Behavioral Assistants Really Cool Tool

I work as a behavioral assistant for a company based out of Hammonton. My job is to correct youth’s behavior ranging from ages 4 to 18. I work with children and adolescence with behavior issues that come from all points of the spectrum. These behaviors could be things such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, learning disorders, kids who become physical with others, or kids who need to be taught life skills for their own good. Many people propose that putting myself in a situation like this may become dangerous or perhaps nerve wrecking when faced with danger. Since I am in these families houses, I need to know what I am doing at every given moment just in case a kid were to lash out at me. You have to keep in mind that these are kids with behavioral issues and are capable to do anything at any given time. One of the most important tools that I can use when faced with a difficult or hostile situation, is not only being able to diffuse the situation, but also recognizing the significance in mirror neurons. These neurons can be defined as “ neurons in the premotor area of the monkey’s cortex that responds when the monkey grasps an object and also when the monkey observes someone else (another monkey or the experimenter) grasping the object” (Goldstein, 168).  In simpler terms, this gives meaning to the saying “monkey see, monkey do”.  When research was done on the monkey, the same brain activity was recorded for when the monkey was completing a task as well as when the monkey was watching someone else complete the same task. By this point someone may wonder what this has to do with my job as a behavioral assistant. My answer to that is exactly what I said before “monkey see, monkey do”. When I come to a situation when a family member or child is becoming aggressive, my best bet is to remain considerably calm, cool, and collective. I do not show any aggression or aggravation because that will fuse the situation. When I remain calm, it sets the stage for how everyone else should act and “mirror” my demeanor. “Consider what is happening when a mirror neuron fires in response to seeing someone else perform an action. This firing provides information about the characteristics of the action because the neuron’s response is watching someone else perform the action is the same as the response that occurs when the observer performs the action” (168).  Mirror neurons do not contribute to the emotional aspect of the situation, but it seems to make a difference with body language. If I am sitting a certain way and talking to my client’s, my client’s will be most likely to change their seating position to mine or something similar. “The function of the mirror neurons might be to help understand another person’s actions and react appropriately to them (Rizzolatti & Arbib,1998). This not only works with dealing with frustrated and children that may be potentially violent, but this can work with anyone, boyfriend, girlfriend, angry mother in law, or even brothers and sisters. The key to making a positive difference in a disagreement, is adjusting your body language, body position (not crossing your arms or legs, not keeping your shoulders square, relatively keeping your body open so it may seem as though your open to the person’s ideas and opinions), and remaining calm. Great tip to practice and use!