We’re joined by Jordan Black, BCBA, co-host of Moms on Their Best Behavior, and co-owner of Best Behavior Solutions, for a meaningful conversation about making ABA strategies more accessible, practical, and relevant beyond the therapy room. Jordan shares her path into the field, including her background in special education and how becoming a parent shaped the way she approaches behavior support.

We talk about why ABA should not feel exclusive to autism services and how understanding the function of behavior, teaching replacement behaviors, and using reinforcement effectively can support all children across home, school, and community settings. Jordan also highlights the importance of helping parents understand why behaviors occur, rather than relying solely on consequence-based approaches.

Our conversation expands into schools and daycares, where staff often lack formal behavioral training but manage complex environments every day. We wrap up by discussing parent buy-in, collaboration, and Jordan’s advice for newly certified BCBAs who are still finding their footing in the field.

What’s Inside:

• Making ABA strategies practical for parents and everyday life
• Understanding behavior as communication and teaching replacement skills
• Supporting schools and educators with behavioral tools
• Advice for newly certified BCBAs

Mentioned in This Episode:
Moms on Their Best Behavior Podcast
Best Behavior Solutions
@momsontheirbestbehavior on Instagram
HowToABA.com/join
How to ABA on YouTube
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram

In this episode, we’re diving into one of our favorite and most meaningful topics in ABA: relationship-based motivation. We talk about why reinforcement doesn’t have to look like tokens, toys, or snacks and how you can become the most powerful reinforcer in the room. When learners enjoy being with us, motivation shifts from doing work for rewards to genuinely wanting to engage, connect, and participate.

We share real-life examples from our own clinical experiences, including moments when we realized we weren’t yet reinforcing enough and what changed when we leaned into play, connection, and authenticity. We also unpack common misconceptions around work versus play, breaks, and pairing, and explain why separating social interaction from reinforcement can unintentionally send the wrong message.

This conversation applies not only to young learners but also to older students, parents, teachers, supervisees, and even supervisors. Strong relationships increase the value of everything else we do in ABA. When connection comes first, behavior change is more sustainable, more meaningful, and honestly, more enjoyable for everyone involved.

What’s Inside:

• Why relationship-based reinforcement is more powerful than external rewards
• How to become a preferred person, not just the person delivering demands
• Rethinking breaks, play, and motivation in everyday sessions
• Why authentic connection matters across learners, families, and supervisees

Mentioned in This Episode:

Episode 221: ESDM in Action: Embedding Goals in Daily Routines and Play
The Science Behind ESDM: Why Relationship Matters as Much as Reinforcement
HowToABA.com/join
How to ABA on YouTube
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram

In this episode, we sat down with Mellanie Page, BCBA, MBA, and founder of The ABA Collective, to dive into the world of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) and how it can transform the way we experience our work. We talked about why so many BCBAs feel burnt out or stuck in leadership and supervisory roles and how OBM offers practical, behavior-analytic solutions that go far beyond surface-level self-care.

Mellanie shared how OBM can help us pinpoint high-impact problems, improve workplace culture, and increase job satisfaction—whether we’re clinicians, supervisors, or business owners. We explored why burnout isn’t just an individual issue, how small behavior changes can create meaningful ripple effects across teams, and why reinforcing the process matters just as much as reinforcing outcomes.

This conversation is full of practical insights, real-world examples, and a refreshing reminder that we can apply the science we already know to organizations, leadership, and even ourselves. If you’ve ever wondered how to use ABA to improve your work life, this episode is for you.

What’s Inside:

• What OBM is and why it matters for BCBAs
• Using behavior analysis to address burnout and job satisfaction
• Applying OBM to leadership, supervision, and workplace culture
• Practical examples of small changes with big organizational impact

Mentioned in This Episode:

The ABA Collective
The OBM Practitioner Program
HowToABA.com/join
How to ABA on YouTube
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram