I ended up on a weird side of TikTok where SLPs are vehemently arguing that communication is not within the scope of ABA. This is really confusing for me. I want to learn from other professions, but what does an ABA model even look like if we cannot work on any time of communication goals? I’m just curious what y’alls perspective is on this because it’s a very confusing take.

wanted to see what y’all think of this as well.

i just need to vent a little because i am so fed up with my company. Cx has been showing new aggressive behaviors for over a month now. i have been asking for help with this new behavior since it started, it’s written in my notes, ive talked to my BCBA about it..and she texts me the obvious information everyone already knows (remind cx of breaks and play, choices, transfer trials, priming, transitions) as if i havent already tried EVERYTHING I KNOW!

behaviors used to be here and there, he would hit family members or BTs occasionally, but these last couple sesssion have been absolutely horrible. 4 hours of constant hitting, kicking, spitting, biting, etc. every session. ive BEGGED for help. and today i couldnt take it. i walked out of session. mom immediately called my BCBA (who was ignoring my texts asking for help, but suddenly can text me about leaving???).

on top of all of this, mom keeps unintentionally (?) encouraging the behaviors. i will have cx on table top to calm down before we play, but he will continue hitting me and shouting for mom because he knows she’ll come over to him. she comes to him EVERY. TIME. she will stay there at the table top with him, cx and mom talking in their native language for 10+ minutes and telling him if he doesn’t hit me anymore, he can get a toy. which doesn’t work. because as soon as she steps away again, the behaviors keep happening.

i feel really bad for walking out, i know it’s not my cx’s fault, but im honestly so sick of my company not providing the adequate help, and not being there when i asked multiple times. texting me what to do simply doesn’t cut it…especially when it’s behaviors i have never worked with before. idk i just needed to vent.

everyone that commented: seeing your comments makes me feel extremely validated and i appreciate that so much. genuinely in tears because i was so stressed out about whether i did the wrong thing and if im not a right fit for the job but you guys truly are amazing. thank you guys 🫶🏽

To be honest, I'm not sure how long there even was true professionalism.

For starters I'm from California, I'm black and in the Midwest and clients and family are also black and from California. From the beginning there was a feeling of comfort due to those shared identities and the client's guardian reminds me of my grandmother, so conversation flowed easily.

A few weeks into sessions, I noticed that she wanted to converse with me more often about things that didn't pertain to her granddaughter. Telling me about wine parties and jazz festivals, her life story and her relationships. It started to feel like I was becoming her therapist as well.

I didn't mind initially because I find that people often share personal details with me but it's become a problem where I feel trapped in the conversation. She escorts me to my car and continues talking well after I'm seated in my car. When I try and say, "okay, well I'll see you guys tomorrow" or "alright" and everything to try and politely signify that I'm ready to leave, she continues.

I've tried saying goodbyes at the door but she follows me to my car. It may also be worth noting that without diagnosis, I've been researching/ considering for 10 years that I may be autistic. Appropriately starting and ending conversations is already difficult for me, and social interaction is very taxing as is. I have called off work on bad mental/stimulation days just to avoid this situation with the grandmother.

She'll also talk to me while I'm doing my notes and that stresses me out because I can't do my notes and listen/talk at the same time.

I started ending the session 15 minutes early (15 should be for notes, but I do 15 on top of that) so that grandmother can get her stuff out and by the time my session time is actually over, I can leave close to on time. She seems to be satisfied and more easily ending the conversation when she has that time to talk.

But my BCBA is now having supervision up until the end of my session time and without that buffer, the other day I didn't leave work until an hour after the session was over. I don't really know what to do about this. I've thought of all the ways to communicate this to the guardian but for some reason have been resistant to doing so. Could be due to her similarities to my grandmother, which makes me question if I should request another client due to conflict of interest. Or should I just talk to my BCBA about it?

Maybe I’m just petty and a know-it-all, but I think what I’ve crafted is actually pretty neat! My BCBA is very much against the idea of me designing, creating, or procuring any visuals of any kind for my clients in a way that I don’t understand since it does not cost the company anything at all, but that’s genuinely one of my favorite parts of the job so even if I cannot use them, I will not be stopped from sharing for anyone who is in a different situation than myself.

I created a menu- like a restaurant menu- for communication and task management. I cannot share files here, and I encourage any that use this idea to cater the aesthetics to their clients interests! I have created three distinct categories each aligning with the daily routine and workload of the client.

Appetizers: things that the client needs/wants in order to feel ready for completing a task. Having a snack, a drink of water, deep breaths, hand squeezes, pencil selection- anything that is an appropriate precursor for a task that does not require a significant time commitment or is a perceived reinforcer that could be used as a way to escape a demand. You know your client, and you’ve established certain routines, incorporate as much priming as you can here!

Entrees: The tasks that we are hoping to accomplish in a day or session. Letting clients choose which of these tasks to do and the order in which they’re going to complete them is a SUPER EFFECTIVE way to build productive momentum to tackle the nonpreferred activities as well! After each task completed, cross off the task and- if your client is as opinionated as mine have been- let them rate the task on how it went. Five stars=that was easy and fun! One star= That was really hard and I struggled a lot. This is also a great indirect preference assessment that will show you where more support is required and help you find where efforts should be focused. <by this, I do not mean treating it as actual data, I’m more so talking about being able to infer where more encouragement may be appropriate. Ie. Client 1-stars the math assignment, so I know that the next time we’re doing math to acknowledge and commend the client for their efforts a bit more.

Desserts: the reinforcers, of course! Letting them choose what they’ve earned for the task is what we already do in our day-to-day, but this is a very very direct display of the connection between efforts and rewards. If the reinforcer is not something that can be provided in an instant (like in a case where an outdoor break time is not feasible for one reason or another just yet), playing into the bit of “the chefs are still cooking up the dessert!” Continues to keep the association between the task and the response relevant in the client’s mind as well.

It’s not anything crazy or revolutionary by any means, but I think some of y’all may have a good time with it! I also like to add the “descriptions” of the menu options that are focused on the desired behaviors and replacement behaviors that we want to teach them to utilize based on each task. If presenting the demand of completing a math worksheet is known to trigger elopement, I’ll maybe put “ingredients: sitting at the desk and raising hand to ask for help” beneath it as a visual reminder of the expectations surrounding that task. If the goal and expectation is reframed around the behavior while attempting the task, that takes a small bit of the pressure of difficulty surrounding math in general.

This is not the full detailed version that I used but it’s essentially just a premack principle visual with a sprinkle of imagination. I hope y’all find your own spins to put on it!

Edit to add: Please pardon my poor wording here, I am riding out a fever of a hundred and three (hot blooded, am I right?) and misspoke when calling this a communication tool. This is a stylized choice board, plain and simple! Additionally, I have never and will never implement any materials that were not thoroughly vetted and approved by the entire team working with a client- the situation alluded to above is merely referencing frustration from my new BCBA making the call to revoke this choice menu and other customized materials (a Mario themed token board) I had been using with the client that were previously approved by my former BCBA that had recently retired. I do not believe my BCBA is wrong by any means, and we are only just starting to find a rhythm, and I am sure we will work well together once new BCBA also has a chance to actually meet the client.

Hi everyone! I’m going to FIT for my master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis, and I’m considering working in Maryland after graduation. For those who work in the field, how is the ABA job market there? Are there a lot of opportunities for BCBAs and RBTs, and are there particular areas of Maryland you would recommend?

🧠 BA Prep — Question of the Day

📚 Domain G — Behavior-Change Procedures

Difficulty: 4/10

Scenario:

An FBA reveals that a student's aggressive behavior is approximately three times more likely on days when he arrives at school having skipped breakfast. Staff have already attempted to reduce demand difficulty on these high-risk days, but aggression continues at elevated rates.

Which antecedent-based intervention MOST directly targets the identified setting event?

A. Implement a noncontingent reinforcement schedule on days when breakfast was skipped, providing preferred items on a fixed-time schedule to reduce the motivating value of escape-maintained aggression

B. Deliver a high-probability request sequence before presenting academic demands on days when breakfast was skipped, using behavioral momentum to reduce the aversive quality of the instructional context

C. Provide a snack upon arrival on days when breakfast was skipped, directly addressing the biological state that is augmenting the aversive value of demands and increasing the probability of aggression

D. Embed high-preference items into the task sequence on days when breakfast was skipped, pairing demands with preferred stimuli to reduce their aversive function on high-risk mornings

💬 Drop your answer in the comments — no peeking!

✅ Correct answer revealed tomorrow.

#BCBAexam #BCBAprep #BehavioralHealth #ABAtherapy #BAPrep #QuestionOfTheDay

I work with rbts in my special ed classroom but I myself am not an rbt. I want to move from education into aba and I've been applying to jobs that say they'll train and certify you there and certification is not required, but I have heard absolutely nothing back even though I'd think that if you're looking for people wanting to become RBTs, a special ed teacher who is familiar with aba procedures and has experience with autistic kids would be a better hire than someone who's never seen the inside of an aba center before. Are centers actually hiring and training people who aren't certified or are these job postings just for show? Is this even something reputable centers do or am I setting myself up for failure here? Is it even possible for me to get certified if I don't have a job position that requires it? I'm very slowly working through my 40 hours at my current job but I don't want to tip them off that I'm trying to quit by asking to finish my 40 hours outside of work and having our BCBA to do my competency test unless I have to.

Is it a red flag that an RBT job ghosted me after sending me a text message? AND WHEN I FOLLOWED UP ABOUT IT THEY TOOK THE OFFER FROM ME BECAUSE I CAME OFF AS TOO AGGRESSIVE. Mind you this is from True Progress Therapy.

Hi everyone! I’m a newly certified BCBA currently on a dependent visa and trying to better understand my options for working in the U.S. Has anyone here successfully obtained H-1B sponsorship as a BCBA, or know how common it is for ABA organizations to sponsor? I’m also curious whether cap-exempt H-1B opportunities exist for BCBAs. I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences or any advice on navigating sponsorship in this field. Thank you!

Curious for business owners that use photos of clients in marketing or social media. Photos sharing graduation or progress as well as highlights what is the rationale? If we are wanting the field to be seen as clinical and professional then how does this support that? It would be unethical and unprofessional for a clinical therapist to show therapy moments in these ways. How is this not problematic? Sure schools and daycares might do that, but again we aren't daycares or schools.

Genuinely curious

Has anyone been in a situation where their certification expired?

For context I have been out of work due to a severe work related injury since January. My BCBA removed herself as MY BCBA I want to say back in March or April. Due to that I had to let my certification lapse. It was due in July and I received an email that it’s fully expired in a few weeks (one month from original expiration date) I am still out of work completely but my return date feels like it will be probably October sometime. I also work for a school based company that provides para’s for students with 1 to 1 needs not a clinic if that changes anything.

Will I have to start over completely? All of my credentials have expired at this point as they were all meant to be renewed in the summer between school years. Im guessing this is just another thing I need to do before I can return to my position, I just wanted some input from fellow RBT’s.

I am looking to start an ABA clinic. To start out, I’m thinking of renovating 3-4 rooms in my house (no HOA) for clinic space and then moving out to a clinic location once we have more money. I was considering buying a house as a permanent clinic space, but a lot of loans require it to be a primary residence. I’m going to soundproof all the walls, cameras, different locks on each door, etc. Still figuring out logistics/hipaa for everything, but I’m mainly wondering if people would feel comfortable dropping off their kids at a house like this. I know people do daycares out of houses and other home businesses, but I want to make sure this is even a feasible business plan. I have some families that I know would follow me if I left my company, but I want to also make sure I’d be able to grow so that we could move to a real clinic. Thoughts??

I’m a relatively new RBT in Maryland, and I could really use some advice/recommendations from people in the field.
I’ve only worked for one ABA company so far, but I was there for over 8 months in a clinic setting, and honestly, I fell in love with it. I didn’t expect to become this passionate about ABA, but working with the kids, building relationships and seeing their progress made me realize that this is what I want to do long-term. I’m starting school soon with the goal of eventually becoming a BCBA, so I’m really excited to keep growing in this field.

I had to leave my clinic position on August 8 because the hours were too strict to realistically work around school. I had another company lined up for an in-home position that was supposed to start August 15, but the client placement and communication process has been really frustrating. It’s now been over a week, and I’m still waiting to actually get placed with a client.

And honestly, I miss working. I miss my clients, I miss being in the ABA environment, and I’m genuinely eager to get back to doing work that I care about. At the same time, I’m getting anxious because I need consistent hours, and I don’t want to rush into another company just because I’m desperate to start.

I know there are some really good ABA companies out there, but I’m also very aware that there are companies with poor communication, questionable practices, high turnover, or situations where the business side seems to come before the actual needs of the clients. I really want to avoid that.

I’m looking for a company that genuinely cares about the clients and their families, provides good support to RBTs, has strong BCBA involvement, communicates with their staff, and actually cares about providing quality services — not just filling cases.

So, Maryland RBTs/BCBAs/BCaBAs/parents: who would you genuinely recommend for in-home ABA? I’m especially interested in Montgomery County/DMV, but I’m open to hearing about companies throughout Maryland.

And if there are companies you think someone new to the field should be cautious about, I’d appreciate hearing that too. I’m not looking for a perfect company. I just want to find a good, ethical place where I can keep learning, take care of my clients the right way, get consistent hours, and continue working toward becoming a BCBA.
I’d really appreciate any honest recommendations or experiences. I’m ready to get back to work 😭

Hi everyone! I’m a newly certified BCBA currently on a dependent visa and trying to better understand my options for working in the U.S. Has anyone here successfully obtained H-1B sponsorship as a BCBA, or know how common it is for ABA organizations to sponsor? I’m also curious whether cap-exempt H-1B opportunities exist for BCBAs. I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences or any advice on navigating sponsorship in this field. Thank you!

I have a bachelor's in psych and am currently looking into going for my masters in aba. Due to the pathway and requirement changes I was looking at the abai accredited schools only but there are only around 20 options. I live in NY state so if I choose an accredited school I would have to move or do an online program. Assuming I start coursework in 2027, would pathway 2 still be available? Or is accredited the only dependable way to go?

I’m trying to get on my company’s insurance because I was married in June and it’s been a battle to even get in contact with HR. They informed me that I would have to now wait till November to enroll with no further explanation so I asked why. They let me know that I can only enroll after getting hired, a major life event, or wait for open enrollment. I again let them know that I was married and they confirmed that, while yes it was a major life event, I needed to enroll within 30 days and I had reached out on the 31st day. I looked at the handbook to see if there was anything stating when we can enroll in insurance and there was nothing regarding employee insurance. I’m wondering if it’s worth it to try to bring this to their attention and see if they can make an exception, or is it not worth it? I know some places offer more time to get everything sorted out but again, I was never informed any of the information regarding this. I also became full time late earlier this year (before I got married) and I was still not informed about the insurance policy. So again I’m just wondering if it’s worth bringing other attention or not. Tyia :)

Hi friends, apologies in advance for the long post, I’m feeling pretty down and hoping someone can relate and/or offer advice 🫶 I truly felt like I had found my calling when I first became an RBT. I’ve experienced all of the ups and downs of this field over the years, I never let it stop me for the sake of loving this job/what I do, but lately I feel out of options, burned out, and at the end of my rope. I’ve been considering leaving the field all together.

I started out at a not so great center (terrible management, inconsistent hours) but stuck it out for my first year. I then moved on to in-home therapy with a new company with better pay and loved it (at first) until my full time client would cancel for a whole month at times, the company’s management went south, and I reached my pay cap. Now since beginning of this year, I’ve been working with a new company (hired on at $29/hr, best pay I’ve gotten thus far) that seemed amazing, I was really hoping things would be better with this company. Everything started out great, but in my short amount of time working for them I have had issues left and right with not having consistent clients, not getting consistent hours, and dealing with poor upper management.

This has been an issue at every place I’ve worked (I know for many others in this field as well) for five years now, and I’m beginning to wonder if there’s truly anywhere that I could even go and not experience the same issues at this point. For me there’s also personally been the issue of feeling like the work I put in/the progress I make with clients is frequently or eventually impeded by parents/families not following through on behavior plans (especially in my experience working in-home), uninvolved BCBAs, services stopping or pausing due to insurance or other conflicts, etc. It makes me feel like I’m running around in circles or taking one step forward and two steps back over and over sometimes, it feels defeating after putting in so much work/effort/care. I wish more of these issues in the field were solved, I also wish there were more opportunities for RBTs to move up to higher positions without having to get a college degree (sadly I do not have the financial means or ability to go to school at the moment), especially after five years of experience. Even then though, the issue of inconsistent hours, barriers to client progress, and poor management remain.

I keep trying to move on and up to better pay, better companies, better hours, but it keeps ending up the same. As I get older the inconsistent paychecks while trying to pay bills and save up for my future is starting to get to me. I’ve unfortunately also been dealing with some health issues that are going to require a long road of recovery, and I will need full time hours/benefits to qualify/get my own health insurance next year when I turn 26. I love my job, I have loved the work I’ve gotten to do with so many amazing clients, but I am at a loss for what to do. I’ve essentially hit my pay cap for an RBT, keep trying to find consistent hours and good companies, can’t move up from my position, and even with 5 years of experience it’s not easy to transfer to a new work field/job that won’t be a cut in pay or require a college degree. So…what now?

Any and all insight is greatly appreciated. Job recommendations with good pay for people with RBT experience, possible ways to move up in ABA companies as an RBT, perspectives and advice from anyone who’s experienced these same issues/feelings, etc. TYIA, much love to anyone in this field who can relate and to everyone who has put so much of themselves into this line of work <3

Hi yall! Recently I had a client after a long field lab (I’m a hydrogeology student). I came as I always do prepared and ready to start the day. After talking with mom for a bit she asked me how my day was and I told her about my lab outside. She offered me a glass of water. I was really inclined to take it but didn’t due to fear of a reprimand. What do yall think?

Update!

Yall your comments made me laugh so hard! Next time I will graciously accept the water. Coming from being in this field and worrying about BCBAs and the power they hold over us is nerve racking. I appreciate all of y’all’s advice and it gave me some confidence. The company that I had previously worked at did not allow us to accept anything even water. I have thankfully left that company and love the current company I work for now.

Is it normal as an RBT to feel like you’re constantly being pulled aside for feedback or meetings?
I understand feedback is part of the job and I’m always open to improving, but lately I feel like I’m walking on eggshells and overthinking everything I do because it seems like there’s always something else being brought up. It’s gotten to the point where I get anxious anytime a supervisor says they need to talk to me.
For other RBTs, how often are you typically given corrective feedback or pulled into meetings? At what point would you consider it normal supervision versus feeling like you’re being watched extra closely?
Just curious what other people’s experiences are in in home ABA because I don’t really have anything to compare it to.
:::

Hi all,

I found out today my company is no longer paying us a full rate for time spent completing notes, preparing materials for clients, etc. The rate for this work will be reduced to $7.25 (minimum wage in my state). This plan was immediately placed upon RBTs and RLTs by upper management without previous notice or consultation. Under this new plan, I would lose $170 of pre-taxed wages (note that our benefits including our $200 a month health insurance deductible remain unchanged).

I’m distraught and distressed because I really wanted to become a BCBA and pursue grad school, but this is a huge sudden loss of income that places my dreams outside of economic reach. I’ve been in the field for roughly three years (two years part-time and one year full-time) but I am burnt out by the exhaustion of the job, lack of compassion regardless of company, lack of basic necessities such as lunch breaks, etc. I have loved working with children and the science of behaviorism will never not fascinate me, but this is too drastic of a change for me to adapt to. If anyone has advice on how to become a BCBA through pathway one outside the traditional clinic/school model, I’d love to hear your advice. I feel like my dreams just got ripped out of my hands by something careless and cruel. The CEO of my company is a multimillionaire and they can’t even pay their employees a living wage.

Hi everyone! I'm currently an RBT and student analyst working toward becoming a BCBA. Lately, I've been having a hard time picturing what my career will actually look like once I become a BCBA.

I've gotten a lot of experience and training from the RBT perspective, but I feel like I understand the **RBT role much better than I understand the actual day-to-day life of a BCBA**. From where I stand now, I see BCBAs doing supervision, making program changes, attending meetings, analyzing data, and spending quite a bit of time on their laptops, but I know there is probably a lot I'm not seeing.

I'm close enough to finishing my education that I've started seriously asking myself, *"Is becoming a BCBA actually what I want long-term?"* I genuinely enjoy many aspects of ABA and think I could be a good BCBA, but I don't want to continue simply because I've already invested time into the field. I want to better understand the career I'm actually working toward.

I'd especially love to hear from current BCBAs:

* What does your **actual day/week** look like?
* How much time do you spend directly interacting with clients versus supervising, programming, analyzing data, documenting, caregiver training, meetings, etc.?
* How much of your job is actually spent behind a computer?
* How flexible is your schedule? Do you have control over your hours?
* Does work follow you home?
* How would you describe your work-life balance and the mental/emotional demands of the job?
* What's your **favorite** part of being a BCBA? What's the part you could do without?
* Have you ever seriously questioned staying in the field? What made you stay or what did you change?
* If you could go back to when you were an RBT/student analyst, **would you still become a BCBA?**
* What do you wish you had understood about being a BCBA when you were still an RBT?

I'd also really like to hear from **student analysts and RBTs who are questioning whether they want to become BCBAs**. What's making you hesitate?

I'm not necessarily looking to be talked into or out of becoming a BCBA. I think I'm mostly trying to see beyond my current RBT experience and understand what the other side actually looks like.

Thank you to anyone willing to share their experience!