Meet Tim Gray, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with Humanim’s Infinity Center for Behavior Services in Harford County.

The Infinity Center – at both its Harford and Carroll County locations – provides intensive, one-to-one services to children with autism under the age of 6.  In his role, Tim leads a team of therapists and often works closely with children and parents. The goal is to help the children build language, daily living skills, improve their independence, and prepare them for school.

Beginning at around age 2, each child receives four hours of services, five days a week, with at least one, and often two, therapists. An almost two-year veteran of Humanim, Tim says the work can be hard, but rewarding. “I always say, it could be emotionally and physically exhausting but at the end of the day it’s always worth it to see the progress and worth the literal blood, sweat and tears.”

Tim relates directly to the young children who may struggle with self-harm. Years ago before becoming a BCBA, he struggled with anxiety and would scratch himself as a coping tool. “When I have kids engaging in self-injury, it does hit close to home, but it also makes me fight for them. That journey of overcoming self-harm and anxiety gives me strength today to help the children fight through it.”

A lot of Tim’s work is with parents, giving them the skills to help their young children build their abilities.

“We do parent training, focused on concerns about a child’s behavior at home,” he says. “It could be unsafe behavior like climbing on furniture or having them remain seated during meals. We focus on increasing communication, and that may include teaching the children sign language or how to use pictures to communicate. That vocal ability to create words can be slow to develop and may cause frustration and disruptive behaviors, so providing alternative sources of communication can be effective.”

Outside of work, Tim is focused on his wife and two children. He’s a huge Harry Potter fan and has four Harry Potter-themed tattoos – among his collection of 21. And his biggest hobby is Spartan Races, exhausting obstacle course races that can run as long as about 10 miles. “It tests your physical and mental endurance. It’s kind of become one of my passions.”

Tim is committed to Infinity Center’s work. His future might include becoming the director of a center or helping to expand Infinity to other locations. “The need will be there. There will always be children on a waitlist for these services.”

“I had a parent tell me, ‘I never thought there would be a light at the end of the tunnel, but I’m finally seeing that light and it gives me hope.’ That pushes me forward. Being able to help these families and give these children a voice and helping them be ready for the world is such a wonderful job.”