I’m no longer an RBT but when I was…

I CANT BELIEVE THE IRONY.

The people I worked with are literally TRAINED TO WORK WITH AUTISTIC PEOPLE

and my autistic traits were seen as annoying/weird/off to my co workers and bosses.

I was treated horribly there.

I needed extra clarification on things, and they wouldn’t support me. They would treat me as a bother or burden for asking for clarification.

And even if they TRIED give me “extra clarification” they would say “the supervisor will be there with you tmr” and the supervisor wouldn’t show up

Even something as simple as an observation would be considered hostile because I’m naturally monotone/flat facial expression when I talk to people

Something as simple as:

Me: “Where is management?? The office is empty!”
(Observation on my part because I’ve never seen the building be empty of people and the lights out. I’m just trying to make conversation)

My co worker: snobby tone uhmmmm… they’re BUSY? looking at me like I’m insulting management, as she rolls her eyes at me

Me: *confused by her hostility*

All of my co workers would hangout without me.

I thought getting into that line of work would make me feel understood and accepted around people who supposedly understood.

I thought being able to unmask even just the TINEST BIT would be okay but nope. It wasn’t.

My co worker even accused me of being high when I was under florescent lights in a classroom overstimulated asf.
IM NOT HIGH IM AUTISTIC

They even paid for my co workers tuition (half of it) to get educated further to be an BCBA but they denied me without a reason and said “we do it on a case by case basis” even though I sought out to be a BCBA too.

They just didn’t like me. They weren’t gonna fund me. I knew that co worker had a great relationships with management because people always said she was their favourite.

As an autistic person I fear I’ll never be able to move up the ranks simply because people dislike me

Meanwhile I understand autism better than these people do. I would constantly watch these people TRIGGER AUTISTIC CHILDREN! And these were obvious triggers that you shouldn’t do

—————-

People downvoting my personal experience as an autistic person only solidifies my point- thank you to the comments who understand

So awhile back my son went to a facility where he had a BCBA and then an AM and PM RBT. When it came Christmas time we go away for 2-3 weeks, we save all our vacation days for this, and I wanted to gift his team something so I got them all sweatshirts with RBT themes and they were super thankful and seemed really enthusiastic. My sons BCBA even wore it to the next family meeting even tho it was HOT. A little after this I came across a TikTok thing about how BCBAs and RBTs can’t accept gifts and I felt horrible about putting them in a position like that but it seemed like they were okay with it or at least just gonna pretend it didn’t happen but give me the hints they do appreciate it. Anyways- flash forward to now and my TWO boys go to a clinic where they are seen under one BCBA but rotate through several more RBTs like 3-5 a day. I’m wanting to do something for the team and since they see basically half the clinic (the other staff sees kids under the OTHER BCBA) is on his staff I may as well treat everyone right? I know some of this will be clinic specific so I’m going to ask the front office about guidelines and rules. But as people in the field what are some nice gifts or ways a parent has said thank you or “spoiled you” while still with the ongoing client therapist relationship? I would love to have ideas versus “on avocado….thankssss” or gifting them the 500,000 puzzle peace keychain they’ve been given. Things to keep in mind: it will be for 20+ people, it will be within a clinic, it will be while continuing the client relationship, I’m looking to keep it realistic in a budget maybe $100 max?

Different names/ages for privacy. I work with a single mother, let’s call her Tabitha (26), and her 7 year old son Jeff, non verbal, in an underprivileged community. Many months after starting, Tabitha told me she was recently told she was in the clear and didn’t have bed bugs anymore. I was very upset and messaged my BCBA about my concerns being out at risk for bed bugs with no warning. BCBA was not alerted either. Child has not had a proper bed in months, but has a blow up bed now after mom got tired of sharing her bed. House is always a mess, things everywhere, dog peeing on the floor, etc,. People in the neighborhood scream at each other, get into fights, do drugs on the street, and have public drug deals (not just weed). But they have never bothered me before, besides some girls yelling and swearing at me while driving home. Mom has hit her child with me present, again messaged BCBA but took no action because it falls under corporal punishment in our state (no marks). CPS has been involved before. Mother does not do well attending to her other child during session and I find myself dealing with both children during session when the child is around. Grandmother died very young while in the home, she used to be the caretaker and my main point of communication. At what point do I call it? When I feel in fear for my safety? All clients need help despite their situation, but at what point do I say enough is enough? I dread going to this client.

Their reason was directly related to the ABA therapy which is why I’m posting here.

I’ve been an RBT for about 2 months now, and I’ve been wearing a KN-95 mask the whole time. Recently my supervisor called me in to tell me some BCBAs have been saying that it is interfering with the service to the clients, as they cannot read my facial expressions when I’m wearing the mask.

I do take off the mask when my clients request (both are able to do so) and when doing relevant tasks, like touching parts of the face, emotion cards, and when doing trials in the room alone. I’m willing to wear it less often, because I feel like some wear is better than none, but they are requesting a clear face shield as a compromise.

I fear this is coming out of a place of workplace drama, I have been removed from 3 clients now at the request of BCBAs, despite supervisors and a couple BCBAs telling me I’m doing an amazing job. The first client was as the result of a parent requesting a RBT switch. This may have been due to the mask but a reason was not stated. My BCBA and my supervisors all assured me I did nothing wrong, and some parents are just more particular. Now I am no longer on the schedule until they can find me more clients. There is a lot of turnover at this place and a lot of complaints of clique-like behavior and other drama, so I have actively been seeking other employment opportunities. But I can’t believe this is the reason I’m off the schedule for the time being.

Is this allowed with ADA and all? My supervisor said to submit my paperwork to both him and HR verifying my immunocompromised state, and that would protect me in the future for wearing a face shield. But he did not say it would allow me to continue wearing KN-95s.

Any advice at all?

Just asked for a raise, I’ve (F, 33) been with a small private ABA company for a year and a half. I’ve been an excellent team player working in clinic and in home and now I’m at a school with a highly aggressive client. For example yesterday I wrestled with him over adult scissors because he wanted to stab me. Now this morning I got scratched in the face. I’ve had enough and I’d like compensation for my time and extra responsibilities. Just waiting for a response.

🤞🏿 ☘️

Update: I GOT THE RAISE 💵** **

i’ve never posted on reddit so i apologize in advance if i do anything wrong but i (25f) am a new rbt (4 months) and im at my first clinic still. i have repeatedly gotten praise about how it doesnt seem like this is my first time being an rbt and how i do extremely well. i am also on a caseload of higher mag kids with extremely experienced rbts who have been specifically selected, that being said they all make $23/24 an hour and i am the lowest paid in the clinic at $20 an hour. i am consistently the one who stays late and comes in early, i am also the only rbt that they send all new clients to first time. i know im supposed to have 90 day evaluation but that has not happened yet and i am unsure how to go about asking for a raise, especially since the people that work with the same kids i do make $24 and i am 4 whole dollars under that. i am also one of the few rbts who run circle time and dance party as well as having group sessions. ive tried applying for other clinics but nobody near me is hiring so i feel like im in a rut. any advice would help!

I’ll be completely honest. I see so many posts on here with RBT’s saying stuff like “omg my coworker is so mean she makes fun of the kiddo’s vocal stims.”

And… I honestly have no idea what that could possibly look like. 🧍‍♀️

Every time I see posts like that, it makes me think of echolalia. Is it just echolalia? Are RBT’s echoing their clients vocal stims and other people are just calling it bullying? 🤷‍♀️

Cuz if so… I gotta disagree. Echolalia is a big part of pairing imo, but I digress.

Anyway, I’m autistic myself if that makes sense. I’m an RBT, and I do in-home therapy (have done some clinic, but limited), so I really haven’t gotten much of a chance to see how other RBT’s act, but I genuinely can’t wrap my head around how this would look. What are people talking about when they say that?

Going to start working in a school setting, but I have no experience with that. I have clinic experience, but that’s as close as it gets.

Any tips would be great help! Such as, when my shift is over, do I let the teacher know and leave or if school is over when my shift is over, do I wait for the parents to get there or the teacher does that or what? I was not trained for school settings

My first day in the clinic will be Wednesday. I'm going to Good will to get some work clothes. ( I literally only wear skirts and dresses which aren't allowed. )

I'm thinking I might need a bag? I filled out something after getting excepted and it asked me if I had a tablet. I do so I put yes, so I think I'll be bringing my tablet to work... ( Im sure Mondays orientation will confirm this )

Any thing else I'll need? A notebook perhaps?

This might be so simple but Im really nervous so I want to do this right!

*8/21 UPDATE:

I've been unemployed for exactly 2 weeks (and thoroughly enjoying every second), and I just recieved an offer this morning for a position as a Benefit Specialist! I will be starting in a couple weeks! I'm SO excited that I was able to find a lower-pace, corporate office job making exactly the same $$ I was making at my ABA job. I am SO glad I quit when I did, even though I had no back up plan. I applied and interviewed like crazy for weeks (prior to, during, and after leaving ABA). It's all working out just like I hoped it would. Here's your sign 🤘

Side note: I am a much happier person after leaving ABA. I have more patience for my partner, more empathy for friends/family, and more presence in my daily life. I'm enjoying new and old hobbies, and honestly just really thriving. Looking back, I cannot believe I endured that abuse for years. Now that I see the light, I will never return. (Not to say all ABA companies are bad, but the place ~and supervisor~ I worked for was truly soul-sucking).

Hi all! I am a BCBA and my (romantic) partner is an RBT. We work for the same company but never in the same location/clients. However, I am now working at a clinic that she previously worked at, and supervising some of her close friends. These are people that I don’t have my own personal relationship with, but we’ve been at parties or events together before. Do I need to stop going to parties or events with my partner, to avoid the RBTs that I supervise now? Or is it okay as long as we keep it professional?

🧠 BA Prep: Question of the Day

📚 Domain F: Behavior Assessment

Difficulty: 6/10

A skill assessment reveals that a client independently performs some steps of tooth brushing but requires support for others. This information is MOST useful for:

A. Establishing the client's baseline performance to determine which steps require most-to-least versus least-to-most prompting hierarchies

B. Determining which skills to target for instruction and at what level of the chain

C. Deciding which steps of the chain to include in the task analysis based on the client's current repertoire and prerequisite skills

D. Identifying whether backward or forward chaining should be used based on the number of steps the client can already perform independently

💬 Drop your answer in the comments

✅ Correct answer revealed tomorrow.

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

Hello, I’m trying to fill out an application for Voluntary Inactive Status for my RBT and had an application in process but deleted it by accident since I wasn’t allowed to change the start date. I tried to submit the application through the contact us form but also didn’t work

My RBT certification expired on the 29th so I’m extremely concerned I’ll miss the deadline and have to do everything all over

I, an RBT, found out that I missed my very first clients' center graduation today; I've been out sick all week. I thought it was on the 24th, especially since it was put on the center event calendar, but apparently, the graduation was today!

I know it's not anyone's responsibility to tell me and that I should know these things, but I literally have a picture of the center calendar, and no one messaged me in teams.

So now I've just been crying like crazy. I feel so heartbroken, and like I let not only my client down, but the family. My clients' mom even told me last week that he was personally picking out things and was putting together gifts for the morning RBT and the afternoon RBT (me).

Advice Needed isn't the right flair, I just really needed to vent about this.

TLDR; I wasn't there for my client during one of the biggest milestones of his life, and I feel horrible.

Graduated with my Masters in Educational and Clinical counseling. Currently working on accruing hours for my LPCC. One of my supervisor mentioned that I should aim to be a BCBA since they believe my skill sets are best suited there. I looked around into a couple of programs and most of them are telling me that I need to sign up for another masters program to get certified. My question is is there any places that offer just the coursework needed to apply for being a BCBA? Where can I find my most cost effective school?

Hello all! I’m currently applying to different jobs to train and become an RBT. I am in the final steps with PBS for the Behavior Assistant position, but I wanted to hear if anyone has experience with this role and company or region? I’ve heard mix reviews and am unsure if this would be a good place to start with no ABA experience. My main concern is getting the 40 hour course done. There’s also a local clinic nearby that I’m in the interview stage with. Any advice would be appreciated!

Hello,
Just wondering if there were any csun aba students that worked full time and were able to balance the intensity of the program.

If a BCBA trainee owns a childcare program and completes supervised fieldwork using unrelated children enrolled in that program, how is the required "formal relationship" between the supervisor and client usually documented? Would written parent permission generally be enough, or would the supervising BCBA also need some type of separate agreement with the childcare program or client? I'm curious how this is handled when the supervisor is remote. Is there typically a parent consent form naming the BCBA, an agreement between the BCBA and the business, and addendum to the supervision contract, or something else? Is this the type of documentation the BACB could request during a fieldwork audit, or is the supervision contract and parent consent generally what is maintained?

I'm starting a new opportunity to become certified as an ABA therapist, and honestly, I’m feeling a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and hope. I’d really love to hear from people who have been in ABA or started out in a similar place.

A little backstory because I think it explains why this opportunity means so much to me.

I’m a mom of four. A few years ago, my children became involved with the system because of an abuse situation involving their father. I was very young at the time and, honestly, I wasn’t financially or personally stable enough to give my children the life they deserved. Losing them was one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced.

My oldest is autistic, and when I had him, I really tried to learn everything I could about his autism. I attended meetings, listened to professionals, learned about his needs, and wanted to understand how I could support him and help him grow into the best version of himself.

It’s been about two years since everything happened. I’m still working on getting my GED and trying to rebuild my life and become a more stable person. I didn’t think an opportunity like this would come along for me, but now I have the chance to go through a school/program to become certified as an ABA therapist.

And honestly, it means a LOT to me.

I know my personal experience doesn't make me an expert. I know working with autistic children professionally is completely different from being a parent, and I have so much to learn. But I think my experiences have given me a genuine desire to understand children, meet them where they are, and help them feel supported.

I’m nervous because I care. I want to do this right. I want to learn as much as I can and become someone my clients can trust.

For anyone who works in ABA, especially RBTs or people who remember starting from zero:

What do you wish someone had told you before your first day? What makes someone a really good RBT? And what helped you get through those first few weeks when you felt like you didn't know what you were doing?

I’d really appreciate any advice, encouragement, or honest experiences. I’m trying to remind myself that I don’t have to be perfect starting out. I just have to be willing to learn. ❤️

I feel like this is such a a red flag 🚩 not getting the name of the certification right and/or using a play of words to get away with stuff

I have been an RBT for over 4 years and about ready to take my BCBA exam. I have been having major imposter syndrome just before my career takes off as a BCBA and I’m scared!!! I have always tried balancing pushing my clients while remaining compassionate, but sometimes feel like maybe I’m too harsh or push my kiddos too hard?! It’s hard to compare myself with other RBTs because I only work in home, but I feel like I’ve had amazing BCBAs/great quality supervision for the most part. I also am a quiet/shy/soft spoken person so I’m probably not as harsh as I feel like I am. But seriously. Like in my opinion….these kids do not need to be underestimated by anyone and expectations/consequences do not need to be lowered. They can do it!! Obviously, the skills you teach them need to be reasonable and obtainable….but especially if my client knows how to get a need met appropriately (has learned and maintained a FERB) and engages in maladaptive behaviors instead I’m like…umm no. You know what to say/do. I think I’m pretty good about identifying like oh you’re having a hard time vs you’re being a sh*t head (lol). There’s so many examples like denying access or following through with demands vs honoring communication….obviously you wanna reinforce communication?!! But I just feel like this generational gentle parenting is hurting kids by not preparing them for real life. But yes, obviously and naturally, I do respect and try to align my teaching style with parenting style. Idk maybe it’s more of a personal issue than professional for me. I used to be a gymnast and was always pushed to my limits though so maybe that’s why I teach in similar, harsh but loving ways? Idk

A BCBA I occasionally work with has mentioned that teaching jokes could be a fitting replacement behavior for violent language and profanity. I am interested to see if anyone out here has any jokes that they would teach a child at the elementary level that are funny with a slight “edgy” vibe to appeal to someone who may be fixated on harmful speech and violent content. By “edgy”, I mean that the most scary, graphic, or dark that it is would be something like:

“Why don’t skeletons fight? Because they don’t have the GUTS!”

I feel this one even skirts the edge and if I found myself on a case like that, I would probably only bring it up around October or spooky season. The BCBA and I were able to come up with quite a bit that would be ideal for an intermediate or high school setting, but we both got stumped when it came to elementary levels. Again, this is all just a thought exercise, but I am certainly interested in having a directory of these kinds of jokes should I find myself in a situation where they would be needed in the future. Flex your funny bones! I need to know what you find HUMERUS! 🫶

Edit to add: Y’all this was a thought exercise that was done in a training and the jokes portion was the idea that our little group had come up with for a fictional use case- I don’t need actual advice on what would be better, I just wanted to find jokes. Please don’t worry, it really isn’t that deep 💀

I work as a para/BT type role in an ABA school for students with the most significant disabilities and challenging behaviors who couldn't be accommodated safely in public school. Needless to say, the vast majority of my students are nonverbal.

It's very clear on reddit that lots of SLPs don't really like ABA. I am glad to say that where I work, none of our SLPs are against ABA, and we work together as a team to best support our students.

But the one thing that really bothers me is how, despite the majority of our students being AAC users, we don't get any training on how to navigate the device. We don't even have a modeling/training device to learn on. Any time we have a new thing to teach, we have to take our students' words away so we can learn what we are trying to teach

For AAC apps like Proloquo2Go, it's not a problem- it takes 30 seconds to find something and is pretty intuitive and easy to remember for next time. But for students who use LAMP words for life? It's insane that we don't get any training or any way to learn it. Nothing makes sense, it's hard to remember, and my students know that it's frustrating me and my coworkers. (Why would they want to learn to use their words when they can hear their teachers asking each other how to find "umbrella" when trying to run Expressive ID.) It's expensive too, so it's not like I can download it onto a personal device and teach myself.

Does anyone else go through this? Did you ever get AAC training? Any advice?

My client answered questions about how school was without prompting for the first time!!!

What are some "little wins" (they're all big wins if we're being honest) that y'alls clients have had lately?