Supervision Stories: How Lindsay Milnes Built Confidence, Found Her Niche, and Applied ABA to Herself
We’re thrilled to launch a new series on the In the Field podcast, Supervision Stories, where we sit down with student analysts, supervisors, and new BCBAs to share real experiences from the field.
These are the stories we don’t always hear in textbooks: the messy, creative, and deeply personal journeys that shape who we become as behavior analysts.
To kick off the series, I spoke with Lindsay Milnes, a newly certified BCBA who took a truly values-aligned approach to her supervision experience. From managing low client hours to using ACT principles in her own life, Lindsay carved a path that was both personalized and practical.
From Stumbling Into ABA to Taking the Lead
Like many of us, Lindsay started in ABA almost by accident, finding a job as a therapist during her psychology undergrad. But it didn’t take long before she was hooked by the progress she saw in her learners.
When it came time to find a supervisor, she didn’t just look for credentials, she looked for a connection. Lindsay chose someone who shared her passion for health and wellness and could support her growth not just in skills, but in confidence.
“I just wanted to find someone who had a similar personality to me... someone I could bounce ideas off and just build my confidence.”
Turning Downtime Into Unrestricted Opportunities
At one point in her supervision journey, Lindsay was only logging 40–60 hours per month due to client scheduling challenges. Instead of waiting for more hours to fall into her lap, she got strategic.
She reached out to a second supervisor in the health and wellness space, launched a Healthy Habits group, and started applying ABA to her own goals, like increasing water intake, exercising regularly, and managing her study schedule. Her self-management projects became powerful sources of learning.
“I started using behavior momentum on myself... doing small, easy steps first to build toward harder tasks like working out.”
From Supervisee to Mentor
After certification, Lindsay didn’t stop. She created a mentorship group and bootcamp for trainees and early-career professionals interested in behavior change within health and wellness.
Participants in the group design behavior intervention plans focused on personal health goals, build fluency with generalization and maintenance strategies, and gain practice connecting ABA principles to real-life routines.
“This group is all about applying the principles to yourself first. It helps trainees see how these concepts extend far beyond a clinical setting.”
Lessons for Trainees
Lindsay’s biggest advice?
🧠 Be intentional about your time.
🧘 Prioritize your health—physical and mental.
💡 Don’t wait for someone to hand you the perfect supervision experience. Build it.
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