Alexandra Kellas expands ABA access through Changing Tides Behavioral Therapy

Alexandra Kellas, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in Yorktown, Virginia, is growing Changing Tides Behavioral Therapy from an in-home ABA practice into a clinic serving children and families across the region. Her work highlights how applied behavior analysis is moving beyond traditional autism services into broader community settings.

Why it matters: - Alexandra Kellas is building more local access to applied behavior analysis services for children and families in Virginia. - Changing Tides Behavioral Therapy is also pushing ABA into broader settings, including sports, camps, clubs, and enrichment programs. - Kellas says that expansion could create more inclusive opportunities for children of all abilities to learn and connect.

What happened: - Kellas, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA, founded Changing Tides Behavioral Therapy in Yorktown, Virginia. - Her career path shifted after an internship at an ABA clinic while she studied speech-language pathology at Old Dominion University. - She later worked as a Registered Behavior Technician, earned a Master of Education in Applied Behavior Analysis from George Mason University, and became a BCBA in 2020. - In 2022, Kellas started in-home ABA services. - In March 2024, she opened the Changing Tides Behavioral Therapy clinic in Yorktown. - The clinic quickly outgrew its original space. - Kellas was spotlighted by Influential Women. - More information is available through her profile and the company website.

The details: - Kellas oversees day-to-day business operations, including insurance, billing, scheduling, and team development. - She also works on clinical programming and family support initiatives. - Her leadership focus includes mentoring staff and building a workplace culture around teamwork, transparency, and professional growth. - Kellas credits the business’s growth to a team that supports one another and steps in when needed. - She says the organization has seen positive changes in the children and families it serves. - Kellas and her team try to finish the workday around 4:15 to help staff decompress. - The team also uses outside-of-work activities and routine changes to keep the workplace engaging. - Kellas believes ABA can be applied beyond insurance-based autism services. - She sees uses for ABA in adult services, criminal justice, prisons, psychiatric units, business management, human resources, and substance abuse treatment. - Kellas is a member of Virginia Applied Behavior Analysis and APBA. - Her background includes a Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Old Dominion University. - Kellas is also a mother of two and says family support helps her balance work and caregiving.

Between the lines: - Kellas is arguing for a broader definition of ABA at a time when many people still associate the field primarily with pediatric autism care. - Her emphasis on empathy, honesty, initiative, and flexibility suggests she sees staff culture as part of service quality, not just internal management. - The clinic’s early growth signals demand for behavioral services in the region, but Kellas also frames the challenge as retaining staff and protecting work-life balance. - Her comments point to a profession that can be both clinically demanding and operationally fragile without strong team support.

What's next: - Kellas plans to keep expanding opportunities for inclusive sports, social clubs, summer camps, and enrichment programs. - She wants children of all abilities to have more chances to participate together in community settings. - She also intends to keep developing Changing Tides Behavioral Therapy as a team-centered practice while exploring wider applications for ABA.