About
Bahij Khouzami
M.Ed., BCBA, IBA | Founder
Professional Advisory Board Member IBAO
Bahij Khouzami is an expert in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and specializes in Autism. He is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), an International Behavior Analyst (IBA), and a Professional Advisory Board Member for the IBAO. He holds a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, specializing in Autism from Cambridge College in Massachusetts, USA. Bahij has provided ABA services in schools, homes, and clinics across Massachusetts, USA. He has extensive experience working with individuals who have Autism Spectrum Disorder and related disabilities in various settings. Bahij is highly skilled in developing and implementing behavior intervention techniques for different age groups. These techniques include discrete trial teaching, shaping, natural environment training, verbal behavior, social skills, self-help skills and more.
In both the United States and Dubai, Bahij has worked with multidisciplinary teams in clinical, home, nursery, and school settings. Additionally, he is currently training therapists, educators, and parents to ensure that the child’s learning process continues smoothly from clinical settings into classrooms and homes. Bahij is passionate about teaching and is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of individuals with Autism.
Maryam Khaksar
CDA Psychologist
Maryam Khaksar is a Professional and licensed psychologist with over 15 years of experience providing psychology counseling and mental health services, organizing psychology workshops, and lecturing at universities. She has a Ph.D. degree in Educational Psychology and cooperated with the Psychological and Counseling Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as an inspector, until December 2018. Meanwhile, she lectured at five different universities and provided counseling services in some private clinics in Tehran. In 2015, she was selected as the team psychologist for the Iranian National Expeditionary Team to Brazil World Skills Competition. She also actively participated in some TV psychological programs in Iran until Jan 2019, when we moved to UAE. Dr. Khaksar also has some published papers and research projects psychology. Since moving to UAE, she worked as a school psychologist and head of the inclusion team.
Area of expertise:
- Premarital counseling
- Psychological counseling for children and adolescents
- Teaching children and adolescents life skills including anger management, anxiety control, self-confidence, problem-solving skills, critical thinking
- Adult psychology and psychotherapy counseling in the field of anxiety disorders, depression, and couple therapy
- Performing diagnostic tests and specialized psychological evaluations (computer based and paper-pencil)
The experts of Autism Intervention Specialists manage two departments: An English and Arabic Department. AIS’ BCBAs have extensive experience in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, servicing children, adolescents, and adults on the autism spectrum, in addition to individuals diagnosed with behavioral, emotional, and developmental disabilities.
The BCBA experts of AIS have provided services across the United States, before moving to Dubai to better service the autism community through Autism Intervention Specialists. AIS recognized the need for specialized Applied Behavior Analysis for individuals with autism, special needs, and behavior challenges in the middle eastern community, encouraging us to transition our expertise to Dubai, UAE.
ALL your consultations, evaluations, assessments, services, and needs will be fully conducted/met by your English or Arabic speaking, American trained BCBA. AIS’ expert BCBAs have a track record of success in the United States, and we are excited to bring our knowledge to the UAE autism community through one on one services in all environments, in addition to full telehealth platform models.
Our Mission
AIS’ mission is to improve the independence and social awareness of individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), related diagnosis and/or behavioral concerns (whether a diagnosis exists or not). AIS simultaneously increasing the knowledge, skill set, and quality of life for both the individuals and families of those impacted by these diagnosis and behaviors.
To achieve this, AIS specializes in providing services grounded in the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the only scientifically proven behavioral method effective in the treatment of ASD.
AIS offers a comprehensive array of services including one-to-one and group center based services, social skills programs, community programs, adolescent programs, adaptive living programs, telehealth program training and monitoring, as well as many other group activities specifically targeting deficits that impact individuals with autism.
Each service program is tailored exclusively to meet the needs of both the individual and the family. As we mentioned, at AIS, American trained licensed Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) are the only professionals which interact with your family and children.
Our Values
Changing Lives
We believe that every student deserves a chance at developing to their full potential. Through the practice of ABA therapy, AIS’ BCBAs skillfully teach foundational skills to bring about meaningful growth and change.
Commitment
AIS is committed to ensure an enriched environment for each student to promote exceptional learning. Our commitment to our clients and to each other is reliable and strong. We will work diligently to overcome obstacles to help find a way that works.
Success
Every small achievement can lead to one amazing success. We celebrate with those we work with and recognize that a small goal reached can mean a big victory for a child and their family.
Respect
AIS operates in a spirit of cooperation and values human dignity. We share genuine respect for students we serve and the members of our exceptional BCBAs. We trust, rely, and support each other in all our actions. We foster an environment where families can contribute and excel.
Integrity
We conduct our business in accordance with the highest standards of professional behavior and ethical conduct. We are transparent, honest, and ethical in all our interactions with employees, students, families, associates, professionals, and the public.
Teamwork
We believe teamwork leverages our individual strengths. To maximize our collective impact, we inspire, challenge, collaborate, listen, support and guide each other to provide the very best for the students and families we serve.
Valuing Families
We value the families in which we serve by supporting and providing the information needed to have the uninterrupted continuation of positive reinforcement across environments. We will give them the tools they need to be successful and to maintain generalization of treatment.
