About Us
Meet our founder
Emily Leventis is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a focus in early intervention. At the heart of Emily’s approach to therapy is a commitment to personalized care for children and families. As a BCBA, Emily is dedicated to reshaping the landscape of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), focusing on behavior analysis that truly honors each individual's unique abilities.
With 8 years of experience in the field, Emily believes that neurodiversity should be celebrated, not simply accommodated. She is passionate about offering a fresh perspective on ABA that prioritizes the voices of families, minimizes harmful stigmas, and supports children’s holistic development, building on their strengths rather than focusing on perceived deficits.
Whether you're seeking early intervention for a child or exploring alternatives to conventional ABA practices, Emily's approach is grounded in respect, creativity, and a deep belief in each child's potential. Let’s work together to build a future where your child’s unique abilities are supported and celebrated to the fullest.
FAQs
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ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy is a way to help people learn new skills and change behaviors. It works by breaking down big tasks into smaller steps and rewarding positive behaviors to encourage progress. ABA is also used to reduce challenging behaviors by understanding what triggers them and teaching better alternatives.
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True North’s person-centered approach can help improve all aspects of your child’s life, including:
Communication: Teaching people how to express themselves, whether it's through speaking, sign language, or other methods.
Social Skills: Helping with interactions, such as making friends, understanding social cues, and sharing.
Self-care: Learning basic life skills like brushing teeth, getting dressed, and using the bathroom independently.
Academic Skills: Building skills like reading, writing, and following instructions in a classroom setting.
Behavioral Challenges: Reducing behaviors like aggression, tantrums, or self-injury by teaching better ways to cope or communicate.
Daily Routines: Helping with following a schedule, transitioning between activities, and managing time effectively.
Motor Skills: Improving fine motor skills (like writing or using utensils) and gross motor skills (like running or jumping).
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We provide services where it’s most meaningful to you - whether that be in your home, community, or school.
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While “big ABA” companies focus on profit, True North puts our focus on the person through the following approaches:
Customized Care: We take the time to develop unique, tailored treatment plans that align with each child’s specific needs, strengths, and interests. It’s not about fitting them into a generic program; it’s about honoring their individuality.
Family-Centered Approach: We actively involve families in the treatment process, ensuring they feel empowered and supported every step of the way. This builds a stronger partnership for the child’s success and ensures progress is seen across all aspects of the child’s life.
Quality Over Quantity: We focus on providing high-quality, individualized care rather than being bound by the volume-focused goals that some larger ABA providers have.
True North offers a more thoughtful, compassionate, and flexible approach to therapy that aims to create lasting, meaningful change for both children and families—without losing sight of the person behind the behavior.
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We currently accept private pay or Aetna insurance.
For private pay clients: some insurances will reimburse you out-of-network for these services - this can be discussed during your initial discovery call. During intake, you will be provided with a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) that outlines the cost of services in accordance with the No Surprises Act.
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Trauma-informed care means recognizing that a client’s behaviors, emotions, and ways of interacting with the world may be shaped by past trauma. It requires ABA providers to intentionally adjust their approach to be sensitive, supportive, and empowering, prioritizing the client’s emotional safety alongside their skill development.
In 2022, Rajaraman and colleagues outlined four key components for incorporating trauma informed care into ABA:
Acknowledge Trauma: As behavior analysts, we must consider that some of our clients have experienced trauma in their lives that may affect therapy. It’s up to us to ensure we are informed on this trauma and adjust our services accordingly.
Ensure Safety & Trust: Building relationships take time, but this step is foundational to trauma informed care. Clients need to feel physically and emotionally safe in their environments. As practitioners, we can achieve this by being consistent, predictable, and empathetic.
Promote Choice & Autonomy: Choice empowers individuals, fostering a sense of control. For those with trauma histories, providing opportunities to make decisions – even small ones – can increase their sense of agency.
Emphasize Skill Building: Trauma informed care prioritizes replacing challenging behaviors with functional skills. Without teaching replacement behaviors, challenging behaviors are likely to persist or manifest in other ways.
Source: Rajaraman, A., Austin, J.L., Gover, H.C., Cammilleri, A.P., Donnelly, D.R. and Hanley, G.P. (2022), Toward trauma-informed applications of behavior analysis. Jnl of Applied Behav Analysis, 55: 40-61. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.881
