Bückeburg, Germany – September 13, 2024 – As Cofounder of Knospe-ABA GmbH and Knospe-Lerncenter GmbH, I am thrilled to share that the original service offering Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to Germany is celebrating 20 years in business!
As a young Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), I left my home in California and moved to Germany with my newlywed wife, Nadine Schramm. Together, we planted the seeds of what has grown into two of Europe’s largest ABA providers. As Germany’s first BCBA, I focused on supporting families in their homes and schools in a country that had no infrastructure or funding for ABA—a scientific approach to learning that is globally considered to be the best practice for autism treatment.
The past two decades have been dedicated to turning skeptics into believers of ABA, one family, one teacher, and one funding source at a time. It’s hard to quantify how many lives we have touched, but I know that we have directly served more than 3,000 beneficiaries across Germany.
Through workshops, in-home consultation, and school consultation, we also have had the privilege of meeting, training, and inspiring many of Germany’s practicing behavior analysts. In fact, between myself, Nadine, and Knospe-Lerncenter’s David Cole, we have personally trained or brought to Germany the majority of the country’s Board Certified Behavior Analysts.
It has been an incredible journey, and I could not be prouder of the tireless work done by our consultants, office staff, and the parents who have trusted us to guide them through their children’s journeys.
While 20 years may seem like a long time, our latest venture, Knospe-Lerncenter, makes it feel like we are just getting started! Founded only last year, Knospe-Lerncenter has already opened seven clinics across Germany, employing a dedicated team of around 50 professionals. In a short time, by directly reinvesting in our services, we have expanded our offering to include Speech-Language Pathology (SLP), Occupational Therapy (OT), and, most recently, Physical Therapy (PT), in addition to our established ABA/VB services. This growth reflects our commitment to providing comprehensive rehabilitation services, whether for children with Autism or adults with traumatic injuries.
As we gather this week in Buckeburg—the town where it all began—we will be sharing stories, reminiscing about the fun times, celebrating the people we have met, and reflecting on the challenges we have overcome. But no matter how far we have come, our guiding principle has remained constant: to offer the very best therapeutic services to each person we meet, as if they were our own family.
I feel fortunate to have led this mission alongside Nadine for 20 years. I look forward to seeing Knospe-ABA and Knospe-Lerncenter continue to lead the way in effective, evidence-based therapy in Germany—and beyond—for decades to come.
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey, and here’s to the next 20 years!
