06/03/2026
Come hear Dr. Tyra Sellers's presentation on Mistakes Are Welcome: A Functional View of Some of Our Best Teachers at IABS' 6th Annual Self-Care Conference on June 13, 2026 from 10 am-1 pm Eastern
Mistakes are an inevitable part of both life and behavior analytic practice. In our profession’s rapidly evolving landscape, recognizing the transformative power of mistakes is a critical skill for our growth and wellbeing. Yet how they are framed, discussed, and responded to varies widely across individuals and work environments. In many settings, mistakes are treated as something to avoid, minimize, or conceal. These patterns are not neutral—they are shaped by environmental contingencies and often result in avoidance, reduced reporting, impaired decision-making, and increased stress. Over time, this can erode both quality of care and practitioner wellbeing.
When we reframe failures as learning opportunities, they can create an environment that encourages open dialogue, experimentation, and professional growth. This talk will explore the idea that we can leverage mistakes as catalysts for growth. This presentation approaches mistakes from a behavior analytic perspective, viewing them as observable events influenced by antecedents, skill repertoires, and consequences—not as indicators of personal failure. When examined functionally, mistakes can provide critical information about systems, training, and context.
We will explore how common responses to mistakes—such as blame, punishment, or silence—can suppress learning and contribute to burnout, while alternative approaches can foster openness, adaptability, and more effective practice. Drawing on behavior analytic principles, ethics, and research on learning and workplace culture, the session will highlight how mistakes can be used to improve care, strengthen professional repertoires, and support innovation. We will examine how workplace contingencies shape how mistakes are experienced and managed and how shifting the way we talk about and respond to mistakes can reduce unnecessary strain and support more sustainable engagement in the field. The goal is not to eliminate mistakes, but to actively use them more effectively—both to improve outcomes and to support the people doing the work.
ONLINE via Zoom
2 FREE BACB CEUs
Register here: https://endicott.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SoD-pIO_S1SSCpMfqb16BA
