Live beyond an autism diagnosis

Centers and In-Home Therapy Across North Texas

The Helm Difference

If you aren’t sure exactly what to expect from ABA therapy, that’s ok – because the Helm probably isn’t like anything you’ve tried before. We care deeply for every family we serve and it shows with each and every interaction they have with our team. The Helm ABA was founded to empower families and schools to use cutting edge therapy that improves safety, independence, and quality of life for the families we serve.

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About Us

What Sets The Helm Apart

  • Individualized Therapy Approach
  • Dedicated and Highly-Qualified Therapists
  • Weekly Parent Training
  • Open Door Policy
  • Meaningful Progress for the Whole Family

We accept many insurance carriers

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“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.”

-Publilius Syrus

Our Mission

The Helm ABA was founded to empower families and schools to use cutting edge behavioral therapy rooted in the principles of behavior analysis to increase safety, independence, and quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

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Leadership Team

Sara Feldman, Ph.D., BCBA, LBA, Owner
CEO
Lee Ann Jones, M.Ed., Owner
COO
Tamar Kustoff
Director of Operations
Tasia Johnson, RBT
Authorization Coordinator
Elizabeth Kennedy
Intake Coordinator
Taylor Pike, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Regional Clinical Director
Katie Nagy, MS, BCBA, LBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Clinical Director - Allen
Lindsey Lambert, MS, BCBA, LBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Clinical Director - Lewisville
Lacey Yates, M.Ed, BCBA, LBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Clinical Director - Irving

See if ABA Therapy is Right For Your Child

Schedule a Free ABA Consultation with one of our specialists and learn about ABA treatment options.

We have been a family blessed with the help of the team at The Helm. Our son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was 2.5 and The Helm was one of the places recommended by our developmental psychologist. I am a physician and still found it hard navigating this new medical problem and knowing what to do next. I called many places and from step one Lee Ann was the most helpful explaining the process with paperwork, assessment, available services, insurance, etc. we were able to start therapy quite soon after diagnosis and had sessions at home daily for 3 hours. The quality of staff, the system they have in place for the therapists, the coordination by the BCBA supervising therapist and early response put us at ease that we were on the right path. Ultimately the steady positive changes we saw with our son overcame any fears we had about autism holding our son back for the rest of his life.

We used many forms of intervention that we felt were individually tailored for our family – for potty training, anger management, dietary intervention and even let them know when we could not maintain something suggested in family training, and they would just take our request and implement another plan. Our son has now graduated/transitioned out of therapy and is currently in pre-K in a regular classroom with him on par with his class in academics, has friends and no behavior issues. Most important of all we have a happy son who loves to play with his big sister.

I know that I will always read all there is on autism and watch my son for any features. But I hope my review adds to positive aspects that I wish someone would have told me when I started the journey – start early, don’t put off your suspicions, get your child evaluated now! The label does not hinder,  in fact it falls to the side once you have the diagnosis to facilitate therapy. ABA intervention, especially done with the right people, makes a big difference. It does not pressure or upset the child at all, and you are not stuck in therapy for life! I know if any behavioral issues come up in the future I have The Helm, and they will help us and the outcome is going to be positive. Said with heartfelt thanks.

– Former Helm ABA Family

Sara Feldman

Ph.D., BCBA, LBA
OWNER, DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL SERVICES

Dr. Feldman is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a certified teacher in General and Special Education with experience in clinical, public school, and juvenile justice settings. She earned her Doctorate in Special Education with an emphasis in autism from the University of North Texas in 2018 and her Master's in Special Education with a concentration in autism and applied behavior analysis from Texas State University in 2012.

Previously, Sara has worked in the public school system as a teacher, Instructional Specialist, Behavior Specialist, and Autism Specialist. She is passionate about supporting students and families within the public education setting and believes with the right level of collaboration between teachers, parents, and support specialists, all students can be successful at home and at school.

Lee Ann Jones

M.Ed.
OWNER, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Lee Ann received her B.S. in Communication Disorders from Eastern Kentucky University in 2009 and her Master’s in Special Education (Consultation and Collaboration) with emphasis in Autism from Arizona State University in 2011.

Lee Ann has worked as a preschool teacher, an ABA therapist in-home and in-center, a director of a private school for children with special needs, and a behavior consultant for public schools. Lee Ann has a brother with autism and is passionate about supporting families in their homes and on their long, difficult journeys as parents and siblings of children with special needs.

Corrinne Mercer

M.Ed., BCBA
BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

Corrinne is a certified teacher in elementary education, special education, and secondary mathematics. She graduated from Texas A&M University-Commerce with a BSIS in Special Education in 2013 and has been teaching in various school settings such as inclusion support, resource classes, and functional academics classrooms since then.

She graduated from Texas State University with a Master's of Education with a concentration in autism and applied behavior analysis. Through her program at the university and her experience working for an ABA company in the Austin area, Corrinne has experience as an ABA therapist in clinical and in-home settings as well implementing principles of ABA in her classrooms.

Corrinne is thrilled to continue working with children in the home and is dedicated to creating a fun and collaborative learning environment.

Lindsey Lambert

MS, BCBA
BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

Lindsey graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2015 and Master of Science in Behavior Analysis in 2018 from the University of North Texas. She spent her time in college working as an ABA therapist with children diagnosed with autism in clinic, school and in-home settings. Lindsey is passionate about training staff to implement high quality ABA therapy, feeding expansion and development of play skills in children diagnosed with autism. As a new BCBA, Lindsey is eager to step into a leadership role at The Helm and help promote meaningful changes in the lives of individuals and families affected by autism.

Tamar Kustoff

CLINIC MANAGER - ALLEN

Tamar is a RBT and has been with The Helm since 2018. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 2017 with a Bachelors in Speech Language Pathology and a minor in Applied Behavioral Analysis.

She moved to the states in 2008 from Israel. Tamar has worked with children for 5 years in some capacity, whether it be a babysitting, speech internship, and more. It was while studying in college where she was doing her practicum and fell in love with the ABA world.

Tamar is honored with work with children and their families to improve their quality of life through ABA therapy.

Taylor Pike

M.Ed, BCBA
BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

Taylor received her B.A. from the University of Alabama with a major in communication disorders and a minor in child development. After graduating, she become a teaching assistant at The Capitol School of Austin where several of her students had special needs. During her time in the classroom, she discovered her passion for ABA which led her to pursue a M.Ed. with a major in special education from Texas State University. In graduate school, she worked as an ABA therapist in both clinic and in-home settings. She also provided support in a school setting for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities specifically Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome. Taylor believes strongly in the power of teamwork and in the mission of providing exceptional strength-based child and family-centered therapies based on the principles of ABA. Taylor brings compassion, empathy, and respect to every individual and family she works with.

Tasia Johnson

RBT
AUTHORIZATION COORDINATOR

Tasia has been working with children in various settings for over 20 years. She started working in highschool as an after school care teacher for an elementary school and fell in love with teaching. She worked as a reading tutor through college and transitioned into the role of fourth grade teachers assistant.

After taking time to focus on raising her now 10 year old son, Tasia discovered the world of ABA and never looked back! She began working with the Helm in 2019 and continues to shine and grow with the company. Through the years and various roles, Tasia has become an expert in the insurance industry. She is excited to put that knowledge to use to help advocate for our clients at The Helm as our Authorizations Coordinator.

Elizabeth Kennedy

INTAKE COORDINATOR

Elizabeth received her B.S. in Psychology from Fort Hays State University. While completing her undergraduate degree, she began working as a Psycho-social Group Facilitator, where she helped shape positive behaviors in children diagnosed with severe emotional disturbances.

Elizabeth also advocated for special needs children in the school setting as a Behavioral Health Coach, where she provided additional 1:1 support to these students.

As the new Intake Coordinator, Elizabeth is thrilled to lend an empathetic ear to all individuals and families affected by autism along with connecting them to helpful resources.

Katie Nagy

MS, BCBA, LBA
BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

Katie received her Masters of Science in Adapted Physical Activity from Slippery Rock University before obtaining her post masters' certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology. Katie earned her BCBA certification in 2015 and since then has worked with children, ages 18 months to 21 years, in school, clinic and home settings as well as private day school and residential placement.

Katie has previous leadership experience and enjoys empowering her team to provide the highest quality of treatment to the clients and families we serve. She strongly believes in working with families to create a treatment experience individual to them, supporting long lasting positive change.

Lacey Yates

M.Ed, BCBA, LBA
BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

I am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with 10 years of experience in the field. I have had the privilege of serving clients from 18 months to 15 years old in a variety of settings (clinic, home, inclusive preschool, community). I have served as an RBT, BCaBA responsible for training, BCBA as a Clinical Supervisor, and as a Clinical Director. My biggest passion is seeing clients, their families, and those team members working with them succeed and grow. I truly believe collaboration, passion, evidence-based intervention, and some fun all lead to high-quality services that produce meaningful life changes.

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