How do I get started?

Give us a call!  Or fill out our contact form, and we will contact you.

Where does therapy take place?

Therapy can take place in the home, community, or school setting depending on what is appropriate for each child.

What does ABA teach?

ABA therapy programs are comprehensive and cover a variety of areas the child needs to be successful. Skills are broken down into small steps. These steps are then arranged into a clear and logical hierarchy and taught one small step at a time. These areas include Language skills, Behavioral skills, Cognitive/Academic skills, Social skills, Self Help/Daily Living skills, Motor skills, and Play/Leisure skills. The overall goal for a good ABA program should always be that the child is learning to learn!

Is ABA helpful for Aspergers/PDD-NOS/High functioning Autism?

ABA therapy is used all over the world to help people overcome all types of social and behavioral problems. ABA has been used to help smokers quit smoking, address personality disorders and relationship counseling, treat obsessive compulsive disorders and replace bad habits.  Behavioral principles became a treatment option for autistic children in the late 1960’s. Studies are available that support the use of ABA programming with children affected by a number of different disabilities including Downs’ Syndrome, CP, Emotional Disorders, General Developmental Delay, etc.

Who oversees my ABA program?

ABA falls under the jurisdiction of the Psychology Board, therefore a licensed psychologist or licensed psychological associate must oversee your child’s program.  Just having a BCBA does not allow a person to practice Psychology. All of our consultants are both licensed psychologists (LPA) and Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA).

What is the difference between a LPA and a BCBA?

An LPA (Licensed Psychological Associate) is a person with a Master’s degree in psychology and holds a current North Carolina license to practice as a Psychological Associate.  LPA’s are able to practice all areas of psychology (including Behavior Analysis) within their realm of competency.  A BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) is a person with a Master’s degree in one of many fields who has obtained national certification in the understanding and application of behavioral principles.  Neither credential is specific to working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, so always make sure that your provider’s training and education included the use of ABA therapy for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

What does the research on ABA Therapy show?

Over the past 40 years, a number of peer-reviewed studies have been completed evaluating the effects of using a specific group of ABA techniques in a “comprehensive, individualized, intensive early intervention program for children with autism,” achieving extremely positive results.  “Comprehensive” refers to the fact that intervention addressees all types of skills; “Early” means that intervention began before the age of four for most children in many of the studies; and “Intensive” referred to the number of hours / week received by the children (ranges between 25-40 hours per week).

How much ABA therapy is needed?

The amount of ABA therapy needed will need depend on a variety of factors.  After completing an initial assessment, your therapist will be able to assess your child’s strengths and weaknesses, developing a comprehensive plan tailored to your child’s needs. Your therapist will be able to tell you how many hours per week will be needed to ensure your child successfully benefits from ABA therapy.

Can I, as a parent, be trained to conduct therapy?

Yes! A strong ABA program is one where the parents are highly involved.  We train parents to teach ABA therapy techniques to their child in addition to the specific programs their child will be learning.  This allows for improved consistency and communication about the child’s program and progress.