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 These two BCBAs from Hickory Learning Group are smashing through outdated norms and calling out the BS in the field.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 23

    Episode 31: The Billion-Dollar Jackpot- Is the "Autism Industrial Complex" Facing a Reckoning?

    In this hard-hitting episode of the Rad N Bad Podcast, Sean Yocum and Mike Carrero dissect the explosive Wall Street Journal investigation that has sent shockwaves through the ABA industry: "The Boom in Autism Therapy Is Medicaid’s Fastest-Growing Jackpot." Sean and Mike pull back the curtain on a system they’ve long warned was "hollowing out." They tackle the "Gold Rush" in North Carolina and beyond, where private equity firms have allegedly traded clinical rigor for "capacity utilization" and "frozen marathons." From the $340,000-per-child billing scandals in Indiana to the "ghost supervision" of bloated caseloads, this is a "clinical autopsy" of a field at a breaking point. The duo doesn't stop at the headlines. They also analyze the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP)'s defensive response, questioning whether proposed "policy guardrails" are a genuine fix or a silent admission of systemic failure. Key highlights include: The 40-Year-Old Ghost: Why a 1987 study is still being used to justify 40-hour work weeks for toddlers. EBITDA vs. Outcomes: How the "strip and flip" private equity model creates "RBT factories." The Documentation Crisis: Why 99% of billing in some states is being flagged as "improper." The Exit Strategy: Why Sean and Mike believe a quality ABA model should plan for its own ending from Day 1. It’s time to stop chasing ghosts and start building a model that empowers families instead of billing for seat time. Let’s get radical.

    1h 21m

  2. MAR 18

    Episode 30- Beyond the Clinic Walls: Using Behavior Analysis in Marketing with Matt Harrington

    Welcome to the kickoff of our new series, Beyond the Clinic Walls, where we explore the raw, unpolished reality of applying ABA outside of traditional autism care. In this episode, we’re joined by Matt Harrington, BCBA and the engine behind an ABA-focused Digital Marketing Agency. Matt has taken our most lethal clinical tools—reinforcement schedules, stimulus control, and motivating operations—and turned them into a blueprint for shaping consumer behavior and scaling brands. We’re diving deep into: The Science of the Click: How to identify the "function" of why your customers are actually hitting that button. The Marketing SD: How to craft the perfect "call out" to ensure your audience raises their hand. Reinforcement Loops: Why marketing doesn’t end when the customer buys—it’s where the real behavior change begins. The "Florida Man" Factor: How understanding deprivation and environmental context (even during a hurricane) explains why people buy what they buy. If you’ve ever wondered how your clinical background translates to the digital marketplace, listen up. We’re done apologizing for how powerful this science actually is. Find Matt on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-harrington-bcba-8157b11b9/

    48 min

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

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
    44
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Sean Yocum and Michael Carrero from Hickory Learning Group
  • Show Website
    Rad N Bad Podcast

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