Burnout, Ethics, and the Evolution of a Values-Driven ABA Business with Liz Matthews

In the Field: The ABA Podcast

In this episode of In the Field: The ABA Podcast, host Allyson Wharam sits down with Liz Matthews, CEO and founder of EMG Consulting, for a raw, honest conversation about burnout, identity, and what it really means to do values-driven work in behavior analysis. From being one of the first dozen BCBAs® in Virginia to navigating insurance reform, motherhood, and personal evolution, Liz shares how reconnecting with her values—and a supportive community—helped her reshape not just her mindset, but her entire business model.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series that offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to stay in this field and stay well.

💬 Key Topics:

• The Early Days of ABA in Virginia: What it was like to be one of the first BCBAs® in the state, and how the field exploded post-insurance reform
• Burnout and Identity: Liz’s personal story of burnout while navigating motherhood, military spouse life, and professional overwhelm
• The Power of Community: How connecting with values-aligned behavior analysts helped her rediscover meaning in her work
• Business Redesign from the Ground Up: The evolution of EMG Consulting—why Liz moved away from traditional models and toward individualized, flexible, equity-informed systems
• Doing Better, Even When It’s Hard: Liz reflects on past practices, the importance of consent and compassionate care, and the vulnerability of realizing "we didn’t always get it right"
• Equity, Flexibility, and Women in Leadership: A candid conversation about parenting, caregiving, and what it means to lead from a place of reflection and purpose

✨ Key Takeaways:

• Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse—it can look like autopilot. And it often demands a deeper look at your values.
• Systems can be built using the science of behavior—Liz shares how she uses assessment, feedback, and qualitative data to design a flexible, individualized workplace.
• Compassionate, affirming care isn’t a departure from ABA—it’s an evolved application of it.
• Women make up the majority of the field but are still underrepresented in leadership. That gap matters.

📌 Don’t Miss:

➡ Liz’s perspective on why “doing better” starts with acknowledging harm
➡ Her innovative approach to individualized job roles and benefits
➡ A heartfelt story of crying on stage at APBA—and the healing power of shared experience

👀 What’s Next:

In Part 2, we go even deeper: what supervision looks like at EMG, how Liz hires and retains high-quality team members, and the concrete systems she’s built that earned her company a Best Employer title in Virginia.

📣 Connect with Liz:

• EMG Consulting: https://www.emgaba.com/
• LinkedIn: Elizabeth Matthews https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethmmatthews/

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Disclaimer:

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