An Aspiring Behaviourist
My name is Ushmeet Deol. I’m a Behaviour Analyst with a passion for parent training. I have been working with children for over 10 years and I absolutely love it!
I realized my passion of working with children during my undergraduate degree from Toronto Metropolitan University (previously known as Ryerson University) in Early Childhood Education. It’s where I first learned how to do simple things like changing a diaper to very difficult things, like talking to parents when I suspect a developmental delay.
In the early days of my career, I worked in various childcares and enjoyed the work quite a lot. At that time, inclusivity was a fairly new concept and we started to see more and more children with disabilities within the classrooms.
I noticed myself working to advocate for children with disabilities, to ensure they were being treated fairly and ethically in classrooms. I wanted to ensure that children with disabilities were getting the same opportunities that their typically developing peers received. Over the years as I gained more experience in working with children with disabilities, I realized that’s the route I want to take for my career.
I switched from working in a childcare settings to supporting various child care to ensure inclusivity in each classroom. Then I discovered the world of behaviour therapy.
Behaviour therapy fascinated me. I’d always been fascinated when learning about Pavlov’s experiments and specifically, by B.F. Skinner’s work. This is when I applied for my first position as an instructor therapist, where I was working with children from ages 2-9. I loved it. It was as if I had found my calling and this is what I was meant to do for the rest of my life.
Now, I’m a behaviour therapist at an amazing organization in Toronto, Canada. I have a Masters in Applied Disability Studies at Brock University, specializing in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). I recently became a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst in 2023!
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to support people with different needs, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Cerebral Palsy, muscle atrophy, etc., My career focus has been mainly on working with children with ASD and dual diagnoses, however I have some experience working with adults with ASD and dual diagnosis. I have worked in many organizations, in different roles, where I have supported people with ASD using ABA techniques and principles.