Behavior Therapist- AMA!
I am a transitional behavior therapist in the field of Applied Behavioral Analysis. I work primarily with teens and adults with intellectual disabilities. Ask away!
@blitheSun94
First of all, thank you for doing this AMA!
My questions are:
What made you choose to become a transitional behavioral therapist?
Could you tell us about one of your most rewarding experiences of being a transitional behavioral therapist so far? :)
@Anggi
I am glad you found this useful or interesting! :)
I made my way into Applied Behavioral Analysis by accepting an entry level position as a Registered Behavior Technician at a mental health clinic, and have done a bit of climbing within the company. Later I became a transitional therapist which made it my responsibility to help our clinic population transition back into the community, school, and/or home settings. My major in college is currently Psychology, so I was interested in the position when I came across it and have a deep love for helping others. (In fact, I thought I might be underqualified but I applied anyway (shoot for the stars, right?), and was accepted almost two years ago now!) I have a sense of job security since there is such a high demand for the services we provide nationwide in general, and in Texas specifically. I am unsure of what I'd like to do long-term, but right now I am interested in forensics, art therapy, and buddhist psychotherapy. I also enjoywriting, and have no idea how this will all tie together. 
I have seen so many victory stories in my work! The first one that comes to mind is a 16 year old male who I have been working with for the past two years. He has autism, a seizure disorder, and another medical condition I have not yet been privy to learn more about. We have seen a night and day turn around in his ability to function, express and receive language, interact with peers, and execute independent skills. He is one of the most funny, loving, and endearing souls I have ever met, but you'd better not catch him on a bad day. He has the potential to be very destructive to himself and others. Fortunately, we have seen a significant decrease in this with the help of behavior modification and medication. I have a ton of love for this little man, and am so excited to see what he does next in our new program for teens and adults geared toward independent living.
Thanks for starting the conversation!
@blitheSun94 You work w/people w/epilepsy? I have had epilepsy since I was 15, but I am now 31. I had a left temporal lobectomy when I was 19 and it stopped the grand mal seizures basically, but I continue to have black outs during the week of my monthly menstrual. What my doctor doesn't seem to get is that, he took out my entire left temporal lobe which controls my memory, concentration, focusing, etc and that part the surgery really impacted. So, my life changed and it was like I became kinda .. slow and ADHD tendencies. I cannot pay attention so well unless it is interesting to me. I messed up college and now I am a mechanic technician. I was going to be a pharmacist, but I couldn't concentrate on learning the pharmaceutical calculations. I gave up. So fixing cars became interesting b/c I don't do the same thing everyday .. that's why I say ADHD tendencies! But the thing that really bugs me is that fact that my Dr wants to keep giving me pills, when I think a lot of my auras and onsets of black outs are stress/worrying too much. What do you say to someone that worries/stresses themselves out so much? I have heard already about yoga/meditation/massages. I don't have much time for that! I have an auto shop w/my husband which we spend basically 60 hrs a week at and Saturdays I just want to sleep lol. Sundays is chores. It really sucks.
@TransAm85
Hello there! Why, yes ma'am, I do work with people who have epilepsy. My heart goes out to you. My mother has it as well and it has been a scary road for her (she is an alcoholic which certainly doesn't help). When I was younger I never really understood the fear surrounding this disorder or how little we really know about seizures. My mother has mostly petty mal seizures, like the black outs you describe. However, she also experiences the impending sense of doom (what a nice symptom- not) and has recently had a series of grand mal seizures. One of them even landed her in the hospital and on the news because she was curling her hair at the time. She fell to the bathroom floor and the curling iron left a second degree burn on her neck. The dog found her and barked an alarm to others in the house. I shudder to think what could have happened to her without that dog around. More to the point, this comes from a very personal place of my own and I truly deeply feel for you for having to live with this illness. I can imagine the run-around the doctor's give you is very discouraging. Be it monitoring or medication, it can all be very uncomfortable and invasive.
To answer your question about over-thinking and stress triggers, I would like to direct you to my post on Rumination and Worry, how toxic it can be, and what you can do about it. True, mindfulness takes practice and can be even more difficult if you feel you are especially inattentive. There is just little telling what this condition can do to your brain, not to mention your sense of self and the way you live your life. I hope you have a lot of support! <3
Thanks for posting this thread. I don't know if you can answer my questions but I thought I'd send them anyway.
I'm 4 years out of an abusive, traumatic relationship with a narcissist. I am having trouble not looking him up online still. I still look him up to see what he's up to. I did so the other day and for once found some stuff about him - where he is now, where he works, etc. And it's close by. And it made me feel bad about myself and basically ruined my day. He's successful and doesn't have mental illness. How can I stop the urge to look him up, because it only makes me feel bad about myself? Should I do something else when I want to look him up?
Along the same lines, I try not to go on Facebook at all because it is engagement after engagement, kids, marriages, successful people, and I am struggling in my life so much, it makes me sad. I compare myself to others and even envy others. Do I feel so bad because I have poor self esteem?
I have no friends. I have this one girl I talked to about a relationship I was in, but she's so busy I don't want to bother her. There's a girl I could reach out to, someone I used to hang out with but lost touch with, but she's responsive to me at least. I don't want to date because I want to have a good job first and ideally be living on my own. Am I being realistic or should I start dating now? I have major depression and anxiety (mix of panic disorder and social phobia) and am struggling to get out of bed in the morning. I feel tired all the time (I'm told this could be my medications and will speak to my psychiatrist about it). Socializing makes me even more tired/gives me a headache, that's why I don't really do it. Do you have any advice for me?
@fearlessWriter78
Thank you for writing! First of all, I'd like to really stress to you that no one on Facebook is having as much fun as they look like they are having. Profiles are heavily filtered to reflect our best pictures, partners, hobbies, opinions, and experiences. This is a category of my life that I try to be increasingly authentic about. So relax, I promise you everyone on Facebook is just as human as you. 
Secondly, I am so sorry to hear you were in an unhealthy relationships and had suffered ramifications from that. I completely understand how addictive and spiraling these types of relationships can be. I was in one from the age of 15-19 and it was the prime example of the fact that love is not enough. Relationships are work, even when we are thinking about our friends, or people we really, really like. That truth is compounded in abusive situations. Our human interactions are such a common and important part of our lives and I find this is a very real struggle for many, many people. You are not alone. So, ask yourself these questions: What do you gain by looking him up online? How does he make you feel about your own self-worth? Can you define yourself without the reflection of a romantic relationship? Were there any red flags? Have you learned anything that you would like to share with others? In examining our experience, we can begin to acknowledge and understand the functions of our behaviors and ultimately, change them and- more importantly - develop self-love and compassion.
If you have some time, here is a great video on Avoiding Dysfunctional and Abusive Relationships by a man named Leo: A controversial speaker on self-actualizing and mastering your psychology. I hope this helps. Please share any enlightenment you have along the way!
Should I do something else when I want to look him up?
^ I think this is an excellent idea! Distraction is a seriously viable and healthy coping mechanism and most people don't even realize when they are utilizing it. I think being proactive about what you can do differently is a great first step to a healthier and stronger you.
Am I being realistic or should I start dating now?
^ I do like the goals you have in place in terms of finding stable work and living on your own. I think it is important to set certain limitations when you think about what you can contribute to and take away from a relationship. I think the most important concept is that a healthy relationship is two individuals coming together, and while it can become quite close and intense, it should never feel co-dependent or manipulative. Learning about and falling in love with yourself, your interests, desires, wants, needs, and dislikes and are all powerful tools that can change the way you date and- more importantly - help you understand that you will be okay with or without a partner. <3
@blitheSun94 Watching that video brought out my insecurities about dating - that I don't have any friends, I've had spotty temp jobs lately, I don't even have a good paying job right now, I've only been in 1 serious relationship for 7 months and I'm almost 30 years old, don't really have a personal schedule other than work and sleep, I take medications and see a therapist and psychiatrist. I was a little offended (and it was a definite downer) when he mentioned he wouldn't date someone who is on medications - that's him though, he doesn't speak for all men. I know a girl who is my age and who has been on medications for years (was even in mental hospitals), has worked her way up to full-time work, and is in a long-term relationship. Because I'm on medications I'm not datable? Having mental illness makes life much more difficult - makes it hard to hold down a job, socialize, etc. - things he mentions. I'm not happy with myself, I have low self-esteem and hate how I'm tired all the time. It makes me not want to socialize and date. I guess it's just gonna take more time for me to get my life together before I date.
@fearlessWriter78
I'm sorry, I know Leo can be very controversial but in general I find his insight useful. I certainly did not mean to upset you.
Oh how much fun AMA's are 
Here's some fun questions I thought up:
1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
2. What inspired you to become a Behavioral Therapist?
3. What is your favorite soda?
4. Coffee or tea?
5. Cake or pie?
6. What is your favorite book?
7. What is your favorite movie?
8. Where is your favorite vacation spot?
9. Apple or Android?
10. What is your favorite ethnic food? (Italian, Mexican, Korean, etc.)
@Emily619
Yay!
1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Rome was the first thing that came to mind, so, let's go with that.
2. What inspired you to become a Behavioral Therapist? Initially, I knew very little about the work. I have learned so much about the way our services serve others and aid families when they are feeling overwhelmed and helpless. I love being able to restore hope, especially to the older population who, many believe, are stagnant in their development because they are set in their ways. Certainly, ABA is centered around children because it is all about early intervention, but this halt in development is just simply not true. So my passion lies there. I was also able to attend a conference this year in Austin that really opened my eyes in terms of education and experience. My job is extremely difficult at times, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am helping my families live a better quality of life.
3. What is your favorite soda? Limeade from Sonic
4. Coffee or tea? Coffeeeee, but in real life I drink both. :)
5. Cake or pie? CAKE
6. What is your favorite book? Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament is a book by the American psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison examining the relationship between bipolar disorder and artistic creativity. It contains extensive case studies of historic writers, artists, and composers assessed as probably having suffered with Cyclothymia, Major Depressive Disorder, or Manic-Depressive/Bipolar Disorder.
7. What is your favorite movie? Fight Club
8. Where is your favorite vacation spot? Colorado
9. Apple or Android? Android. Samsung for life.
10. What is your favorite ethnic food? (Italian, Mexican, Korean, etc.) Sushi, but I can mow on some Tex-Mex any day of the week.
Thanks for the fun and light heartedness. I am honored by all of your questions.
Have a great weekend!
I have learning and behavioral issues so you help with that?