Inside ABC’s BCBA Supervisor Book Clubs With Dr. Linda LeBlanc

By Linda LeBlanc, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Executive Director, Action Institute for Outcomes Research

The transition from pursuing the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) credential to supervising others can be stressful due to the shift in role from learner to teacher and the increased responsibility for the professional development of others. When a supervisor has less experience, there's also a risk to their supervisees if the guidance, training, and support they receive isn't sufficient to prepare them to thrive throughout their careers. Due to the rapid growth of the applied behavior analysis (ABA) profession, most people pursuing fieldwork experience for the BCBA credential are supervised by a new supervisor who is within just a few years of certification themselves. This situation led the Behavior Analyst Certification Board^® (BACB^®) to prohibit anyone in their first year as a BCBA from supervising trainees unless they have a more senior BCBA as a mentor who regularly spends time with them to support their efforts to supervise fieldwork.¹

Building the next generation of BCBAs

Action Behavior Centers is strongly committed to supporting supervisors and emerging leaders, and to building the next generation of capable, successful BCBAs. The Everest Program provides support for Registered Behavior Technicians® (RBTs®) who are pursuing the BCBA credential, including no-cost fieldwork supervision. Everest has produced more than 700 new BCBAs since its inception, with more than 1,000 currently enrolled. Our Supervisor Book Clubs were developed to support the BCBAs who are supervising fieldwork.

How ABC’s Supervisor Book Clubs work

For their first year after certification, BCBAs focus on supervising their RBTs and building their caseloads, but they don't have any fieldwork supervision responsibilities. Near the end of that year, they participate in a book club with the authors of the workbook Success in the First Year of Supervision (Sellers & LeBlanc, 2022). Each month, they focus on content and activities about supervision and mentorship to prepare for a monthly mentorship meeting with their Clinical Director. The Clinical Director participates in a parallel book club with a parallel workbook (LeBlanc & Sellers, 2022) that guides their efforts to mentor new BCBA supervisors as they provide fieldwork supervision.

Skills that strengthen supervisory relationships

Both workbooks focus on pivotal skills such as self-assessment, self-reflection, and active planning for one's own development, as well as the supervisee's development. These topics and activities are discussed in the context of building strong supervisory relationships that facilitate growth and understanding through honest conversations and a willingness to reveal the need for support. These book clubs have been running for four years, resulting in hundreds of dedicated and caring supervisors who are well prepared to embrace the opportunity and challenge of building the next generation of amazing BCBAs.

Grow your BCBA career with ABC

If you're looking for a place where supervisors and emerging leaders are supported at every stage of their careers, we'd love to meet you. Whether you're an RBT starting your path to BCBA or a BCBA ready for your next step, you'll have mentorship from experienced clinical leaders who care about your growth.

Learn more about the Everest Program, or explore open roles today.

‍