3 Books That Changed My Perspective in ABA (and Life)

Since it’s a holiday weekend, I figured I’d take a week off from writing on specific clinical advice. Instead, I decided to talk about three books that I feel have shaped me as a professional (and personally as well).  More specifically, these are ABA books that have strong associations with the ABA world.

I wanted to go this route for several reasons.  The first is because they’d be terrific gifts for a fellow BCBA, someone you might be supervising, or yourself, and—if the world is out there shopping—they're doing it today.  It seems timely to make these recommendations. 

Additionally, these are books that push the bounds of what a BCBA is normally familiar with.  They aren’t textbooks or journal articles, so they keep the academic language to a minimum.  They aren’t about the more “traditional” or basic ABA concepts that we think of (although these concepts are always at the route of it all).  They’re chalked full of anecdotes that help with grasping some of the hard-to-reach concepts.  

Finally, like I said, these books have truly impacted me on a personal and professional level.  

Without wasting any more time…  

25 Essential Skills and Strategies for the Professional Behavior Analyst: Expert Tips for Maximizing Consulting Effectiveness by Bailey and Burch.  

Where the content isn’t mind-blowing and much of it is common sense, there is a clear message—especially to a new behavior analyst.  That message is that your new job as a BCBA is one that comes with extreme pressure and requires a great deal of maturity and professionalism.  Recent posts of mine have expanded on some of the things that Bailey and Burch are going for.  Being a clinician isn’t simply hanging out with cute kids and pontificating on captivating science. Instead, you find out very quickly that you have to act like a developing professional that wins over the hearts and minds of other professionals and families all while trying to maintain a sense of sanity.  Not easy to do.  It’s still hard for me. If you’re a BCBA and don’t know where to start when it comes to working on your “soft skills”, start with this book. 

The Morningside Model of Generative Instruction: What it Means to Leave No Child Behind by Johnson and Street 

If you’ve been following my content over the past couple of months it should come as no surprise that I reference this book.  This book is probably the most “academic” and “nerdy” of the ones I’m listing.  However, it’s the one that taught me how to write ABA goals. This book taught me a specific way of thinking—a paradigm—for coming up with or troubleshooting skill areas.  As my skills improved in this area, I saw an increase in confidence. The more skilled you become, the more enjoyable your work becomes. Your deficits might not be in the areas of goal writing so your experience might be different.  But mine were. 

A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Toward What Matters by Steven Hayes.  

This one was a game changer on two levels.  Professionally, because it took more complex concepts associated with relational frame theory (derived relational responding, acceptance and commitment therapy, fusion, and defusion) and applied them to real life—mine, in fact.  These are concepts that sometimes aren’t immediately grasped and the book is incredibly readable. The nerdy side of me enjoyed this book immensely.   

But, not as much as the personal side.  It changed my perspective on anxiety, depression, stress, negative thinking, trauma, and a variety of other everyday concerns that most of us struggle with. This book literally changed my life. If you’re a BCBA and haven’t read it, buy it. If you’re a human and haven’t read it, buy it. If you know another human who hasn’t read it, buy it for them.

Hope your Thanksgiving was festive and happy. Dying to know which ABA books (or non-ABA books) are in your top three. Hit me back with a response!