The article "Affirming Neurodiversity within Applied Behavior Analysis" by Sneha Kohli Mathur, Ellie Renz, and Jonathan Tarbox addresses the growing criticism of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from the autistic community. The authors emphasize the importance of listening to and valuing the expertise of autistic individuals, who have unparalleled knowledge of their own lives and communities. They argue that concerns raised by the autistic community should not be dismissed due to the speaker's identity or professional credentials. The concept of neurodiversity is introduced as a framework to help ABA providers collaborate more effectively with autistic clients and stakeholders. The article discusses the social model of disability and the neurodiversity paradigm, highlighting how these concepts can guide ABA practices. It outlines key criticisms from autistic self-advocates, including the ethical goal of erasing autistic identity, overreliance on compliance, reduction of autistic people to overt behaviors, and the absence of autistic voices in research and practice. Practical guidance is provided to help ABA practitioners address these criticisms, such as centering autistic voices in research and practice, adopting trauma-informed care, and incorporating compassion into ABA procedures. The authors conclude that by openly acknowledging and addressing these criticisms, ABA can take practical steps towards a profession and society that more fully embrace inclusion. They emphasize the importance of ethical and humane support for autistic individuals, aligning ABA practices with the values of neurodiversity to improve research and practice.The article "Affirming Neurodiversity within Applied Behavior Analysis" by Sneha Kohli Mathur, Ellie Renz, and Jonathan Tarbox addresses the growing criticism of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from the autistic community. The authors emphasize the importance of listening to and valuing the expertise of autistic individuals, who have unparalleled knowledge of their own lives and communities. They argue that concerns raised by the autistic community should not be dismissed due to the speaker's identity or professional credentials. The concept of neurodiversity is introduced as a framework to help ABA providers collaborate more effectively with autistic clients and stakeholders. The article discusses the social model of disability and the neurodiversity paradigm, highlighting how these concepts can guide ABA practices. It outlines key criticisms from autistic self-advocates, including the ethical goal of erasing autistic identity, overreliance on compliance, reduction of autistic people to overt behaviors, and the absence of autistic voices in research and practice. Practical guidance is provided to help ABA practitioners address these criticisms, such as centering autistic voices in research and practice, adopting trauma-informed care, and incorporating compassion into ABA procedures. The authors conclude that by openly acknowledging and addressing these criticisms, ABA can take practical steps towards a profession and society that more fully embrace inclusion. They emphasize the importance of ethical and humane support for autistic individuals, aligning ABA practices with the values of neurodiversity to improve research and practice.