Morgan | SheShapesBehavior (@sheshapesbehavior)

Vibin’ because I get to go to work every day and help young adults with special needs learn how to access the world around them. 🫶 Through ABA, I get to break down everyday skills into achievable steps, teach and reinforce communication, build independence, practice navigating community spaces, increase tolerance for situations that may be challenging, and help each person develop the skills they need to advocate for themselves and participate more fully in their environment. Sometimes progress looks different than people expect. It can be learning how to communicate “no” or “I need a break.” It can be ordering your own food, making a purchase, safely crossing a street, waiting in line, asking someone for help, trying a new environment, completing a daily living task with less support, or simply becoming more comfortable accessing a space that wasn’t accessible to you before. The goal isn’t to make someone fit into the world around them. It’s to provide meaningful tools, support, and opportunities that help them navigate that world with as much autonomy, confidence, and independence as possible while honoring exactly who they are. Because access shouldn’t be something you have to earn. Everyone deserves access to communication. To their community. To meaningful experiences. To choices. To independence. To the things and people around them. Everyone deserves the opportunity to participate in their own life. 🤍 And getting to be a small part of helping make that access possible? Yeah, that’s something worth vibin’ about. ✨

Grad school will teach you a lot about discipline, sacrifice, resilience, and how far you’re willing to push yourself for the life you’re trying to build. But one thing I don’t think we talk about enough is how important it is to have the right people beside you while you’re doing it. Because behind the assignments, deadlines, long nights, self-doubt, exhaustion, and constant pressure to keep going… there are people who help carry pieces of the weight that no one else sees. Having someone who believes in you when you’re questioning yourself is different. Someone who understands when your time isn’t always your own. Someone who celebrates the small wins, listens to the frustrations, gives you space when you need it, and reminds you that you are more than your productivity or your degree. Grad school may be an individual journey academically, but I’m learning that you were never meant to carry every part of it alone. The people who love you, encourage you, check on you, make you laugh when everything feels heavy, and continue choosing you through demanding seasons of life… they are part of the accomplishment too. So thank you to my man 🫶🏼🩷 Tag go to, your support system. And make sure they know how much they mean to you 😊 #GradSchool #GradStudentLife #SupportSystem #AcademicJourney #GraduateSchool

Working on my thesis has reminded me why I chose this field in the first place. My passion for ABA has only grown, and so has my heart for children with special needs and the families who love them. Every child deserves to be celebrated for who they are, and every parent deserves encouragement instead of judgment. I hope to be the kind of clinician who makes families feel supported, heard, and never alone. One of the things I love most about ABA is that our Ethics Code reminds us to lead with compassion, dignity, respect, and culturally responsive care. It’s not just about teaching skills—it’s about protecting our clients’ rights, honoring their individuality, partnering with families, and always acting in their best interest. That’s the kind of impact I hope to make every day. 🤍

What’s your why? Comment down below how you got into the field of SPED or ABA 👇

In ABA, behavior change doesn’t happen because we did something perfectly one time. It happens because we respond the same way over and over so behavior has a clear pattern to learn from. For parents, that might look like following through with the same expectation each day. For RBTs, it’s implementing programs the way they’re written even on tough days. For BCBAs, it’s coaching and adjusting interventions while staying committed to the process. For teachers, it’s reinforcing the small wins and keeping routines predictable. Behavior is shaped by patterns, not perfection. The small, consistent responses you give every day are what build communication, independence, and confidence over time. Consistency > perfection. Always. If you’re a parent, RBT, BCBA, or teacher trying your best today… you’re already doing more than you think. 💚 #ABA #AppliedBehaviorAnalysis #BehaviorAnalysis #SpecialEducation #BCBA

My classroom will always be a safe place. A place where my students never have to shrink themselves to fit in. A place where different is not just accepted, it is valued. In our room, overwhelmed is not defiant. Quiet is not disrespectful. Movement is not a problem to fix. We talk about feelings. We honor sensory needs. We build skills without taking away dignity. My classroom is home. A place they can land when the world feels too loud. A place where they are listened to, believed, and supported. I will always be someone who protects their autonomy, their voice, and their right to exist exactly as they are. And I will always be here to listen. 💛

Some of these hills were built from moments no one saw. From staying late “just five more minutes.” From holding it together all day… and breaking down in the car after 🚗💔 I’ve watched students be labeled instead of listened to. I’ve watched behaviors be punished instead of understood. I’ve watched families beg for support that should have never been a fight in the first place. And still — these kids show up every day. Trying. Trusting. Learning in systems that weren’t designed with them in mind 🧩 So yes, I’ll die on these hills. Because dignity should never be something a child has to earn 🫶 Because compliance is not the same as growth. Because an IEP is a promise — not paperwork 📄✍️ Because inclusion without support is just isolation with a different name. This work is heavy. It’s emotional. It’s exhausting. But it’s also sacred. And I will always choose compassion over convenience, ethics over ease, and students over systems — every single time 🌱 If this resonated, know you’re not alone. If this made you uncomfortable, sit with it. That discomfort is where change starts ✨

In ABA, different outcomes often happen because of extraneous variables—things outside your control like other people’s learning history, motivation, or competing contingencies. The good news? ABA gives us tools to navigate this: ✔️ Focus on your own behavior – you can control your actions, not theirs. ✔️ Define clear antecedents – structure situations to set yourself up for success. ✔️ Track consequences – notice which outcomes follow your actions and use that as data, not judgment. ✔️ Reinforce yourself – reward your behavior for staying consistent and values-driven. Life will always have variables you can’t control. The key is not letting them dictate your actions. Stay consistent, collect data, and keep showing up for yourself. Same behavior. Different consequences. Focus on your values. Control your behavior. 🧠💛📊 #ABA #AppliedBehaviorAnalysis #ExtraneousVariables #BehaviorIsContextual #Reinforcement

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A special thank you to my best friend Joey 🤍 Those who have been here since the beginning of this year know it hasn’t been the smoothest. Losing my uncle, who had special needs, was the hardest part of it all. I always said Joey and my uncle would have been best friends. Joey deserves a thank you not only for being an amazing supervision client, but for being my rock in ways he’ll never fully understand. His smile lights up the room, his laugh is contagious, and his hugs are genuinely healing. On days when everything felt like it was going wrong, I could come see Joey and leave with my face hurting from smiling so much. Like my uncle, Joey appreciates the little things and values quality time above all else. These are the values I want to carry with me into 2026. Slowing down, appreciating the small moments, and being grateful for everything in between. Thank you, Joey, for truly making my year 🤍 Shared with full permission from Joey’s mom. #GratefulHeart #ConnectionOverCompliance #SpecialNeedsCommunity #ABAWithHeart #QualityTimeMatters

Feeling sappy today

This is your sign to make learning messy today 🥪✨ My students worked on sequencing and adding detail by writing a recipe for how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and let me tell you…the steps were very interesting 😂 This lesson was such a good reminder that learning does not have to be perfect to be meaningful. When things did not go as planned, we talked about mistakes, reflected, and improved. After watching how their recipes played out the first time, they got to revise their steps and then enjoy some very yummy sandwiches. Huge thank you to @Christina🫶🏽 Learn Behavior🧠 for always reminding me that learning can be messy and that growth happens in the process 🤍 #MessyLearning #LearningThroughPlay #SequencingSkills #SpecialEducation #SpedLife

happiness is loving them as my own 🩷

Because teachers can do both 💅🍎 We can teach, lead, and shape lives — then step out and show confidence, creativity, and individuality. We’re professionals, but we’re also people who deserve to feel good, look good, and live fully. Here’s to the educators showing that balance, boundaries, and self-love never go out of style. Because yes… teachers can do both. 💚 #SheShapesBehavior #TeacherLife #ABAGradStudent #EducatorEnergy #TeacherBaddie

✨ I’ve been wearing my ring stack from @samewavetogether for months now, and I’m still obsessed! 💍 Founded by my friend Beth, Same Wave was inspired by her daughter’s brain waves — turning something so meaningful into beautiful, lasting jewelry that never tarnishes. It always looks shiny, stunning, and carries such a powerful message. 💜 Use my code SSB for 15% off + free shipping, and 10% of proceeds go to the Epilepsy Foundation of America. 🧠💫 This is your sign to snag some gorgeous jewelry and help spread awareness for an amazing cause. 💖 #SameWave #EpilepsyAwareness #BrainWavesToBeauty #SSBPartner #JewelryWithMeaning

👀 Do I have your attention? Let’s talk about how I can support YOU! 🩵 ✨ Behavior Breakdown Sessions – Personalized strategies to tackle challenging behaviors. ✨ IEP Advocacy – Navigate IEPs with confidence and clarity. ✨ Brand Partnerships – Collaborate with me to promote inclusion, wellness, and behavior analysis knowledge! Check out all my packages at www.sheshapesbehavior.com 💻 and don’t forget to explore my blog for tips, insights, and more! 📝 #ABA #BehaviorAnalysis #IEPAdvocacy #InclusionMatters #WellnessSupport

Two years ago today, I recorded this moment… getting into grad school. 🎓 I was terrified of rejection, questioning if I was enough, and yet there was this quiet pull in my heart telling me I belonged here. 💛 Looking back, I’m so grateful I captured it. Because now I can see how far I’ve come — the growth, the struggles, the late nights, the doubts — and how all of it shaped me into a stronger, better version of myself. I genuinely don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t take this leap🌱 To anyone out there who doubts themselves… I see you. That fear? That hesitation? It doesn’t mean you’re not ready. The world needs you, and the dream inside you exists for a reason. ✨ Take the steps. Make the mistakes. Keep going. You are capable of more than you’ll ever know. 💛 #ChaseYourDreams #FearIsNormal #BelieveInYourself #GradSchoolJourney #WomenSupportingWomen

When your friends show off on the court 🏀…I show up in the classroom 😎🧠 Helping kids regulate big emotions, stay calm, and get back on track 😤➡️😌 It’s not about quick fixes—it’s about understanding triggers, teaching coping skills, and supporting growth every day 📚💡 Seeing progress, big or small, is the real win 💖 #ABA #BehaviorAnalystLife #SpecialEdLife #MeltdownManager

📊💡 Data collection matters! The way we measure behavior—partial interval, whole interval, or momentary time sampling—can totally change the results we see 👀. Some methods may overestimate, some may underestimate, and some give a snapshot of what’s really happening! Which method do you use most in your practice? 📝✨ #ABA #BehaviorAnalysis #DataDriven #BehaviorMeasurement #PartialInterval

Some folks clearly skipped Pocahontas… because she literally said, “You think the only people who are people, are the people who look and think like you. But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew”. 💭 In ABA, this is more than a movie quote. It’s a call to action. If we only see value in the clients, families, or colleagues who share our worldview, we’re not practicing cultural humility or compassionate care. 🌎 Every individual’s learning history, culture, and perspective shape their behavior, and it’s our ethical responsibility to honor that. It’s not enough to teach skills — we have to listen, adapt, and meet people where they are. 🫶 #CompassionOverComfort #ListenAndLearn #CulturalResponsivity #EthicalABA

If you want to make the world a better place, start by looking within and making a change. For me, that change was becoming a special education teacher 💚 Watching my students grow and seeing their progress each year has been such a gift. I can’t wait to continue this journey as a behavior analyst in the future and make change at an even greater level 🌱 #SpecialEducation #MakingADifference #sheshapesbehavior

Right now, my Experimental Design class (aka the “toughest course in my program” from what I’ve been told) is definitely testing me. But we’ll get through it — one assignment, one study session, one cup of coffee at a time ☕📚. I want to know: what’s been your toughest course in grad school, or what class are you struggling with right now? Let’s commiserate together 😂 #GradSchoolLife #ABAGradStudent #SheShapesBehavior

When your student tells you to ‘shut up’ on their AAC device 😅👏 While it might not be the most polite phrase, all communication counts—and I genuinely appreciate them using their words to express themselves. Every attempt at communication is a win worth celebrating. 💬✨ #SpecialEdLife #AAC #CommunicationIsKey #TeacherHumor #CelebrateCommunication

🌙 I know I should be sleeping… but the voices in my head are just running through ABA strategies, special ed ideas, and classroom moments on loop 🤯📚🧩 That’s when you know you’re passionate about something — when it’s not just what you do, it’s what you love and breathe every single day 💛 #SheShapesBehavior #ABAGradStudent #SpecialEducationTeacher #BehaviorAnalysis #TeacherLife

Calling my middle school SPED friends 📞 Help a girl out!! 🩷

💬 It’s been a STRUGGLE getting my kiddos to bring their AAC devices this year. I always remind them that their devices aren’t just “things to carry around” — they’re their superpower 💥 for communicating needs, wants, and ideas. So when one of my students used their device independently during push-in time, you already know I had to say… CLOCK ITTTT! 🙌 #AAC #Inclusion #SpecialEd

✨Today’s To-Do List✨ ✅Pumpkin pie chai ☑️ Teach the kiddos ☑️ Be a silly goose ⬜ Grad school homework ⬜ Advocate for inclusion ⬜ Eat, shower, & SLEEP 😴 Still working through it… what’s on your to-do list today? 👀✨

✨ Before I ever give instruction, I focus on regulation first. ✨ That might look like handing a student a fidget, practicing a few deep breaths together, or sitting in the calm corner and exploring a choice board. There are so many ways we can help our clients and students regulate before we place demands. When we prioritize regulation, we set them up for success, connection, and real learning. 💜 ➡️ What are your go-to regulation strategies in the classroom or in sessions?