In this episode of EveryDay ABA, Paola (BCBA) and Brittanny (RBT) sit down with Dr. Kristyn Peterson, BCBA and OBM expert, to unpack psychological safety- what it really means, why it's often misunderstood, and how behavior analysts can use evidence-based strategies to promote it in the workplace. From Amy Edmondson’s foundational research to the 4 Stages of Psychological Safety by Timothy Clark, this episode bridges behavioral science with leadership, inclusion, and culture-building. If you’ve ever wondered how to give feedback, create safer work environments, or move from clinical to organizational work, this episode is for you.

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After listening to the episode, participants will be able to:

• Define psychological safety and distinguish it from related but distinct concepts such as being “nice” or avoiding conflict in the workplace.
• Compare and contrast trauma-informed, person-centered, and psychologically safe supervision practices in applied settings.
• Describe the four stages of psychological safety as outlined by Timothy Clark.
• Analyze how psychological safety supports or hinders performance feedback, innovation, and mission alignment in ABA organizations.

References:

Clark, T. R. (2020). The 4 stages of psychological safety: Defining the path to inclusion and innovation. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Edmondson, A. C. (2019). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Wiley.

Helbig, K., & Norman, M. (2023). The psychological safety playbook: Lead more powerfully by being more human. Page Two Books.

Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384–399.

Dr. Kristyn Peterson, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA, CWP

Kristyn is a Behavior Analyst, a former clinical director, and current OBMer and multi-entrepreneur. Throughout her career she is always looking for ways she can use the science of behavior to make a macro-level impact, which drove her interest in behavioral systems analysis, process improvement, and psychological safety. In addition to providing continuing education for BCBAs, she co-owns a technology consulting company Zendicoded, volunteers as a subject matter expert for NASQN, and supports PhD and master's students in their dissertations and theses. She's passionate about helping people create kinder, safer workplaces.

Find her on Instagram: @aba_in_the_wild OR LinkedIn

Join her courses:

LSS White Belt (July)

Psychological Safety 4-Week Intensive

In this episode of EveryDay ABA, your favorite behaviorists unpack one of the most common and exhausting parenting challenges: getting young kids to sleep, and keeping them asleep! Paola (BCBA), Leslie (RBT), and Brittanny (RBT) use a behavioral lens to break down Sleep Onset Association Disorder, cry-it-out/extinction methods, gentle sleep strategies, and bedtime behavior chains- all grounded in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and backed by science. Whether you’re dealing with midnight wake-ups, bedtime tantrums, or trying to decide between the Ferber method or no-cry approaches, this episode arms you with the behavioral tools you need to create consistent, independent sleep patterns for your child.

☕ Support your favorite ABA podcast hosts by showing them love at buymeacoffee.com/EveryDayABA

⭐ Help EveryDay ABA reach more people by following the show + , turning on automatic downloads, and leaving a 5-star review!

📲 Follow us on Instagram:@EveryDayABA.3 for daily ABA insights and behind-the-scenes podcast updates.

📖 Get your CEU certificate here: HERE

Buy the books!

Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber

The No-Cry Sleep Solution Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night by Elizabeth Pantley

The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers by Elizabeth Pantley

The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp

Twelve Hours' Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old by Suzy Giordano

CEU LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this episode, listeners will be able to:

1. Define and identify behavioral features of Sleep Onset Association Disorder in young children and explain its maintenance through reinforcement contingencies.

2. Explain how behavior chains are used to create effective bedtime routines, and describe how disruptions in these chains may interfere with sleep onset and maintenance.

3. Evaluate sleep hygiene strategies from a behavior analytic perspective and recommend individualized environmental and behavioral modifications to support independent sleep in children.

References:

Ferber, R. (2006). Solve your child’s sleep problems (Rev. ed.). Fireside.

Giordano, S., & Abidin, L. (2006). The baby sleep solution: A proven program to teach your baby to sleep twelve hours a night. Perigee.

Karp, H. (2002). The happiest baby on the block: The new way to calm crying and help your newborn baby sleep longer. Bantam.

Mindell, J. A., Kuhn, B., Lewin, D. S., Meltzer, L. J., & Sadeh, A. (2006). Behavioral treatment of bedtime problems and night wakings in infants and young children. Sleep, 29(10), 1263–1276.

Mindell, J. A., & Williamson, A. A. (2018). Benefits of a bedtime routine in young children: Sleep, development, and beyond. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 40, 93–108.

Owens, J. A., & Mindell, J. A. (2011). Pediatric insomnia. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 58(3), 555–569.

Pantley, E. (2002). The no-cry sleep solution: Gentle ways to help your baby sleep through the night. McGraw-Hill.

Sadeh, A., Tikotzky, L., & Scher, A. (2010). Parenting and infant sleep. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 14(2), 89–96.

In this episode of EveryDay ABA, hosts Paola, Leslie, and Brittanny explore one of adulthood’s most frustrating challenges: sleep-onset insomnia. Drawing from evidence-based strategies in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the episode examines how faulty reinforcement patterns, mismatched stimulus control, and poor sleep hygiene can disrupt healthy sleep routines. The hosts guide you through behavioral sleep training techniques, the use of successive approximations to reshape sleep behaviors, and the importance of making the bed a discriminative stimulus (SD) for sleep—not a place for snacking or scrolling. Designed for parents, practitioners, and anyone tired of being tired, this episode offers practical, research-backed tools grounded in CBT-I, stimulus control theory, and ABA interventions.

☕ Support your favorite ABA podcast hosts by showing them love at buymeacoffee.com/EveryDayABA

⭐ Help EveryDay ABA reach more people by following the show + , turning on automatic downloads, and leaving a 5-star review!

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @EverydayABA.3 for daily ABA insights and behind-the-scenes podcast updates.

📖 Get your CEU certificate HERE!

CEU Learning Objectives:

After listening to the episode listeners will know how to:

• Define sleep-onset insomnia and know how to distinguish it from general fatigue or biological sleep disorders.
• Describe how poor stimulus control contributes to insomnia, particularly when incompatible behaviors are reinforced in the sleep environment.
• Implement self-monitoring strategies to increase behavioral awareness and promote habit change.

References:

Bootzin, R. R. (1972). Stimulus control treatment for insomnia. Proceedings of the American Psychological Association, 7, 395–396. https://doi.org/10.1037/e400972004-001

Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.

Espie, C. A. (2002). Insomnia: Conceptual issues in the development, persistence, and treatment of sleep disorder in adults. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 215–243. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135243

Kazdin, A. E. (2011). Behavior modification in applied settings (7th ed.). Waveland Press.