Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rosalie Prendergast. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Rosalie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
As a child growing up in a small town in New England, I was not known for taking risks or pioneering new paths. My activities consisted of playing sports, riding horses, making pottery, and attending school.
After following the traditional college route of college-work-masters, I came across an advertisement at a Community Center Board in Lafayette, Colorado in 2002. The purpose of the ad was to find someone to support a 2-year-old Autistic boy. I received excellent training that was informed by neuroscience and naturalistic applied behavior analysis. The individuals who trained me, a Neuropsychologist and BCBA, had personal experience as they had an Autistic son themselves. Throughout my training, the focus was always on looking at the individual first and finding the most effective scientific approach for their needs. I am forever grateful for the strong foundation I received. This training led me to discover a field that aligned with my unique abilities and allowed me to fulfill my purpose of helping others.
In 2010, I took a leap of faith and started Eclipse Therapy, just as Applied Behavior Analysis was gaining traction in the insurance industry and the field itself was starting to flourish. This was not only a huge risk in terms of venturing into entrepreneurship, but also in terms of my clinical practice. I was implementing behavior analysis based on what the textbooks, research, and my training had taught me. However, I realized that this approach was not effective for a few individuals and their families. Looking back, I had options, but in that moment, the only option that seemed apparent to me was to put on my Discoverer cape and find an alternative that would work.
I met with one of the parents and empathized with their frustration and sadness over the lack of consistent progress. It was during this conversation that my bold journey as a true scientist began. While applied behavior analysis is considered an applied science, the conventional approach has been to implement technology that has empirical support, rather than creatively rearranging empirically validated principles and strategies. My risk, now known as The Happy Medium Approach, originated from discussing with this mother how her child’s behavior was inconsistently influenced by different environmental events. The Happy Medium Approach started by using language to precisely define the word “sometimes” as “it can turn into a yes or a no when it happens.” This collection of Happy Medium language concepts expanded to include “thinking in your head – other people cannot hear you” and “speaking out loud – other people can hear you”. As we incorporated these language pairings (and more), the child’s behavior became more consistent and predictable, and the occurrence of dangerous and unsafe behavior decreased both through objective measure and the general household feel.
Since that initial risk in 2010, The Happy Medium Approach has evolved into a framework that promotes meaningful living with individual and social workability. It is a flexible approach that adheres to the same empirically validated principles and strategies as other behavior analytic technologies, but with a different organizational structure that can be individualized across three dimensions, self, social, and contextual. While the approach has faced criticism, with some claiming that I am not practicing behavior analysis, the risk of being different has also yielded significant rewards. We have witnessed numerous children transition from highly restrictive placements (such as being out of home, inpatient, or subjected to restraint and seclusion) to finding themselves, building strong and interconnected relationships, and actively engaging with their world with the necessary support. Families understand and know their children, built meaningful multidirectional relationships, and have access to flexible resourced supports that ebb and flow with the surrounding context and their child as they learn and grow. .
The Happy Medium Approach continues to grow and improve as new scientific discoveries emerge. It also benefits from practitioners who approach it as ethical behavioral artists, applying their creative touch to its flexible frameworks. The Happy Medium Approach has a powerful and much need ethical ripple on the way the field of Applied Behavior Analysis supports neurodivergents individual and others who are different. Seeing the amazing effects of this ripple surely supports me to carry the heavy emotions that show up when the approach is criticized or dismissed. Allowing me to continue innovating and evolving within my purpose of supporting other humans. Being different is ok!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m Rosalie Prendergast, the Managing Member at Eclipse Therapy, LLC, a wonderful behavior analytic practice nestled in the beautiful town of Evergreen, Colorado. My journey started early on when I discovered the incredible power of therapeutic horseback riding in helping neurodivergent individuals during my time in elementary school. But my passion didn’t stop there. Inspired by my mother’s commitment to Meals on Wheels and my own love for sports, I actively engaged in community service and athletic teams, cultivating a deep understanding of the diverse needs and strengths of individuals.
During my undergraduate years, I was determined to make a difference from my unique lens, so I fought for a unique major that encompassed Art, Psychology, Special Education, and Human Rehabilitation Services. This interdisciplinary approach reflected my belief in the multifaceted nature of human beings and the importance of holistic support and a lot of, “I don’t want to fit in just one box!”
Life took an unexpected turn after graduation when I stumbled upon a job flyer that introduced me to an incredible family and their Autistic 2-year-old. This chance encounter became a life-changing opportunity as I received exceptional training from a Neuropsychologist and BCBA-D, immersing myself in naturalistic interventions informed by the latest findings in neuroscience. It was a transformative experience that set me on a path towards becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2009.
With my newfound expertise and unwavering dedication, I established Eclipse Therapy in 2010 with a clear mission: to create effective supports for individuals with complex needs who have yet to find their treatment home. Over the past decade, my team at Eclipse Therapy and I have developed an innovative approach called The Happy Medium Approach (HMA) along with a unique language called Happy Medium Language (HML). Grounded in my rich experience in the field and my heartfelt motivations, HMA and HML aim to:
Supporting individuals to define their meaning and workability
Build a lived history perspective bridge within interconnected relationships
Empowering individuals to thrive with autonomy, within interconnected relationships and the context they frequently engage.
My passion for supporting those who don’t respond well, or at all, to traditional behavioral strategies runs deep. Having spent over 20 years in the field, I have encountered numerous individuals with complex needs, each with their own unique journey. It is from these encounters and my desire to offer a better path forward that I decided to create The Happy Medium Approach and Happy Medium Language. By embracing this approach, Behavior Analysts gain the flexibility to design tailored supports that honor the beautiful diversity of neurodivergent individuals.
Despite the innovative nature of HMA and HML, I remain steadfast in my commitment to the guiding principles of applied behavior analysis. Grounded in the 7 Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis set forth by Bear, Wolf, and Risley, Eclipse Therapy ensures that every step towards growth and independence is supported with expertise and compassionate guidance.
Here at Eclipse Therapy, my dedicated team and I work tirelessly to provide a warm and inclusive environment where individuals can discover their own unique strengths and find themselves. We believe wholeheartedly in the power of human connection and the endless possibilities that lie within each person’s journey. With the Happy Medium Approach and Language.
Living With Meaning and Generalized Workability: The Happy Medium Approach
In our ever-changing world, the interaction between individuals, whether they are neurodivergent or neurotypical, is a complex matter. We are faced with the challenge of navigating human interactions in different contexts and under various influences. Should we present a facade and conform to societal expectations, or should we reveal our true selves and stay true to our authentic nature? Perhaps there is a need to find a middle ground, where we can mask certain aspects of ourselves while still being authentic when the situation calls for it. The Happy Medium Approach aims to address this immense challenge by providing clarity in a few different areas.
Creating Clarity in Complex Human Interactions within Different Contexts from Personal and Social Perspectives:
Through simple yet profound frameworks, we explore the intricacies of human interactions in different contexts. We seek answers to timeless questions in order to live authentically and navigate our relationships with others:
Who am I?
What behaviors define my authentic self and my socially acceptable self?
How can others support me in maintaining a balanced approach across different contexts?
How can I develop a repertoire of behaviors that work both in positive and negative situations?
Who do I aspire to be and which groups do I want to belong to?
How can I adapt my behavior to meet the expectations of a given context and communicate my availability and needs to others, whether I am fully myself or adjusting to the circumstances?
The Happy Medium Approach embraces the idea that no individual is broken; instead, each person is a unique individual, constantly evolving and refining their behaviors to achieve a broad range of adaptability across changing contexts influenced by light and heavy circumstances.
Building Connections Through Shared Experiences:
Every individual has a unique life story shaped by their interactions with their environment and their behavioral patterns. Happy Medium Language offers a framework that harnesses the power of language as a transformative tool. This enables individuals to navigate the bridge of communication, finding balance between their own perspective and the perspectives of others. By fostering connection and empathy with mutual understanding, we can deepen our knowledge of each other’s experiences and build a supportive bridge that unifies us in our diversity.
Fostering Psychological Flexibility by Developing New Repertoires:
Change is a constant in our lives, and it is essential for our personal and social well-being to develop the ability to adapt and grow. The Happy Medium Approach empowers individuals to actively construct new behaviors that are adaptable and supported by resources when their existing behaviors are limited, rigid, or ineffective. By consciously engaging with light experiences and having a plan to navigate aversive and coercive situations, individuals can embark on a journey towards psychological flexibility. This journey is founded on the principles of awareness and willingness, guiding us towards meaning defined by each of us individually.
Services offered at Eclipse Therapy and The Happy Medium Approach
Neurodivergent Individual and Families
Our approach is rooted in empathy, inclusivity, and empowerment. We celebrate the diversity that neurodivergent individuals bring to the world and acknowledge the strength within that diversity.
Where you are an adult, child, an interconnected relationship or family, we look to create a unique path forward to find meaning and workability.
Educators
The educational system, much like applied behavior analysis, loves rules, but frequently does not pause to notice how those systems work for individuals who might not fit within the neuronormative. This can cause significant and often inadvertent harm to the individual and the educational context. The HMA teams looks to create systems in the education placement that work across the student, their classroom, and the greater school community.
The Team at The Happy Medium approach supports educational context in two ways:
Direct design and implementation of The Happy Medium Approach in an educational placement for a single student. With careful collaboration, the HMA team is faded out as the school team takes back over!
Training and mentorship for teachers, classroom, or school wide teams who are looking to put mental health and psychological flexibility at the for front of learning.
Professionals
Our training course programs are designed with inclusivity at their core, highlighting the importance of diversity and respecting the unique needs of every individual. We provide a warm, compassionate environment where professionals can cultivate their skills and deepen their understanding of HMA, ensuring they are well-equipped to guide others on their own transformative journeys.
Through our empowering approach that emphasizes workability, we strive to foster a community of compassionate practitioners who not only understand the profound impact of HMA, but also have the tools to integrate it seamlessly into their professional practice to help individuals find their workability!
Behavior analyst have access to a different 40 hour RBT course and over 200 hours of Engaging CEU content. We also provide on demand training tailored to the needs of different professionals.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Practicing from a place of psychological flexibility is a game changer for me and my practice. Light and heavy emotions are a part of every day moment to moment interactions between us and our environments. Taking the time to notice what behaviors we are choosing and why has allowed me as an individual to notice and evaluate how what we are doing is actually working for me as a person, our team of clinicians, and most impact fully for the individuals we support. Sometimes emotions are light and easy to carry. Sometimes they are too heavy to carry and you need to get some relief. Other times emotions are heavy but we can still carry them with towards something important! Practicing from this lens, but it does give you clarity and a foundation to make really informed choices with the available resources you have!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Over the past 13 years, we have grown our clientele mostly through word of mouth. We do a great job and our clients see durable results! People living with meaning and finding workability is a really powerful destination!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.happymediumapproach.com
- Instagram: the_happy_medium_approach
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eclipsebehavior/
- Youtube: @TheHappyMediumApproach-HMA-HML
- Other: https://www.crowdcast.io/@thehappymediumapproach