My Job as a Behavior Therapist

Behavior Therapist is just one of the names for an individual who provides Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for kids with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders).  The facility I work out of (a psych hospital in New England) refers to us as behavior therapists - but I've heard behavior specialists, ABA therapists, behavior analysts, and milieu therapists. 

It's fair to say that I "fell" into my job.  I started college knowing I wanted to be a psychology major but thinking that I wanted to counsel adults.  A friend told me about a job in a behavior program for college students and I figured it would help me "get into the field".  (which seems to be everyone's goal ... )  I took the job having never met a child with ASD (as many of college students do) and will admit that I learned what I know now from both parents and the kids what I worked with. 

As I said, I provide Applied Behavior Analysis which is a highly supported form of treatment for kids on the spectrum.  "Analysis" refers to the data we take and use a means of measurement for program coordination - should we change something? add something? stop doing something? ABA is backed by statistics, evidence in journals, and much of the scientific community - so I feel secure doing what I'm doing.  This certainly isn't to say that I don't support any other type of treatment - in fact, we do implement other methods (ie, PECS, food therapy, horn therapy, playgroups ...) as part of our everyday work. 

For most kids, we see them 20-30 hours per week in their home - although, not all ABA programs are home-based.  Most studies I've read support at least 20 hours per week for substantial changes to be observed. 

All in all, we work with kids on academic skills (especially if they are in typical and/or integrated classrooms), daily living skills, social skills, negative target behaviors (self-injury, tantrums, socially inappropriate responses), and anything else the parent/guardian may request. 

As I said, I "fell" into the job ...  not planning on enjoying it.  I'm typically not a kid person - I always say "The person at the wedding dancing with kids? ... I'm physically as far away from that person as you can get ".  But I love my job because I find myself relating with these kids and understanding them - something beyond sympathizing with them.  While many of these kids suffer with being socially awkward, many of them have taught me how to relate better with people in my own life.  

I plan on using this blog as a way to discuss how the kids I've worked with help me, teach me things, and ways we've worked with them ...