Episode 259: Behaviour Analysis in Turks and Caicos with Maxcia Williams

About this episode

Ben Reiman speaks with Maxcia Williams about her journey raising a son with autism in the Turks & Caicos Islands and her efforts to build autism services in her community.

What happens when there are no autism services in your country? In this episode, Ben speaks with Maxcia Williams, a parent, advocate, and behaviour technician in the Turks & Caicos Islands, about her journey raising a son with autism in a system that didn’t yet exist—and how she helped build one. From navigating stigma and cultural myths to founding the Hope Foundation for Autism Awareness, Maxcia shares what it means to move from isolation to impact. This conversation explores culturally responsive care, workforce challenges in small communities, and the power of caregiver-led change. At the heart of the episode is Israel—Maxcia’s son—whose journey into self-advocacy, homeschooling, and authorship reminds us that autism is not a limitation, but a different path. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZqhcnZnjN4I This episode is presented by our founding academic partner, the Doctor of Education in the field of Applied Behaviour Analysis program at Western University’s Faculty of Education. Program Information: https://www.edu.uwo.ca/graduate-education/edd/applied-behaviour-analysis.html How to apply: https://www.edu.uwo.ca/graduate-education/apply.html Program brochure…

People in this episode

Host: Ben Reiman

Guest: Maxcia Williams

Topics covered

• autism services
• culturally responsive care
• advocacy
• caregiver-led change
• workforce challenges
• stigma
• self-advocacy

Keywords

• autism
• Turks and Caicos
• behaviour analysis
• advocacy
• cultural myths
• education
• self-advocacy
• caregiver support

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hope Foundation for Autism Awareness, Western University

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