Hold

For over 12 years, I’ve worked alongside autistic individuals, their families, and professionals in homes, schools, clinics, and communities. I’ve held hands, literally and metaphorically, during moments of progress, crisis, and everything in between. That experience inspired Hold: not just as a digital tool, but as a symbolic extension of the steady support people need when facing behavioral and emotional challenges.

Throughout my career as a behavior analyst, I’ve often seen excellent professionals struggle with fragmented data, complex intervention protocols, or the overwhelming need to personalize strategies for each individual. Families, too, often feel lost, without clear, accessible guidance in critical moments. I realized we needed a bridge between data and care, between science and human connection.

That’s how Hold was born. I drew on my experience with functional assessments, parent training, and technological interventions like video modeling to shape an app that could think like an analyst but act like a partner. The idea to integrate physiological data came from field experience, seeing how much we rely on visual signs of escalation when internal signs often show up first. The heart rate monitor was a breakthrough to anticipate instead of react.

We designed Hold to be intuitive, fast, and human-centered. Building it meant translating complex behavior-analytic systems into clean, usable flows; balancing technical accuracy with accessibility; and ensuring every feature, from ABC data to crisis protocols, served a real need.

Our biggest challenge was focus: resisting the temptation to build everything and instead building what truly matters most. Another was designing for both analysts and caregivers - two very different users - without overwhelming either.

In the end, this project is deeply personal. It’s not just about innovation, it’s about dignity, trust, and showing that sometimes the most effective form of support is as simple as holding a hand at the right time.

Built With

• bolt