Behaviour Speak with Ben Reiman

What happens when psychology is viewed through the lens of Indigenous knowledge, community, language, and lived experience? In this episode, Ben welcomes Dr. Vicky Lomay, a Navajo (Diné) clinical psychologist, assessment specialist, educator, and leader in Indigenous psychology. Dr. Lomay shares her journey from engineering student to psychologist and reflects on how growing up in a bilingual Nava...

What can studying perspective taking tell us about relationships, dating violence, and the experiences of neurodivergent people? In this episode, Ben sits down with Ashley Rodrigues, a graduate student in Western University’s School and Applied Child Psychology program and lab manager with the Living Organisms Learning Lab. Ashley describes how her early experiences seeking mental-health support h...

Dr. Don Togade came to behaviour analysis through a deeply personal journey, one that began with trying to better understand himself. Don and Ben explore how that journey now shapes the way he teaches future behaviour analysts, from mindfulness, gratitude, and self-monitoring to cultural humility, feedback, and interdisciplinary collaboration. They also discuss AI, professional regulation, Mindful...

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Ben Reiman sits down with Indigenous educator, consultant, speaker, and entrepreneur Len Pierre. Grounding the discussion in his Coast Salish identity and his roots in Katzie First Nation, Len shares his journey of cultural reclamation, receiving his ancestral name, and learning to navigate both Indigenous and colonial worlds. Len explores the his...

What happens when community, culture, behavioural science, and public health intersect? In this inspiring conversation, Ben Reiman sits down with sisters Ruaa Hassaballa and Ithar Hassaballa , two behavioural scientists whose journey began in Sudan and evolved into careers dedicated to health equity, systems change, community engagement, and global health. The sisters share how their upbringing in...

In this conversation, Dr. Amy Pearson shares her personal and professional journey in autism research, discussing her experiences as a late-diagnosed autistic individual and the impact of her lived experience on her research. She explores the challenges of navigating the academic landscape as an autistic researcher, the importance of neurodiversity affirming practices, and the need for a shift fro...

What if the most important skill in behaviour analysis isn't a technical skill at all? In this episode of Behaviour Speak, Ben Reiman sits down with BCBA and PhD candidate Preeti Vogel to discuss compassionate care, cultural responsiveness, and the crucial role these skills play in effective behaviour support. Drawing on over a decade of experience working across India and Australia, Preeti shares...

In this episode, Ben sits down with behaviour analyst and entrepreneur Sara Silsilah to discuss her remarkable journey from Saudi Arabia to Columbia University and back again. Sara shares how a chance encounter during a university fire drill led her into the field of autism and behaviour analysis, and how her grandmother's lifelong commitment to supporting children with disabilities shaped her val...

In this episode, Ben Reiman speaks with Pragya Shrestha Pradhan , a parent, founder, advocate, and behaviour analyst working to expand autism and ABA services in Nepal. Pragya describes how her daughter Avaani’s autism diagnosis introduced her to a world of limited services, long waitlists, and cultural stigma around disability. That experience eventually led her to training in India, involvement...

In this episode of Behaviour Speak, Ben welcomes Mei-Hua Li, BCBA-D and speech-language pathology clinical fellow, for a discussion that sits at the intersection of behaviour analysis, communication, and cultural responsiveness. Drawing from her unique dual training in applied behaviour analysis and speech-language pathology, Mei-Hua explores how collaboration between BCBAs and SLPs can improve ou...

In this episode of Behaviour Speak, Dr. Olivia Hird-Partlow offers a thoughtful and deeply practical conversation about ABA across the lifespan. Originally from Canada and now based in Maryland, Olivia Hird-Partlow describes her path into ABA through early training at Kennedy Krieger, her work across clinics, homes, schools, and residential settings, and her current teaching role at McDaniel Colle...

  In this powerful conversation, Meena Richardson , an Assistant Scientist at the Center for Indigenous Health at Johns Hopkins University , shares her work supporting urban Indigenous communities through community-based participatory research, cultural connectedness, and Indigenous-led approaches to healing.    Drawing from her experiences as a citizen of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe and her Indo-Fiji...

What does behaviour analysis look like in Russia today? In this episode of Behaviour Speak, Ben welcomes Natalia Polikarpova, behaviour analyst, educator, supervisor, and leader in the Russian-speaking ABA community. Natalia shares her journey from engineering to behaviour analysis, discusses the early development of ABA in Russia, and reflects on the growth of professional training, supervision,...

In this episode of Behaviour Speak, host Ben Reiman speaks with Sarah Elkami Trdina , Lina Pezzo Szodo , and Camila Grullon from Always Connected Treatment Network (ACTN) about an innovative partnership with Mississauga Fire. The conversation explores how behaviour analysts and fire safety professionals collaborated to create accessible fire safety education for neurodivergent children, youth, and...

This is Part Two of my conversation with Katisha Paul. After exploring her personal journey in Part One, we dive into the work that has made Katisha one of the most recognized Indigenous advocates of her generation. We discuss: Leadership lessons from her ancestors The history and impact of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs Indigenous governance and self-determination Women's leadership and matriarcha...

What happens when a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst brings behavioural science into competitive athletics? In this episode, Ben Reiman welcomes N'Kayah Kersey , BCBA, former Division I basketball player , athlete wellness consultant, and founder of Practiced . N'Kayah shares her journey from mentoring at-risk youth at Boys Town to building an innovative consulting practice that helps athletes, c...

Katisha Paul is one of the most influential Indigenous leaders of her generation. In Part One of this special two-part conversation, she shares the deeply personal story behind her advocacy and leadership. Katisha reflects on her childhood, family, cultural identity, and ancestry. She speaks openly about surviving abuse, growing up in remote communities, and carrying responsibilities far beyond he...

What does it take to build behaviour analysis in the middle of economic collapse, political instability, and war? In this episode of Behaviour Speak, Ben Reiman speaks with Christine Der Sarkissian, President of the Association for Behavior Analysis in Lebanon (ABAL), about the remarkable growth of ABA in Lebanon. They discuss parent advocacy, professional certification, culturally responsive prac...

For decades, behaviour analysts have worked to develop evidence-based interventions that improve quality of life for children and families. But evidence-based doesn't always mean culturally responsive. In this episode, Ben welcomes Chloe Wang, BCBA and PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia, whose dissertation explores a culturally responsive, group-based Family-Centred Positive Behav...

When Mafer Chang Espinoza returned to Ecuador after completing her education in the United States, she found a country where autism was poorly understood, ABA was virtually nonexistent, and many families had nowhere to turn. Rather than accepting the status quo, she began building something entirely new. Starting with just a few children, ethical supervision from international mentors, and a visio...

What if severe behaviour isn't something to eliminate—but evidence that important skills or opportunities are missing? Katie Gibson joins Behaviour Speak to explore the Constructional Approach, an increasingly influential framework developed from Israel Goldiamond's work and expanded through Nonlinear Contingency Analysis. Rather than asking how to stop behaviour, Katie explains how clinicians can...

Leadership isn't something we inherit—it’s something we model. In this powerful multi-generational conversation, Ben Reiman welcomes Quatiba Davis, along with her daughters, Keniyah Rowe and Kennedy Rowe, for an honest discussion about leadership, resilience, representation, disability, family, and the future of Applied Behaviour Analysis. Quatiba shares the remarkable journey that took her from s...

What happens when the very strategies behaviour analysts are taught to rely on become part of the problem? In this episode of Behaviour Speak, Ben Reiman welcomes BCBA Michelle Karren for a thoughtful discussion about PDA (commonly known as Pathological Demand Avoidance), autonomy-focused learners, and the challenges families face when traditional intervention approaches aren't working. Drawing on...

What does it take to build and advance a profession while simultaneously running a busy clinical practice, leading a national organization, and completing a PhD? In this episode, Ben Reiman welcomes Niesha Illingworth for a wide-ranging conversation about the current state—and future—of behaviour analysis in Australia. Drawing on nearly twenty years of clinical experience, Niesha reflects on how t...

Aida nos comparte su experiencia aplicando los principios del análisis aplicado de la conducta (ABA) en contextos clínicos y hospitalarios, trabajando con personas que presentan afasia, lesiones cerebrales adquiridas y esclerosis lateral amiotrófica (ELA). Exploramos cómo el ABA puede integrarse con otras disciplinas de la salud para apoyar la rehabilitación, la comunicación y la calidad de vida d...