Abu Zaby, UAE Dissemination Activities 2023

Melody Sylvain, Abu Zaby, United Arab Emirates

Could you please tell us a little about you and your background?
I am a Haitian-American Behavior Analyst born and raised in Florida, USA. I have lived in the UAE for the past few years with my partner where I have worked in schools, homes and centers providing behavior analytic training and mental health support for families and educators. I love nature, yoga, traveling and all things mental health and wellness and do my best to treat others with kindness and respect while advocating for a more just world.

How did you become interested in CBS?
I became interested in CBS through my own challenges with anxiety in 2019 as well as through my experiences working with anxious individuals. I sought support and consultation from ACT trainers in order to become a more knowledgeable clinician when working with those who struggle with anxiety. I found ACT and CBS so helpful for myself and my clients and I have been connected with the ACBS community ever since.

Could you tell us about your research and application interests?
I am interested in the application of ACT to support parents and school teams who support individuals experiencing behavioral challenges. I am also interested in the applications of movement, yoga, and physical embodiment as it relates to overall mental health and wellness.

Could you tell us about your experience at the World Conference this year?
I enjoyed meeting so many new faces and presentations from people all over the world such as Brazil and Kenya. It was nice to see so many incredible projects and how people have benefited globally from CBS. I especially appreciated connecting with such a variety of different professionals outside of behavior analysis which I always love.

Was there anything that stood out to you about the CBS community?
I was able to commute with some people who were staying near to my accommodation, when we met at a coffee shop one morning before the conference. I was also able to do the same thing when leaving the conference on a few occasions. I really appreciate the effort that many CBS community members make to connect and collaborate in these small ways.

What did you take back from your experience that has been helpful to you?
I really enjoyed the panel discussion on interbehaviorism and continued my research and readings on this topic once I returned home.

Do you have anything else that you would like to share with the community?
The CBS community at the World Conference in Cyprus was not as diverse as I would have liked, and I only met two other Black people in attendance at the conference. I would love to see more people who look like me at future conferences.