Behaviour Speak with Ben Reiman
Behaviour Speak with Ben Reiman
Ben Reiman
Beyond Compliance: Constructional Exposure Therapy, Psychosis, OCD, and Changing Healthcare
1 hour 12 minutes Posted Jul 7, 2026 at 9:04 pm.
Introduction to Katie Gibson’s Journey in ABA
Transitioning from Traditional ABA to Complex Behavior Programs
Understanding the Constructional Approach
Exploring Psychosis and Delusional Behaviors
Case Study: Addressing Psychosis in a Young Patient
Collaboration with Mental Health Professionals
Introduction to Constructional Exposure Therapy (CET)
Case Study: Implementing CET for OCD
Building Systems Alongside CET
Addressing Severe Problem Behaviors in Medical Settings
Implementing CET in Clinical Settings
Nurse Champions: Transforming Patient Interactions
Family Involvement in CET: Real-World Applications
Addressing Health Routines with CET
Future Directions for CET and Constructional Approaches
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Show notes
What if severe behaviour isn't something to eliminate—but evidence that important skills or opportunities are missing?
Katie Gibson joins Behaviour Speak to explore the Constructional Approach, an increasingly influential framework developed from Israel Goldiamond's work and expanded through Nonlinear Contingency Analysis.
Rather than asking how to stop behaviour, Katie explains how clinicians can identify the repertoires that are absent and build those instead. The result is often that severe behaviour decreases naturally, without ever directly targeting it.
Throughout the conversation, Katie shares powerful real-world examples from her work in hospitals and complex behaviour programs.
She explains how a teenager experiencing psychosis wasn't treated by challenging his delusions, but by helping him build friendships and social skills that ultimately made those behaviours unnecessary.
She also describes Constructional Exposure Therapy, showing how children with severe needle phobia, OCD, and medical trauma can safely participate in healthcare without restraint while maintaining assent and dignity.
The discussion extends into collaboration with psychiatry, nursing, families, and healthcare systems, demonstrating how behaviour analysis can improve patient care far beyond traditional autism services.
This episode offers practical ideas alongside a broader philosophical shift that challenges many long-held assumptions within behaviour analysis.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UEwEJeOqtfo
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Links
Find articles and resources on The Constructional Approach Website!
https://theconstructionalapproach.com/
Related Behaviour Speak Episodes
Special Series On The Constructional Approach
https://www.behaviourspeak.com/category/constructional-behaviour-analysis