For over eight years, I've been immersed in my passion for working with severely challenging behaviors, ranging from kids in kindergarten to seniors in high school. I've been physically and verbally attacked, flat-out ignored, and emotionally manipulated. I know what it feels like to selflessly give your physical, emotional, and spiritual energy for weeks on end without any sign of appreciation or acknowledgment.
You might be thinking, "This is your passion?" to which I would emphatically respond by telling you that I wouldn't want it any other way.
I have found joy and purpose in figuring out how strong-willed kids operate to connect with and encourage them. Throughout thousands of hours of direct experience with them in structured and unstructured environments, I've routinely found one thing to be true: they want to do well just as much as you want them to. The problem, though, is that they typically feel out of control when control is taken from them and are usually doubtful of others' intentions (even if they are in good faith) due to their non-secure attachment style, making them overly susceptible to misunderstandings that lead to oppositional behaviors.
That's where I come in.
My commitment to helping strong-willed kids has allowed me to create a proven approach that gives them both a sense of control
Fast Facts About Zack
About
200K+ followers across social media
Child/Teen Behavior Expert
Certified school counselor (M.Ed.)
8+ years working with challenging behaviors
without enabling and reassurance that they are loved, promoting a secure attachment that cultivates growth. To actualize this approach, I help you master four key concepts: Mutual Submission, Boundaries, Redirection Skills, and Consequences. Whether a child is physically combative or completely shut down, these foundational concepts have served as a reliable blueprint for successfully navigating challenging behaviors, and I know they can do the same for you.
Schedule your free consultation today to learn more about how my proven approach can empower you to effectively manage your child's challenging behavior!
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Work Avoidance
Effectively manage these behaviors and reclaim your home!
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Defiance
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Cognitive Distortions
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Disrespect
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Habitual Lying
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Mental Health Concerns
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Physical & Verbal
Aggression
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Tantrums/Escalation
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Broken Relationships
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Emotional Manipulation
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Who do you work best with?I work best with parents who are ready to accept help by committing to strategies outlined in coaching sessions and who are ready to be open about the current struggles they face with their child. These parents also understand that sustainable outcomes only occur after dedicating weeks to improving their behavior management skills.
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Overcoming Aggressive Behaviors GroupOvercoming Aggressive Behaviors Session 1: S.O.S. Checklist Set Up - Taking responsibility (understanding enmeshment and other reasons ongoing behaviors) - Setting up your checklist - Understanding the power of passive behavior management - Reducing the frequency and duration of interactions - Maintaining clear and consistent expectations - Using two friendly reminders - Starting with less - Splitting the day - Deferring to the checklist - Having an exit plan for the future (ex. let them write it, increasing tasks/difficulty) - Scripts for using the checklist Session 2: Building, Mitigating, and Containing - Building: 1:1 time, preemptive connection, structure, intermittent and unexpected praise/encouragement - Mitigating: direction giving and redirection skills - Containing: defending boundaries without enabling, understanding the behavior modification process, and avoiding logic Session 3: Finding Your Voice - Mastering posture, tone of voice, and affect - Understanding the power of proximity - Using pace to manage situations - Exercise/self-defense - Sound the part (being mindful of manners) - Deferring to structure - go-to phrases - Role-playing Session 4: Deescalating Conflict - Accepting containment over fixing - Logic is your enemy - Disrupting your child's feedback loop to find entry points - Using empathy to stay connected - Praising Down - Using a matter of fact tone - Knowing when to give demands versus requests - Asking for non-verbal communication - Recognizing if it's an "exhaustion" situation - Requiring restorative justice Group Coaching Cost: $240 per member Group Coaching Time: Sundays at 7pm EST or Tuesdays at 8pm EST *This is a principle-based group that applies to all ages, however, groups will be defined by the following ages when possible 5-8, 9-12, or 12+. *Submit your interest to join this group by clicking on the button below and filling out the subsequent form. You will then be notified via email when the next group is available.
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Behavior Essentials For Parents GroupBehavior Essentials for Parents Session 1: Understanding your child's behavior and taking responsibility Learning the functions of behavior (attention, avoidance, access to preferred items, and sensory needs) Discovering the function of your child's behavior (ABC model) Knowing your role in your child's behavior feedback loop Understanding the impact of intensity, duration, and frequency Looking at the influence of enmeshment and enabling tendencies Becoming aware of and owning choices and making a plan to change SOS: Starting a checklist for immediate support Session 2: Managing observable behaviors and containing tantrums Prioritizing structure (skills, goals, rules/expectations, systems/procedures, schedules, environment, people) Learning the sequence to promoting positive behaviors (learn skills, set boundaries, redirect within reason, apply consequences fairly, finding ways to praise) Understanding my CALM redirection system Containing tantrums with empathy Knowing the significance of using empathy and limits Session 3: Correcting behaviors indirectly, identifying more redirection skills, and understanding consequences Utilizing positive, preemptive comments Using intermittent, unexpected praise Scheduling daily bonding time Redirecting with contingency agreements, questions (repeating/reminding, asking intent), I-Statements, slow and low strategy Understanding the difference between predetermined and natural consequences Leveraging natural consequences (ACT) Setting fair consequences Session 4: Confident Communication Mastering the 'matter of fact' tone (finding your voice) Recognizing the impact of your emotionally potent responses (not just anger!) When to use statements vs. requests Understanding the importance of being concrete and concise (avoiding lectures) Adjusting your speed and volume to control the pace Being mindful of your 'please' and 'thank you's' (not sounding desperate) Using corrective validation and contingency agreements to redirect Avoiding logic by using empathetic statements Being supportive while also encouraging independence Utilizing the 'I do, we do, you do' method Letting structure do the teaching instead of lectures Processing at a later time to decrease the duration of the problem Handling cognitive distortions Group Coaching Cost: $240 per member Group Coaching Time: Sundays at 7pm EST or Tuesdays at 8pm EST *This is a principle-based group that applies to all ages, however, groups will be defined by the following ages when possible 5-8, 9-12, or 12+. *Submit your interest to join this group by clicking on the button below and filling out the subsequent form. You will then be notified via email when the next group is available.
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What qualifies you to be a parent coach?Although I have a Bachelor's degree in psychology and Master's degree in school counseling (PK-12), the thousands of hours of direct experience I've accrued over 8+ years of working with extreme behaviors from kindergarten to twelfth grade is what qualifies me to coach parents on how to effectively manage challenging behaviors. Throughout my career, I've been fortunate to lead behavior committees to establish positive behavior plans for teachers, serve over 1,000 kids in structured and unstructured environments, and work closely with parents to encourage continuity of behavior plans between home and school. My unique experience is where you will find immense value and what sets me apart from other parent coaches.
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What services do you provide?Kasabo Behavior Management offers coaching services to show parents how to confidently manage their child's challenging behavior. Private and group options are available.
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Do you have any guarantees?I guarantee that my clients will fully understand the concepts covered in group or private coaching sessions in order to effectively apply them to their personal circumstances. If there is any misunderstanding after the completion of a respective curriculum, I will clarify concepts via voice message (over text) until the client fully understands the concept.
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Private CoachingTwo Months to Mastery: Get 50 minute weekly coaching sessions for two months (8 total sessions) to fully understand Mutual Submission, Boundaries, Redirection Skills, and Consequences to confidently manage your child's challenging behavior for years to come and to reclaim peace in your home. For the Whole Family: This 10 hour retainer can be used however you see fit. You can use some time for parent coaching, life coaching for your child to work on regulation and problem solving skills, or for full family coaching to replace dysfunction with healthy relational patterns. 1:1 Kid/Teen Coaching: These 50 minute sessions will target ways to boost your child's self-esteem while also equipping them with effective coping skills to manage their unique problems. Skills covered include: understanding body clues, using self-talk stop signals, overcoming cognitive distortions, learning how to turn anger into sadness and truth (healing deep anger), communication skills, goal setting, motivation skills, updating expectations, identifying and taking healthy risks and more!
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Do you have a disclosure?Disclosure: Please note that the services offered are coaching services and are not intended to serve as therapy or counseling. Coaching aims to facilitate personal and professional development, goal-setting, and skill enhancement. It does not involve the diagnosis or treatment of mental health issues. If you require therapeutic interventions or counseling for mental health concerns, it is recommended that you seek assistance from a licensed mental health professional. Furthermore, by participating in coaching sessions, you understand and acknowledge that you are solely responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided during the coaching process. The coach assumes no responsibility for the decisions or outcomes resulting from the coaching relationship. It is essential to exercise personal discretion and judgment when implementing any strategies or advice discussed during coaching sessions.
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Are services in person or virtual?I make certain exceptions to see clients in person who are located in the Greater Philadelphia area, however, I work with the majority of clients virtually on Zoom or Google Meet.
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How do you help clients achieve successful outcomes?Rather than relying on trends that hook discouraged parents only to leave them feeling more defeated, my approach relies on 4 fundamental concepts that have proven to be reliable for modifying the most extreme behaviors when adhered to with fidelity. These concepts serve as the foundation for your behavior management ability and provide a constant framework that helps you confidently navigate your child's behavior every day. The 4 concepts are: Mutual Submission: This powerful principle works by encouraging you to submit to your child within reason in order to respect their individuality with the ultimate goal of encouraging them to submit to your expectations as the authority figure. This never includes enabling or giving up your expectations to appease them, and usually looks like you surrendering total compliance and your child surrendering total defiance. After I help you master this concept, you will experience less stress and have more faith about the future instead of obsessing over daily battles. Boundaries: Contrary to popular belief, most behaviors are integrated based on how we relate to others; not solely on if someone possesses certain skills. When boundaries are set up correctly and maintained, your child will be consistently encouraged to relate to you in ways that promote the integration of positive behaviors, leading to sustainable results. Do not fall for the hype that skills alone rectify challenging behaviors! They need meaningful people in their life to hold boundaries before positive change can be expected and sustained. When we work together, I will clearly show you how to set up effective boundaries. Redirection Skills: Even when boundaries are properly set up, you should expect kids to defy you at times as they wrestle with establishing their identity. Redirection skills give you the tools and confidence to respectfully reinforce your boundaries rather than engaging in power struggles. Throughout my experience, I have created and mastered a range of reliable redirection skills that I will transfer to you. Consequences: Kids need to understand cause and effect to be grounded in reality. Consequences help achieve this by making it clear when they've gone too far, helping to discourage negative behaviors from frequently reoccurring. However, if consequences are too harsh they can make things worse by causing deep resentment, as well as enable negative behaviors if they're too lenient. I will help you understand how to consistently incorporate fair consequences that make a lasting impact instead of relying on overly-punitive measures or threats that suppress behavior rather than change it.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Srusht
Zack gives a good balance of explaining developmental theories but with a practical, grounded, step by step approach with examples or scenarios of what actually happens with kids/ teens in real life as opposed to a high level theory that may not work in practice, all while respecting each person's unique parenting style or perspective.
Annie
Zack understands kid’s emotions and behaviors in a way that I don’t think anyone else does. He has found this really excellent balance of compassion and accountability.
Jillian
Zack provided excellent support for my kids and me. He provided me with helpful strategies and created great relationships with the kids while doing so. He is a fantastic resource for families looking for support with behavioral concerns.
We'd love to hear from you!
In The News
Click the pictures to see how Zack has helped his local communities.
Zack Kasabo coordinated with the YMCA to donate hundreds of jackets to students in Lansdowne, PA.
Zack Kasabo coordinated with the Upper Darby Fire Department to equip hundreds of students with hats and gloves outside of Philadelphia, PA.
Zack Kasabo coordinated with the YMCA to donate hundreds of jackets to students in Lansdowne, PA.