Cultural Sensitivity with Rosa Casali

BCBA Rosa Casali has been practicing ABA for 13 years and is the founder of Behavior Solutions Inc. Her firm provides in-home care for families in the Miami area. Rosa has a master’s degree in mental health counseling and fell in love with ABA after taking an advanced course in the subject. She knew she wanted to help children and their families and becoming a BCBA was a hands-on way of doing so. Miami is a melting pot of cultures and Rosa’s been able to learn from people of all kinds of backgrounds. Different ethnicities approach autism and disabilities differently, which affects how the treatment is approached and progress is made.

Some families have a lack of information and resources to help them understand their child’s diagnosis. Being able to provide this for clients is something Rosa enjoys. When working with different cultures, take your time to study them, even if it’s as simple as doing a quick internet search. Ask the families about what they prefer, especially when entering their home, as they can have varying customs. When you show consideration to families, it builds trust and a lasting relationship. When setting treatment goals, ask the family what they have in mind. Sometimes the plan you initially bring won’t be a good fit with their culture or overall plans for their child. When you refrain from putting your agenda on families and let them drive the process, treatment is more successful.

When working with culturally diverse families, it helps to ask for feedback. Taking the initiative to make changes so families feel more comfortable is always worth it. For new BCBAs, the best advice would be not to give up. The field can be very challenging, especially when first starting out, but it is an extremely rewarding career.

What’s Inside:

• How do different cultures feel about getting a diagnosis for their child and how do they approach treatment.
• Discussion on different ethnic customs within the home setting.
• Advice on how to work with culturally diverse clients.

Mentioned In This Episode:

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Behavior Solutions Inc.