone else’s comfort but to build the repertoires that let a learner get their needs met with more freedom, safety, and dignity.

We get into why procedure-heavy programming can create rigid learning that looks great on paper but does not generalize in real life. From joint attention and enriched environments to response classes and functional outcomes, we explore how to stop obsessing over response form and start focusing on what the behavior does. That includes a candid take on eye contact goals, developmental milestone traps, and why “critical periods” matter less than building the component skills that support informed choice.

We also unpack process-based practice and measurement. Mark shares how process can still be measurable and accountable, why clinicians may need to make many small adjustments in a single session, and how low-dose models can outperform massive hour prescriptions when targets are chosen well. You will also hear about the 'GenArete' skill-based assessment, milestone benchmarking, and a powerful example of “dignity of risk” where opportunity, not skill deficit, is the real barrier.

If this episode sharpens your thinking, subscribe for more conversations that challenge default ABA habits, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more clinicians and families can find the show. What would you stop targeting tomorrow if you shifted fully to function and quality of life?

Tune In, Drink Up, and ALWAYS ANALYZE RESPONSIBLY.

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ABA on Tap is proud to present Mark Malady (Part 1 of 2):

A piece of duct tape on the floor becomes a turning point for how we think about safety, reinforcement, and basic human connection. Mike and Dan sit down with Mark Malady to trace the long arc from an IEP and constant school changes to building programs for adults with severe aggression and minimal communication. Along the way, Mark shares the moment he stopped accepting the “he doesn’t like people” assumption and started asking a better behavioral question: what history built this repertoire, and what would it take to build a new one?

ABA on Tap and Mark give a full pour of the ideas that shape real clinical work. Mark connects early experience in adult disability services to big-picture themes in applied behavior analysis: functional communication, humane reinforcement, and why our field too often mistakes procedural compliance for effective intervention. He breaks down process versus procedure orientation in plain language, ties it to ACT and relational frame theory, and explains why relationship quality often predicts outcomes better than which “manual” you follow.

Finally, we get honest about the hard parts of ABA in autism services and school settings: power dynamics, “firefighting” models that wait for crisis, and resource decisions that prioritize deceleration over skill acquisition. If you care about ethical ABA, assent and consent, better assessment practices, and building meaningful skills across the lifespan, this conversation will challenge you in the right ways. Subscribe for Part 2, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with the biggest question you want our field to answer next.

Tune in, drink up and ALWAYS ANALYZE RESPONSIBLY.

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ABA on Tap is proud to sit down with Lupe Castañeda (Part 2 of 2):

You can have the best behavior plan in the world and still fail if the classroom doesn’t trust you. Mike and Dan pick up part two with Lupe Castaneda, and get practical about school-based ABA, BCBA leadership in schools, and the messy middle where collaboration meets real-world constraints. We talk through what it looks like when we’re “not the experts” in the family system or the classroom environment, yet we’re brought in because something is already going wrong, and the people in the room may not want change.

From there, we get into the hard stuff most people won’t say out loud: school politics, predetermined placement decisions, and how to protect your staff when they’re doing great work but still getting nitpicked. Lupe shares how he approaches teacher buy-in by building rapport, talking with paraprofessionals, and living the principle of “show me, don’t tell me” rather than being the BCBA in the corner with a laptop. We also explore supervision and mentorship strategies that improve retention, including bi-directional feedback, coaching, and shaping performance instead of punishing mistakes.

We then zoom into tactics for bridging 1:1 ABA into group instruction: small-group DTT, instructional pacing, short learning sprints, contextual fit, and preparing students for natural environments. Along the way we unpack clinical judgment, crisis prevention, and why it matters to teach teams how to think on the fly, especially when the difference between an extinction burst and failed treatment is not obvious to educators. We wrap with burnout prevention, skill diversification, and why staying curious might be the most underrated career strategy in behavior analysis.

If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a school-based BCBA or teacher, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s the biggest obstacle you hit when trying to collaborate in schools?

Tune in, drink up and ALWAYS ANALYZE RESPONSIBLY.

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🔥 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review on your favorite podcast platform!

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