“In the Field” – Group Supervision Part 1
Hosted by Allyson Wharam

🎧 Episode Overview:
In this solo episode, Allyson Wharam introduces the first part of a two-part series on group supervision in BCBA fieldwork. In this episode, she covers group supervision’s definition, benefits, challenges, and strategies.

What is Group Supervision?

• A supervised meeting with up to 10 trainees, regardless of supervisors present.
• Must be interactive, not passive or just individual supervision with more people.
• Regulatory limits: max 50% of monthly supervision hours can be in a group

Why Use Group Supervision?

• Reduces isolation, especially for remote or school-based trainees.
• Builds peer networks that extend beyond supervision.
• Promotes professional growth through interpersonal skills and collaborative problem-solving.
• Offers exposure to diverse client cases for generalization.
• Enables development of giving and receiving peer feedback.

Common Barriers & Solutions:

Trainee Variability

• Diverse backgrounds and skill levels.
• Solutions: align content, pair experienced with new trainees, provide pre-session materials.

Individualized Feedback

• Difficult in group settings.
• Use group time for general feedback; save detailed feedback for individual sessions.

Ensuring Equal Engagement

• Risk of passive participation.
• Use interactive tools (Pear Deck, Nearpod), cold calling, wait time, and limit groups to 7–8 trainees.

Supervisor Planning Time

• Requires intentional planning.
• Use templates, send agendas early, group content monthly, and use structured curricula.

Tips for Effective Group Supervision

• Develop a repeatable session framework.
• Combine low-prep and high-impact activities like trainee presentations.
• Use practical resources: templates, guides, and skill-practice tools.

📣 Listener Questions!
Allyson invites listeners to submit questions or scenarios on supervision, leadership, or training for future episodes. www.sidekicklearning.net/podcast

Coming Next: Part 2
Allyson will cover session structure, activities, and answer listener questions.

Disclaimer:

BCBA®, BACB® [or any other BACB® trademark used] is/are registered to the Behavior Analytic Certification Board® BACB®. This website and products are not in any way sponsored by the BACB®.

All information and products are for educational purposes only.

Episode Description
In this episode of In the Field: The ABA Podcast, I talk with Rose Griffin, founder of ABA Speech and one of fewer than 500 professionals dually certified as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Rose shares how her interdisciplinary experience has shaped her approach to supporting autistic learners and building more collaborative teams across clinical and educational settings.

We discuss the misconceptions that often divide SLPs and BCBAs, explore overlapping scopes of practice, and offer concrete strategies to promote ethical, respectful, and effective collaboration. Drawing from research, including Brodhead’s (2015) seminal article on interdisciplinary relationships, we dig into what it means to be a partner, not just a provider.

Key Topics

• Rose’s path to dual certification and the founding of ABA Speech
• Scope of practice vs. scope of competence and why that nuance matters
• Misconceptions and mistrust between SLPs and BCBAs, and where they come from
• Brodhead’s framework for navigating non-behavioral recommendations
• Practical phrases and strategies to support collaborative, non-combative dialogue
• How clinic culture and training structures can foster true interdisciplinary partnership

Key Takeaways

• Interdisciplinary collaboration isn’t optional. It’s essential to learner outcomes.
• BCBAs and SLPs both bring unique expertise to communication interventions, and understanding scope is key to ethical practice.
• Curious, nonjudgmental dialogue (“Tell me more about that”) opens the door to collaboration, even in tense situations.
• Building collaborative systems starts with culture: onboarding, supervision, and team dynamics all matter.
• We don’t have to know everything, but we do have to know when to ask.

Referenced Resource
Brodhead, M. T. (2015). Maintaining professional relationships in an interdisciplinary setting: Strategies for navigating nonbehavioral treatment recommendations for individuals with autism. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 8(1), 70–78. Read here

Keywords
BCBA and SLP Collaboration, AAC, Gestalt Language Processing, Functional Communication Training, Scope of Practice, Interdisciplinary Teams, Behavior Analysis, Rose Griffin, ABA Speech

Connect with Rose and ABA Speech
🌐 Website: www.abaspeech.org
📸 Instagram: @abaspeechbyrose
📧 Email: rose@abaspeech.org
🔗 LinkedIn: Rose Griffin

Subscribe to the Podcast
For more conversations about evidence-based practice, ethical supervision, and leadership in behavior analysis, subscribe to In the Field: The ABA Podcast. Visit Sidekick Learning for free tools, CEUs, and supervision resources.

Disclaimer:

BCBA®, BACB® [or any other BACB® trademark used] is/are registered to the Behavior Analytic Certification Board® BACB®. This website and products are not in any way sponsored by the BACB®.

All information and products are for educational purposes only.

🎙️ In This Episode of Supervision Stories

In the kickoff episode of our Supervision Stories series, I chat with Lindsay Milnes, a newly certified BCBA who took a creative, values-driven approach to her fieldwork experience. Lindsay shares how she turned challenges—like low client hours and limited access to unrestricted activities—into opportunities to apply ABA to her own life and build confidence along the way.

We talk about how she found the right-fit supervisor, used self-management and ACT strategies during her training, and eventually launched a mentorship group to support other trainees exploring health and wellness within behavior analysis.

If you're a trainee feeling stuck or a supervisor looking to better support your students’ growth, this conversation offers insight, inspiration, and actionable strategies.

🔑 Key Topics:

• Finding a supervisor aligned with your values and interests
• Using self-management skills
• Creative ways to gain unrestricted hours
• Applying ABA to personal goals like water intake and exercise
• Filling supervision gaps with community and collaboration
• Launching a mentorship group for health-focused trainees

💡 Key Takeaways:

• You don’t have to wait for ideal conditions—create your own opportunities within supervision.
• Self-management isn’t just for clients; using ABA tools on yourself builds both skills and confidence.
• Finding a supervisor you genuinely connect with can change the trajectory of your training experience.
• Embedding your passions into supervision can lead to meaningful, career-shaping work.

📬 Connect with Lindsay:

• Instagram: @behavioral_inspirations
• Website: https://www.lindsaybehaviourconsulting.com/resourcesforabaprofessionals
• Free Resource: Healthy Habits Tracker

Disclaimer:

BCBA®, BACB® [or any other BACB® trademark used] is/are registered to the Behavior Analytic Certification Board® BACB®. This website and products are not in any way sponsored by the BACB®.

All information and products are for educational purposes only.