About me
Steven Gonzalez, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Applied Behavior Analysis at Ouachita Baptist University and has been with the ABA department since 2020. He is a Doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Texas-licensed behavior analyst, and Texas License Chemical and Dependency Counselor who has been involved in developing and implementing behavioral interventions since the early 1990s. He is also owner and Chief Executive Officer for South Texas Behavioral Institute (an organization which employs a strong combination of behavioral psychology and applied behavior analysis). In addition, Gonzalez holds several licenses and certifications, including a full license from the state of Texas as a Chemical Dependency Counselor, a professional certification from Florida State University in Trauma and Resilience, a Clinical Trauma Professional certification from the International Association of Trauma Professionals, and a certification in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. He also has extensive training in the modality of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Gonzalez obtained his Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialty in Behavioral /Organizational Psychology from Capella University and a post-graduate re-specialization from the University of North Texas in Applied Behavior Analysis. He has decades of teaching university courses and comes with a rich experience that includes a wide range of skills in the application of behavior analysis beyond AU/IDD. Some of his experience includes working alongside nurses, psychiatrists, LMSWs, LCSWs, adoption agencies, attorneys, and judges to ensure permanency of children dealing with issues such as incarceration, trauma, homelessness, IDD and autism in safe and supportive environments while reducing the placement into foster care.
Gonzalez has also pioneered a program through which he provides training to hospital medical professionals, direct care staff, and families on crisis de-escalation using pyramidal Behavior Skills Training. He’s developed and implemented training workshops for reputable hospital systems’ medical staff on dealing with high-risk patients and aggression in hospitals; and C-level executives on functionally understanding and reducing stress and anxiety in the workplace. He also supports and trains the Bexar County Sherriff’s Department and surrounding law enforcement municipalities on crisis intervention and how to work with crisis individuals with Autism and Developmental Disabilities; he works with Federal and State law enforcement agencies and conducts training for HIDTA, DEA, DPS, and Juvenile Justice Criminal Division, among others; and he clinically supports the department of family and protective services with children that have been exposed to abuse and neglect.
