Leah and Dr. Shelly, both occupational therapists who have either earned or are working toward dual certification as BCBAs, join me to talk about the power and challenges of blending these two worlds. Believe it or not, there aren’t even statistics on how many dual-certified professionals are out there—but the impact of this crossover is clear. Their work centers on collaboration with families and other professionals, finding common ground between OT and ABA.

We talk about the funding and system barriers that can make integration tough, and how learning to understand each other’s “jargon” helps break those walls down. As Dr. Shelly says, OTs and BCBAs are often working toward the same goals—they just use different words. Sometimes, you have to “massage the message” so everyone can connect and understand.

Dr. Shelly also shares insight into the business and insurance side of implementation, while Leah highlights the importance of spreading the word about the tools ABA offers. Their message is simple: put the egos aside, keep listening, and stay open to learning from each other.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

The growing overlap between OT and ABA
Why collaboration starts with learning each other’s “language”
Navigating funding and system barriers that limit integration
Putting egos aside to focus on shared goals and learning from one another

Mentioned In This Episode:

Is This My Child?: Sensory Integration Simplified
Circle Care Services
The Autism Roundtable Podcast - Circle Care Services
My BCBA Life Podcast - Circle Care Services
Join the ABA Speech Connection
ABA Speech: Home

#253: Working together: Occupational Therapists and BCBAs with Leah Gross and Dr. Shelley Margow