Exploring Life & Business with Adrienne Silva of Evolutions ABA Inc.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrienne Silva.

Hi Adrienne, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Many years ago I was a child in special education. I was constantly told about the things I could not do, includiing go to college. With a little bit of spite I was able to do that. I was derailed by a motorcyle accident during my sophmore year and needed to take time off. I was able to overcome the PTSD and learn to walk again with persistance. I was able to return to school with a limp and a cane the next semester.
After graduating, I worked with kids at a school for children with autism in Massachusetts. There were really strict dress codes and I was required to cover the tattoos on my arms. I had inisitally got them to cover burn scars from when I was a toddler. I would wear short sleeves sometimes during the summer because of the heat and I would not be allowed to attend field trips with the kids and would be assinged to remain back at the school with the children whose behavior was too severe for outings. These kids became my favorites! I built relationships around the severe aggression and self injury and we developed mutual respect for one another. I also saw that no one else wanted to work with these children and decided that I would, and I would treat them with the respect and support I had wanted as a child. I moved to California for graduate school but found that I was missing a credit and would need to take a course to finish my bachelors. I completed that while I waited for residency and started graduate school as soon as possible. I helped Goodwill start a day program for adults with severe behavior and ran that for 7 years. I did very well but was derailed again when my professor left the university in the middle of my thesis. I was forced to complete a new project and wait another year. I was able to graduate a year or two late. I passed my boards later that year and began working with a organization providing in home therapy after meeting my husband. We moved closer to San Diego for his work, and landed in San Clemente. We got married and I brought a souvenier home from our honeymoon, she will be 11 in March! Right before I was supposed to go out on leave to have her, the company i was working for laid me off and closed the branch as replacing me would be too expensive and difficult. I was devastated because the kids I was working with would not be able to find another provider willing to work with their behavior and I didn’t want their staff to go without a job right after the holidays. After crying and soul searching, i was able to start Evolutions ABA Inc. in my garage. I had my daughter Aesa on March 16th, 2016 and our first client started March 25th. I learned how to run a business while on maternity leave, and handled all of the administrative work. We got notice from our landlord that he would need his house back in 2019. I had just received compensation after my father’s death that was a result of 9/11 (he was in the south tower!). we purchased a home and I was able to move Evolutions into a small office. During covid, we realized that our kids needed space and our office hated kids in the parking lot or making noise, so we found a larger space in 2021. My husband and I decided to amicably split in 2025 and separated in early 2026. And… we just opened our second location in San Juan Capistrano. Our San CLemente office will now be the first ever ABA clinic solely dedicated to teenagers and adults with autism. We will hold Sex Ed and Health classes, social groups, and no one will be turned away because of their behavior. Our new clinic is now dedicated to providing children 12 and under with behaior therapy for any and all needs.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Evolutions ABA Inc.?
We are known for placing the kids we work with FIRST. We find that parents and family members are our best resource and love having them participate and guide our therapy. We also put a high priority on the happiness of our therapists! We find that investing in retention is far better than investing in recruitment. We don’t use disciplincary action, we allow time off, and we encourage schedules that help sustain a healthy work/ life balance.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Goin’ fast lol
I love the freedom that driving fast gives you. Motorcycles, cars, snowboards, bikes, whatever! being able to leave my house and see the rest of my town was inspiring.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.EvolutionsABA.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolutions.aba.therapy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionsaba