About Us
Our mission is to provide high-quality interventions to children with autism and other disabilities while educating the community, regardless of the family’s ability to pay for services.
Located in Colorado Springs, PlayDate Behavioral Interventions was established to help children with special needs. From communication and emotional disorders to learning disabilities, rest assured your child will be handled with the upmost respect and care.
In order to meet this critical need we are continually applying for grants and developing funding mechanisms that allow us to offer scholarships for those families who have exhausted all other funding sources. Please see our Make a Difference page for information about how you can help us meet this lofty goal.
Our History
When Christina Nulk was in elementary school there was a student who was deaf in her class. She wanted to be able to communicate with him so she learned sign language. While in middle school Christina became a peer facilitator, volunteering with children with disabilities. In 1996 Christina started in the ABA field, as an implementer. After high school Christina completed her undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders and Emotional Disturbances/Learning Disabilities. She went on to earn her Master of Science in Early Childhood Special Education specializing in Autism.
After graduation Christina started her career as an Elementary Special Needs Educator. While teaching Christina achieved her certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2007. She was the fourth BCBA in Colorado Springs. Christina discovered a huge gap between the services available and the number of children needing services. All of the BCBAs in the Colorado Springs area had long waiting lists and many families lacked the funding to pay for the basic services their children needed, let alone the kind of high-quality, research-based programs BCBAs typically offer.
Initially, Christina addressed this gap by providing a social skills groups for children on Saturdays, while continuing teaching on weekdays. These social skills groups provided opportunities for participants to engage in guided interaction under the supervision of a trained therapist who helped the children negotiate relationships and build social connections. The group format allowed families on waiting lists to access some services at a relatively low tuition rate.
The first group was offered in April 2007 with 4 students enrolled. In December 2007, PlayDate Inc. became a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing services to families at an affordable cost.
In 2008, Christina consolidated her private practice with PlayDate Inc. creating PlayDate Behavioral Interventions, and now offers a full range of services for children with autism and other disabilities.
Since then, the program has seen enormous growth. PlayDate Behavioral Interventions currently provides high-quality interventions to about 60 children. Christina consciously limits the caseload to maximize the quality of service provided to each individual child.
Our Team
Every member of our staff is carefully trained in Applied Behavior Analysis and Verbal Behavior techniques. We have qualified ABA therapists, RBTs, BCaBAs and BCBAs who work with individuals with a variety of diagnoses including Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and other developmental delays/disabilities.
Christina Nulk
Executive Director
Obtained a Masters in Science at Florida State University and received her BCBA certification in 2007. She then received her Colorado State License to teach as a special education specialist in 2015.
"One of my favorite things about ABA is the way it can create positive change in the lives of the people that we serve. It starts with teaching our kids the skills they need to interact with their environment in functional ways - whether it’s requesting their favorite toy or learning how to make their favorite snack. It is also amazing to watch as parents learn along with their children, whether it’s a parent working on household chores with their child, or a family sitting down together for dinner or game night.
At PlayDate we believe there is no such thing as “small” progress - fostering independence on any skill is an accomplishment worth celebrating and it is my pleasure to celebrate that kind of growth with our clients, their families and our therapists everyday."
Ashley Ballard
Obtained her Master in Arts at in 2019 and received her BCBA certification in 2020.
“My motivation behind providing ABA therapy is the joy I get in being an active part in a child's growth: The goal is never to "fix" anyone; rather my goal is to help each individual expand on their skills, find their own strengths, increase communication, improve relationships, and improve quality of life for clients and their families."
Cailey Ekberg
Obtained her Bachelors in Psychology at UCCS and her RBT certification in 2019.
“Supporting families and witnessing our clients complete a task for the first time, is why I am motivated to provide ABA therapy.”
Ciara Keeton
Senior Therapist
Ciara received her RBT certification in 2018.
“I am motivated to provide ABA therapy because of the impact it makes on the kids, family, and community; the safe environment it provides for our full day clients who cannot attend typical school; and the challenge it offers me every day.”
Jasmine Smith-Wills
Senior Therapist
Currently, pursuing her Masters in Science with a Psychology Emphasis in ABA at Purdue University. She is expected to graduate and get her BCBA certification in the Fall of 2020.
“The joy of providing ABA therapy to others and myself makes it a career that I will continue to do throughout my life.”
Katie Shepherd
Consultant
Obtained a Masters in Arts at Ball State University and received her BCBA certification in 2019.
“I am motivated to provide ABA therapy because of the strong impact it makes on the lives of our clients and their families to work towards a more independent future.”
Lisa Johnson
Consultant
Obtained a Masters in Arts at the University North Carolina and received her BCBA certification in 2018.
“My motivation in providing ABA services to our families is that it is the most effective and practical strategy for improving the lives of their children.”
Neal Shipley
Consultant
Obtained a Masters in Science at Chicago school and received his BCBA certification in 2017.
“I love ABA because it's a science that is incredibly flexible, can be used to problem solve a wide variety of behaviors and skills, and often provides results that immensely benefit our kids and their families.”
Shay Farley-Jennings
Senior Therapist
Received her RBT certification in 2015.
“I love ABA because it is a flexible science that allows us to help all children reach their full potential, while preserving their personalities and the qualities that make them unique individuals.”
Stephanie Roberts
Senior Therapist
Obtained her Masters in Arts at National University in 2017 and plans to obtain her BCBA certification soon.
“Empowering each client to reach their full potential no matter what their disability may be, is why I am motivated to provide ABA Therapy.”
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