On the podcast, we spoke with Shobhna Srivastava about ABA through the lens of psychology. Shobhna is a BCBA working in the school setting who also has a background in clinical psychology and mental health. Before becoming a BCBA, Shobhna was a licensed clinical neuropsychologist. As a psychology practitioner, Shobhna was tasked with diagnosing children on the autism spectrum as well as any comorbid disorders. Once she became a mom, she decided to pause and reevaluate her career. Shobhna had always been curious about the rehabilitation of her patients after they were diagnosed, which led her to explore the field of ABA. Today, she works primarily with children who’ve experienced a traumatic brain injury or trauma and the accompanying behavioral challenges.
Shobhna’s background helps her view her clients from a more comprehensive perspective of ABA through the lens of psychology. It also enables her to pinpoint potential issues with testing and the diagnostic process. We discuss how mental health work and ABA overlap and why it’s important to focus on both. Sometimes traumatic events have a huge impact on behavioral issues and need to be considered. We talk about the caregiver’s burden and why it’s important to address it with families, and the differing needs between older and younger children. Shobhna also shares tips on how to build rapport, suggestions for improvement in the field of ABA, and her favorite go-to resources.
What’s Inside:
- How Shobhna changed her career from a neuropsychologist to a BCBA.
- The importance of focusing on a client’s mental health and any past trauma.
- Why it’s important to address the caregiver’s burden.
- Tips for building rapport and fostering compassionate care.
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