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The Anchor-Based Approach

Psychology, made operational.

ABA is a structured psychological methodology for turning insight into meaningful direction, observable behaviour and reviewable progress.

Developed by psychologist Dr Hanan Bushkin, it is designed to help people and professionals move from understanding to action—without reducing human complexity to a slogan.

Looking for the research position? Examine the evidence approach.

The ABA method map

Structure · action · evidence

01

Direction

Clarify what matters

02

Blueprint

Define the next behaviour

03

Practice

Act in daily life

04

Review

Track and recalibrate

A disciplined cycle that connects meaningful direction with practical behaviour and continuous learning.

Defined methodology
Research-informed foundations
Measurable by design
Platform-ready architecture

A methodology for sustained action

Insight matters. What happens next matters more.

Many people understand their patterns and still feel stuck. ABA gives that insight a sequence: clarify what matters, create a workable direction, translate it into behaviour, then use real-world feedback to refine the plan.

Its nine principles create a shared language for understanding emotional states, interpreting experience, choosing deliberately and building progress through observable action.

The 9 ABA Principles

A shared language for steadiness, choice and action.

The principles are taught in a deliberate order, creating a practical framework for steadiness, choice, action and review.

View all 9 principles

01

The Five Emotional States

A shared colour language for recognising degree of control and choosing a response that fits the state.

02

Core Beliefs

A practical framework that connects a perceived threat with a workable solution, creating a clearer map for what comes next.

03

Behaviour is King

Insight becomes change when it appears in controllable, observable behaviour in daily life.

Research foundation

A new methodology grounded in established psychological science.

ABA brings established work on cognition, emotion, behaviour, goal pursuit, self-regulation, physiology and feedback into one structured framework for everyday application.

Coherent

Nine ordered principles connect insight, direction, behaviour and review.

Research-informed

Established psychological research strengthens each major area of the framework.

Research-active

Early cohort application and a formal research programme guide continuing refinement.

One methodology, different entry points

A growing field needs people, professionals and institutions.

ABA is being built as both a human methodology and the foundation of a future digital platform. Each audience has a different responsibility and a different way in.

For people

Build forward motion around what matters.

Explore a structured way to connect emotional insight with practical behaviour and review.

Explore ABA for individuals

For professionals

Add a coherent method to responsible practice.

Explore the methodology, professional applications and structured training pathway.

Explore professional training

For institutions

Bring a fresh behavioural framework into the room.

Explore talks, workshops, research, organisational learning and public-sector collaboration.

Invite or collaborate

The platform horizon

The website is the public doorway. The platform is the operating environment.

The ABA platform is being designed to make the methodology usable through clear next steps, low-friction check-ins, structured plans and progress review—while keeping safety, privacy and human support boundaries explicit.

One clear next step

The user sees simplicity while the system handles complexity.

Behavioural feedback

Action and review help the plan become more useful over time.

User autonomy

Recommendations support decisions; they do not erase agency.

Human support

Clear pathways preserve the role of professional judgement and human care.

Dr Hanan Bushkin, psychologist and founder of the Anchor-Based Approach

Founder

Dr Hanan Bushkin

Johannesburg-based psychologist and founder of the Anchor-Based Approach.

“A credible new methodology should be clear enough to teach, structured enough to study and responsive enough to improve.”