Helping-Children-with-Autism-Manage-Emotions-and-Improve-Behavior

Helping you navigate the process

Helping Children with Autism Manage Emotions and Improve Behavior

Challenging behaviors, like tantrums, aggression, or noncompliance can make daily life difficult for families. At Cardinal Pediatric Therapies, our ABA therapy services provide evidence-based strategies that help children with autism improve behavior, emotional regulation, and communication skills.

We partner with parents to turn frustration into progress, offering support in both in clinic ABA therapy and in home ABA therapy settings, start your intake online to begin.

Call 919-705-0668
Helping-Children-with-Autism-Manage-Emotions-and-Improve-Behavior

Guiding you through every stage

Behavior is communication

For children with autism, acting out or shutting down can signal confusion, sensory overload, or unmet needs. Our goal is to help children find healthier, more effective ways to express themselves. Through compassionate care and structured routines, our team helps reduce problem behaviors and increase confidence and connection at home, school, and in the community.

Benefits include:

  • Reduction of tantrums, aggression, and self-injury
  • Improved emotional regulation and self-control
  • Strengthened family relationships through aba parent training
  • Measurable behavioral and academic progress
  • Skills that generalize to classroom and group settings

Every step is guided by empathy, professionalism, and measurable outcomes.

ABA-for-behavior

Evidence-based strategies

HOW ABA THERAPY IMPROVES BEHAVIOR

Our autism therapeutic services use a clear, data-driven process tailored to each child’s needs and family dynamics.

  • Step 1: Assessment

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) Identifies triggers and root causes of challenging behaviors.A BCBA-led evaluation identifies your child’s communication strengths and needs.

  • Step 2: Goal Setting

Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) Outlines positive ABA behavior strategies and reinforcement techniques.

  • Step 3: Therapy Sessions

Therapy Delivery – Choose between In-Clinic ABA Therapy or In-Home ABA Therapy for individualized sessions.

  • Step 4: Parent Coaching

Parent Collaboration & Coaching – Families participate in Parent Coaching and Group Family Coaching for consistency and follow-through.

Our Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) guide each step to ensure progress that lasts beyond the session.
Ready to begin? Call 866-307-3199 for a free intake consultation.




Tailored support for each individual

Who Benefits from ABA Therapy for Behavior Improvement

This program is designed for children and teens ages 2–18 with autism who struggle with emotional or behavioral regulation.

Ideal candidates include:

  • Children experiencing frequent tantrums, aggression, or noncompliance
  • Families needing consistent behavior support at home or school
  • Parents seeking guidance on calm, effective responses
  • Students preparing for classroom or group transitions

Early support helps children gain self-control, confidence, and lifelong coping skills.

Cardinal's

Locations

Arizona

Clinic Address:

8433 N. Black Canyon
Highway, Phoenix AZ 85021

Community Services in: Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Avondale, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, & Buckeye.

Directions

Contact Center

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North Carolina

Clinic Addresses:

956 W. Chatham
St. Cary, NC 27511

3911 Wrightsville Ave
Wilmington NC 28403

Community Services In: Cary, Apex, Raleigh, Morrisville, Clayton, Cleveland, Selma, Smithfield, Benson, Winston Salem, Greensboro, Kernersville, High Point, Four Oaks, Wilmington & Wilson Mills.

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Contact Center

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Begin your journey with us

How to Get Started

Getting started is simple. Our intake team helps families understand coverage, complete paperwork, and schedule the first session.

  • Contact our intake team or submit the online form
  • Insurance benefits verified within 48 hours
  • Assessment scheduled with a BCBA
  • Therapy plan and schedule confirmed

Your care teAM

Our behavioral therapy team combines clinical expertise with genuine compassion.

  • Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs)
  • Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs)
  • Family & Parent Trainers
  • Pediatric Development Specialists

Each provider upholds Cardinal’s core values of empathy, dedication, and accountability ensuring quality care you can trust.

behavior-improvement-autism

Understanding your coverage and costs

Insurance and Payment Options

We accept most insurance plans and offer flexible payment options. Our intake team is here to verify your benefits and help you navigate the process with ease.

"Alice, the chief of staff, is excellent. She answered many of my questions and concerns as a parent and has been a huge help in my son’s goals and programs. She clearly explained my son’s treatment plan and progress, and my son has already been improving within the first month." 
Cynthia
"We’ve been searching for ABA for a while, and then we found Cardinal ABA, who explained and processed our applications right away. Two weeks into ABA, we’ve already noticed improvements in our son. Thank you, Cardinal ABA."
Richard
"I’ve been calling around for weeks now looking for the right clinic, and Cardinal was the first place that really took the time to understand my family’s situation and educate me as to what services are available and how everything works. It is really evident that this is a place that cares."
Garret
"Cardinal ABA is a great organization. I couldn’t ask for better ABA resources!"
Shelby

Questions? Get in Touch!

We're here to help

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Dr. Mike Henderson, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA

Regional Operations Director

North Carolina

Mike Henderson, PhD, LBA, BCBA-D, is the Regional Operations Director at Cardinal Pediatric Therapies. With over two decades of experience in behavior analysis and organizational leadership, he focuses on mentoring teams and fostering a culture of collaboration, growth, and excellence in client care. Mike believes strong leadership and supportive systems are essential for helping clients, families, and providers succeed together.

Felicia Freeman

Clinic Manager

I am Felicia Freeman, the Clinic Manager for Cardinal Pediatric Therapies. I have been in ABA for several years now and am passionate about the community that we serve. I started out as an RBT, decided to go the administrative route, and worked my way up to managing clinics. I choose this field every day because I enjoy making a meaningful impact in the lives of our clients and building strong teams that change lives.

Amanda Dean, MA, BCBA, LBA

Johnston County, NC

Amanda graduated from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2018 with her Masters in Psychology. She proceeded to complete her graduate certificate in ABA and became a BCBA in November 2020. Amanda has a passion for behavior reduction, tolerance training and functional communication training. She enjoys spending as much time as she can with her 3 children and husband. When she’s not working, Amanda is very involved in her local Pop Warner Cheerleading program where she is the Assistant Cheer Director and a head coach.

Becky Fronheiser

Operations Director

Arizona

Becky has worked in behavioral health for 7 years. She joined Cardinal in the spring of 2024.  Becky is grateful for the opportunity to work with such a passionate group of people and looks forward to supporting families with their specific ABA needs.  In her personal time, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, 6 kids and 4 grandkids and loves to travel and relax on the beach.

Matthew Wilkinson

Operations Director

Cary, NC

Matthew holds a bachelors degree from the University of Utah, Medical Degree from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara and an MBA from Western Governors University. He has worked in the pediatric field for the majority of his professional life and has a passion for helping bring the best care to children in need. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three children and day trips to the coast.

 

Trisha Iannotta Bieszczad, PsyD., BCBA

Triad, NC

Trisha is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with extensive expertise since 2016 in applying behavior analytic principles to improve the lives of children and adolescents. Her professional journey began with a doctoral degree in clinical psychology, emphasizing child and adolescent development. This foundation has equipped her with a deep understanding of psychological theories and practices, which she seamlessly integrates into her work as a BCBA. Outside of her professional endeavors, Trisha enjoys reading, spending time outdoors with her family & trying out new restaurants. Trisha’s dedication to both her career and personal interests reflects her commitment to continual growth and enrichment, both professionally and personally. Her multifaceted background allows her to approach each aspect of her life with a blend of expertise, enthusiasm, and a genuine appreciation for learning and exploration.

Tina Lee

Director of Finance

Tina Lee is the Finance Director for Cardinal with a variety of experience in the Healthcare Industry for over 13 years. She is compassionate and always eager to assist where she can. In the ever-changing Healthcare environment, Tina has played a vital role in putting processes in place to obtain high efficiency outcomes to help our clients get the care they need. Tina enjoys the outdoors and loves spending time with her family.

William Evans

Director of Outreach and Recruitment

William is a UNCW Graduate who started his professional career working in Marketing and Recruiting for a local technology company before looking for an opportunity to take those skills and help others. In his spare time he plays hockey, including annually for the North Carolina Autism Hockey Tournament, which is dedicated to the raising money and awareness for organizations helping local families with children diagnosed with autism.

Alice Okamoto, MA, BCBA, LBA

Chief of Staff

Alice has been with Cardinal for over 4 years and has worn many hats along the way!  Alice has a passion for working with clients and families as a unit, supervising behavior analyst trainees, and collaborating on strategic initiatives to ensure clinical efficiencies.  Alice‘s professional experience began with ABA in a school setting, and has worked in schools, homes, and clinics throughout the years while enjoying collaboration with related providers.  In her free time, Alice enjoys traveling, exploring parks with her dog, Oliver, and trying new restaurants. 

Darrin Miller

CEO

Darrin has dedicated his education and career to the field of behavioral health. As a licensed therapist and master’s in clinical counseling he works to create solutions that improve the lives of those impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder at a local, state, and national level. He strives to create a culture of caring and empathy while innovating solutions for improving families’ access to quality care as quickly as possible.