At Maxim Behavioral, our caregivers are the foundation of the work we do. Their compassion, empathy and dedication support our mission of enhancing the quality of life within the communities we serve.
Tina, a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) with our Silver Spring, MD Behavioral Office, represents this commitment every day. Her time with Maxim has supported both personal and professional growth and helped her identify the meaningful purpose she finds in working with children and making a positive impact in their lives.
Tina’s background includes experience in human services, mental health services and addiction recovery. With several family members diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), she was motivated to learn more about ASD and the evidence‑based services that support individuals and their families. She made the switch to become an RBT about three years ago.
Respect, compassion and dedication
During each session, Tina is intentional about providing her full attention and support to her client. She focuses on creating an environment based on trust and mutual respect, and describes her mindset simply:
“I have this thing when I go into a client’s home: Yes, I am showing up for work, but I’m walking into their home. I’m in their world.”
Tina understands that when she enters a client’s home, she is stepping into their personal space, and she treats that role with genuine humility. This helps the families she supports welcome her warmly. For example, she works closely with a family from the Philippines and makes a point to honor their beliefs and cultural traditions. She greets them in Filipino at the start of the day and offers a friendly farewell in their language when she leaves, reinforcing her appreciation that they accept her into their world.
Her work with her client is a two-way-street – while she teaches them, they’ve taught her so much in return, especially patience.
“They’ve shown me they can go a little deeper. The way they try is what gets me. They often really want to try and get frustrated when they can’t do something. It’s okay when they can’t do something, but it’s amazing that they try… My client blows my mind every day.”
Tina’s proudest achievement as an RBT came when her client learned to say her name. The moment her client looked at her badge, recognized the letters and confidently spoke her name out loud was a milestone she’ll never forget. She attributes that progress to meeting her client where they were and using creative, individualized strategies to help them stay engaged and continue growing. Tina’s advice for aspiring RBTs is:
“Have a pocket full of patience, a heart full of gold and a mindset that you’re here to make a change.”
Celebrating Tina’s passion
Celebrating Tina’s passionTina brings a genuine passion for this field and shows up each day with enthusiasm while supporting her client. Her BCBA Clinical Supervisor, Kaci, recognizes the passion that sets her apart.
“When I think of Tina, I think of the passion she has for this field and the enthusiasm she brings every day while working with her client.”
Kaci notices how excited Tina is to share the progress her client has made between visits, whether it is a small step forward or a meaningful change in daily routines. Through their work together, Kaci has seen that Tina views her role as an ongoing learning journey. Tina understands there is always room to grow and approaches feedback with openness and curiosity. She asks thoughtful questions, reflects on her experiences and looks for new ways to support her client’s goals.
For Kaci, watching Tina’s commitment to learning, growing and showing up for the individuals she serves has been a meaningful part of supervising her. Caregivers like Tina strengthen the heart of Maxim and the meaningful impact we have on the individuals and families we support.
Maxim Behavioral
Maxim hires RBTs and other behavioral caregivers across 11 states to support our population of individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities. individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities. Our teams use the evidence‑based principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to help individuals achieve personalized goals and developmental milestones.
If Tina’s story inspires you to explore the field of ABA, visit our careers site to learn more about our open positions.
