Welcome to Everyday Behaviorist
Neither every day, nor everyday, but unmistakably behavior-ish. Finally, behaviorism with a soul.
Welcome to Everyday Behaviorist, my Substack that is not every day or everyday, but is, unmistakably, behavior-ish. Finally, behaviorism with a soul.
This is a post I should have written months ago, but, honestly, I didn’t quite know what I was doing here or how to niche down my daily writing practice — my persistent behavioral affliction that produces eclectic products. I still don’t know how to niche it, exactly, but others are out here, sharing imperfectly, without an underlying philosophy of natural science, so why not me, too?
This is a place to explore—not from certainty, but from curiosity. A space to write imperfectly, to learn in public, and to connect across disciplines and experiences. A space shaped by science, philosophy, spirit, storytelling, and lots of grounding. Pleased to have you to join me in the shaping process.
Who am I?
That’s the omnipresent question no one can answer — not truthfully, not completely, and certainly not in one sitting.
My name is Jennifer, and…
I don’t define myself in the usual ways—not by job title, career accomplishments, or relationship status. Not by the degrees or credentials I earned, quite literally, through blood, sweat, and tears.
No — my ego shattered long ago, and I’ve been starting at the pieces for years, as if they might provide an answer to the question, Who am I?
…but, all I can seem to do is gently repurpose my pieces into a mosaic and hope others see its beauty without a name.
If you’d like more of a backstory, I said most of the hard stuff in a “Pre-Welcome Post” entitled “Finding What I have to Say, or Why am I here?” which explains how I ended up here, on Substack, trying to find more of what I have to say and get better at saying it. Though I’ve shared those experiences with other audiences (Facebook writing page), I have never said them all in one place, to those readers and complete strangers. So, I sincerely appreciate any love you show that or any post.
Anyway, for now, writer is the only identity I feel fully comfortable claiming.
Because here’s something behaviorism has taught me:
If we define ourselves by our behavior—the things we do, say, think, and feel on repeat—it’s the only identity no one can take from us. The only identity that’s uniquely ours. And it’s always subject to change.
How freeing is that!
So yes, I’m a writer.
I’m also a clinical behavior analyst, an academic-adjacent overthinker, and someone who has overcome (and is still overcoming) many difficult life experiences.
I’ve spent decades using the science and philosophy of behaviorism to help others. Within the past few years, I finally learned to use it radically for myself, to find my way back to self. Writing is a part of that process. I’m grateful for your company on the journey, and I’m excited to show you more of what I mean.
What to Expect
If I wrote solely about the compassionate, freeing, and practical philosophy of Radical Behaviorism and the science of Behavior Analysis, most people would fall asleep.
But, if I tell you about it — or, what I can of it — through essays, poetry, and fiction, you might not only stay awake…
You might wake up.
The topographies and landscape of what you’ll find here, eventually:
Creative nonfiction on life, love, and spirituality through a radical behaviorist lens
Essays from a memoir in progress, about a range of topics, from heavy to light:
Grief, depression, chronic pain, and living with amniotic band syndrome
Dealing with challenging people, accepting compliments, non-human interactions, and lighter fare
Stories of small joys, like my dog, Risley, my labradoodle and lifesaver
Poetry, to process ongoing whirlpool of life and convey feelings prose cannot
Fiction, to illustrate what my life alone cannot
Chapters from my novel-in-progress, It’s Time, a dystopian fiction inspired by having to process the U.S. political environment, on top of everything else
The frequency with which you’ll find it:
I write every day, though I don’t post every day, as I respect your inbox and time. For now, expect a mix of essays and poetry a few times a week, and an update to my in-process novel once a month.
I’m still building my Substack — trying to create sections, add old and new content, and niche down — so please expect this to be a work in progress.
Why I’m Here
To build a thoughtful, curious community.
To connect behavior analysts with lay readers and writers of substance.
To push back against misinformation and misunderstandings about behaviorism.
To show what this philosophy and science really is: A compassionate, contextual, deeply human way to understand and shape behavior—our own and others’.
I don’t want to grow this space because I have all the answers.
I want to grow it because I don’t even know all the questions—
and the only way to find questions or answers is together.
Nothing happens without other.
Not even self-becoming.
Thank you for being here. Let’s shape something wildly authentic, unabashedly curious, and entirely freeing—one imperfect post at a time.
Peace, love, and stimulus control,
Jennifer N. Haddock
Everyday Behaviorist
So nice to virtually meet you Jennifer 🙂 I for one, am excited to read and learn more! Happy Writing 🤠🤙