As a new behavior technician, planning for your first therapy session can be both thrilling and terrifying! Your first session is a big step in the right direction; the first of many life-changing steps on the road to helping children and their families achieve meaningful success in behavior and function!
So, as a new Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) or even a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), what can you do to ensure your first few sessions are constructive, fun, and engaging?
Learn More About Your Clients
The best ABA therapy stems from providers who understand their client’s needs inside and out. Before you can hope to provide an impactful learning session, confidence in the details is essential. For example, if you are a new RBT, carefully studying the behavior plan and refreshing your memory about your client’s specific diagnosis will help you organize the following steps with clarity.
Access as much information as you can. Ask your supervising BCBAs for advice, talk to the parents and learn about their child’s preferences, and never hesitate to refer to your study materials used while acquiring your ABA credentials. Armed with the knowledge you need, providing impactful care can happen more naturally!
Establish a Trusting Rapport
Before jumping into the depth of your ABA learning routine, building a foundation of comfort and trust with your clients opens the doors to productive growth. Show the children that you are genuinely kind, patient, and happy to be there. Then, when it comes time to practice new skills and behaviors, your clients are more likely to be relaxed, attentive, and accepting of the information you present.
Infuse Fun & Kindness Into the Plan
From that foundation of trust you’ve established, keep the learning lighthearted as you progress. Of course, how that learning looks will depend on the behavior plan, but regardless of the goals for that day, you can always do your best to keep the lesson enjoyable.
Whether you are helping your client master a puzzle or you are learning new letters together, you can keep each lesson upbeat by being:
- Encouraging
- Patient
- Calm
- Friendly
- & Empathetic
When the focus of your plan revolves around kindness and positive reinforcement, moments that would normally lead to learning frustration can transform into moments of pride and productive development!
Collaborate With Everyone Involved in the Care
Before, during, and after your first successful lesson, never forget that quality ABA therapy is a team approach! This is especially true with our autism services in Doylestown, PA, as well as all our locations. Our new providers benefit from immersive training, collaborative brainstorming, and routine plan assessments to promote ongoing progress. By including fellow staff members and family members in every step of care, everyone involved has the relevant information they need to provide an impactful and supportive framework of growth for the children.
Looking for other helpful ABA tips? Our compassionate team at Helping Hands Family would love to help you achieve great things in the world of ABA therapy!
