Interview with Christopher Camarena – BCBA

December 2, 2022

markl

• What drove you to the ABA Therapist profession?  As a professional working in the field of ABA, I have always had a passion for helping those with disabilities. I discovered this passion while working in the field as a behavior therapist during my undergraduate program. My joy is seeing the client’s growth. It is that growth that has helped me stay motivated throughout the years working in this field. 

• How has Golden Care helped you in your career development? Golden Care truly feels like a work family. With the amount of support and resources offered, I have learned to navigate new information, ask questions when uncertain, and develop my ongoing clinical skills as a BCBA. 

• What advice do you have for prospective Golden Care candidates? I would advise that Golden Care candidates takes advantage of asking questions when unsure about certain topics, save all the tools and resources that are supplied for staff so they can cross reference the information at any time, and work on organizing yourself so one can stay ahead when it comes to completing daily objectives and work requirements.   

• What drew you to Golden Care originally? And how has Golden Care changed since? What drew me to Golden Care was the company’s positive reviews on ongoing support from staff as well as client reviews on staff genuinely showing care about their child and their development as they work through their ABA journey. 

• What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? The best advice I was ever given was that no question is ever a bad question. In many cases, especially in a group setting, one person may ask a question that others feel reluctant to ask due to judgment. I learned never to shy away from asking questions as this field is always evolving and learning is limitless. 

• What’s the one thing you’d tell your younger self? One thing I would tell my younger self is to push through obstacles that may seem difficult in the beginning. Eventually when you keep pushing, you will build enough confidence to achieve it!

• What is one thing that you wished people knew about your job? One thing that I wish people knew about my job is that we are not babysitters! From an outside perspective of someone who is not familiar with ABA, I can see how they may view this field as “hanging out” or “babysitting”. ABA is much more and can apply in a multitude of settings not just within the field but in anyone’s life. If there is a particular behavior people want to change about themselves, ABA can be implemented to help that person achieve their goals. 

• What does the day to day of your job look like? As a BCBA, I feel that I can speak for most behavior analysts and say that we love seeing data! As a BCBA, it is my responsibility to ensure that program and skill development is ongoing, and implementation of programs are being targeted correctly. I provide ongoing support for both the therapist as well as the parent (this may also include the complete treatment team such as school staff) to ensure everyone is on the same page. Consistency is key especially when implementing strategies to help the client learn to sustain proactive behaviors through their development with ABA services.