Ready to break free from traditional ABA and explore entrepreneurship?

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Mellanie Page, a 15-year ABA veteran who transformed her career from traditional clinical work to building multiple successful businesses.

Mellanie shares her journey through operations, getting an MBA (and why she considers it a mistake), and eventually finding her calling in organizational behavior management and business coaching.

If you're feeling stuck in traditional settings or curious about applying behavior analysis beyond autism, this conversation will show you exactly how to take action and create the career you actually want.

Resources Mentioned

• MBA programs (and why they may not be necessary for entrepreneurs)

• OBM Practitioner Program (12-week project-based program)

• Digital Clinician Program (90-day online business coaching)

• ABA Collective (monthly CEUs and training)

• Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) framework

• Clinical Entrepreneur CEU series

• Value-based pricing strategies

• Amazon Storefront and affiliate marketing

Quotes from This Episode

• "You don't get burned out from the science. You get burned out from applying it in a way that doesn't let you up."

• "I think we're conditioned to believe we have to have a full plan and a career built out before we start dabbling and exploring."

• "If an RBT can teach something to a business owner outside of our industry, then why can't a BCBA, with all of this foundational knowledge, learn a framework, start getting applied practice, and get really good at it?"

• "I don't care about your burnout if you're not making decisions that guide you toward a different path."

• "You have to be a few steps ahead of people. And to be honest, if you want to work in another industry, a lot of business owners don't even understand the concept of reinforcement."

• "Money is the currency for freedom. Whether people like that or not, that's okay, but it is."

Connect With Us
Mind Body Behavior Website
BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD
32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program
Amplify Building Business Program

Email: [email protected]

Social Media: @mindbodybehavioranalyst

Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review, click "follow," and share it with a BCBA friend who's ready to think outside the traditional box.

Podcast Episode Show Notes

Join Sarah as she sits down with Ali, a BCBA and first cohort member of the Board-Approved Health Coaching Program. Ali shares her powerful journey from teaching kindergarten and first grade for eight years to becoming a BCBA, and now specializing in health coaching for women navigating infertility, IVF, and early motherhood.

Through vulnerable storytelling about her own fertility struggles, Ali reveals how she discovered her passion for supporting others through one of life's most challenging experiences. If you're a BCBA wondering how to apply behavior analysis outside traditional settings, or if you're curious about the intersection of ACT principles and reproductive health challenges, this episode offers both inspiration and practical insights into creating meaningful change in people's lives.

• How Ali transitioned from early childhood education to behavior analysis
• Her experience navigating infertility and the emotional toll of IVF
• The ways Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) shows up in health coaching
• What it means to reclaim joy and identity during early motherhood
• How Ali supports clients with compassion, self-love, and individualized care
• Insights from MindBodyBehavior's health coaching certification program
• How behavior analysis can be applied to deeply human, emotional journeys
• Why BCBA skills are valuable far beyond traditional settings

"I always felt kind of drawn to students who had some challenges with their behaviors and just kinda figuring them out... felt a strong connection with that."

"The more I learned, the more it's like things that I already do on a day-to-day basis as a teacher, but recognizing all the terminology that goes along with it."

"I took my BCBA exam when he was three weeks old. And I still to this day don't know how I did that."

"I have learned so much in such a condensed and short amount of time. I can't thank you enough. I feel like this is going to be truly life changing for me."

"I felt like I lost so much of myself and what brought me joy... to help other people find what was joyful to them before going through this."

"I wanna give people that control back in a way that's helpful to them... the permission to feel everything they need to feel and not be ashamed of it."

"This isn't about me. This is about my client and my client feeling like they're doing something for themselves at the end of it."

• MindBodyBehavior Board-Approved Health Coaching Program
• National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching certification
• ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) principles
• Choice Point Model
• Perfect Day activity for high school students
• Upcoming CEU: ACT and Infertility (August)
• Guest speakers: Bradley (health coaching), Tom (ACT Matrix presentation)
• Facebook support groups for infertility

• MindBodyBehavior Website
• BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD
• 32 CEU Board-Approved Health Coaching Program
• Amplify Building Business Program
• Email: [email protected]
• Social Media: @mindbodybehavioranalyst
• Ali's Coaching Services: [email protected]

Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review, click "follow," and share it with a BCBA friend who's ready to think outside the traditional box.

What happens when you apply behavior analysis principles to afterschool programming and parent engagement?

In this inspiring episode, Sarah sits down with Violeta, one of her current supervisees who is transforming how we think about ABA outside traditional settings.

Violeta shares her incredible journey from having no fieldwork hours to creating systematic interventions that doubled parent participation in family engagement events.

If you're a BCBA candidate wondering how to accrue supervision hours outside of autism services, or you're curious about applying behavior analysis in educational and community settings, this episode showcases the powerful impact you can make when you think creatively about where our science can be applied.

Resources Mentioned

• Communities in Schools of the Dallas Region

• ACE Afterschool Program

• Dallas Junior League Kids in the Kitchen Program

• Dallas and Terrell School Districts

• OsteCon Conference (Texas afterschool programs conference)

• Bachelor's in Biology, Master's in Psychology, Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis

• Loteria (Mexican bingo game used in programming)

• Bulls Eye Exercise (ACT intervention)

• Facebook groups for BCBA supervision connections

Quotes from This Episode

"I honestly didn't know how I was going to be able to obtain [fieldwork hours] because I didn't have any background in the clinical field where that's the only - in my mind, that was the only way I would be able to accrue them."

"This year, we literally hit the ground running. We started day one after school program... we doubled in parent participation and even more than that in most of the campuses."

"I would say definitely don't be afraid of just seeking out opportunities and making those connections... oftentimes, we are our own selves are kind of like the ones we may limit ourselves."

"When we look at it from a behavior analytic lens, right, like, using a preferences type assessment, and then that reminder, just the simple intervention of providing different reminders and how much of an impact that had."

"Think about everything that we just talked about. Think about the impact that you were able to make with behavior analysis... your clients, a lot of the time, were your site coordinators, your team, and teaching your team how to actually implement the interventions that you came up with."

Connect With Us

Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review, click "follow," and share it with a BCBA friend who's ready to think outside the traditional box.

Meet Kendra, Sarah's right-hand woman and co-instructor for MindBodyBehavior's National Board Health Coaching Program.

From working in residential facilities with high-risk behaviors to coaching veterans and teaching motivational interviewing to National Guard leaders, Kendra’s career shows just how diverse an ABA path can be.

Plus, get behind-the-scenes insights into their health coaching program—and learn why “just telling people what to do” isn’t actually coaching.

In This Episode, Sarah and Kendra Discuss:

• How a Facebook tag led to their partnership and co-teaching journey

• Kendra’s transition from traditional ABA to nutrition and health coaching

• Her personal story of healing from hormonal imbalances

• Supporting veterans through Mission 22 and National Guard programs

• Teaching motivational interviewing to military leadership

• The behavioral science behind grocery shopping

• The real difference between coaching and consulting

• Setting boundaries and building a flexible career in behavior analysis

• Watching students develop their own unique coaching voices

• Common myths about what health coaching is (and isn’t)

Guest Information:
Kendra – BCBA, Board Certified Health Coach, Co-Instructor of the MindBodyBehavior Health Coaching Program

• Master's in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine

• Certified Personal Trainer and Yoga Instructor

• Veteran support through Mission 22 nonprofit

• Motivational Interviewing Instructor for National Guard

Quotes From This Episode:
"I learned for myself—and I believe this truly for everyone else—that food can be medicine."

"By the end of it, complete buy-in. A completely different way to talk to individuals... we're all humans."

"There's not a great understanding of what coaching is. Why would I hire a coach, right? Unless you've actually experienced it."

"Think about how, if you broke [grocery shopping] down into every single step of a task analysis, there's so much that goes into that."

"The journey is part of the coaching... it’s just a very different aspect of helping somebody get to the place where they want to be."

Key Insights:

• Multiple Certifications Work: Sarah and Kendra both tried two coaching programs before landing on board-approved options

• MI Skills Transfer: Motivational interviewing strengthens communication in traditional ABA settings

• Diverse Career Paths: ABA professionals are now coaching in wellness, military, and corporate sectors

• Coaching vs. Consulting: Coaching is about guiding a process—not handing over a plan

• Flexibility Matters: Once you’ve worked on your own terms, it’s hard to go back

Resources Mentioned:

• Mission 22 (nonprofit for veterans)

• National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC)

• Motivational Interviewing training

• MindBodyBehavior Health Coaching Program

• LinkedIn for exploring job opportunities in coaching

Connect With Us:
MindBodyBehavior Website⁠

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD⁠

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program⁠

Amplify Building Business Program⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Social Media: ⁠@mindbodybehavioranalyst

Next Episode Preview:
Coming up: Sarah interviews a current supervisee earning BCBA hours while working at a health coaching agency—proof that you don’t have to start your own business to thrive in this space.

Interested in health coaching? Reach out to Sarah or Kendra for a conversation about whether this path might be right for you. As Kendra says, they’ll "talk and talk and talk" until you have everything you need.

Hashtags:
#ABARedefined #HealthCoaching #BehaviorAnalysis #BCBA #Veterans #MotivationalInterviewing #MindBodyBehavior #NationalBoard #FunctionalMedicine #Nutrition #BCBASupervision #CareerChange

Feeling like a fraud despite your accomplishments? You’re not alone.

In this vulnerable and empowering episode, Sarah breaks down the psychology of imposter syndrome and how it shows up in every area of MindBodyBehavior—from supervision to health coaching to business building.

From her fear of public speaking in 2018 to launching this very podcast, Sarah shares how she learned to feel the fear and do it anyway.

In This Episode, Sarah Burby:

• Defines imposter syndrome and why it intensifies with success

• Breaks down the 5 types of imposter syndrome (and reveals her own struggles)

• Shares her journey from vomiting before presentations to confidently hosting this podcast

• Explains the “imposter loop” that traps us in perfectionism

• Reveals why her mentor refused to review her course again (and how it changed everything)

• Discusses how her upbringing shaped her adult relationship with achievement

• Offers practical tools for making space for fear while still pursuing your dreams

The 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome:

• The Perfectionist – Unrealistic standards, focus on flaws, avoids delegation

• The Expert – Fear of being exposed, constantly chasing more training

• The Soloist – Believes asking for help signals weakness

• The Natural Genius – Expects to master things instantly, struggles when challenged

• The Superwoman/Superman – Feels the need to excel in every life domain

Quotes From This Episode:
"Some days I wake up and I’m ready to freaking go. And some days I wake up and think—who put me in charge?"

"If I never did the thing that made me scared and uncomfortable, who knows where I’d be today?"

"If I said yes to this right now, I’d be reinforcing your behavior of seeking approval from me. It’s good enough. You know it’s good enough."

"I need to do this thing that feels wildly uncomfortable… because I know I need to get at least decent at public speaking."

"When was the last time you looked back at something you did well and just said: yeah. I did that?"

Sarah’s 5-Step Challenge:
After this episode, challenge yourself to:

1. Define imposter syndrome in your own words

2. Identify all the areas where it shows up in your life

3. Map out your personal “imposter loop”

4. Choose one scary thing to do this week—and visualize the outcome

5. Celebrate one thing you’re proud of from the past week

Resources Mentioned:

• Valerie Young – Psychologist who defined the 5 imposter types

• Relational Frame Theory and comparison frames

• Sarah’s “Beating Burnout” CEU course

• MindBodyBehavior supervision program

• Board-approved Health Coaching CEU cohort

• Amplify business-building program

Connect With MindBodyBehavior:
MindBodyBehavior Website⁠

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD⁠

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program⁠

Amplify Building Business Program⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Social Media: ⁠@mindbodybehavioranalyst

FREE Resource: Looking for a free CEU? Check out Understanding Imposter Syndrome from a Behavior Analytic Lens here.

Hashtags:
#ABARedefined #ImposterSyndrome #BehaviorAnalysis #BCBA #HealthCoaching #MindBodyBehavior #Perfectionism #RelationalFrameTheory #PublicSpeaking #Confidence #BehaviorChange

Ever wondered how to transition from traditional ABA to building a thriving business in health and wellness? In this inaugural episode, Sarah Burby shares her complete journey from accidentally discovering ABA through a summer camp job to building a million-dollar business in the health and fitness space.

If you're feeling stuck in traditional settings or curious about applying behavior analysis in new ways, you’ll want to give this episode a listen.

IN THIS EPISODE, SARAH BURBY:

Shares how a newspaper ad for a summer camp changed her entire career trajectory

Reveals her path from making $22,000/year as a grad student to building a thriving business outside the traditional ABA setting

Explains why she left traditional ABA settings (spoiler: it wasn't burnout!)

Details her journey to becoming dually certified as a BCBA and National Board Certified Health Coach

Discusses the moment she decided to go all in on her health coaching business while pregnant

Introduces MindBodyBehavior's three programs helping BCBAs work outside traditional settings

RESOURCES MENTIONEDFlagler College – St. Augustine, Florida
Rider University ABA Graduate Program (first cohort)
ACE Health Coaching Certification
National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching
Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor certification
Small Changes Coaching (Sarah's original business name)

QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE

"This science of ABA is so cool. And it doesn't just apply to autism. We can apply the science of ABA anywhere. But like, I'm sure most of you have heard something similar. That was the end of the sentence."
"I personally could not live with that potential regret of not doing something. So I was like, you know what? I'm going to go all in."
"There is a major misconception in our field that if you want to accrue your practicum hours, you have to be an RBT. Nowhere in the handbook does it say that."
"My goal for this podcast is to bring on guests that are working outside of the traditional settings... It is possible. You can do it."

You're all set — just copy and paste directly into the Spotify description field, no edits needed. Let me know if you want a template version for your workflow.

Connect With Us:

⁠MindBodyBehavior Website⁠

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD⁠

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program⁠

Amplify Building Business Program⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Social Media: ⁠@mindbodybehavioranalyst

Next Episode Preview
Don’t miss the next episode, where Sarah dives deep into imposter syndrome—and why it’s so much deeper than just not feeling “good enough.”

If you love the show, leave us a 5-star review and share it with a BCBA friend who's ready to think outside the traditional box!

#ABARedefined #BehaviorAnalysis #BCBA #HealthCoaching #ABABusiness #MindBodyBehavior #BCBASupervision #BehaviorChange #Entrepreneurship #ABAInnovation #HealthAndWellness #IntuitiveEating

Welcome to the ABA Redefined podcast trailer! Host Sarah Burby introduces her mission to expand the science of behavior analysis beyond autism into exciting new areas like health coaching, business building, and more. If you've ever wondered how to apply your ABA knowledge in non-traditional settings, this podcast is your roadmap to breaking boundaries and building the career of your dreams.

In This Episode, Sarah Burby:

Introduces her mission to expand the science of behavior analysis beyond autism into exciting new areas

Shares how MindBodyBehavior is training over 70 BCBA candidates in non-traditional settings

Explains the 32 CEU health coaching program and Amplify business building program

Reveals her inspiration for finally launching this podcast after a year of planning

Previews upcoming episodes featuring real BCBAs making waves in non-traditional fields

Quotes from This Episode:

"My sole purpose of this podcast is to help you understand and feel confident that you can apply behavior analysis to whatever area lights you up."

"No one was really applying ABA to health coaching when I first got started and that didn't stop me."

"If someone is not currently applying it into that area, it doesn't mean you can't."

Connect With Us:

MindBodyBehavior Website

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program

Amplify Building Business Program

Email: [email protected]

Social Media: @mindbodybehavioranalyst

Next Episode Preview

Don't miss the next episode where Sarah shares her personal journey from working as a BCBA in traditional settings to building a million-dollar business in the health and fitness space using behavior analysis principles.

Love the show?
Leave us a 5-star review and share it with a friend who would benefit from this episode!