Tara Cottrell, BCBA

Clinical Director, Behavioral Therapy

Tara Cottrell is VCNH’s Clinical Director of Behavioral Therapy. Tara started in the field of ABA in 2008, just before graduating with her Associate’s in Science in 2009. While continuing to explore her passion for ABA professionally, she continued her studies, receiving her BS in Behavioral Studies, with a minor focus in counseling and play therapy, in 2013. While continuing her education she directed an after-school program for at-risk, low-income youth grades k-12 before delivering her child, Hailey. In 2014, she became a board-certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. During this time, she assisted in special programs such as community-based instruction and academic and social groups for special education teens and elementary aged students. She quickly began leading and training extensive teams and became assistant director for an autism behavioral therapy clinic in 2015.

She went on to complete her master’s degree in Educational Leadership. During this time, she worked as a student analyst, allowing her to learn the intricacies of being a BCBA with helpful expert mentors. She quickly became a lead trainer in crisis management techniques and began mentoring others as a Licensed and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst.  She has experience working with individuals ranging in age from 3 to 19, as well as a wide variety of diagnosis, skill levels, and abilities.

She has advocated strongly for clients in Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) meetings as well as with health insurance providers. She thoughtfully creates focused and comprehensive treatment plans through constant communication between caregivers, clients, and teams. She teaches health and safety behaviors, different ways to learn, communication skills, self-advocacy, cognitive, play, social/emotional, functional living skills, and much more.

Tara helps to solve a wide range of behavioral problems in any way that she can. She uses her 11 years of expertise within the Vanguard community to expand VCNH to encompass behavioral therapy and help individuals in a range of settings including in-home, in-community, in-clinic, and in-school.