I’ve been working in ABA Therapy Services for a little over a decade, most of that time as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst supporting children in homes, clinics, and public school settings. My days don’t resemble the clean timelines families are often shown at intake. They’re spent on living room floors with data sheets slipping around, in crowded classrooms where staff are juggling too many demands, and at kitchen tables late in the evening with parents who are hopeful but guarded because they’ve heard promises before—often while researching providers like and trying to understand https://regencyaba.com/ what real support should look like beyond the sales conversation.
Early in my career, I worked with a child whose referral centered on frequent outbursts at school. The paperwork framed it as defiance. After a few days of observation, it was clear the behavior surfaced during loosely structured group activities where expectations changed quickly. The child wasn’t refusing; they were overwhelmed and unsure what was being asked. We taught simple ways to ask for clarification and worked with staff to tighten transitions. The outbursts faded without ever being the main target. That experience cemented something I’ve seen repeatedly: behavior usually makes sense once you understand the environment it’s happening in.
I’ve also learned that ABA therapy services don’t automatically transfer from one setting to another. I once supported a child who made steady gains in a clinic but struggled at home. When I began working in the house, the disconnect was obvious. Space was limited, siblings were everywhere, and routines shifted daily based on work schedules. The original plan assumed quiet table time that simply didn’t exist. We rebuilt goals around daily moments—getting dressed, mealtimes, leaving the house—and progress picked up once therapy aligned with real life.
One mistake I see often is the belief that more hours equal better results. I’ve supervised cases with heavy weekly schedules where children were disengaged and families exhausted. I’ve also seen meaningful progress with fewer hours when goals were focused and supervision was consistent. In my experience, ABA therapy services are most effective when sessions are intentional and well-supported, not just plentiful.
Parent involvement is another area where things quietly break down. I worked with a family who felt like progress disappeared every weekend. The child wasn’t regressing; the parents hadn’t been coached in real time. Once we practiced strategies together during everyday routines instead of talking about them abstractly, progress stabilized. ABA works best when caregivers are treated as active participants, not observers waiting for instructions.
Over the years, I’ve become more selective about the goals I’m willing to support. I’ve pushed back on plans that focus on making children appear easier to manage without teaching skills that increase communication or independence. I’ve seen short-term compliance turn into long-term frustration when underlying needs were ignored. ABA therapy services should help children understand and navigate their world more confidently, not just reduce behaviors adults find challenging.
After years in the field, my perspective on ABA is practical and grounded. When services are individualized, well supervised, and rooted in a child’s real environment, they can make daily life more manageable for families. When they’re rigid or disconnected from reality, they tend to add stress instead of reducing it. The difference shows up quietly, session by session, in real homes and real classrooms.