Interview with Behaviour Analyist Diana Cortese
Tell us about you and your business?
My name is Diana Cortese. I moved to Madrid from the United States with my Spanish husband five and half years ago. I am a mother of a two and a half year old little boy who is the light of my life. I am a Behaviour Analyst and also a Special Education teacher. I am currently self-employed working as a behavioral consultant for children with special needs. I offer consultations and trainings to parents and schools, supervise therapy, conduct assessments and deliver direct therapy
Why did you decide to set up Behavioral Consulting Services?
How is it going?
I decided to organize consulting services because there was and continues to be a desperate need of quality services for special needs children, especially children on the autistic spectrum, in Madrid. Although there is early intervention and there are schools that provide some services, to my knowledge, there are not any that provide individualized, evidence based treatment which is what children with special needs should be entitled to. Business is going well and there are more and more families that are taking more initiative in helping their child with special needs
Who are your workshops/products/services aimed at?
My services are primarily geared toward but not limited to young children on the autistic spectrum. I also work with children who are delayed in speech, experiencing behavioral problems or having difficulty with social skills.
What can I expect from behavior analysis services?
Behavior Analysis can be applied in any setting with any population. In my particular case, I normally work one on one with the student either in the home or the classroom. The sessions are centered on the interests of the child and the particular skills which they are working on. The goal is to constantly motivate the child by using positive reinforcement at the right moments and in the right quantities. In ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis), behavior, (which includes anything from reading to aggression) is defined objectively and measured. An intervention plan is designed specifically for that child and the results of the intervention are continuously measured and analyzed to verify if progress has been made. It does not rely on subjective reports by parents or professionals but rather objective data. If progress is not being made, then the intervention plan is re-assessed and modified so that the child does not continue with ineffective treatment.
What do you hope children/people will gain from your workshops/services?
When I deliver direct therapy, an overall outcome that I strive for is for children to enjoy learning and communicating and interacting with others. When conducting workshops or parent trainings I hope that people gain the knowledge that all children can learn
What are intervention plans?
Intervention plans are carefully written action plans designed to address the specific needs of the individual. Each plan is tailor made to that student in terms of what behavior(s) is being targeted, how the plan is to be carried out, what type of reinforcement will be given, when and in what quantities. An intervention plan explains the instructor´s (or teacher´s or parent´s) response to the child´s response. The plan should be based on an initial evaluation of the behavior to measure the current level of the behavior. It should be written in clear language so that everyone who interacts with that student can follow through on that plan.
What are your goals for the next year?.
My goals for the next year are to increase communication with schools in Madrid, establish social skill groups for children, continue consulting and possibly establish a small center for children who need early, intensive ABA therapy. My long term goals are to increase awareness of the effectiveness of ABA and work toward getting the government to subsidize this therapy that has over 30 years of empirical research behind it demonstrating its effectiveness.
What were the main challenges you faced establishing your business?
There are two main challenges that I faced at the beginning and still face today. The first is general lack of information and misinformation regarding ABA. There are very few resources about ABA translated into Spanish and so people are reliant on word of mouth information which can be highly inaccurate. There are professionals in the special needs community in Madrid and in Spain in general who actively advocate against ABA as a treatment method. Most of my clients are foreign and/or speak English. The other major challenge is that most children with autism require an intense number of hours of therapy a week which some families find difficult to arrange.
Would there be anything you would do differently if you did it all again?
Looking back now, I think I would have been more proactive from the start. I spent time waiting for clients to find me instead of making myself known and trying to find families that needed and wanted my services.
How does running a business in Madrid compare to running a business in the US?
My professional experience in Madrid is completely different than in the United States. One of the main reasons for this is the difference in legislation from each country. It is much easier for families to access and get reimbursed for special services in the United States than Spain.
Do you think the system in Madrid is sympathetic to the self-employed?
I don´t think there are many barriers that the community of Madrid presents to the self-employed.
What do you think are the main advantages and disadvantages of running your own business?
The main advantage of running my own business is that I have control of my hours. That is very important when raising a toddler. The difficult part is that you are always working. Because I don´t go to an office every day but rather student´s homes, I write all my reports and plans at home. It makes it harder to disconnect.
What advice would you give to other women who are thinking of ‘going it alone’ in Madrid?
My advice to other women who are self-employed is to prioritize as best as possible. It is easy to become overwhelmed by taking on too much at a time.
How can people find out about you?
People can find out about me through my website www.autismoinfo.com or contact me directly through email at dlcortese@yahoo.com
(Jan 09)
