Welcome to Behave Yourself
Behave Yourself aims to help humans overcome their personal struggles and take more effective action in the world - whether it’s overcoming trauma, building healthier relationships, or changing the larger systems that affect us all.
My name is Sarah - I’m a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a socially certified weirdo. The science of behavior analysis took me from watching my life happen around me to actively and meaningfully participating in it. In other words, it helped me get my shit together. At least enough that I am here creating this website right now! (Trust me, past Sarah could never get this far). My goal is to give as many people as possible knowledge about how humans think, feel, learn, and behave. Because if we want to create a society that works for people, we need to understand how people work.
By offering educational resources, Behave Yourself empowers people to overcome personal challenges, live happier, healthier, and more meaningful lives, and contribute positively to society. Also, there will be so many Simpsons references. Excelsior!
Story & Cred
I earned my Master’s degree in psychology from New York University in 2009 and a Master’s in education from St. John’s University in 2012. In 2017 I completed my graduate coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis and earned my board certification and state licensure. I have been practicing as an Applied Behavior Analyst in public schools since then, working primarily with student populations experiencing trauma. I use Functional Contextualism (FC) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to inform and guide my practice.
Then
I experienced early childhood disruption when I was taken from my mother to be raised by other, unfamiliar members of my at around the age of 4 or 5. There is not space to fit the whole story here, but this was not a consensual move. I spent years believing the lie that I was “just visiting” before I eventually came to believe that my mother had chosen to get rid of me. While I was lucky to have a physically secure upbringing, it was not a happy childhood. I experienced multiple forms of abuse from a variety of adults, and I am currently in a no-contact situation with some of my primary caregivers. In my experience, I was torn from everyone I knew and loved, only to be treated with cruelty and control. These early experiences left me with a repertoire of very unhelpful behaviors, which became increasingly evident once I left school and joined the workforce. I unwittingly built my life in service of avoiding my difficult memories and emotions. I tried almost everything I could to find happiness or at least escape my despair. Still, it wasn’t until I stumbled into behavior analysis and eventually ACT that I was able to gain control of my life and start experiencing meaning and joy for the first time.
Now
Like many, the COVID-19 pandemic forced me to examine myself and my approach to life. But unlike most, I already had a good working framework for understanding my own behavior - the science of behavior analysis. I eventually came to embrace the scientific philosophy of functional contextualism and began utilizing the psychological flexibility framework to establish a new relationship with my mind. I am, in very measurable ways, a much more effective life-liver. The days of being unable to get out of bed due to dread and overwhelm are behind me. I no longer spend my mornings throwing up from extreme anxiety. While I previously lived just on the edge of full-blown alcoholism, I can now enjoy substances mindfully and in moderation. And while I in no way look down on psychiatric medications or those who use them, I no longer need them. I am, for the first time, building my life for something. I no longer live my life in service of avoiding my own pain, and it has opened up my world in ways I never imagined. In my darkest moments, when I wished to be free of the suffering that defined my every waking moment, I could not envision the life I live today. I have meaning, purpose, peace, and freedom. And I will never look back.
Very Important Cat Photos
My dearly departed Weegee, who left this Earth far too soon in 2014.
My dearly departed Walter, who left this Earth far too soon in 2024.
Perry, sister of Walter, still of this mortal coil.
Pumpernickel, adopted sister of Walter & Perry, still of this mortal coil.