Is ABA Harmful? A Neurodivergent BCBA Breaks It Down

In this episode of Everyday ABA, host Paola Ortiz (BCBA), along with RBTs Brittanny and Leslie, sit down with Armando Bernal, a neurodivergent BCBA for a candid conversation about the negativity, criticism, and the ongoing controversy surrounding Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Armando shares his personal journey with an autism diagnosis, the power of parental support, and how evolving perceptions of ABA have been shaped by social media, public discourse, and lived experience. Together, they unpack both the valid concerns and harmful practices associated with ABA’s history, while also highlighting where the field is growing. The discussion emphasizes the importance of consent, community engagement, and understanding behavior as communication, while also addressing the value of autistic voices in clinical spaces, and the need for transparency and ethical reform in behavior therapy. ☕ Support your favorite ABA podcast hosts by showing them love at 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📖 Get your CEU certificate  HERE   Get a 10% Discount at Tiny Explorings Shoes!  Click Here To BUY!🎁 Earn Rewards every time you shop by using Shopkick 🤑 Earn $50 cash back by using Rakuten   📊   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 📢 To advertise on this podcast please e-mail: [email protected] 👤 Guest Expert:Armando Bernal is a neurodivergent board certified behavior analyst. Armando is also the founder of Autism International Consulting, PLLC, a self-advocacy-centered organization which provides in-home ABA, in-clinic ABA, and international consultation. He provides autistic consultation, parent and therapist consultation, speaking engagements for companies across the nation, and supervision and mentorship to other BCBAs and therapists. He is also the distributor of the podcast, “A Different Path.” He hopes to spread awareness and acceptance of autism by interviewing and sharing the stories of other individuals with autism. Armando has also participated in several collaborations with Vanderbilt University and the Suny Empire State University meant to further support self-advocacy and independence for individuals with autism.Listen to his podcast A Different PathHis company     https://www.autismintl.com/