Let’s be real for a second—the kind of real that doesn’t usually make it into the professional development slides or the district-wide email blast.

We spend our days living in the land of LREs, BIPs, and three-year re-evals. We are trained to be the calmest person in the room. We’re the “behavior whisperers” who can look at a level-four meltdown and think, “Ah, a clear escape-maintained topography with a side of sensory seeking.” But behind the badge? Sometimes, we are just one more “Teacher Work Day” or “Unexpected Fire Drill” away from a total system override.

The “Ice Cream” Moments

You know the ones. It’s the first time a student uses their communication device to ask for a break instead of flipping a desk. It’s the data path that finally, finally trends downward after three weeks of “it gets worse before it gets better.” It’s the “Aha!” moment on a teacher’s face when they realize the intervention actually works. It’s the student who finally makes a friend at inclusion recess.

Now those…those are the Ice Creams. They are sweet, they are the reward for the hard work, and they remind us why we fell in love with the science of human behavior in the first place.

The “Cuss Word” Moments

But then… there are the other moments.
* The moment a fire drill goes off right as you’re mid-observation for a high-magnitude behavior.
* The 7:30 AM IEP meeting where the tension is so thick you could cut it with a pair of primary-school safety scissors.
* The burnout that hits when your walkie goes off for the umpteenth time before lunch, and you still haven’t touched the two FBAs due this week.

And those, my friends, are the Cuss Words. They’re the raw, gritty, “holy #&%!” parts of the job that we don’t always talk about during PLC meetings.

Why We’re Here (and Why You’re Here)

We started Ice Cream and Cuss Words because I realized that as BCBAs, we often feel like we have to be “on” 100% of the time. We feel like we have to be the walking embodiment of a task list or token board. But being a scientist shouldn’t mean you have to stop being a human.

I want this to be the place where you can take the “Clinical Mask” off.
* If you’ve ever had to hide in the Sensory Room for five minutes just to breathe? You’re at home here.
* If you’ve ever celebrated a successful transition to the cafeteria with a literal happy dance? You’re at home here.

Let’s Talk Shop (The Real Kind)

This isn’t just a blog; it’s a digital staff lounge. We’re going to give you the evidence-based strategies – “The Scoop” – but we’re also going to give you the “Real Talk” about surviving the school year with your sanity intact and the tools that actually save our sanity.
So, pull up a chair. Grab a tub of Ben & Jerry’s  (or a stiff drink—no judgment). Let’s talk about the science, the struggle, and everything in between. What was your biggest “Cuss Word” moment this week? Drop it in the comments (symbols allowed!). Let’s get it out of our systems so we can get back to the Ice Cream.

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