Episode 4: From Teaching to Health Coaching - Ali's Journey Supporting Women Through Infertility

Podcast Episode Show Notes

Join Sarah as she sits down with Ali, a BCBA and first cohort member of the Board-Approved Health Coaching Program. Ali shares her powerful journey from teaching kindergarten and first grade for eight years to becoming a BCBA, and now specializing in health coaching for women navigating infertility, IVF, and early motherhood.

Through vulnerable storytelling about her own fertility struggles, Ali reveals how she discovered her passion for supporting others through one of life's most challenging experiences. If you're a BCBA wondering how to apply behavior analysis outside traditional settings, or if you're curious about the intersection of ACT principles and reproductive health challenges, this episode offers both inspiration and practical insights into creating meaningful change in people's lives.

• How Ali transitioned from early childhood education to behavior analysis
• Her experience navigating infertility and the emotional toll of IVF
• The ways Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) shows up in health coaching
• What it means to reclaim joy and identity during early motherhood
• How Ali supports clients with compassion, self-love, and individualized care
• Insights from MindBodyBehavior's health coaching certification program
• How behavior analysis can be applied to deeply human, emotional journeys
• Why BCBA skills are valuable far beyond traditional settings

"I always felt kind of drawn to students who had some challenges with their behaviors and just kinda figuring them out... felt a strong connection with that."

"The more I learned, the more it's like things that I already do on a day-to-day basis as a teacher, but recognizing all the terminology that goes along with it."

"I took my BCBA exam when he was three weeks old. And I still to this day don't know how I did that."

"I have learned so much in such a condensed and short amount of time. I can't thank you enough. I feel like this is going to be truly life changing for me."

"I felt like I lost so much of myself and what brought me joy... to help other people find what was joyful to them before going through this."

"I wanna give people that control back in a way that's helpful to them... the permission to feel everything they need to feel and not be ashamed of it."

"This isn't about me. This is about my client and my client feeling like they're doing something for themselves at the end of it."

• MindBodyBehavior Board-Approved Health Coaching Program
• National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching certification
• ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) principles
• Choice Point Model
• Perfect Day activity for high school students
• Upcoming CEU: ACT and Infertility (August)
• Guest speakers: Bradley (health coaching), Tom (ACT Matrix presentation)
• Facebook support groups for infertility

• MindBodyBehavior Website
• BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD
• 32 CEU Board-Approved Health Coaching Program
• Amplify Building Business Program
• Email: sarah@mindbodybehaviorllc.com
• Social Media: @mindbodybehavioranalyst
• Ali's Coaching Services: alilacroix20@gmail.com

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