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Show Notes
In this episode of Tim Talks: Behavioral Health, host Timothy A. Zercher sits down with Dr. Jessica Osos, PhD, BCBA-D, to discuss her journey from theater major to clinical leader in ABA. Jess shares insights on:
- How personal experience shaped her career path
- Lessons learned translating toilet training research into real-world practice
- The role of parent training and family buy-in in effective interventions
- Navigating leadership in a hospital system while maintaining clinical quality
- Balancing system design with mentoring and staff development
- Marketing tactics in the ABA space, from CEUs to content-based outreach
If you’re a clinician, leader, or simply curious about what it takes to grow ABA services ethically while keeping families at the center, this conversation will leave you inspired.
Episode Overview
00:00 – Introductions
Timothy welcomes Jess and asks about her journey into behavioral health.
00:05 – Jess’s Story
Jess shares her start in theater, the influence of her uncle with Down syndrome, and the pivotal advice that led her to switch to special education and later pursue ABA.
02:00 – Translating Research to Practice
Q: What surprising lesson changed how you’ve approached early intervention?
Jess explains that data isn’t enough without empathy and family context, and highlights the importance of parent training and buy-in.
03:08 – Gaining Clients in a Competitive Market
Q: How does your team go about gaining new clients?
Jess describes Intermountain Health’s approach of focusing on access to care, quality over quantity, and ethically scaling services.
04:44 – Leadership Challenges
Q: What have you found is the hardest part of growing your team?
She reflects on navigating a large hospital system’s policies, compliance, and collaboration while ensuring quality in ABA services.
05:50 – Balancing Systems & People
Q: How do you balance shaping systems vs. mentoring staff?
Jess shares her philosophy of embedding mentorship into clinic operations, ensuring staff feel supported and have dedicated time for growth.
07:35 – Most Challenging Role
Q: Which role has challenged your leadership style the most?
Jess points to consultation, where influence without authority requires flexibility and diplomacy.
09:02 – Marketing in ABA
Q: What marketing tactic are you watching carefully?
Jess highlights content-based outreach—using CEUs, workshops, and educational products to build visibility and credibility.
09:44 – Closing Remarks
Timothy thanks Jess for her time and insights.
