A Christian BCBA

As a person who follows Christ, I aim to make God proud in how I live my life! I am saved by His grace alone, not by what I do or don’t do in this life. But, that doesn’t mean that I want to waste my time here. I want my life to glorify God and for my life to have the biggest kingdom impact that it can. Ten years ago, I entered the field of ABA. I believed I was doing the job chosen for me by God. But I wasn’t aware of the scrutiny of ABA. I didn’t know it was out in the world. I had so much peace about this field being my career. I felt that I was doing good work. I felt that I was doing Godly work.

When I became aware that some people believed that ABA was abusive, it crushed me. I began having panic attacks. I questioned everything about my life in these past few years of being in the field. I became afraid that I was unknowingly causing harm. In that fear, the gospel of grace seemed unattainable for me. I felt condemned and that God had been mad at me the whole time. My intention to help and serve these kids and their families all of the sudden didn’t seem to matter. How could it matter if I was a part of something awful? I couldn’t find any relief from this panic and anxiety I was drowning in. Am I a bad person? Have I hurt those that I’ve been trying to help? What do I do from here? Do I quit and find a new job? I don’t want to be a part of something that hurts people.

During this period of questioning, guilt, shame, and condemnation, I have developed a passion. I have a passion to broadcast God within this field. I want to show how this science can be done effectively but also with the utmost compassion and care for those we serve. I’ve seen lives change with this science. It works. I can’t be a perfect BCBA, though I’ve tried. Still, putting and keeping God in the center is what will change this field for the better.

You may not be a Christian and that’s okay. We can believe differently in matters of faith and still agree that all human beings are valuable and worthy of being protected. At the least, I hope something shared here will make readers pause and think about how they are practicing ABA so we can ALL DO BETTER! Welcome to Vine and Victory!