Sohyun Kim’s calling to make a difference for families in Los Angeles who have children who learn different came early – and gave her a clear path forward.
Kim was a high school teacher for several years at Taft High School in Woodland Hills and then started working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis in 2013. As a bilingual and bicultural educator and clinician, she worked with Korean families to provide culturally-sensitive support. She has also been teaching at Cal State LA and at CSUN since 2020, including undergraduate and graduate-level ABA courses.
Today it is Dr. Sohyun Kim – having received her Ph.D. in Special Education from UCLA – who heads up SK Behavior & Learning, a team of dedicated professionals with expertise in ABA and consultation, and their focus is on providing personalized and effective support to individuals and families by using family-centered approaches in culturally-responsive ways.
We met Dr. Kim through the Special Needs Resource Fair we did in conjunction with The Help Group earlier this year and were impressed, so we asked her to share her journey – and passion for helping – with our community.
L.A. Parent: When did you feel a pull to help children who learn differently?
Dr. Kim: Honestly, answering this question brings me full circle. My very first job after college was at The Help Group, working as an instructional aide in an art classroom filled with students on the autism spectrum. There was one student I’ll never forget – he didn’t use words to communicate, but the stories he told through his artwork were extraordinary. Watching him express complex thoughts and emotions through color and movement opened my eyes. I began to understand that learning and communication don’t look the same for everyone, and that’s OK. It’s a difference we’re meant to honor.
That early experience planted a seed of dedication in me, a desire to meet each child where they are, with awe, empathy and curiosity. Over the next decade, I became a teacher, a board-certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), earned my Ph.D. in Special Education from UCLA and eventually founded SK Behavior and Learning. But it all started in that art room.
L.A. Parent: How did you build your business?
Dr. Kim: While pursuing my Ph.D. at UCLA, I was conducting a research project about the experiences of Korean American parents raising children with autism. My goal was to amplify the voices of culturally and linguistically diverse parents, a demographic that is significantly underrepresented in research.
I was deeply immersed in the academic side of things – reading and conducting research, analyzing data and writing – but I kept feeling this urgency: These aren’t just data points. These are real families, with real struggles, trying to find their way in a system that doesn’t always speak their language – literally and culturally.
I wanted to take everything I was learning and actually do something with it, so I started SK Behavior and Learning with a simple mission: To offer ABA services that felt deeply respectful of who they are – linguistically, culturally, emotionally. It was a small team at first, with like-minded people who shared the same mission. We started with a handful of families, but we kept growing through word of mouth because families felt that they were respected and supported.
L.A. Parent: What sets your company apart from others?
Dr. Kim: I think what makes us different is how much time we spend getting to know each family – really getting to know them. Not just the child’s goals or the paperwork, but what the family cares about, how they see their child, what they hope for. We don’t come in assuming we know what’s best. We ask a lot of questions. We listen.
Most of the families we work with speak more than one language or live between cultures, just like I did growing up. That’s part of why we’re so intentional about being respectful and curious. We talk a lot in our team about cultural humility – not pretending to be experts in someone else’s culture, but being open and willing to learn.
At the end of the day, our goal isn’t just to teach skills. It’s to build trust. To help families feel safe, seen and supported. When that happens, the learning comes because the connection is there first.
L.A. Parent: How did your upbringing in a bilingual and bicultural home shape your work?
Dr. Kim: Growing up in a bilingual, bicultural home shaped how I see the world. I was constantly navigating between two cultures – translating not just language, but expectations, norms and emotions. I watched my parents try so hard to advocate for me in school, even when the system didn’t make space for them. Their love and resilience stayed with me.
That experience fuels my empathy and my accepting of differences as the beauty of human diversity. I know firsthand how it feels to be misunderstood or overlooked simply because of cultural or linguistic mismatch. That’s why I’m so passionate about providing care that is culturally sensitive and rooted in respect for other cultures while being proud of my own. I want our families to know: You don’t have to change who you are to receive support. You don’t have to explain your entire culture. We’re here to listen, learn and walk with you.
L.A. Parent: What services does your team offer?
Dr. Kim: We offer a range of services tailored to where each child, and each family, is on their journey. That includes:
• Early Intervention: We target developmentally appropriate skills such as communication, joint attention, play and daily routines.
• ABA Program: We target meaningful goals within the domains of communication, social/leisure skills, imitation, daily living skills and motor skills and behavioral readiness through evidence-based strategies.
• Parent Training: We use family centered principles to provide culturally responsive parent training. We empower the parents so that they can confidently use positive behavioral strategies as a part of their daily routine.
• Adaptive Skills Training: We help your child with various daily living skills to foster independence at home and in the community.
• IEP support: We help families understand their rights and communicate with schools.
We offer services in multiple languages and we’re always ready to learn more about what makes each family unique.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many families, each with their own hopes, worries and beautiful strengths. I carry their stories with me every day. They remind me why I do this work, and why it matters to meet each child and caregiver with both clinical expertise and human compassion.
I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I do promise to listen, to ask questions and to honor what makes each family unique. Because I truly believe that when we center care around empathy, cultural humility and connection, we can help children not just grow but thrive.
