Meet Kendra, Sarah's right-hand woman and co-instructor for MindBodyBehavior's National Board Health Coaching Program.
From working in residential facilities with high-risk behaviors to coaching veterans and teaching motivational interviewing to National Guard leaders, Kendra’s career shows just how diverse an ABA path can be.
Plus, get behind-the-scenes insights into their health coaching program—and learn why “just telling people what to do” isn’t actually coaching.
In This Episode, Sarah and Kendra Discuss:
How a Facebook tag led to their partnership and co-teaching journey
Kendra’s transition from traditional ABA to nutrition and health coaching
Her personal story of healing from hormonal imbalances
Supporting veterans through Mission 22 and National Guard programs
Teaching motivational interviewing to military leadership
The behavioral science behind grocery shopping
The real difference between coaching and consulting
Setting boundaries and building a flexible career in behavior analysis
Watching students develop their own unique coaching voices
Common myths about what health coaching is (and isn’t)
Guest Information:
Kendra – BCBA, Board Certified Health Coach, Co-Instructor of the MindBodyBehavior Health Coaching Program
Master's in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine
Certified Personal Trainer and Yoga Instructor
Veteran support through Mission 22 nonprofit
Motivational Interviewing Instructor for National Guard
Quotes From This Episode:
"I learned for myself—and I believe this truly for everyone else—that food can be medicine."
"By the end of it, complete buy-in. A completely different way to talk to individuals... we're all humans."
"There's not a great understanding of what coaching is. Why would I hire a coach, right? Unless you've actually experienced it."
"Think about how, if you broke [grocery shopping] down into every single step of a task analysis, there's so much that goes into that."
"The journey is part of the coaching... it’s just a very different aspect of helping somebody get to the place where they want to be."
Key Insights:
Multiple Certifications Work: Sarah and Kendra both tried two coaching programs before landing on board-approved options
MI Skills Transfer: Motivational interviewing strengthens communication in traditional ABA settings
Diverse Career Paths: ABA professionals are now coaching in wellness, military, and corporate sectors
Coaching vs. Consulting: Coaching is about guiding a process—not handing over a plan
Flexibility Matters: Once you’ve worked on your own terms, it’s hard to go back
Resources Mentioned:
Mission 22 (nonprofit for veterans)
National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC)
Motivational Interviewing training
MindBodyBehavior Health Coaching Program
LinkedIn for exploring job opportunities in coaching
Connect With Us:
MindBodyBehavior Website
BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD
32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program
Amplify Building Business Program
Email: sarah@mindbodybehaviorllc.com
Social Media: @mindbodybehavioranalyst
Next Episode Preview:
Coming up: Sarah interviews a current supervisee earning BCBA hours while working at a health coaching agency—proof that you don’t have to start your own business to thrive in this space.
Interested in health coaching? Reach out to Sarah or Kendra for a conversation about whether this path might be right for you. As Kendra says, they’ll "talk and talk and talk" until you have everything you need.
Hashtags:
#ABARedefined #HealthCoaching #BehaviorAnalysis #BCBA #Veterans #MotivationalInterviewing #MindBodyBehavior #NationalBoard #FunctionalMedicine #Nutrition #BCBASupervision #CareerChange