Sarah gets raw about an experience most BCBAs dread: being reported to the BACB Ethics Department. In this deeply personal episode, she walks through the three-week emotional roller coaster of responding to an anonymous ethics complaint about her supervision program - the immediate panic, the spiral of worst-case scenarios, and ultimately, the perspective shift that made her grateful for the whole experience.
This isn't just about what happened; it's about what it means to lead a movement, accept that not everyone will support you, and give yourself permission to show up authentically even when it makes people uncomfortable.
In This Episode Sarah Discusses...
The moment she got the BACB email and her immediate emotional spiral (spoiler: even with all her coping skills, she was terrified)
The anonymous ethics complaint: concerns about supervision for stay-at-home moms, multi-state licensing claims, and unrestricted hours
Why she wishes the person had reached out directly first instead of going straight to the BACB
How this experience confirmed she's on the right path - "This just means I'm doing everything aligned with my soul"
The exhausting energy of women tearing each other down in the field (and why she's creating a different space)
Quotes from This Episode
"I wish the person would've sent me a message, would've sent me an email, would have somehow tried to contact me to express their concerns first, and then I would've loved to have a conversation."
"If you want to be someone that makes a change, that leads a movement, you have to be okay with other people not liking you and not supporting you."
"Just because I am a behavior analyst and super analytical in the workplace doesn't mean I can't go home and manifest things and talk about how I believe in the universe and karma."
"I'm so sick of us having to fit into this perfect little box because I don't fit into a perfect little box, and for so much of my life I tried to fit into this little box and it never felt right."
"If there's gonna be a problem, I can complain about the problem or I can create a solution. And the solution is Permission for More."
Resources Mentioned:
Permission for More - New community launching soon
Mindset calls for overcoming limiting beliefs
CEUs for behavior analysis outside autism
Health coaching CEUs
A space to talk about big dreams without judgment
Connect With MBB
FREE CEUS: https://mindbodybehavior.co/ceus
Mind Body Behavior RECLAIM Retreat:
https://mindbodybehavior.co/appointment-page-3564-2536-1477-4221
32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program: https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach
BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD:
https://mindbodybehavior.co/bcba-supervision
Email: sarah@mindbodybehaviorllc.com
Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts