ABA therapy at ABC
At Action Behavior Centers, we provide evidence-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
.webp)
ABC offers several types of ABA therapy for autism:
Center-based ABA therapy takes place in bright, engaging environments where children build communication, independence, social, and school readiness skills through individualized, evidence-based strategies. Available nationwide
This continuation-of-care program supports children who attend school part- or full-time but could benefit from additional help. Sessions can strengthen social flexibility, organization, and following directions. Available in Arizona, Colorado, & Texas.
ABC at Home brings skilled therapists into your child's familiar environment to teach skills that fit naturally into daily routines, with added flexibility and more frequent Family Guidance. Available in select Texas regions.
What is ABA therapy?
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a research-backed therapy that uses the science of learning to help autistic children build functional skills for everyday life. At Action Behavior Centers, our Board Certified Behavior Analysts® (BCBAs®) set individualized goals in collaboration with families, and Registered Behavior Technicians® (RBTs®) deliver therapy through positive reinforcement, structured teaching, and natural learning opportunities.
Every child learns differently, so sessions are tailored to fit each child's unique needs and learning style. RBTs work with children to break new skills into small, achievable steps, adjusting their approach based on data collected every session.
What are target behaviors in ABA?
In ABA therapy, a target behavior is any skill or behavior that a child is working on during sessions. Some target behaviors are skills we want to build, like asking for help, making eye contact, or taking turns. Others are behaviors we want to reduce, like aggression or self-injury.
Target behaviors are drawn from the individualized goals that families set with their child's BCBA, so therapy always reflects what matters most to your family. In every case, the focus is on teaching children more effective ways to communicate and interact so they can thrive at home, school, and in the community.
Our clinicians focus on two core goals during ABA therapy:
1. Understanding behavior
We look at why a behavior is happening. What is the child trying to communicate, gain, or avoid? Once we understand the function of a behavior, we can teach a more appropriate way for the child to meet the same need.
2. Teaching new skills
We assess each child's current abilities and work with families to build personalized goals around communication, social interaction, self-care, and school readiness. Often, target behaviors stem from a missing skill, so as children learn more effective ways to communicate and interact, those behaviors frequently decrease on their own.
ABA is both a science and highly individualized. Some autistic children respond best to structured tools like token boards and visual schedules, while others thrive in play-based environments. Our BCBAs and RBTs tailor each child's program to fit their unique strengths, needs, and learning style.
What ABA therapy methods do you use?
Our ABA therapy providers use two teaching strategies: Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) and Natural Environment Teaching (NET). Both methods are used to help children build meaningful skills in ways that fit their learning style and individualized goals.
Discrete Trial Teaching
DTT breaks down new skills into small, manageable steps, each involving a prompt, the child's response, and positive reinforcement. The process repeats until the skill is learned and may include table work, matching games, imitation practice, and other targeted tasks. DTT works especially well for introducing new concepts or teaching step-by-step routines.
Natural Environment Teaching
NET uses a child's natural environment and play to teach important skills in real-life context. While children lead the experience, RBTs create learning opportunities in the moment based on preselected goals, targeting skills like appropriate play, name recognition, sharing, and motor skills through activities the child already enjoys.
How does ABA therapy help?
ABA therapy helps children diagnosed with ASD develop meaningful and functional skills that they can apply to their everyday lives. Parents also receive training to support the generalization of these skills across different settings and with different people.
Communication skills
Develop verbal and nonverbal communication skills, including speaking, using gestures, making eye contact, and understanding others
School readiness skills
Learn pre-academic skills like imitation, matching, and categorization
Behavior support
Reduce unsafe behaviors (aggression, self-injury, property destruction) by teaching safer, more effective ways to get needs met
Social skills
Promote social interaction by encouraging turn-taking, initiating conversations, engaging in play with peers, and building relationships
Reach practical goals with ABA therapy
No two autistic children are the same. Some may need support building communication skills, while others may work on reducing repetitive or self-injurious behaviors. That's why our BCBAs conduct a comprehensive assessment and work with families to set individualized, measurable goals based on each child's unique strengths and needs.
After the evaluation, your child's BCBA will identify areas for skill development and share strategies families can use to apply those skills in everyday life. Every goal is practical, tailored to your family, and built for real life.
Examples of ABA therapy goals may include:
Increase the use of spoken words to request a toy from five to 10 times a day
Initiate playing with peers at least three times during the day
Follow prompts during a handwashing routine in four out of five opportunities
Identify 10 new common household objects by name
What does a typical day of ABA therapy look like?
At Action Behavior Centers, ABA therapy is a fun, interactive experience for autistic children and their families. Before working on a child's specific goals, our team takes time to make sure your child feels comfortable, building rapport and discovering their favorite toys, games, and what makes them laugh. Each team includes one BCBA supervisor and nine RBTs, a smaller caseload than most ABA therapy centers, so every child gets the individualized attention they deserve.
Step 1
You bring your child to your local ABC ABA therapy center in the morning. During the check-in process, you meet your child’s therapist in our lobby. Your child is in capable hands!
Step 2
After the therapist welcomes your child, they head to the assigned room or play area for the first therapy session of the day. A typical day may include learning skills such as asking for a toy, matching pictures, or cleaning up after themselves.
Step 3
Throughout each session, therapists track progress toward your child's individualized goals. For example, a child who responds to their name 20% of the time might reach 50%, then 80%, as we uses different teaching methods over time.
Step 4
Your child will rotate between therapists on their team to support skill generalization, which means learning to use new skills across different people, places, and situations, not just in a single therapy setting.
Step 5
We send families photos and updates throughout the day, allowing you to see what your child is doing and learning in real time.
Step 6
At the end of each day, families pick up their children at the designated time. Your child’s safety is our top priority, and we verify the IDs of anyone picking up to ensure they are on the approved list.
Does ABA therapy mean my child is stuck at a table all day?
No way! At Action Behavior Centers, we create an exciting environment for learning. While sitting at a table may be a developmental goal to supportschool readiness, most learning is done through movement, play, and exploration.
Our ABA therapy centers also feature:
- “Eats and Crafts” spaces for creative and hands-on activities
- Circle Time for group fun and songs
- Sensory rooms for building visual processing and motor skills
How are parents involved in ABA therapy?
Families play a vital role in the success of any ABA therapy program. Every child’s treatment includes twice-a-month Family Guidance sessions led by your child’s Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
During these sessions, BCBAs work directly with families to:
- Set 2–4 personalized goals that reflect what’s most meaningful in your home life
- Share evidence-based strategies to help with real-life challenges, like potty training, sibling relationships, or transitions
- Teach the principles of ABA in a practical, approachable way
- Empower parents with tools and techniques to reinforce learning outside of therapy
Coordinated care, all in one place
The best outcomes happen when everyone is on the same page. With your permission, your child's BCBA will coordinate with their full support team, including pediatricians, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and other providers, so all diagnoses and goals are considered in their individualized plan.
We also maintain a list of approved speech, occupational, physical, and feeding therapy providers who can deliver sessions at our centers during the therapy day, so your child can receive multiple therapies in one familiar place. Families are always welcome to choose their own outside providers, and we'll coordinate with them, too.
Is ABA therapy effective?
Yes! Decades of research have shown that children who receive two or more years of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) make significant progress in multiple areas of their lives, including communication, learning, and behavior.
Learn more about the evidence that drives our ABA autism treatment services.
How much does ABA therapy cost?
ABA therapy is covered by most private health insurance plans. We’re in-network with many of the country’s largest insurers. Insurance can be tricky to navigate, so ABC’s insurance specialists will check your benefits, explain your options, and take care of the paperwork for you.
How to get started with ABA therapy
If your child already has an autism diagnosis and you want to get started with ABA therapy, you can contact us to schedule a tour.
If your child has many of the early signs of autism and does not yet have a diagnosis, we offer the following diagnostic support services:
No-cost online screening tools
Schedule an autism assessment near you
Action Behavior Centers provides the ADOS-2 and Initial Diagnostic Evaluations (IDEs) for children ages 18 months to 6 years. Contact us to learn about the autism diagnostic support services available in your area.
Help your child thrive with ABA therapy.
Complete our online interest form to get matched with a center. We will be in touch soon!
