We recently had the chance to connect with CHELSEA STONE MEd, BCBA and have shared our conversation below.
Hi CHELSEA, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Celebrating my company’s five-year anniversary this year fills me with so much pride. I am so honored and privileged to have built a welcoming community where my staff and clients feel truly seen and heard. Their dedication inspires me every day. I also appreciate finding humor in my work and daily life, whether it comes from client quotes or unusual situations I encounter- I’m always laughing and enjoying the process.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Dedicated Healthcare delivers individualized, consent-based behavior analysis therapy for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. We believe ethical, sustainable care rests on always providing passionate, high-quality services. As a women-owned and currently women-operated business, I was especially proud when a staff member highlighted this at our recent holiday dinner. We stand out because we approach autism positively and work to foster independence and greater access to what our clients love.
I want your audience to know that although I am especially lucky and grateful to have found my purpose in life so early, I never take it for granted. My hope is that with every accomplishment and milestone I experience, I take the time to ensure that everyone I encounter has the same level of support to achieve as well. My clients are my people, and I will always do everything I can to give them as many opportunities and possibilities to achieve their dreams right alongside me.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
One of my first clients changed the way I see the world. He was eighteen and known in the classroom only for what people thought he couldn’t do. He engaged in severe forms of aggression, didn’t speak, and didn’t demonstrate any of the skills teachers often asked for. Over time, he learned to hand over a simple music icon. When he passed it over, Chattahoochee by Alan Jackson played. He passed it over again. And again. And again. In that repetition, he learned to trust that the song would come. He learned choice. He learned communication. What looked like “nothing” was the beginning of so much. Through that single action, he showed understanding, preference, memory, and persistence. He showed joy. He showed intelligence in a form that didn’t fit a checklist. He reminds us that success isn’t always loud, and intelligence isn’t always obvious. It doesn’t live only in words or test answers. Sometimes it lives in a small hand offering a picture, in the quiet certainty of knowing what you love, and in teaching others to slow down long enough to see it. He didn’t change to meet expectations. The expectations changed because of him.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
Learning over the years, I’ve come to understand that there is no such thing as a true failure—only moments that challenge us to grow. Every obstacle, setback, and moment of hardship is an opportunity to pause, reflect, and choose a new direction with greater clarity. The struggles I’ve faced have tested my patience, resilience, and courage, but they’ve also taught me lessons I could not have learned any other way. Through perseverance, I’ve discovered strength in vulnerability, bravery in uncertainty, and truth in staying authentic to who I am. Each experience has shaped me, not by breaking me down, but by building me into a wiser, stronger, and more confident version of myself—one who knows that growth is not linear, and progress is still progress, even when the path is difficult.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
My most foundational truth is that empathy and kindness are at the core of what it means to be human. They are the quiet traits that connect us to one another, reminding us that everyone carries unseen stories, hopes, and struggles. Choosing to lead with compassion creates spaces where people feel seen, valued, and understood. Even in small moments—a listening ear, a patient response, or a simple act of care—kindness has the power to heal, uplift, and inspire. It is through empathy that we learn to love deeply, grow thoughtfully, and move through the world by making people’s lives more warm for having known you.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
My hope is that everyone who is, has been, and will be an important character in my life will have a unique story about something I said or did that made them laugh. Whether it’s how often I find ways to reference the I, Robot movie, my ever-present facts about superfoods, or the time I had to give a baby goat CPR, I hope that my experiences and sharing stories have made my people laugh and forget their struggles for a bit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dedicatedhealthcareaba.com
- Instagram: dedicated_healthcare
Image Credits
Photo Credit Audra Bueno Photography
