I'm a bio-behavioral health specialist who believes kids deserve to be treated as whole people.
Hi, i'm alex!
When you only address one part of health, you only get partial results.
For over a decade, I worked for an L.A.-based non-profit as a behavioral therapist for children. My practice was immersive, incorporating the children’s families, teachers, and their entire support systems. We worked together in their schools, homes, social groups, and even summer camps. I loved it! But I realized a major piece of care was missing.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) remain the go-to frameworks to address kids' behavioral issues. But these methods overlook major reasons why my clients thought, felt, and acted the way they did.
the old way just isn't cutting it
We now know scientifically what we’ve known instinctively for generations.
physiology affects how we think, feel, and act. this goes for kids, too.
What kids eat, how they sleep, the environmental toxins they're exposed to, and a host of other factors matter just as much as--or more than!--what kids get in ABA & CBT care plans. These elements make up the foundational terrain of kids' lives. I knew I couldn't just ignore them.
So I went back to school and got my degree in bio-behavioral health. That's the study of how psychology and biology interact to create our overall picture of health. Much of my research focused on the effects of environmental toxins exposures on children and their behavior, an area that is far under-explored.
What I've found, again and again, in research and practice: everything is connected.
I created MindBody Parents for the parent like you, who refuses to be complacent. In a world that entices us with quick-fixes, choosing to look at your whole child and consider the root causes of their behavior is a brave thing to do. It takes commitment, but it's so worth it. And I promise I can make it easier.
Welcome to your hub for raising a healthy, resilient, centered child. This is where you come for resources on how to recognize exactly what your kid needs. I bring together behavioral therapy, positive psychology, and functional nutrition. So your kid can stay centered and live vibrantly in today's world.
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some truths i've learned:
Everything is Connected
diet affects kids' hormones, which affects their behavior.
environmental toxins disrupt biological development. many are avoidable.
our brains are wired to learn through play. leverage this to your advantage.
there's no such thing as giving too much attention for neutral & positive behaviors.
it's a bit counterintuitive, but kids actually crave boundaries.
next steps
“Alex and I worked side-by-side as behavioral therapists for nearly 10 years. His approach to both individual clients and families is gentle, sincere, educated, and thoughtful. He contains an infinite supply of patience and compassion required to help clients meet their individual goals and needs.”
"I worked with Alex as a behaviorist and social skills group facilitator. I found him to be deeply kind and endlessly patient with a strong understanding of how children think and feel. Alex seamlessly speaks the language of children."
My child has an ADHD diagnosis. Is this for us?
Absolutely! The same principles of looking to root causes applies, whether or not a person is diagnosed or diagnosable. Diagnoses can be useful when they help us understand kids' needs in order to get them useful resources. But if exploring our children's lived experience stops there, we can't address underlying factors and take informed action. I help you address the reasons your kid struggles to focus so you can support the future you want for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you saying you're going to fix my kid?
I actually get this one a lot. I don’t see people as broken. We’re all doing the best we can. We all face challenging circumstances that shape who we are. I specialize in identifying the challenges that negatively impact development and in finding the ways to bolster positive traits.
Why's it called "MindBody Parents"?
MindBody Parents gives caregivers what they need to understand the interaction between their kids’ minds and bodies. We're constantly learning how physical factors in the world impact how we think, feel, and act. We're also constantly learning more about how the way we think, feel, and act impact our physiological health. The mind and the body are intricately linked, and any comprehensive plan that’s moving you and your family toward health and happiness has to consider both.