Dr. Deena Moustafa, Founder and CEO of Go Behavioral LLC, started the company in 2018, with a simple but powerful mission: to build the kind of ABA agency she wished existed. One that pairs clinical excellence with real compassion; welcomes every family, regardless of background, language, or diagnosis; believes a child’s potential is never defined by a diagnosis, and a parent’s hope should never be lost in the process.
Building an Evidence-Based, Heart-Centered Practice
As a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a PhD in Psychology, Dr. Moustafa saw the potential of ABA done right. She saw children speak their first words, take their first steps toward independence, and reconnect with the world around them. She also saw too many gaps in care, with families waiting months for services they desperately needed, parents who couldn’t communicate because of language barriers, and therapists burning out, trying to give everything they had in systems that didn’t give much back.
That was when she knew something had to change. Go Behavioral is the child of her frustration and hope, born from the moments that broke her heart and the ones that reminded her why she chose this field. Dr. Moustafa’s academic training gave her the science to reshape established models and create a practice that was evidence-based and heart-centered. But it was the everyday moments with families, the tears, laughter, and quiet victories, that lent the vision.
As an Associate Professor, Dr. Moustafa teaches and mentors future clinicians, writes books to help families understand behavior in the chaos of daily life. As a CEO, she built Go Behavioral to reflect her most cherished values: empathy, inclusion, and the unwavering belief that everyone – child, parent, or therapist – deserves to feel seen. “Go Behavioral isn’t just a company to me. It’s a promise. To do better. To be better. And to never lose sight of the people we serve,” she declares.
“Go Behavioral isn’t just a company. It’s a promise – to do better, to be better, and to never lose sight of the people we serve.”
An Approach Rooted in Personalization
While traditional therapy follows rigid scripts, life isn’t scripted. Neither is the journey of raising a child with unique needs. With an approach rooted in personalization, Go Behavioral is focused on building relationships. “We don’t ask, ‘What’s wrong?’ – but, ‘What matters to you?’,” Dr. Moustafa elaborates. “Whether a parent dreams of hearing their child say ‘I love you,’ or just wants to get through a family dinner without a meltdown, those goals become the foundation of our work.”
Go Behavioral meets families where they are, providing services in homes, schools, clinics, and community spaces, offering therapy in 13 languages. It shows up with empathy and flexibility, believing that every small win is a step toward something bigger. “Our outcomes aren’t measured only by data points, but by moments – like when a child makes eye contact for the first time, or when a sibling says, ‘I think my brother likes playing with me now.’ That’s the kind of progress that matters,” Dr. Moustafa states.
Meeting Families With Care, Not Compromise
Dr. Moustafa finds growth exciting, but is determined not to lose sight of their mission during expansion, concerned that Go Behavioral not become another large agency with disconnected teams and watered-down values. The biggest challenge wasn’t logistics, different regulations, payer systems, community cultures, and workforce dynamics, but maintaining the intimacy and integrity of the care model.
She met that challenge by building from the inside out, developing leaders from those who already understood her vision. She created consistent training and quality assurance processes, gave teams the flexibility to adapt to local needs, and leaned into technology not to replace human connection, but to enhance it.
“Scaling Go Behavioral has never been about numbers, but about extending our promise – to do better, to be better – to more families who deserve to be met with care, not compromise,” she insists.
When We Care Deeply, We Lead Wisely
What makes care consistent at Go Behavioral isn’t a manual – it’s a mindset, a culture that holds space for both excellence and evolution. Clinical standards are non-negotiable, and the best therapy happens when they’re truly listening, adapting, checking in, and adjusting plans, with weekly supervision, ongoing training, and real-time support.
If a therapist has a question, they get an answer. If a family needs something more, they find a way. When a child makes progress, they celebrate together. “In a field that’s constantly evolving, our high standard of care is something we live by. It’s baked into our conversations, values, and beliefs that when we care deeply, we lead wisely,” says Dr. Moustafa.
Leadership is Most Powerful When It’s Personal
For Dr. Moustafa, leadership is less about control and more about care. She doesn’t lead from a pedestal, but walks alongside, listening, showing up when it counts. Every decision is rooted in the belief that people matter – the children she serves, the parents she supports, and the staff who show up every day with their hearts wide open.
“Empathy is my compass. Integrity is my backbone. Courage carries me forward when decisions are hard. Leadership is most powerful when it’s personal. People know they’re not just a name on a spreadsheet, but a voice that’s heard, a story that’s valued, a part of something that truly makes a difference,” she declares.
“When care is delivered with both skill and heart, children don’t just make progress – they begin to feel seen.”
Innovating Towards Connection and Breaking Down Barriers
For Dr. Moustafa, innovating doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel, but making it more accessible. She works to expand access to quality care in ways that feel real and sustainable, offering services in 13 languages – not just for inclusivity, but because communication is the foundation of trust.
She serves families in their natural settings – homes, schools, and communities – because therapy should never feel separate from life. Behavior On, a division integrating speech and occupational therapy, gives families one coordinated team instead of three disconnected ones.
As an author, Dr. Moustafa writes books to make ABA more relatable for parents and professionals, to take what they know and make it usable, and leverage science to help them get through the day. “Innovation is about connection, breaking down barriers so that families can say – this feels like it was made for us,” she states.
Leading with Presence, Alignment, and Purpose
Dr. Moustafa notes that balance is less a goal and more a rhythm, from clinical work to teaching, writing, or answering questions that need thoughtful direction. Every role, from CEO, BCBA, Associate Professor, to author, flows from the same mission: to improve how children and families experience care, and ensure professionals feel supported and seen.
Teaching reminds her of the future. Writing allows her to speak to overwhelmed families. The clinical side keeps her grounded. Leading lets her bring it all together to turn lessons into action. “The truth is, it’s a lot. But when your heart is tied to your work, you find the energy. I don’t aim for perfect balance. I aim for presence, alignment, and purpose. That’s what keeps my vision for Go Behavioral steady, even when the pace is fast,” she reflects.
“Success isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s a quiet smile, a whispered word, or a parent saying, ‘For the first time, I feel hopeful.’”
Helping Children Trust the World Around Them
Collaboration between families, therapists, and educators is essential as real progress happens when the people are working together, not separately, not competitively, but collaboratively. Go Behavioral prioritizes connection, including families, teachers, and schools in the planning process, based on their routines, culture, goals, and hopes. “We don’t just bring them along for the ride – they help drive the direction of care,” says Dr. Moustafa.
The team attends IEP meetings, shares strategies, and aligns behavior support with classroom expectations, creating visuals that follow the child from therapy to school to home. Breakthroughs come not from isolated strategies, but from consistent support across environments. “When a child experiences the same encouragement, language, and structure everywhere they go, they begin to trust the world around them – and that’s when transformation starts,” Dr. Moustafa explains.
Promoting Dignity, Growth, and Belonging
Go Behavioral has helped shy and withdrawn children build confidence, initiate conversations, maintain friendships, and feel like they belong. A nonverbal 9-year-old boy learned to speak and prepare his own meals. “That independence, that pride he feels when he does something on his own – that’s what this work is about,” she says.
A 10-year-old girl locked away in her own world began playing with toys, peers, and laughing with friends. “Her mom feels like she’s meeting her daughter for the first time,” Dr. Moustafa shares.“That’s not just clinical progress. That’s healing.”
Go Behavioral even helped a child transition into a general education classroom, keep up academically, and build lasting friendships. “That’s the dream so many families have, but are afraid to voice out loud. Watching it happen is indescribable. These moments aren’t just about therapy, but about trust, consistency, and belief in the child, the process, and what’s possible when care is delivered with skill and heart,” Dr. Moustafa reflects.
She notes that children with autism don’t need to be “fixed” or made to look a certain way. With the right support, they can be joyful, expressive, connected, fully in the moment, included, and engaged. The presence of dignity, growth, and belonging reflects the power of truly individualized care. Not to change who a child is, but to help them feel safe and confident, being exactly who they are, in any space.
“We’re not here to ‘fix’ children – we’re here to support them, celebrate them, and walk beside them as they grow.”
Going Deeper to Change Lives
Dr. Moustafa’s goal for Go Behavioral isn’t about getting bigger, but getting closer to families, communities, and the care every child and parent deserves, expanding to communities with limited access to care. Providing hubs of support, collaboration, and safety can shorten waitlists, bring services closer home, and create reliable spaces for children to learn and thrive.
The leadership development pipeline aims to create confident, supported clinical supervisors with meaningful careers rooted in growth, mentorship, and purpose. The focus on therapist wellness brings flexibility, better clinical support, and real conversations about burnout, balance, and belonging, to provide more holistic, inclusive services.
Enhancing parent training with helpful tools that reflect the family’s language, culture, and daily life aims to boost confidence in themselves. “At Go Behavioral, we’re not chasing numbers – we’re building something that lasts. Something that changes lives. And this year, we’re doing that by going deeper, not just farther,” Dr. Moustafa insists.
Helping Behavioral Health Professionals Thrive
Go Behavioral hopes to be a model, not just of what’s possible in ABA, but of what’s necessary, by shaping a future of ethical, compassionate therapy grounded in relationships, where families feel like partners, therapists are supported, mentored, and trusted to grow, and diversity isn’t just represented but celebrated.
A space where the next generation of professionals can thrive with clinical mentorship programs, university partnerships, and inclusive hiring practices. “We teach them to ask hard questions, to lead with both heart and data, and to never forget the people behind the plans. I want our legacy to be more than outcomes – a movement toward care that feels just as good as it works,” Dr. Moustafa states.
Advice on Building a Purpose-Driven Business
To aspiring entrepreneurs who want to build purpose-driven businesses in the healthcare space, Dr. Moustafa recommends a focus on more than money to stretch in every way – emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. If your “why” is real, you’ll find your way back when things get hard. And they will.
She recommends building a community, not just a business, creating systems that reflect values, hiring people who believe in the mission, and treating them like the heart of the organization. “Stay connected to the people you serve. Let their voices guide your growth. Let their stories become the fabric of your mission. And don’t be afraid to lead differently. The world needs more original hearts, not more copies of what already exists,” she advises.
Conclusion
Dr. Deena Moustafa believes that success is found in the quiet victories – the moment a parent exhales after months of anxiety, a therapist discovers their leadership potential, a child who once shut down during transitions now runs to therapy with a smile. “Success isn’t loud. It doesn’t always look like milestones or headlines. It looks like trust. Like hope. Like healing,” she says.
She hopes to leave a legacy where Go Behavioral is a safe place that serves with excellence and leads with love. That raises the standard for what ABA could be – not just clinically, but emotionally and ethically. “If families remember us as the team that cared deeply and changed their lives gently, I’ll know we’ve done something truly meaningful,” she reflects.
