My life as a Registered Behavior Technician

Once I moved to Hawaii, I applied at Target, Home Depot, ACE, Starbucks, and Safeway. When Target wasn't banging down my door, I debated updating my bartending resume. Then I saw an advertisement for Maluhia ABA on Facebook Marketplace Jobs. Yes, Facebook Marketplace. Who knew?

I wasn't exactly sure what the job entailed, but the pay was very appealing. I filled out the application. A few days later Kristen contacted me to set up a telephone interview.

I googled ABA which stands for applied behavior analysis. Ok, great. I can finally utilize my Bachelor's in Psychology.

I loved Kristen from the moment I saw her face. Her first question was, "So, you used to be a lawyer? And now you want to work with people with autism?"

I laughed. "I have been an unhappy lawyer for a long time. I always dreamed about quitting my job and moving to Hawaii. Then in July of 2020, I got COVID, and I got really sick. I thought, what am I waiting for? My sister had just had a baby, so I quit my job and sold everything and moved to Hawaii."

Kristen said she understood. One of her current employees was a former pharmacist. He hated being a pharmacist.

Kristen didn't sugar coat things. She said, "You know, Amanda, this job is hard too, but it's hard in a different way."

I understood what she meant. Human services jobs are hard. You're using your energy in a different way. I was upfront with Kristen. I told her I had an application pending with the Post Office, and if I was hired there, I'd take that job.

Kristen said I needed to do 40 hours of training modules and then take a test to gain my "Registered Behavior Technician" certification. I started the modules the following day. A few weeks later, I passed the test.

Next, Kristen invited me into the office to observe her staff working with their clients. Her employees were young, but competent. They were each sitting with their clients and working on tasks and behaviors. I was impressed.

Kristen sent me out to meet the two clients I'd be working with and their current RBT. Both of these clients received services in their homes, which were a 20 and 30 minute drive from town, so I would need to commute each day. I also wouldn't be in the office with the other girls. I felt some trepidation about this, but I wanted the job.

Then, the Post Office emailed. Training started the following Wednesday. I texted Kristen and let her know. She told me she understood and wished me good luck.

I knew USPS would be physically demanding. My mom worked there. I looked forward to a physically challenging job where I didn't have to think too hard.

Physically demanding is an understatement. On my second day I walked 30,000 steps. I tried to calculate how many pounds of mail I lifted and dumped and pushed around on a 150 pound cart, but we only weighed the mail we shipped at the end of the day. I never saw the totals of the incoming mail or Amazon packages. My best conservative guess, I moved thousands of pounds of mail.

I thought back to my days as a power lifter. I heard my dad's voice, "Lift with your legs." I visualized the kelly green and almond white walls of our sweaty weight room with the huge tape-playing-stereo. With each bag of mail, I squatted down until my legs hit 90, and I power cleaned bag after bag of that mail up and dumped it into a giant rolling hamper. At the end of the day, I was covered in black ink. It went through my shirt. It permeated my nail beds.

Most days, I went to work from 4:00 am until 4:00 pm. A few times, the mail was "light" and they let us leave early. I calculated the overtime in my head. I visualized my future thin and muscular body. I ignored the numbness in the top of my clubbed foot. I came home and rested my aching body. At night, I dreamed of unwrapping the metal clips on the mail bags.

By the 9th day, I was depressed. On lunch breaks, I would look across the airfield and see all the cars driving to the beach. I wished I was there too. I remembered this feeling. This was not why I moved to Hawaii. I texted Kristen. "This Post Office job is not working out. Can I come back and work for you?"

"Of course!" she replied. "It will take me a while to find you a client."

The following morning I quit at the Post Office. My supervisor said, but you're doing so good. I know, I said, but it's too hard.

A week later, I met Kristen and a potential client and his family at Carlsmith Beach. I arrived in shorts and a t-shirt. Kristen and all of her staff were swimming with the clients. I felt like a total idiot.

The client was afraid. We all tried our best to coax him into the calm turquoise water. In his defense, entering this part of ocean is kind of odd. You walk in over lava rock instead of sand. I got into the water in my clothes and smiled and held my arms up to him.

I started with my first client with Maluhia ABA in February of 2021. It has been one of the best decisions I ever made. At first I chose Maluhia for the paycheck. I stayed out of respect and admiration for Kristen and the company she has created.

Kristen is one of the most unique bosses I have ever had. A true teacher at heart, she does not do shame, judgment, or condemnation. Always teaching. Always moving forward. She has created a team of joyful, creative, and hardworking behavior therapists.

I love going to work. Fun is one of Kristen's motto's. If you're not having fun, they're not having fun, she says.

Every day one of the clients make me smile. I love seeing the growth and change. It sounds trite, but I have learned more from the tools we use with our clients. I have incorporated some of these applications into my own life.

My original client loves to reminisce. He says, "Do you remember the beach?"

He's referring to the first time we met. I smile and tell him I do. "Did I get into the water?" he asks?

"No, you didn't," I say, "but you do now!"

"Now I put my head under the water," he says proudly.

He does. I easily have 3 hours video of him swimming on my iPhone and thousands other pictures of him reaching milestones. Each picture is amazing. It tells a story of how far we've all come together.

Looking forward to tomorrow's great adventure!