The EveryDay ABA Podcast

How to Deal With Difficult People

This week, the hosts examine why labeling people as difficult often obscures what is actually happening behaviorally and how applied behavior analysis (ABA) provides a clearer, more functional framework. Using behavior science, the episode explores how to operationally define difficult behavior, identify early behavioral red flags in professional and personal relationships, and determine when boundary setting or disengagement is the most effective response. The discussion spans workplace conflict, consulting relationships, family dynamics, and emotional labor, highlighting how reinforcement, emotional regulation, urgency, and miscommunication can unintentionally maintain ineffective interaction patterns. The hosts also address how cultural context, identity-related stressors, and lived experiences can influence behavior without resorting to diagnoses, excuses, or personality-based labels. This episode offers a behavior-based approach for professionals who feel emotionally drained, stuck in cycles of over-explaining, or uncertain about whether continued engagement in a relationship is productive. Listeners are provided with practical tools grounded in ABA to support clearer decision-making, healthier boundaries, and reduced burnout. ☕ Support your favorite ABA podcast hosts by showing them love at buymeacoffee.com/everydayaba [http://buymeacoffee.com/everydayaba] ⭐ Help EveryDay ABA reach more people by following the show + , turning on automatic downloads, and leaving a 5-star review!  📲 Follow us on Instagram: @EverydayABA.3 [https://instagram.com/everydayaba.3]  👟  Get a 10% Discount at Tiny Explorings Shoes [https://www.tinyexplorings.com/discount/PAOLA?ref=deffrpkp] using code PAOLA  🎁 Earn Rewards every time you shop by using Shopkick  [https://get.shopkick.com/96Rn/tvagmt9r] 🤑 Earn $50 cash back by using Rakuten    [http://www.rakuten.com/R/ADELAI766] 📊   Earn 125,000 bonus points by opening a new Sapphire Reserve® account or 75,000 bonus points for opening a new Sapphire Preferred® account using EveryDayABA's code at Chase [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19u/ZMID8Z0I8T]  📢 To advertise on this podcast please e-mail: everydayaba.3@gmail.com [everydayaba.3@gmail.com]   After listening to the episode, participants will be able to: 1. Operationally define “difficult behavior” in adults by identifying observable, measurable behaviors rather than using mentalistic or trait-based labels. 2. Apply core ABA principles to analyze challenging interpersonal interactions in professional, family, and consulting contexts. 3. Identify early behavioral red flags in professional relationships and evaluate when disengagement is appropriate. 4. Demonstrate how ABA-informed boundary setting can reduce reinforcement of ineffective or aversive interaction patterns.

The Science of Effective Communication

In this episode of Everyday ABA, hosts Paola, Brittanny, and Leslie discuss communication styles, listening behaviors, and why even good intentions can lead to misunderstandings, especially in professional and personal relationships. The hosts unpack real-life communication failures, exploring how tone, clarity, and delivery shape how messages are received. Brittanny shares her journey of self-awareness, reflecting on how her direct communication style can sometimes come across as aggressive, while Paola highlights gender biases in communication, explaining how women are often labeled “too direct” or “difficult” in the workplace for behaviors that are reinforced in others. Grounding the conversation in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the episode reframes communication as a behavior with a function, emphasizing a key ABA principle: communication isn’t effective unless it produces the intended response from the listener. Rather than focusing solely on what we say, the hosts examine how listener behavior, reinforcement history, context, and environment influence whether communication truly works, offering actionable insights for improving clarity, understanding, and connection in everyday interactions. ☕ Support your favorite ABA podcast hosts by showing them love at buymeacoffee.com/everydayaba [http://buymeacoffee.com/everydayaba] ⭐ Help EveryDay ABA reach more people by following the show + , turning on automatic downloads, and leaving a 5-star review!  📲 Follow us on Instagram: @EverydayABA.3 [https://instagram.com/everydayaba.3] for daily ABA insights and behind-the-scenes podcast updates. 📖 Get your CEU certificate -> HERE   [https://forms.gle/YJBN5Yr1BNW29RrH9] 👟  Get a 10% Discount at Tiny Explorings Shoes [https://www.tinyexplorings.com/discount/PAOLA?ref=deffrpkp] using code PAOLA

A Personal SWOT Analysis Using Behavioral Science to Reflect, Reset, and Plan Your Next Stage

This week, Paola, Leslie, and Brittanny break down how a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) can be used far beyond business strategy and applied to personal growth, career planning, and professional sustainability. Using an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and psychology lens, the conversation explores how strengths reflect reinforced behaviors, weaknesses often signal skill or system gaps, and how environmental opportunities and threats influence decision-making, burnout, and follow-through. The hosts model the process by sharing their own podcast SWOT analysis, offering a real-world example of reflective practice and values-aligned planning. This episode emphasizes that reflection without action isn’t enough. Listeners are guided on how to turn insight into behaviorally defined next steps, reduce reliance on willpower, and make intentional choices that support long-term alignment—especially for clinicians, educators, and helping professionals navigating complex work-life demands. Whether you’re feeling stuck, approaching a transition, or reassessing your next professional move, this episode shows how behavioral science can help you reflect honestly, reset intentionally, and plan your next stage without burnout. ☕ Support your favorite ABA podcast hosts by showing them love at buymeacoffee.com/everydayaba [http://buymeacoffee.com/everydayaba] ⭐ Help EveryDay ABA reach more people by following the show + , turning on automatic downloads, and leaving a 5-star review!  📲 Follow us on Instagram: @EverydayABA.3 [https://instagram.com/everydayaba.3]  📖 Get your CEU certificate here! [https://forms.gle/7VDEZMpECsWnEsRh9]  👟  Get a 10% Discount at Tiny Explorings Shoes [https://www.tinyexplorings.com/discount/PAOLA?ref=deffrpkp] using code PAOLA  After listening to the episode, participants will be able to: * Define the 4 components of a SWOT analysis  * Describe how each SWOT component maps onto core ABA concepts * Identify at least 3 environmental variables that function as opportunities or threats when conducting a SWOT analysis through a behavioral lens.  * Develop at least one behaviorally defined action step derived from a completed SWOT analysis  References:  Frederick, D. E., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2020). Longitudinal meta-analysis of job crafting shows positive association with work engagement. Cogent Psychology, 7(1), 1746733. Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503. Latvia-Ibanez , O. , China-Martin , A. , Batista-Foguet , JM , & Arias-Salazar , A. (2021). Job crafting and work engagement: The mediating role of work meaning. PLoS O(4), e0248888. Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (1990). A theory of goal setting and task performance. Prentice Hall. Slowiak, J. M., & DeLongchamp, A. C. (2021). Self-care strategies and job-crafting practices among behavior analysts: Predictors of work–life balance, work engagement, and burnout. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 15(2), 414–432.

Listening Styles: Are You Listening to Agree, Fix, or Argue?

We all think we’re good listeners… until we’re in conflict. In this episode of Everyday ABA, hosts Paola, Brittany, and Leslie break down listening styles. Not how we talk, but how we hear; and, why listening is often the real reason communication falls apart. Using applied behavior analysis (ABA), psychology, and real-life examples from their own dynamic, they explore five common communication styles: listening to respond, listening to agree, listening to disagree, listening to understand, and listening to win. Paola unpacks what it means to listen for solutions. Leslie explores validation and people-oriented listening. Brittany dives into critical listening and why disagreement isn’t always rejection. Together, they explain how different listening styles are reinforced, how mismatched listening leads to conflict at work and in relationships, and how to adjust your communication based on what the conversation actually needs. Whether you’re navigating workplace communication, leadership conversations, relationships, or parenting, this episode will help you identify your own listening style, understand others better, and communicate more effectively. If you’ve ever felt unheard, misunderstood, or frustrated during conversations, this episode will change how you listen. ☕ Support your favorite ABA podcast hosts by showing them love at buymeacoffee.com/everydayaba [http://buymeacoffee.com/everydayaba] ⭐ Help EveryDay ABA reach more people by following the show + , turning on automatic downloads, and leaving a 5-star review!  📲 Follow us on Instagram: @EverydayABA.3 [https://instagram.com/everydayaba.3] 📖 Get your CEU certificate HERE! [https://forms.gle/jzHHT6rT6ayeA3Cs7]   👟  Get a 10% Discount at Tiny Explorings Shoes [https://www.tinyexplorings.com/discount/PAOLA?ref=deffrpkp] using code PAOLA  🎁 Earn Rewards every time you shop by using Shopkick  [https://get.shopkick.com/96Rn/tvagmt9r] 🤑 Earn $50 cash back by using Rakuten    [http://www.rakuten.com/R/ADELAI766] 📊   Earn 125,000 bonus points by opening a new Sapphire Reserve® account or 75,000 bonus points for opening a new Sapphire Preferred® account using EveryDayABA's code at Chase [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19u/ZMID8Z0I8T] 📢 To advertise on this podcast please e-mail: everydayaba.3@gmail.com [everydayaba.3@gmail.com]   After listening to the episode, participants will be able to: 1. Identify and define at least five distinct listening styles as described in interpersonal communication and listening research.  2. Describe the function of listening behavior using an ABA framework, including how different listening styles are maintained by distinct reinforcement contingencies. 3. Differentiate between evaluative and reflective listening and explain how each style impacts emotional validation and problem-solving outcomes in professional and interpersonal contexts.  4. Apply evidence-based communication strategies to modify one’s own listening behavior by explicitly matching listening responses to the function of a conversation thereby improving interpersonal effectiveness.

The Science Behind Sales: How People Really Make Decisions

What do timeshares, ABA, and selling your services have in common? More than you think. In this episode of EveryDay ABA, Paola, Brittanny, and Leslie are joined by Graham Lukas, one of the top sales performers for Hyatt Vacation Club, to explore sales through a behavioral science lens. This is not a pitch about timeshares. It is a deep dive into influence, motivation, and persuasion using real-world sales examples. Graham explains why everything in life is a form of sales, from building trust with families, leading teams, to convincing someone or yourself to change behavior. The conversation highlights how Applied Behavior Analysis principles used by BCBAs every day can drive effective business, leadership, and personal decision-making. Whether you are a BCBA, clinician, consultant, or business owner who struggles with selling without feeling salesy, this episode reframes sales as relationship-building, problem-solving, and value alignment rather than manipulation. Learn practical strategies from behavioral science to influence and grow your impact. ☕ Support your favorite ABA podcast hosts by showing them love at buymeacoffee.com/everydayaba [http://buymeacoffee.com/everydayaba] ⭐ Help EveryDay ABA reach more people by following the show + , turning on automatic downloads, and leaving a 5-star review!  📲 Follow us on Instagram: @EverydayABA.3 [https://instagram.com/everydayaba.3] 📖 Get your CEU certificate here! [https://forms.gle/7KCauQUsyWHukdVn8]  👟  Get a 10% Discount at Tiny Explorings Shoes [https://www.tinyexplorings.com/discount/PAOLA?ref=deffrpkp] using code PAOLA  🎁 Earn Rewards every time you shop by using Shopkick  [https://get.shopkick.com/96Rn/tvagmt9r] 🤑 Earn $50 cash back by using Rakuten    [http://www.rakuten.com/R/ADELAI766] 📊   Earn 125,000 bonus points by opening a new Sapphire Reserve® account or 75,000 bonus points for opening a new Sapphire Preferred® account using EveryDayABA's code at Chase [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19u/ZMID8Z0I8T] 📢 To advertise on this podcast please e-mail: everydayaba.3@gmail.com [everydayaba.3@gmail.com]   After listening to the episode, participants will be able to: * Describe how emotional variables influence decision-making and why logic follows emotion. * Identify parallels between effective sales practices and ABA principles (assessment, rapport, reinforcement). * Differentiate feature-based selling from motivation-based selling and explain resistance. * Explain how targeted questioning functions as informal assessment of motivating operations. 👩🏽‍🏫 Guest Expert:  Follow Graham Lucas on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/grahams_gone_again]