Matt Cicoria - Consultant and Founder, Positive Behavioral Outcomes

In this episode of Tim Talks: Behavioral Health, host Timothy Zercher speaks with Matt Cicoria, Consultant and Founder of Positive Behavioral Outcomes, LLC, and the Producer & Host of the widely popular Behavioral Observations Podcast - one of the most downloaded shows in behavior analysis with millions of listens over nearly a decade.Matt shares key insights from hosting long-form interviews with leading behavior analysts, including recurring guest backstories that resonate deeply with listeners, his deliberate focus on broader applications of behavior analysis beyond autism (e.g., behavioral economics, contingency management, OBM), and why he prefers the term "behavior analysis" over the autism-framed "ABA."The discussion covers overlooked trends like the revolutionary potential of AI in data analysis, automated session data collection, real-time feedback, and ethical implementation. Matt reflects on a memorable and challenging interview with Dr. Carl Hart, lessons in thoughtful communication (including the power of strategic pauses), the exciting growth of the autism services field, and serious concerns around rapid expansion - such as quality control, perverse incentives, clinical leadership experience gaps, and the risk of sidelining applied research in favor of high-demand practice roles.Whether you're a BCBA, RBT, clinic owner, or anyone interested in the future of behavioral science and autism support, this episode offers candid, practical perspectives on sustainable growth, ethics, and innovation in our field.