From Community to Global Conversation
How Do Better’s work traveled in 2025
In 2025, the work happening inside the Do Better community began showing up in broader professional spaces.
This did not happen because of a single event or initiative. It happened gradually, as ideas developed through community learning, practitioner-led discussion, and applied work started resonating with people beyond the immediate membership.
Invitations to present, train, and collaborate reflected growing interest in approaches to behavior analysis that center ethics, neurodiversity-affirming practice, and real-world application.
Sharing Practice Beyond the Community
Throughout the year, Do Better’s work was shared through invited presentations at national conferences focused on applied behavior analysis and autism services. These included state and regional conferences where the audience consisted primarily of practicing behavior analysts working across clinics, schools, and community settings.
These presentations focused on topics such as:
- ethical and responsive decision-making in behavior analysis
- practitioner-led systems change
- integrating neuroscience and regulation into assessment and intervention
- supervision and leadership grounded in real-world constraints
Rather than presenting abstract models, these sessions emphasized applied examples, implementation challenges, and lessons learned through practice.
International Training and Global Dialogue
In addition to national conferences, Do Better’s work extended into international training and collaboration. In-person workshops and trainings took place in countries including China, Brazil, and Australia, with additional global participation through online conferences and professional learning events.
Across these spaces, similar questions emerged. Practitioners across systems and cultures are grappling with how to apply behavior analysis ethically, how to move away from coercive practices, and how to support autistic individuals in ways that respect autonomy and dignity.
These conversations highlighted that many of the challenges faced in autism services are not isolated to one country or system. They are shared, even when the context differs.
Systems-Level Conversations in Behavior Analysis
Global and national invitations also created opportunities to engage in systems-level discussions. Presentations addressed how organizational structures, funding models, and professional expectations influence practice, supervision, and service delivery.
These conversations emphasized the importance of supporting practitioners not only with technical skills, but with frameworks that help them navigate complexity, make ethical decisions, and adapt practice across settings.
The work shared in these spaces reflected ideas developed through Do Better’s community-based learning model, where practitioner experience informs training, resource development, and ongoing dialogue.
Why Reach Matters
Sharing work beyond the community was not about visibility for its own sake. It mattered because it allowed practitioner-informed ideas to enter larger conversations about the future of behavior analysis and autism services.
When practitioner experience is included in professional discourse, the field gains a more accurate understanding of what is working, what needs to change, and where support is needed. Global dialogue helps highlight common challenges and opens space for collaboration across systems.
Carrying the Conversation Forward
As Do Better moves into 2026, this connection between community-based learning and broader professional influence remains central.
The goal is not expansion for expansion’s sake. It is to continue contributing to conversations that support ethical, responsive, and humane practice in applied behavior analysis, both locally and globally.
The work continues to be grounded in community, shaped by practice, and informed by the people doing the work every day.
Responses