Episode #285: Child-Led Applied Behavior Analysis with Dr. Katherine Pickard, Dr. Rachel Yosick & Dr. Tracy Argueta

Child-led therapy doesn’t mean lowering expectations. It means meeting children where they are and building meaningful learning opportunities from what matters most to them.

I’m joined by Dr. Katherine Pickard, Dr. Rachel Yosick, and Dr. Tracy Argueta from the Marcus Autism Center to explore how child-led Applied Behavior Analysis is shaping the future of autism intervention. We unpack Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), what they are, how they differ from more traditional ABA approaches, and why they continue to gain momentum in both research and practice.

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is the discussion around “de-implementation,” the idea that sometimes improving our practice requires letting go of strategies that no longer serve children and families as effectively. We also talk about common misconceptions around child-led therapy, how to balance NDBI and structured teaching, and practical ways clinicians can begin incorporating more naturalistic, developmentally appropriate strategies into their sessions.

If you’ve ever wondered whether child-led approaches are “ABA enough” or how to start making meaningful changes in your own practice, this conversation offers thoughtful, research-based guidance that is both encouraging and actionable.

#autism #speechtherapy

Today’s Guest:

Dr. Katherine Pickard is an associate professor and licensed psychologist at the Marcus Autism Center. Katherine’s main goal is for autistic children and their families to be able to access high-quality care in their own communities. Her two main interests are in developing interventions that are adaptable to the needs of families and communities, and developing strategies that help community providers more easily learn, use, and sustain high-quality care. Clinically, Katherine’s work focuses on caregiver-mediated intervention for families of young autistic children, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for autistic youth with anxiety.

Dr. Rachel Yosick, PsyD, BCBA-D, is a licensed psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst at the doctoral level. Dr. Yosick serves as the Clinical Director for the Skill Acquisition Program at Marcus Autism Center and is an Assistant Professor in the Pediatrics Department at Emory University School of Medicine. In her role as Clinical Director, Dr. Yosick oversees the work of teams of BCBAs, RBTs, psychologists, and various trainees who provide intensive therapeutic services to autistic children to improve social communication and foundational learning skills. The Skill Acquisition Program expanded to include three sites within the Atlanta area in 2020 and 2021, and currently serves over 70 children and their families. Dr. Yosick’s research interests include teaching strategies for promoting early language, play and social skills, as well as the dissemination of best behavioral intervention practices to a wide array of professionals. She is involved in ongoing projects investigating challenges and barriers to NDBI implementation and adoption in clinical settings and is passionate about advancing the field of ABA to provide neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-informed care. She also has several projects investigating ways to reduce significant learning barriers in children significantly impacted by autism, such as having very few interests and reinforcers.

Dr. Tracy Argueta, BCBA is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the Doctoral Level in the Skill Acquisition Department at the Marcus Autism Center and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. As of early 2026, she is also the Co-Vice President of Public Policy for the Georgia Association for Behavior Analysis and serves on the board of editors of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavior Analysis and Practice. In her role at the Marcus Autism Center, Dr. Argueta provides clinical services to autistic children and coordinates clinical research in the Skill Acquisition Department. She has over a decade of clinical and research experience and has worked in homes, schools, and clinics teaching a range of skills. Dr. Argueta’s primary research interests include conditioned reinforcement, preference and choice, and improving the quality and neuro-affirming nature of applied behavior analytic services for autistic children. Currently, Dr. Argueta is involved in research focused on understanding stakeholder perspectives of early intervention strategies, barriers to caregiver coaching, and developing new reinforcers.

What’s Inside: