Rad N Bad Podcast

Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero from Hickory Learning Group
  • 5.0 (5)
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Rad N' Bad Podcast by Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero isn’t your average ABA podcast, it’s a full-blown wake-up call. These two BCBAs from Hickory Learning Group are smashing through outdated norms and calling out the BS in the field. No fluff, no sugar-coating, just raw, unfiltered truth about what ABA should be. They challenge you to think, question the “why,” and push past complacency. If you're ready to disrupt the status quo and make this field better for clients and practitioners alike, buckle up, Rad N' Bad is here to raise hell and raise standards.

  1. MAR 4

    Episode 29: Who the Hell is Attend Behavior? (And Why Your Parent Training is Still in the Stone Age)

    Welcome back to the Rad and Bad Podcast, the only show in ABA where we willingly jump into the wood chipper of industry nonsense to see what comes out the other side. Today, we’re asking the question: Who the hell is Attend Behavior? Sean Yocum is joined by Alan Fullbright, BCBA, to discuss why the field has spent the last decade tuning the "cup holders" of clinical data while the "engine" of caregiver support has been left to rot. For too long, parent training has been the "side dish" of ABA—a series of dry PDFs and awkward Tuesday-at-3-PM meetings that families are too burnt out to attend. Attend Behavior is the "hold my beer" response to that status quo. By digitizing the gold-standard Rubi parent training program, they’ve created a life raft for families drowning in behavioral chaos. In this episode, we kick open the hood on: The "Manual" vs. The "App": How Attend turned decades of research into bite-sized, "weaponized" modules that parents can actually use at 8:00 PM on a school night. The Scalability Crisis: Why the field can't produce enough clinicians to meet the demand, and why caregiver empowerment is the only way out. Monocles and Gatekeeping: A blunt look at the "BCBA superiority complex" and why we need to stop treating parents like they’re incompetent. The Death of "Train and Hope": Shifting the focus from clinical labor to caregiver leadership. If you’re ready to stop treating symptoms and start empowering the real agents of change, it’s time to find out who the hell Attend Behavior really is. https://home.attendbehavior.com/

    1h 4m

  2. FEB 23

    Episode 28: "Self-Care Cosplay" & the Tote Bag Hunger Games: Why Conferences Fail to Change Practice

    Live from NCABA 2026 in Winston-Salem, NC, Sean Yocum and Mike Carrero take the stage for the first-ever live recording of the Rad n Bad podcast. In an industry that prides itself on data and behavior change, the guys ask the uncomfortable question: Why do we spend millions of dollars on conferences and return to the clinic on Monday without changing a single thing? Sean and Mike strip away the "professional theater" and analyze the conference ecosystem through the lens of behavior analysis. They dive deep into: The Reinforcement Reality: Why the hallway is the "Super Bowl" of networking while the breakout rooms are just "intellectual cardio." Escape-Maintained Professionalism: Is your conference attendance a genuine pursuit of mastery, or just a high-end "escape from aversive stimuli" (like insurance paperwork and RBT call-outs)? The ROI of Vibes: Moving past participant satisfaction surveys to measure actual clinical outcomes and treatment integrity post-event. Hacking the System: How to shift from "Inspiration" to "Implementation" by redesigning CEUs around competency, follow-up, and measurable skill acquisition. This isn't a "trash session"—it’s a call to action. If behavior follows reinforcement, it’s time to stop reinforcing attendance and start reinforcing outcomes. Grab a drink, pull up a chair at the bar, and let's get into the contingencies of why we do what we do.

    55 min

  3. FEB 6

    Episode 27: Who the Hell is That? Cutting Through the Clinical Sludge with Rebecca Urbano Powell

    In this episode of the Rad n’ Bad Podcast, Sean and Mike scrape off the "clinical veneer" to expose the "metallic stench" of a field currently governed by the path of least resistance. They are joined by a true industry heavy hitter, Rebecca Urbano Powell, CEO of Seven Dimensions Behavioral Health and a veteran with 25 years in the trenches. The trio dives headfirst into the messy reality of 2026 ABA: where BCBAs have become "marionette puppets" for insurance funders and social media influencers. Rebecca breaks down why the "square peg, round hole" insurance model is failing families and why "good enough" data is actually a block of clinical sludge clogging client progress. From her roots in old-school darkroom photography to picking apart Medicaid misinformation for fun, Rebecca brings the fire. She challenges every clinician to stop hiding behind "standardized packages" and start investing in their own mastery. This isn't just a podcast episode; it’s a call to arms for providers to stop being customer service reps and start being scientists again. The Photography Pivot: How the science of developing film mirrors the creativity needed in behavior analysis. Insurance vs. Reality: Why "medically necessary" boxes are strangling individualized care. The Power of Parents: Why grassroots family advocacy is the only reason the field still has a pulse. The Profit Problem: A candid look at why prioritizing bottom lines over patient outcomes is ruining the science's reputation. The Seven Dimensions or Bust: If you aren’t adhering to the dimensions, you aren’t doing ABA—you’re just billing for it. "Learning shouldn't suck and punishment doesn't teach. I get to bring my fun and my humor into a scientific industry... why not?" — Rebecca Urbano Powell Connect with Rebecca on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-urbano-powell-bcba-380b523/

    1h 6m

  4. JAN 28

    Episode 26: No-Man’s Land — The Stereotypy Standoff

    The box of conversation is officially open. In this second installment of No-Man’s Land, Sean Yocum and Mike Carrero take on one of the most taboo subjects in ABA: Addressing and Treating Stereotypy. As always, the rules are rigid—no "it depends" and no using "nuance" as a shield. The coin flip decides their fate, and this week, Mike is forced to argue for the treatment of stereotypic behaviors, while Sean defends the right to stim. From "Quiet Hands" to "Bodily Autonomy," the guys trade verbal nukes over whether reducing repetitive behavior is a violation of human rights or a necessary gateway to independence and safety. Can they find a middle ground that respects neurodivergent identity while still expanding a learner’s access to the world? In this episode, we pressure test: Bodily Autonomy vs. Access to Learning: Is treating stereotypy "behavioral conversion therapy" or a prerequisite for functional communication? The "Vending Machine" vs. The "Jumper Cables": How do we differentiate between aesthetic "normalizing" and clinical safety? Contingency Design over Behavior Reduction: Why the "Old Way" of suppression is failing and how to reframe treatment as expanding choices rather than constraining them. Redefining Social Validity: Moving from "looking typical" to increasing the quality of life as defined by the learner and their community. Stay edgy. Stay bad. Analyze that behavior.

    32 min

  5. JAN 19

    Episode 25: No-Man’s Land — The Battle of the Skittles

    Welcome to the front lines of Season 2. Comfort has killed curiosity in this field, and Sean Yocum and Mike Carrero are officially done applauding mediocrity. In this high-stakes season premiere, the guys introduce their newest segment: No-Man’s Land. The rules are simple but brutal—the flip of a coin decides which side of a toxic topic you have to defend, and "it depends" is a forfeit. This week, the coin lands on one of the most polarizing practices in ABA: Food as Reinforcers. Mike wins the toss and forces Sean into the hot seat to argue for the use of edibles, while Mike takes the side of the critics. They strip away the clinical politeness to debate whether contingent food is a biological necessity for progress or just glorified "dog training" that strips away client dignity. Can they find a middle ground between the "Ultimate Motivator" and the "Vending Machine Effect," or is the gap too wide to bridge? In this episode, we dive into: The Biological Contract: Does food respect the Matching Law for learners with significant barriers? The Dependency Trap: What happens when the Skittles run out and the "jumper cables" are pulled? Social Validity vs. Clinical Efficiency: Are we conditioning the brain or just creating transactional compliance? The Middle Ground Verdict: How to transition from primary reinforcers to natural, social contingencies without "ripping the rug out" from under the learner. Stay edgy. Stay bad. Analyze that behavior.

    31 min

  6. TRAILER

    Rad N Bad: Season 2 Trailer-The Escalation

    Season 2 Trailer of what is to come on the Rad N Bad podcast....get ready for the escalation! www.radnbadpodcast.com

    9 min

  7. 12/29/2025

    Episode 24: The Spark, the Systems, and the Fire for Season 2

    In this Season 1 finale, host Sean Yocum strips away the "conference scripts" and polished professionalism to reflect on why Rad and Bad was created. This episode is a raw manifesto for the podcast’s mission: providing a voice for the "whispers in the hallways" of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Yocum acknowledges the community—from RBTs and clinicians to students and families—who have supported the show's unapologetic stance on the field's most uncomfortable truths. He clarifies that the podcast isn't born out of bitterness, but out of a deep love for the science of behavior analysis and a refusal to ignore its systemic flaws. Key highlights from the episode include: The Mission: Challenging the status quo on 40-hour RBT training, private equity in healthcare, and the tendency to prioritize billing efficiency over human outcomes. The "Underground" Movement: Reflections on the launch of the Underground Conference, aimed at providing real tools and "no b******t" CEUs. A Call for Accountability: A commitment to never protect failing systems at the expense of people or confuse tradition with evidence. Season 2 Preview: An "escalation" of the conversation, promising bolder, sharper, and more interdisciplinary discussions to help rebuild the field "with the lights on." Systems Over Symptoms: Focusing on why burnout and clinical failures happen at a structural level. People Over Palatability: Refusing to water down truths to appease the "status quo." Compassion Over Compliance: Shifting the ethical conversation from checking boxes to genuine care.

    9 min

  8. 12/19/2025

    Episode 23: Do As I Say, Not As I Do: The BACB’s Punishment Problem

    In this episode of Rad N' Bad, Sean Yocum critically analyzes the Behavior Analyst Certification Board's (BACB) disciplinary process, highlighting its hypocrisy and emotional toll on behavior analysts. He cites "Ethical and Regulatory Investigations in ABA: A Qualitative Analysis of Practitioner Responses and Outcomes (Voulgarakis, 2025)He discusses the profound impact on early career practitioners and the organizational failures within the BACB. The episode concludes with proposed solutions aimed at creating a more compassionate and effective disciplinary system. References: Voulgarakis, H.M. Ethical and Regulatory Investigations in ABA: A Qualitative Analysis of Practitioner Responses and Outcomes. Behav Analysis Practice (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01134-0

    18 min
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Ratings & Reviews

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About

The Rad N' Bad Podcast by Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero isn’t your average ABA podcast, it’s a full-blown wake-up call. These two BCBAs from Hickory Learning Group are smashing through outdated norms and calling out the BS in the field. No fluff, no sugar-coating, just raw, unfiltered truth about what ABA should be. They challenge you to think, question the “why,” and push past complacency. If you're ready to disrupt the status quo and make this field better for clients and practitioners alike, buckle up, Rad N' Bad is here to raise hell and raise standards.

Information

  • Creator
    Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero from Hickory Learning Group
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero from Hickory Learning Group
  • Show Website
    Rad N Bad Podcast