Behaviour Speak with Ben Reiman

This is Part Two of my conversation with Katisha Paul.

After exploring her personal journey in Part One, we dive into the work that has made Katisha one of the most recognized Indigenous advocates of her generation.

We discuss:

Leadership lessons from her ancestors

The history and impact of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs

Indigenous governance and self-determination

Women's leadership and matriarchal responsibility

Indigenous representation at the United Nations

The Global Indigenous Youth Caucus

Climate leadership and environmental stewardship

Rematriation and the return of cultural belongings

Indigenous rights implementation

Systems change and governance

NEPENEḴ and the Sovereign-Tea project

Legacy, future generations, and Indigenous resurgence

Throughout the conversation, Katisha shares a vision rooted in Indigenous laws, relationships, responsibility, and what she calls moving from intergenerational trauma toward intergenerational excellence.

 

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i9d0_TDkbiA

Contact Katisha Paul

NEPENEḴ

https://nepenek.ca/

https://www.instagram.com/nepenekgroup/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katisha-paul-b6ab0235b/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/katisha.paul/

Union of BC Indian Chiefs

https://www.ubcic.bc.ca/

UN Global Indigenous Youth Caucus

https://www.globalindigenousyouthcaucus.org/

https://www.facebook.com/GlobalIndigenousYouthCaucus/

Tsartlip First Nation

https://tsartlip.com/

What happens when a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst brings behavioural science into competitive athletics?
In this episode, Ben Reiman welcomes N'Kayah Kersey, BCBA, former Division I basketball player, athlete wellness consultant, and founder of Practiced.
N'Kayah shares her journey from mentoring at-risk youth at Boys Town to building an innovative consulting practice that helps athletes, coaches, parents, and organizations improve performance through behavioral systems.
The discussion explores athlete confidence, leadership development, team culture, video modeling, coach education, parent behaviour, organizational systems, and the growing role of behaviour science in sports.
Along the way, N'Kayah explains her Practice Method framework, the Athlete Wellness Ecosystem, and her collaboration with WNBA star Brittany Sykes on the Return to the Brick Athlete Wellness Experience.
Whether you're a behaviour analyst, coach, parent, educator, or athlete, this episode demonstrates how behavioural principles can create meaningful and measurable change far beyond traditional ABA settings.
 

What You'll Learn

How N'Kayah discovered behaviour analysis through Boys Town

Why leadership should be explicitly taught

How confidence can be operationally defined and strengthened

The role social skills play in athletic performance

Using video modelling to improve confidence and leadership

Why culture is built through reinforcement rather than slogans

How parent behaviour influences athlete development

The Practice Method framework

The Athlete Wellness Ecosystem

Opportunities for behaviour analysts outside traditional practice settings

Watch on Youtube:  https://youtu.be/DxWgJMIClds

Contact N'Kayah:

https://www.instagram.com/yayakersey/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nkayahkersey/

https://www.instagram.com/wearepracticed/

https://www.wearepracticed.com/

Links:

Transforming Basketball

https://transformingbball.com/about-us

Boys Town

https://www.boystown.org/

Katisha Paul is one of the most influential Indigenous leaders of her generation. In Part One of this special two-part conversation, she shares the deeply personal story behind her advocacy and leadership.

Katisha reflects on her childhood, family, cultural identity, and ancestry. She speaks openly about surviving abuse, growing up in remote communities, and carrying responsibilities far beyond her years. She also discusses how she learned to use her voice after years of silence and why protecting others remains at the center of everything she does. 

This episode explores:

Growing up as the oldest of nine children

The teachings that shaped her worldview

Childhood trauma and resilience

Finding her voice after years of silence

Indigenous identity and cultural grounding

Family, community, and responsibility

Leadership through lived experience

Intergenerational strength and excellence

What people often misunderstand about her journey

The foundations of the work she leads today

Part Two will explore Katisha's work in Indigenous governance, sovereignty, climate leadership, international advocacy, repatriation, and her vision for the future.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/E1dn1iooEfg

Contact Katisha Paul

NEPENEḴ

https://nepenek.ca/

https://www.instagram.com/nepenekgroup/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katisha-paul-b6ab0235b/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/katisha.paul/

Union of BC Indian Chiefs

https://www.ubcic.bc.ca/

UN Global Indigenous Youth Caucus

https://www.globalindigenousyouthcaucus.org/

https://www.facebook.com/GlobalIndigenousYouthCaucus/

Tsartlip First Nation

https://tsartlip.com/

What does it take to build behaviour analysis in the middle of economic collapse, political instability, and war?

In this episode of Behaviour Speak, Ben Reiman speaks with Christine Der Sarkissian, President of the Association for Behavior Analysis in Lebanon (ABAL), about the remarkable growth of ABA in Lebanon. They discuss parent advocacy, professional certification, culturally responsive practice, inclusion, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the challenges of delivering autism services during ongoing crisis.

Whether you're interested in global behaviour analysis, autism services, cultural responsiveness, or systems change, this conversation offers valuable lessons in resilience and leadership.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/x9mYHLNXy6c

Continuing Education Credits

BACB: 1.0 Ethics
IBAO:  1.0 Cultural
QABA: 1.0 Ethics
CBA/CPD: 1.0 Cultural Diversity  

Complete The Behaviour Speak CE Knowledge Check To Earn Your CEUs

Enter your answers here:  (https://www.cbiconsultants.com/shop)
Question 1

According to Christine, what factor played the most foundational role in establishing ABA services in Lebanon?

A. Government funding initiatives

B. Universities creating ABA programs

C. Parent advocacy and initiatives

D. International insurance companies

Question 2

Which challenge did Christine identify as one of the greatest barriers to expanding high-quality ABA services throughout Lebanon?

A. A lack of interest from families

B. Too many certified supervisors

C. A shortage of supervisory-level behaviour analysts

D. Excessive government regulation

Question 3

Which practice best reflects the culturally responsive approach to ABA described by Christine?

A. Using identical intervention procedures regardless of family culture

B. Adapting intervention goals to align with family values, culture, and meaningful daily life

C. Prioritizing standardized protocols over family preferences

D. Limiting family involvement to reduce treatment interference

Contact Christine

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-der-sarkissian-6a667750/

Links:

ABA Lebanon

http://abalebanon.com/

https://www.instagram.com/abalebanon/

https://www.facebook.com/abalebanon/

Learn more about some of the great work being done by Lebanese Behaviour Analysts in these interviews:

Behaviour Analysis in Lebanon and Qatar with Rola El Annan

https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/ep-94-behaviour-analysis-in-lebanon-and-qatar-with-rola-el-annan-med-bcba/

Threads Of Hope: Addressing Trauma Amid War and Civil Discord with Sawsan Razzouk

https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/episode-139threads-of-hope-addressing-trauma-amid-war-and-civil-discord-with-sawsan-razzouk-ma-bcba/

Safeguarding Vulnerable Children In The Arab World With Dr. Asmahan Saleh Khalil

https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/episode-200-safeguarding-vulnerable-children-in-the-arab-world-with-dr-asmahan-saleh-khalil/

For decades, behaviour analysts have worked to develop evidence-based interventions that improve quality of life for children and families.

But evidence-based doesn't always mean culturally responsive.

In this episode, Ben welcomes Chloe Wang, BCBA and PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia, whose dissertation explores a culturally responsive, group-based Family-Centred Positive Behaviour Support program designed specifically for Chinese immigrant families of children with autism.

Chloe shares her remarkable journey from immigrating to Canada as a teenager, discovering behaviour analysis almost by accident, completing her master's degree at Brock University, helping establish an autism treatment centre in China, and returning to UBC to pursue research that bridges science with culture.

One of the most compelling aspects of Chloe's work is her commitment to co-design. Before launching her randomized controlled trial, she conducted focus groups with both families and professionals to refine every aspect of the intervention—from language and examples to program structure and delivery.

Those conversations led to significant changes, including splitting the original 16-week program into two levels and expanding discussions around reinforcement and punishment after families expressed a desire to fully understand behavioural principles before embracing Positive Behaviour Support.

Ben and Chloe also explore:

Why culture influences how families experience behavioural intervention

The importance of implementation science in clinical practice

Family-centred PBS across prevention tiers

Measuring meaningful outcomes beyond behaviour reduction

Maintaining treatment effects after intervention ends

Using technology to improve long-term sustainability

Future directions for culturally responsive behaviour analysis

This episode highlights how listening to families doesn't weaken behaviour analysis—it strengthens it.

As our profession continues to grow globally, Chloe's work provides a thoughtful roadmap for adapting evidence-based practice while remaining grounded in behavioural science.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4qOZ1GAVFCw

Continuing Education Credits (https://www.cbiconsultants.com/shop)

BACB: 1.5 Ethics
IBAO:  1.5 Cultural
QABA: 1.5 Ethics
CBA/CPD: 1.5 Cultural Diversity  

Follow us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behaviourspeak/

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/behaviourspeak/

TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@behaviorspeak

 

Contact Chloe

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloewangaba/

City Medical Child Development Centre

https://citychildclinic.com/case-study/chloe-wang/

Interested in learning more about Positive Behaviour Support and culturally responsive practice? Check out these related conversations from the Behaviour Speak archives:

Family-Centred Positive Behaviour Support with Dr. Joseph Lucyshyn (Part 1) – Learn about the foundations of Family-Centred PBS from one of its developers, including the ecological and behavioural principles that informed Chloe's dissertation.
Episode 43: Family-Centred Positive Behaviour Support (Part 1)

Family-Centred Positive Behaviour Support with Dr. Joseph Lucyshyn (Part 2) – Continue the discussion with an exploration of implementation, ethics, cultural responsiveness, and building sustainable support for families.
Episode 44: Family-Centred Positive Behaviour Support (Part 2)

Empowering the Chinese Autism Community with Hazel Lim – Explore autism advocacy, family support, and community leadership within Chinese communities, complementing Chloe's discussion of culturally responsive service delivery.
Episode 212: Empowering the Chinese Autism Community with Hazel Lim

Culturally Responsive Autism Support in Indigenous Communities – Drs. Candi Running Bear, Davis E. Henderson, and Olivia Lindly discuss culturally responsive autism supports and the importance of partnering with communities—many themes that resonate with Chloe's research.
Culturally Responsive Autism Support in Indigenous Communities

Beyond Behaviour Reduction: Reclaiming the Constructional Approach in PBS – Oliver Roschke and John Wooderson explore how Positive Behaviour Support can move beyond reducing challenging behaviour to building meaningful, sustainable lives—an important philosophical companion to Chloe's work on Family-Centred PBS.
Beyond Behaviour Reduction: Reclaiming the Constructional Approach in PBS