We were lucky to catch up with Tranika Jefferson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tranika, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.

With being in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for 16 years, I’ve noticed a growing need for specialized care for children who have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some families struggle to find accessible, affordable, and effective ABA therapy services. Some parents may travel long distances to receive care or face months-long waitlists at clinics. For some, these barriers meant their children went without the early intervention and consistent support that are so critical for child development.

One family’s story stands out to me. A single mother had been searching for ABA therapy for her 4-year-old son for over a year. Her son struggled with communication, leading to frequent meltdowns. This mother told me how isolating it felt to not have resources close to home. She worked long hours, and traveling to the nearest clinic was both financially and logistically impossible. When she reached out to my practice, I realized how urgent it was to build a service model that met families where they were—both geographically and emotionally.

That’s why my private practice is rooted in accessibility and community engagement. I set up a sliding-scale fee system to help families who might not have insurance coverage. I partnered with local schools and community centers to provide in-home and community-based services, reducing transportation barriers. We also offered flexible hours to accommodate working parents.

When this client started therapy, our sessions focused on improving his ability to communicate through visual aids and teaching him coping strategies. Within months, this client began using simple words to express his needs, and his meltdowns decreased significantly. His mother often shared how these changes transformed not just her son’s life but her own—she felt empowered as a parent and hopeful for her son’s future.

What makes this work meaningful is the ripple effect it creates. By serving families like this client’s, my practice helps build a stronger, more inclusive community where every child has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their circumstances. My brand’s mission is to fill these gaps in care, advocating for children and families who often feel unseen and unheard.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Dr. Tranika Jefferson, and I am a native of Bryan, TX. After high school I moved away to go to college with a dream of helping impact people’s lives in some type of capacity. I have always had a passion for and wanted to understand the “why” behind why people do what they do. Because of this, I received my Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis, and I am a Doctorate Level Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Licensed Behavior Analyst.
The type of therapy that I practice is called Applied Behavior Analysis or often called ABA therapy, and it is the study between a person’s behaviors and their environment in order to change behavior. ABA therapy is used to increase desirable behaviors, decrease unwanted behaviors, and teach new behaviors.
Since 2009 I have worked with individuals who have intellectual disabilities, mental illness, and/or autism spectrum disorder by providing ABA therapy in numerous settings to include Home and Community-based Services (HCS) organizations, Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities (ICF/IDD), clinics, schools, and in-home environments. My primary clinical passion includes shaping/mentoring future clinicians in the field of ABA. Therefore, I am deeply committed to helping others through innovation, collaboration, and clinical experience to improve the lives of individuals and families impacted by mental and behavioral health issues, especially to those who have had barriers in obtaining behavioral services.

Due to this, I aspired to start a business in the behavioral health field. One of the many steps I took to establish and grow my business was staying informed about the latest research and advancements in ABA therapy. I did this by continuously evaluating my marketing efforts, financial performance, and client outcomes. I’ve ensured to adapt my strategies as needed to ensure ongoing growth and success. Given that the field of ABA therapy is continuously evolving, staying updated with best practices and industry trends is essential. It’s a priority of mine to network with other professionals in my field and participate in relevant conferences or workshops that help me stay connected and enhance my knowledge.

The Behavioral Wellness Academy was established to promote the social-emotional development of children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. To that end, we provide treatment, training, and education that endorses independence and improves the quality of life of our clients by using ABA therapy. We develop individualized treatment plans that target cognitive, speech, language, academic or school readiness, behavior management, play, and social skills.
As a Behavior Analyst, I am most proud of seeing the behavior change of my clients and the impact it has on their lives and their family and other caregivers. My personal life fulfilments come when a client vocally calls their mother “mom” when they’ve never had spoken language before, is able to play and socialize with their siblings, or no longer engages in tantrums for extended periods of time.
The Behavioral Wellness Academy’s therapy interventions have positively influenced behavior change, skill development, and the overall well-being of its clients by using innovative strategies that have led to improved outcomes which has set us apart from others in the field. This has been done by meeting clients where they are and understanding that their disability is not an inability. I’ve dedicated my career to providing high-quality therapy services and improving the lives of clients receiving treatment.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

When I started my ABA therapy practice, I knew I wanted to serve communities that often don’t have access to the resources they need. My passion for making a difference stems from my own experiences attending Prairie View A&M University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), where I learned how systemic barriers often left many black and brown families underserved in critical areas like mental health and developmental support.
What I didn’t expect was how much my HBCU community would become the lifeblood of my mission. My first client came from a referral—a fellow alum who trusted me because we shared the same values, upbringing, and educational foundation. That referral didn’t just introduce me to a family in need; it connected me to a network of parents, educators, and caregivers, all searching for compassionate and culturally competent care for their children.
This network has become my greatest resource. Through these referrals, I’ve had the privilege of working with families who had previously been unable to access ABA therapy due to financial, geographic, or systemic barriers. Many were navigating long waitlists, struggling with misdiagnoses, or feeling overwhelmed by the lack of culturally relevant care.
One memorable case involved a single mother whose son had been denied services multiple times by providers who didn’t understand the cultural dynamics of her family’s needs. Through a referral from another HBCU alum, she found me. Together, we developed an individualized therapy plan that not only addressed her son’s challenges but also empowered her as an advocate for his growth. Today, he’s thriving in his classroom, and she’s become an ambassador for our services in her own community.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I first launched my ABA therapy practice, I carried a mindset that every detail of a client’s treatment plan needed my direct oversight to ensure the best possible outcomes. While this mentality served me well in clinical practice, it became my greatest obstacle as a business owner.
In the early days, I took on everything—building treatment plans, scheduling sessions, handling billing, and even marketing my services. I thought that because my name was tied to the business, it was my sole responsibility to make sure every aspect of the practice reflected my standards. It worked for a while, but over time, I found myself burning out. I was losing the very joy that drove me to create this practice in the first place: making meaningful connections with families and watching individuals thrive.
One day, I was sitting in a consultation with a parent, completely exhausted from having worked late the night before managing administrative tasks. I realized I wasn’t as present as I should’ve been, and it hit me—if I didn’t change how I ran my business, I was going to compromise the very quality of care I prided myself on delivering.
I had to unlearn the idea that delegating meant losing control. I had to shift my mindset to recognize that success isn’t about doing everything yourself—it’s about building a team that shares your vision and values. I hired staff, invested in training for my team, and outsourced administrative tasks to trusted professionals.
The result? Not only was I able to focus more on my strengths as a clinician, but my practice also grew in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Delegating allowed me to serve more families, create a supportive work environment for my team, and reclaim the work-life balance I had lost.

I learned that as a clinician and business owner, it’s not your job to do it all; it’s your job to ensure it all gets done with excellence. By unlearning the need to control every detail, I learned how to truly lead—and that’s what allowed me to make the biggest impact on the community I serve.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thebehavioralwellnessacademy.com/
• Instagram: behavioral.wellness
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tranika-jefferson-bcbad-lba