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Experience an exclusive, enriching, and transformative professional development opportunity with Dr. Mark Dixon and Dr. RuthAnne RehfeldtDAY 1
Dr. Ruth Anne Rehfeldt introduces the Wave Prosocial Curriculum, created in collaboration with Dr. Mark Dixon, and premiering in Seaside, Florida. The curriculum draws inspiration from the Prosocial movement, a growing collaboration between Contextual Behavior Science and Evolutionary Science, emphasizing that people thrive when they act within cooperative, value-driven communities. Dr. Rehfeldt highlights research showing that social connection is a fundamental human need and that loneliness—especially post-pandemic—has become a serious public health concern linked to poorer psychological and physical well-being.
She points out that individuals with developmental disabilities, particularly adolescents and young adults with autism, often face even greater challenges in forming social communities due to barriers in communication and flexibility. While Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has provided tools for teaching isolated social behaviors, it has lacked a contextual approach to cultivating real relationships. Many learners also struggle with rigid rule-following and social discomfort rooted in adverse experiences. The Wave Prosocial Curriculum seeks to bridge this gap by promoting behavioral flexibility, mindfulness, and values-based social behavior within natural community contexts.
Designed to help individuals learn prosocial skills in context, the curriculum integrates Acceptance and Commitment Training to nurture acceptance, awareness, and value-guided interactions. Participants are encouraged to engage in genuine, cooperative acts that strengthen their sense of belonging and shared purpose. Dr. Rehfeldt notes that Seaside, Florida—the launch site—is itself a model of prosocial design: a “New Urbanist” community built to promote social cohesion, cooperation, and well-being. It serves as the perfect backdrop for unveiling a curriculum devoted to building authentic, connected, and value-driven human communities.
Day 2
Dr. Mark R. Dixon will unveil the world premiere of his groundbreaking training on the Squares of Emotion in Seaside, FL. The setting could not be more fitting for a model that redefines how the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) conceptualizes, measures, and teaches emotion. Just as Seaside’s intentional architecture fosters harmony between people and environment, the Squares of Emotion brings structure and coherence to the emotional lives of learners, merging behavior science with the authentic human experience.
For decades, emotional learning programs in education and therapy have been dominated by slogans and sentiment—heavy on inspiration but light on science. Many commercially popular “emotional management or regulation” initiatives have promised emotional growth but delivered little measurable change, relying on role plays, memorized intraverbals, and worksheets rather than data-driven intervention. Or worse, a teaching approach that promotes certain emotional states, spaces, or circles are bad while others are good. ABA, in contrast, has been criticized for the opposite: rigorous methods but limited emotional detail and awareness. The Squares of Emotion corrects this divide. Rooted in Neuroscience and Acceptance and Commitment principles, it operationalizes emotional understanding as an observable, teachable, and empirically analyzable repertoire—without rejecting the complexity of human feeling.
This training will mark a pivotal moment in the evolution of ABA: a move toward scientific compassion, where joy, anger, calm, and worry all have a place within the four quadrants of emotional experience. Attendees will gain early access to the full framework, assessment tools, and implementation systems that bridge child, caregiver, and environment into a unified model of emotional development. To participate in this event is to witness—and contribute to—a historic shift of behavior analysis into the realm of emotion as behavior, not abstraction. Just as New Urbanism reshaped how we inhabit physical spaces, the Squares of Emotion will reshape how we understand, teach, and honor the emotional landscapes of human life in ABA practice.
Enrollment is limited to ensure an optimal learning experience.
Registration Fees
1 Day: $300
2 Days: $500
BCBA CEUs Included with registration
Registration
Secure your spot today for this exclusive event! Whether you attend one day or both, you will leave with valuable insights and practical strategies to advance your practice.
For more information, email: [email protected]
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
168 Smolian Cir, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459-0819, United States
Tickets
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