finding my passion for behavior analysis

After graduating highschool, I packed all my things and drove to LA to become a model with the goal of earning money for medical school. A few years and many new experiences later I returned to the University of Nevada, Reno with a passion for helping children and followed my interest in becoming a pediatric psychiatrist. A few months into my studies, I accepted a position in a clinic working with children on the autism spectrum using the methods of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to help them learn how to communicate their needs, interact with others, and engage in self care skills; this opportunity unknowingly changed my life’s course forever.

Having the opportunity to get to know and understand those beautiful and unique personalities completely changed who I was as a person and was the first of many inspirational experiences on my journey as a behavior analyst. Seeing the incredible outcomes for these children, what they were capable of, and how significantly their lives were changed through behavioral intervention, I knew it was my calling to use my passion and understanding to help others grow and flourish. 

my mission in the middle east

I spent the following years working with people of all ages, some with learning deficits, others savants, and many with diagnoses on the autism spectrum. In 2009 I was offered the opportunity to move to Kuwait to provide private services for an individual family. This was the first time I saw the obstacles these individuals faced in another country and I felt pulled towards creating a safe and supportive environment where they could access compassionate and effective services. It was because of this dire need, we founded ABC Kuwait in 2011, the first ABA autism treatment center in the country, and in 2013 held the first annual Run Kuwait: Do It For Autism Walk to raise money and awareness for this widely underserved population. 

Over the next 8 years, along with the help of an amazing team of behavior analysts, we were able to create something that better supported the autistic community including early and accurate diagnosis, collaboration with the families, doctors, and teachers, and overall the acceptance and inclusion of these individuals and their families into society. I had the privilege to expand upon these efforts in 2015 with my TEDx talk “Hope for Unique Minds”, and was touched by the outpouring of love and support from people in the Kuwaiti community for these children and their families. 

building a life in barcelona

In 2016 I began splitting my professional and personal life between countries. With hopes of growing our own family, we relocated to sunny Spain to live a life more in line with our values. Without knowing a single person or speaking a word of Spanish, we took the leap, hoping that this new adventure would help us find the balance we were looking for in our lives. It was here, as an expat, I built a home, became a new mom, and for the first time in a long time, began to stop and smell the flowers, literally and figuratively. 

It was here, in this special place outside of Barcelona, in our wonderful home, with an amazing partner, a beautiful child, and the success of a 20 year career, I realized I had achieved most everything I ever wanted. So, how was it possible that I continued to have feelings of anxiety and self criticism when I had ticked every box that was put in front of me? Even when living what appears to be successful lives, most humans will struggle. In fact, it would be abnormal for a person to not experience significant struggles in their life.