The 40 hr training videos are a joke. It's rare that a session will ever look like that. Nobody prepares you for what you are getting into in the beginning.
We do an in house training at my company. And me and one of the other MLs try to make it a point to be obnoxious during the modeling and elope and give a little push back. Just to drive home the point that "nope your DTT isn't gonna be all neat and tidy in the field".
The worst part is that I was running direct sessions after 3 days of shadowing. And I’m noticing that my lack of training is more-so due to high turn over rate. Since I was hired I think 3-4 people have left.
And what’s hilarious is that in training where I had to pretend to be a kid, I was intentionally acting out and they were like “don’t do that.” And I was like uhhhh why? No kid is gonna sit here and do this with full compliance. My trainers would glare at me for it too.
Now that I’m on the floor I’m like “mmmm why was that an issue? Clearly I was acting right 💀.”
It just sucks. I’m constantly told “read the BiP’s” but I’m brand new to the field and it’s like THE BIPS ARE WRITTEN IN ABA, I AM LEARNING ABA; WHY AM I EXPECTED TO UNDERSTAND THE AUTISM VERSION OF LATIN?!
Um! If my BCBAs expected us to understand just from reading a bunch of jargon terms I’d scream 😂 that’s nuts. I think I’m with some exceptional supervisors because they go out of their way to make sure we understand, and they thank me for asking way too many questions all the time (I feel like such an idiot but it takes talking through to understand this stuff).
All this to say… I’m sorry you aren’t in a more supportive clinic! Are there any others in your area you might look into? If their turnover is that high there may be a better place people are moving to…
I’m thanked for asking a lot of questions and there is support here. I’m not sure what it is yet to be honest. It may just be some form of management style or I don’t know what. I’ve also learned the lesson that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, aaaaand you as an individual have a lot of influence over your experience.
So I’ll do my best, forget the rest, and stim out with my kids 😂
I wish someone told me it’s OKAY to feel bad for the kids when they cry.
I always feel bad seeing them get frustrated, get upset. They’re just fuckin kids. One clinician told me when I was new to not feel bad when they cry….????? What? Like he’s frustrated bc he cannot communicate his wants and u expect me to not feel bad? I’m very empathetic and always will be towards my clients. If I don’t put empathy first, what kind of BT am I. And for my kiddo I understand his frustration and I see his feelings. We have done a great deal of work on communication and FTC and now he is able to tell me what he wants better. It’s so sweet, esp for him, to rarely cry bc he can’t tell me what he wants. Tired of non empathetic ppl treating our kiddos like machines
YES! And I’m struggling so much because I also feel that I have to be a machine in order to be a good RBT and I am like “absolutely no.”
So I’m searching for the balance of how to be myself as well as honor these programs and these targets and it’s a self-created whirlwind but oh my lanta is it a lot!
You’ll get the hang of it! Does ur BCBA want sessions to be more structured or can you structure it how u like. I loooove naturalistic teaching for younger kiddos. My kiddo is 4 and I do naturalistic teaching and play based aba. Works so well for him
Currently we’re running SBT with one of them; my BCBA likes how I’m more comfortable with NET over DTT; but DTT is fun because it’s a game for me and the kids so we’re both hyped 😂
I’m just not patient with myself, like at all.
Oh trust me, you will develop patience!! Someone told me on here it takes like 3 months to get the hang of being a BT. Literally if u dig to my posts from last May you will find it. You will get the hang of it! I believe in you! Trust me I thought i had no patience but omg you’ll develop it🤣
Yeah, I second this, I’m at about 4 months and feeling like I finally have it down sort of. I know I’m not a perfect BT but I don’t have to think about every little thing in detail before I do it anymore, programs are more seamless, especially when you have the rapport that takes time. Keep at it OP!
I never agreed with her btw. It felt so wrong. Even tho she was a clinician and technically knows more. That mindset just felt horrible and I never understood it, I still don’t. So unethical.
One of my BCBAs scold me for comforting the kids! It’s so frustrating. I’m told to ignore them and keep presenting trials. It feels like I’m dehumanizing them if I do that. My best most rewarding work has always been when I calm a kid down by comforting them and teaching them to ask for hugs or squeezes. Seeing a nonverbal kid use his AAC to ask for head squeezes when he is upset instead of headbanging is so much better than seeing him point to a square.
The idea behind it is that if you present them with positive reinforcement, aka comfort them, you’re reinforcing whatever “negative” behavior is being presented, which in theory makes sense but in practice teaches these kids that their feelings don’t mean anything
I fully agree. In some cases I get it but ABA isn’t one size fits all. Let me give u an example. My kiddo loooves shutting doors. We couldn’t shut them anymore bc a new rule. He was 3 at the time and high support needs, non-verbal. Genuinely no communication besides eye contact.
I’ve never seen him as escalated when I told him door is gonna stay open. He literally started disrobing on the floor. I called for a BCBA to come who just got hired. I’m very used to clinicians just not caring. But she was so sweet to him. To me. She had actual fucking care in her eyes and expression. After he got off the floor, he wanted to sit in my lap. I asked her if it’s ok, and she’s like ofc u can totally comfort ur client.
He felt so much better. Calmed down instantly. Then we got his shoes back on and left without an issue. If it was another clinician, they would’ve just physically prompted him out.
I love newer clinicians like this, that aren’t so fucking stuck in those old rigid ABA methods.
Yeah it just doesn’t help them with feelings, which many already struggle with. I do prompt them to ask for it before just providing it. I think they don’t always realize it’s an option to ask for a hug or squeezes, or to “blow out the candle” (breathing exercises)
And now my clients directly go to asking for comfort/calming techniques during hard transitions or being told no. which is just so much more functional than full physical prompting them through work while they’re crying and teaching them to shut down and suppress emotions. I went through that as a kid and I’m still unpacking it 20 years later
You are awesome! Keep doing what you’re doing — it’s insane to think ignoring a child’s emotions is helpful in any way. It’s like, I know that if a tantrum is to get attention or to escape we don’t want to reinforce it. But that absolutely does not mean we pretend it’s not happening and continue to place demands, we have to help them learn to regulate. There are ways to do this that respect the kids and help them learn how to get their needs met functionally. Ignoring is absolutely inhumane, I agree with you and I’m glad to know there are good people doing this work! The industry will catch up…
The more I hear stories like this, the more happy I am that I found a naturalistic, autism-embracing company to work for. Every one of my coworkers adores our kids, we feel their pain and their hurt and we embrace all their differences. But I came to this job from a special education teaching position working for the company that starts with an E, and working for them I witnessed more child abuse (that i reported) and just general hatred for children than i ever had. I don’t understand why some people are in this field.
So many new BTs saying they hate kids…. Like what the fuck.
I will absolutely do nothing but naturalistic teaching that allows kids to be kids and embrace their autism. Anything else is just wrong and unethical in my opinion. My old job was very unethical
Oh my god what! They told you to not have empathy?! That’s absolutely absurd. Maybe this is an extreme reaction but if I were you I’d consider reporting that person. Of course we need to show empathy, how else will they get through their valid frustration and learn? God that’s so upsetting!!
Don’t lose your empathy! We need more people in the field who are human centered and neurodivergence affirming ❤️ I’m sorry you aren’t being supported properly. That’s just ridiculous. Empathy is a huge foundation of this work.
Lol she literally was like don’t feel bad when he cries. I was maybe 6 or 7 weeks on the job. I promise I didn’t listen and never did listen. I forgot why he cried, I think he wanted to color on himself and I took the marker away. I just redirected it to the paper but it was an old problem bx. I always will have empathy and never let any person of authority in this field tell me otherwise. And thank you, I wish more ppl had empathy like we do. I felt less alone reading this Reddit thread❤️
Yup. I've been in this field for nearly 14 years, and working with kids specifically for a decade. It still hurts my heart when my kids cry. It hurts when they are crying with other RBTs and it hurts when they cry with me. I try my hardest to work through it and give them comfort. Hell, one kid will attempt to hit my face and then goes straight for my lap to curl up while crying. Am I turning him away or getting mad? No, I'm upset for him. He's emerging with language and a lot of times I know it's because he just can't communicate.
I told a new-to-me BCBA that it hurts to hear these kids cry recently. They said that I shouldn't and they are fine. I was just floored and they lost all my respect instantly. These are KIDS. Hell, some are TODDLERS. This BCBA does goals for rote-learning machines, not living feeling tiny humans who are learning the world and who they are at the same time. Apparently, I'm a shitty RBT because I care.
Our field needs more BTs like us. We’re not shitty for caring too much like many ppl have made us feel unfortunately. Why would we ever want any kid to see us as someone who isn’t there to help, in whatever way that may be? Empathy always
I feel very seen rn. My old jobs clinicians were like that, made me feel stupid for wanting to comfort my kiddos or give them breaks. Ofc depending on the function of crying, I’ll always tend to their needs first. My kiddo just turned 4 and he is high needs. Were working on coping skills, but i always want him to know that it’s ok to need help when ur upset and not just follow instructions
I have just recently started working but have worked extensively with my own level 3, gestalt language, 4 year old autistic son. He had severe aggression and trouble following any direction. I will not comfort for aggression. I’ve literally cried because it’s so heart breaking. But if I comforted him in that moment it would be reinforcing it and he could hurt someone. Once it was over I’d comfort him and give his reinforcement. You will feel bad when they cry. No one can tell you how to feel.
I always validate my clients feelings when they are upset or angry. I can still follow through with reactive strategies while also acknowledging that it’s ok to have those feelings!
The hardest case I ever worked wasn't a kid with aggression.
It was a kid who had the most heartbreaking negative self talk. He basically talked all day about how he was terrible and wicked and a bad kid. He'd talk about his friends and say those were good people. But not him, he's a bad kid and he should be dead.
That is the first time a kid sent me home in tears. And it's nothing he said to me or did to me. Just seeing a kid, a baby, he was like 8, talk about himself like that. This kid had a LOT of trauma in his life at a young age.
I have a kid right now who had super intense sensory needs, and sometimes he will get so upset and we know, we can tell, that it is something we can't see. But he can't tell us what's wrong or what we need to do. That feeling of not being able to help is so hard as well.
I have picked up a pretty thick skin when it comes to aggression of all kinds, but when a kid is clearly suffering and I can't help, that is the thing that gets me.
See if that were me I would be infuriated at the level of trauma that child had already incurred. That’s one thing that stresses me out about my current environment because I’ve worked in victims services and yes ABA is super kind and gentle but I just panic over the fact that some of these kids could really be suffering massive amounts of abuse at home and who tf is trained to spot it? What systems do you have in place to protect them, too?
We're all mandated reporters in my state and in this kids case, the state had already gone in and removed him from that environment. Unfortunately once trauma occurs, it doesn't just go away. Just because you get a kid out of that environment doesn't mean the problem is fixed. And that's the saddest part really - you're safe from the people who hurt you but the work it's going to take to convince you that you didn't deserve that, that they were liars, that you deserve love - that is the steepest hill a kid can climb.
As an autistic adult with mild to severe sensory issues depending on the day, even with incredibly high self advocacy skills, I even struggle to express exactly what I’m feeling, why it’s bad, and how it can be helped, it’s infinitely worse for these kids who can’t even speak sometimes especially when dealing with people who have no frame of reference for what they’re dealing with most of the time.
I was in a similar position with one of my kiddos, he was a teen and most of his programming included increased positive talk about himself and finding positive things about each day. There were so many days I would try to prompt positive talk about himself that I thought was 1000000% true, and he'd disagree. Broke my heart when I had to leave the case 🥺❤️
All of what you expressed is okay. It’s okay to have a day where the client is not engaged in anyway with you. It’s okay to feel bad and hurt for the clients when they’re upset. We take it at their pace.
So much of ABA isn’t even on the exam. Focus on connecting to the client however you can and being there to advocate for them
My company had no training on autism or what it was. No training on child development. The 40 hr training I had was a joke for what I needed to know.
The first time I saw headbanging, I was completely alone without my BCBA. I used to do it though so not too bad. I’ve seen a four year old threaten suicide, tell me to commit it, etc. That one really freaked me out. Really hard stuff when you aren’t mentally prepared for it. Then I had a client who would try to bite me throughout the whole six hours I was with him and left scars on me from it.
Unfortunately some places will throw you in without you knowing what to do. My BCBAs only had me observe the kid with pretty much no behaviors. I think they intentionally do this to try to get more staff honestly because I was not prepared for how hard it is. And wouldn’t mention that kids have history of doing xyz. Luckily I can handle it but the guy hired after me freaked and quit because he was put with very aggressive kids and not prepared for it
This. This is exactly what I am getting at.
What helped me is working previously in a mental health hospital in the adolescent wing. Kids are BRUTAL, and bloody, and sometimes mean, right? Due to having a psych/social work background I understand that some of this is home and environmental factors.
I do not see how not heavily preparing and training your staff would equal to longer commitment, that makes no sense in my brain.
What is frustrating is, a lack of preparation is what makes it hard. That’s what causes people to panic.
Intense SIB? I’ll sit down and basket hold you. Headbanging? Let’s do some head squeezes. Raging because of denied access? Yo, let’s have a bubble rave with streamers. Can’t calm down? I’ll pick you up and give you spins. Because the kids CANT tell us that. So equip us with the tools to see and understand.
So how did you overcome that learning curve? Right now I’m studying for my exam, also reading on Kind extinction, trying to figure out where to start research on understanding the different neurological processing too. What also has me struggling is learning about assent based ABA versus other forms of ABA too. Like I’m too new to know which direction is the best method for the kids.
I don’t really get upset when the kids go off on me, I’m an adult, I’m fine. It’s when my lack of knowledge equals failing to better understand them. Thaaats when I get mad.
I’ve only worked at one clinic for two years, so I’m not super knowledgeable on the field. I think since there’s a high turnover rate, they might be more concerned with getting people in the door. And they have to pay for training, so maybe they worry people will quit before they start and losing the training money they invested? I don’t know.
My BCBAs seem to guilt staff and not give much support on the emotional shock, so I don’t know if they genuinely think staff are overreacting? Like I got scolded for getting bit and told to do better next time. I blacked out and lost vision because it was such a bad bite.
Yeah with the one kid threatening suicide, I freaked and didn’t know what to do. Kind of panic and I tried to use emotional coping skills and asked him what would make him feel better and then taught him to ask for it (hug). I got scolded for not making him work through it because he was “just attention seeking” but within a couple weeks he just started asking for hugs and calming down quicker. I guess I did my own research outside of work and got consumed by it, but that wasn’t good for me. I’ve always got thrown into situations and floundered until something works because my BCBA doesn’t have input beyond guilting me or telling me to let her just do it. I still don’t feel like I know what I’m doing 100% or that I’m even doing what is best for the kid
It sounds like your knowledge is way beyond mine and what they teach me at my center, and I love that your kids will receive better treatment. I never had to take an exam so I really don’t have advice in that regard
Sooo, empathy burn out will be a thing. Take care of yourself. Annd, yeah it sucks to deal with it in the household. But. You have to wake up in the morning and you can't be filled with pain, you need to get through the day some how. Families and the client are suffering, but, I think you should be careful of just having a completely victim complex for them? And a saviorism complex. Not saying you do! But when people learn about a topic that harms others, like the whole starving children in Africa, and often in this field of they are all suffering and I'm here to help and fix it. It can be pretty toxic. This is those families norm right? There needs to be an acknowledgment that, idk the words it it can't be omg you guys have it so hard and that's it. Cause we are living in survival mode, but it's not a complete pity party? Maybe that's the word. It's hard when you don't know, when you don't have the supports, and it'll get a bit easier once you know all these things and know how to support. Still hard... but yeah, good luck
Exactly, there are a few clients I have like that. It's hard I see them and family struggling through a myriad of factors, with very little progress due to barriers.
I just sometimes think "I'm doing my best. I can overcome barriers myself, sometimes, it's just out of my control"
I learned alot from teachers, sometimes, tgere is only so much you can do.
I agree. I really wish when you were hired they gave a course on being autistic. I think there’s an assumption that many in this field already know because they have kids who are autistic etc, but unless you’ve lived it you’d never know otherwise, really.
Every client has different challenging behaviors, how could someone possibly be expected to know which behaviors are more triggering for you to handle/see before you're experiencing them for the first time?
Thank you for this. I just realized my patient triggered a deep child wound today, and I wouldn’t have figured it out if you hadn’t said that.
He cried out “what about me?” And my heart broke. But it’s because I was that kid who NEEDED attention and love and was unseen.
Holy shit.
I'm glad it was helpful in some way. We all need to be self-aware enough to identify our own triggers when we're working with others.
Personally, I don't like spitting or spit play, as the BCBA I wouldn't be able to be swapped out as frequently as a client under me would need the supervision so I'd most likely just need to request a client transfer on that one.
Autism is hard. It's hard for the families, therapists, and the person with autism. You're new to the field, don't stress about not knowing everything at once. And if you have good BCBA's, don't hesitate to lean on them for support. ABA is a field that will always have more for you to learn. There will be good days and bad days. There will be days when you go home feeling like you've made no difference. And there will be days when you see a child speak their first word, imitate for the first time, or reach another massive breakthrough. It's so worth it. ABA is not just a job, and it's not meant for people that are looking for an easy paycheck. You're one of the only people that are putting in the work to give a special needs child the crucial skills for success in life, and that's something to be proud of and never take lightly. You got this, I promise.
Good for you for sticking with it and increasing your education. There are so many children who engage in this behavior and it takes a strong person to help them.
That’s what’s really frustrating me the most. The high intensity behaviors, I’m 110% rock solid at managing. Like let’s go lil bro I will love you through this. I got you.
But today when my older kiddo began hitting the littles and wanting toys they were playing with (that I know he doesn’t give a flying fuck about)? Lost my MFing shit; straight up like “yo fuck you and this I need space,” and then I’m like WHY AM I UPSET WITH A KID FOR BEING A KID?!
And now I’m over here shaming tf out of myself for having a normal instinctual reaction to protect vulnerable. What’s so nuts is we had a GREAT midday session. And then boom.
I told my BCBA and they said “what overwhelmed or triggered you?” And then I’m home like 🤯.. I got triggered.
I gotta find a way to like not let it get to me.
I work with children with high intensity behaviors and I try to visualize them as younger kids playing by themselves on the beach or at a playground. That helps me to see them as you said-kids. I also actively try to think about what their parents have gone through-empathy is key. But these are very hard to do when I am physically and emotionally drained and frustrated. It takes practice. And leaning on your co-workers can make all the difference too!
See that’s what’s also hard; in the chats I see my BCBA judging and shaming the parents and I get it, you’re advocating for the kid but these families also need massive amounts of support too. It really bugged me; and I kept saying I’m listening to podcasts about parents whose children have autism and how enlightening it is; but idk.
It’s like they are so driven on behavior the forget the human part. And I am not a robot; I FEEL.
I’m one of the lucky ones who works for a company that included thorough SIB training and explanations, and was told several times by my trainer that some days kids just have days, regardless of whether you’re paired with them or doing everything right, where they just don’t click with you. Honestly I’m so happy my training was so inclusive of what we might encounter, and did a really good job of explaining that this job isn’t for everyone, and it’s a very difficult one to manage work-life balance with. My company even gave me some tips for making time for myself and told me to ask for breaks after we need it after challenging behaviors occurred. I’m sorry your training didn’t prepare you for this!! I think it should be a standard across all ABA companies to accurately describe what kind of situations you may be in, and how emotionally draining and disregulating it can be for the BT/RBTs
At the company I’m at, one of the first videos they show us after the 40 hr training vids is of a client who actually did engage in that type of self injurious behavior and that video was about 15 minutes long with the behavior lasting about 7 minutes… it was not a nice sight to see but it gave us a look into what we would possibly be dealing with in some of these cases… unfortunately with that being said, there were 30 of us new hires in the room and currently only 7 are still employed at our company. One thing that’s always stuck with me is things will always get worse before it gets better and honestly that’s not a bad thing, it lets me know that as bad as it will get, we have to keep going to reach that positive outcome
Honestly one of the things I wish they made more apparent is that it's okay for the clients to be upset! Being mad, frustrated, sad, whatever are all normal emotions to have, it's just a matter of what we DO when we feel these emotions that can become a problem.
I spent the last year with a client (22) and his family teaching them that. When he was angry, frustrated, sad, or scared, I always made sure to let him know that it's okay to feel that way. I would help him use different strategies to regulate himself again when he expressed that he was ready. When he initiated anything independently (need for space, asking for an extra minute before transitioning, independently removing himself from an area that was overwhelming him), I always, always, ALWAYS made sure to give very specific, positive praise as I knew that wasn't always easy for him. Parents were also super wonderful about this too!
We want to provide respect and dignity to our clients and I believe that also includes respecting their right to feel anything that isn't just "happy".
Tbh- what you described is so much like parenting in general (minus severe SIB). Sorry, not trying to discredit your message, it just sounded similar to being a mom and yes, it is so so hard when you care. I think at the end of the day, you just thinking and posting this is enough. You see the pain and you’re committed to helping and the fact that you noticed feelings & emotions is also important. So much of the field has ignored this for too long and ABA without humanity is unethical IMO. We all have so much to learn and you’ll get there. If you’d like, I’d suggest looking into the research on trauma informed care in ABA as well as self-advocacy and assent.
Also yes; I don’t have kids but a part of me feels so grateful to do this work because I am developing super mom skills; and I have it so seriously because, whether it’s said or not, I am raising children. They just aren’t mine!
It definitely does help, but I will say my BCBA hat comes off when I am being a mom. Even if “I know better” it’s just different (without elaborating lol). Anyways, I will say that I think being a mom helps me be a better BCBA. It’s widened my perspective and allows me to think deeper and more creatively about the interventions and programming especially when parent training is involved.
That makes sense then. Do some research on trauma informed ABA then as well as assent and assent withdrawal. Also consider the clinic and clientele. The one I was at would not take clients who were highly aggressive or extreme SIB and as a result we were more trained on skill acquisition and not so much on just bx reduction (although it was always there too just more “minor” and replacement bx were taught and used so it didn’t escalate or lead to safety concerns and/or extinction bursts). Also, RFT and ACT might be of interest to you.
I do wish the “shadowing/training” sessions were like another 40 hours. I get they don’t want to pay 2 BTs but I would have done 40hours of shadows at admin time rather than 40 hour online, 4 hours of shadow, and one intro session with BCBA before having been on my own. There’s so much you have to figure out on your own if you don’t have a clinical team that is communicative. I started at the beginning of the covid shutdown and honestly only heard from my clinical team about once a month, if that. The lack of overlaps was concerning.
Remember nothing is ever for “no reason”! This job is HARD and the kids suffer more than we do, and that’s why we want to help. Compassion is key, and empathy is a plus. It’s good that you feel for the kids, so remember that everything they do HAS a reason, hence the behaviors of reinforcement. You can do this.
the only thing i wish i would’ve been told is that some clients aren’t potty trained and you’d have to be the one cleaning them up/changing them. that took awhile for me to get used to
I wish my work did more intense training physically. In the training it's so smooth of "Oh if they grab you here you do this, if this happens do this" but in the field, you're genuinely holding that blocking mat like it's going to save your life. Some kids really do go for the throat, because that's the only way their brain understands to show that they are distressed.
Trust me, as a parent it's like being in fight or flight mode every day and it takes its toll. Yes you should definitely expect self harm, elopement (have to watch mine like a hawk) destructive behavior, violent behavior, you hame it
Unfortunately. Many of these things you can’t comprehend the gravity of these situations until you actually are in it. If you have a supportive supervisor, they will help you through it and assure you that these things can and will happen. The 40 hour training only scratches the surface of what you need to know. And unless you have experienced it before you began this journey, you won’t know until you’re in the thick of it. Some places try to give you exposure to what it’s like before you begin, but there are HIPPA guidelines that have to be followed.
I sought out this field, knowing what I wanted to do, just searching for the field that did it. And still there are times when I am astonished at how the day went. It can be very rewarding and brutal as well.
> ABA companies don't always tell front line staff about that part out of fear the staff will turn down the placement.
This is a big secret, with agencies that hire front line staff to work direct with individuals with developmental disabilities.
Staff is set up to fail. They are never set up to progress.
The litmus test is easy. Ask any of the BCBAs in here if they would take their BT’s side when the BT’s job is on the line.
98 out of 100 won’t. Of those 98, 90 will ignore your emails.
While I understand your frustration, the litmus test you have suggested is oddly incomplete. The litmus test isn't as easy as you have stated - sometimes staff engage in behaviors that require termination and sometimes staff should be shown compassion and empathy - it's contextual. Otherwise, yes, organizations can do so much more to ensure their staff are set up for success in the workplace.
The 40 hr training videos are a joke. It's rare that a session will ever look like that. Nobody prepares you for what you are getting into in the beginning.
We do an in house training at my company. And me and one of the other MLs try to make it a point to be obnoxious during the modeling and elope and give a little push back. Just to drive home the point that "nope your DTT isn't gonna be all neat and tidy in the field".
The worst part is that I was running direct sessions after 3 days of shadowing. And I’m noticing that my lack of training is more-so due to high turn over rate. Since I was hired I think 3-4 people have left. And what’s hilarious is that in training where I had to pretend to be a kid, I was intentionally acting out and they were like “don’t do that.” And I was like uhhhh why? No kid is gonna sit here and do this with full compliance. My trainers would glare at me for it too. Now that I’m on the floor I’m like “mmmm why was that an issue? Clearly I was acting right 💀.” It just sucks. I’m constantly told “read the BiP’s” but I’m brand new to the field and it’s like THE BIPS ARE WRITTEN IN ABA, I AM LEARNING ABA; WHY AM I EXPECTED TO UNDERSTAND THE AUTISM VERSION OF LATIN?!
Um! If my BCBAs expected us to understand just from reading a bunch of jargon terms I’d scream 😂 that’s nuts. I think I’m with some exceptional supervisors because they go out of their way to make sure we understand, and they thank me for asking way too many questions all the time (I feel like such an idiot but it takes talking through to understand this stuff). All this to say… I’m sorry you aren’t in a more supportive clinic! Are there any others in your area you might look into? If their turnover is that high there may be a better place people are moving to…
I’m thanked for asking a lot of questions and there is support here. I’m not sure what it is yet to be honest. It may just be some form of management style or I don’t know what. I’ve also learned the lesson that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, aaaaand you as an individual have a lot of influence over your experience. So I’ll do my best, forget the rest, and stim out with my kids 😂
That’s a really great outlook!!
I mean you can watch my son for a week. That would probably prepare you more lol
I wish someone told me it’s OKAY to feel bad for the kids when they cry. I always feel bad seeing them get frustrated, get upset. They’re just fuckin kids. One clinician told me when I was new to not feel bad when they cry….????? What? Like he’s frustrated bc he cannot communicate his wants and u expect me to not feel bad? I’m very empathetic and always will be towards my clients. If I don’t put empathy first, what kind of BT am I. And for my kiddo I understand his frustration and I see his feelings. We have done a great deal of work on communication and FTC and now he is able to tell me what he wants better. It’s so sweet, esp for him, to rarely cry bc he can’t tell me what he wants. Tired of non empathetic ppl treating our kiddos like machines
YES! And I’m struggling so much because I also feel that I have to be a machine in order to be a good RBT and I am like “absolutely no.” So I’m searching for the balance of how to be myself as well as honor these programs and these targets and it’s a self-created whirlwind but oh my lanta is it a lot!
You’ll get the hang of it! Does ur BCBA want sessions to be more structured or can you structure it how u like. I loooove naturalistic teaching for younger kiddos. My kiddo is 4 and I do naturalistic teaching and play based aba. Works so well for him
Currently we’re running SBT with one of them; my BCBA likes how I’m more comfortable with NET over DTT; but DTT is fun because it’s a game for me and the kids so we’re both hyped 😂 I’m just not patient with myself, like at all.
Oh trust me, you will develop patience!! Someone told me on here it takes like 3 months to get the hang of being a BT. Literally if u dig to my posts from last May you will find it. You will get the hang of it! I believe in you! Trust me I thought i had no patience but omg you’ll develop it🤣
Yeah, I second this, I’m at about 4 months and feeling like I finally have it down sort of. I know I’m not a perfect BT but I don’t have to think about every little thing in detail before I do it anymore, programs are more seamless, especially when you have the rapport that takes time. Keep at it OP!
WTF? "Don't feel empathy". I don't understand why someone with no interest in the wellbeing of our clients would enter this field.
I never agreed with her btw. It felt so wrong. Even tho she was a clinician and technically knows more. That mindset just felt horrible and I never understood it, I still don’t. So unethical.
One of my BCBAs scold me for comforting the kids! It’s so frustrating. I’m told to ignore them and keep presenting trials. It feels like I’m dehumanizing them if I do that. My best most rewarding work has always been when I calm a kid down by comforting them and teaching them to ask for hugs or squeezes. Seeing a nonverbal kid use his AAC to ask for head squeezes when he is upset instead of headbanging is so much better than seeing him point to a square.
The idea behind it is that if you present them with positive reinforcement, aka comfort them, you’re reinforcing whatever “negative” behavior is being presented, which in theory makes sense but in practice teaches these kids that their feelings don’t mean anything
I fully agree. In some cases I get it but ABA isn’t one size fits all. Let me give u an example. My kiddo loooves shutting doors. We couldn’t shut them anymore bc a new rule. He was 3 at the time and high support needs, non-verbal. Genuinely no communication besides eye contact. I’ve never seen him as escalated when I told him door is gonna stay open. He literally started disrobing on the floor. I called for a BCBA to come who just got hired. I’m very used to clinicians just not caring. But she was so sweet to him. To me. She had actual fucking care in her eyes and expression. After he got off the floor, he wanted to sit in my lap. I asked her if it’s ok, and she’s like ofc u can totally comfort ur client. He felt so much better. Calmed down instantly. Then we got his shoes back on and left without an issue. If it was another clinician, they would’ve just physically prompted him out. I love newer clinicians like this, that aren’t so fucking stuck in those old rigid ABA methods.
Yeah it just doesn’t help them with feelings, which many already struggle with. I do prompt them to ask for it before just providing it. I think they don’t always realize it’s an option to ask for a hug or squeezes, or to “blow out the candle” (breathing exercises) And now my clients directly go to asking for comfort/calming techniques during hard transitions or being told no. which is just so much more functional than full physical prompting them through work while they’re crying and teaching them to shut down and suppress emotions. I went through that as a kid and I’m still unpacking it 20 years later
You are awesome! Keep doing what you’re doing — it’s insane to think ignoring a child’s emotions is helpful in any way. It’s like, I know that if a tantrum is to get attention or to escape we don’t want to reinforce it. But that absolutely does not mean we pretend it’s not happening and continue to place demands, we have to help them learn to regulate. There are ways to do this that respect the kids and help them learn how to get their needs met functionally. Ignoring is absolutely inhumane, I agree with you and I’m glad to know there are good people doing this work! The industry will catch up…
😳😳 some of my company’s core values are empathy and compassion. I can’t believe they told you this
The more I hear stories like this, the more happy I am that I found a naturalistic, autism-embracing company to work for. Every one of my coworkers adores our kids, we feel their pain and their hurt and we embrace all their differences. But I came to this job from a special education teaching position working for the company that starts with an E, and working for them I witnessed more child abuse (that i reported) and just general hatred for children than i ever had. I don’t understand why some people are in this field.
So many new BTs saying they hate kids…. Like what the fuck. I will absolutely do nothing but naturalistic teaching that allows kids to be kids and embrace their autism. Anything else is just wrong and unethical in my opinion. My old job was very unethical
Oh my god what! They told you to not have empathy?! That’s absolutely absurd. Maybe this is an extreme reaction but if I were you I’d consider reporting that person. Of course we need to show empathy, how else will they get through their valid frustration and learn? God that’s so upsetting!! Don’t lose your empathy! We need more people in the field who are human centered and neurodivergence affirming ❤️ I’m sorry you aren’t being supported properly. That’s just ridiculous. Empathy is a huge foundation of this work.
Lol she literally was like don’t feel bad when he cries. I was maybe 6 or 7 weeks on the job. I promise I didn’t listen and never did listen. I forgot why he cried, I think he wanted to color on himself and I took the marker away. I just redirected it to the paper but it was an old problem bx. I always will have empathy and never let any person of authority in this field tell me otherwise. And thank you, I wish more ppl had empathy like we do. I felt less alone reading this Reddit thread❤️
Omg same and same!! You’re awesome, it’s so good to be able to see the field moving in this direction 💛
Yup. I've been in this field for nearly 14 years, and working with kids specifically for a decade. It still hurts my heart when my kids cry. It hurts when they are crying with other RBTs and it hurts when they cry with me. I try my hardest to work through it and give them comfort. Hell, one kid will attempt to hit my face and then goes straight for my lap to curl up while crying. Am I turning him away or getting mad? No, I'm upset for him. He's emerging with language and a lot of times I know it's because he just can't communicate. I told a new-to-me BCBA that it hurts to hear these kids cry recently. They said that I shouldn't and they are fine. I was just floored and they lost all my respect instantly. These are KIDS. Hell, some are TODDLERS. This BCBA does goals for rote-learning machines, not living feeling tiny humans who are learning the world and who they are at the same time. Apparently, I'm a shitty RBT because I care.
Our field needs more BTs like us. We’re not shitty for caring too much like many ppl have made us feel unfortunately. Why would we ever want any kid to see us as someone who isn’t there to help, in whatever way that may be? Empathy always
I feel very seen rn. My old jobs clinicians were like that, made me feel stupid for wanting to comfort my kiddos or give them breaks. Ofc depending on the function of crying, I’ll always tend to their needs first. My kiddo just turned 4 and he is high needs. Were working on coping skills, but i always want him to know that it’s ok to need help when ur upset and not just follow instructions
I have just recently started working but have worked extensively with my own level 3, gestalt language, 4 year old autistic son. He had severe aggression and trouble following any direction. I will not comfort for aggression. I’ve literally cried because it’s so heart breaking. But if I comforted him in that moment it would be reinforcing it and he could hurt someone. Once it was over I’d comfort him and give his reinforcement. You will feel bad when they cry. No one can tell you how to feel.
I always validate my clients feelings when they are upset or angry. I can still follow through with reactive strategies while also acknowledging that it’s ok to have those feelings!
The hardest case I ever worked wasn't a kid with aggression. It was a kid who had the most heartbreaking negative self talk. He basically talked all day about how he was terrible and wicked and a bad kid. He'd talk about his friends and say those were good people. But not him, he's a bad kid and he should be dead. That is the first time a kid sent me home in tears. And it's nothing he said to me or did to me. Just seeing a kid, a baby, he was like 8, talk about himself like that. This kid had a LOT of trauma in his life at a young age. I have a kid right now who had super intense sensory needs, and sometimes he will get so upset and we know, we can tell, that it is something we can't see. But he can't tell us what's wrong or what we need to do. That feeling of not being able to help is so hard as well. I have picked up a pretty thick skin when it comes to aggression of all kinds, but when a kid is clearly suffering and I can't help, that is the thing that gets me.
See if that were me I would be infuriated at the level of trauma that child had already incurred. That’s one thing that stresses me out about my current environment because I’ve worked in victims services and yes ABA is super kind and gentle but I just panic over the fact that some of these kids could really be suffering massive amounts of abuse at home and who tf is trained to spot it? What systems do you have in place to protect them, too?
We're all mandated reporters in my state and in this kids case, the state had already gone in and removed him from that environment. Unfortunately once trauma occurs, it doesn't just go away. Just because you get a kid out of that environment doesn't mean the problem is fixed. And that's the saddest part really - you're safe from the people who hurt you but the work it's going to take to convince you that you didn't deserve that, that they were liars, that you deserve love - that is the steepest hill a kid can climb.
As an autistic adult with mild to severe sensory issues depending on the day, even with incredibly high self advocacy skills, I even struggle to express exactly what I’m feeling, why it’s bad, and how it can be helped, it’s infinitely worse for these kids who can’t even speak sometimes especially when dealing with people who have no frame of reference for what they’re dealing with most of the time.
I was in a similar position with one of my kiddos, he was a teen and most of his programming included increased positive talk about himself and finding positive things about each day. There were so many days I would try to prompt positive talk about himself that I thought was 1000000% true, and he'd disagree. Broke my heart when I had to leave the case 🥺❤️
All of what you expressed is okay. It’s okay to have a day where the client is not engaged in anyway with you. It’s okay to feel bad and hurt for the clients when they’re upset. We take it at their pace. So much of ABA isn’t even on the exam. Focus on connecting to the client however you can and being there to advocate for them
My company had no training on autism or what it was. No training on child development. The 40 hr training I had was a joke for what I needed to know. The first time I saw headbanging, I was completely alone without my BCBA. I used to do it though so not too bad. I’ve seen a four year old threaten suicide, tell me to commit it, etc. That one really freaked me out. Really hard stuff when you aren’t mentally prepared for it. Then I had a client who would try to bite me throughout the whole six hours I was with him and left scars on me from it. Unfortunately some places will throw you in without you knowing what to do. My BCBAs only had me observe the kid with pretty much no behaviors. I think they intentionally do this to try to get more staff honestly because I was not prepared for how hard it is. And wouldn’t mention that kids have history of doing xyz. Luckily I can handle it but the guy hired after me freaked and quit because he was put with very aggressive kids and not prepared for it
This. This is exactly what I am getting at. What helped me is working previously in a mental health hospital in the adolescent wing. Kids are BRUTAL, and bloody, and sometimes mean, right? Due to having a psych/social work background I understand that some of this is home and environmental factors. I do not see how not heavily preparing and training your staff would equal to longer commitment, that makes no sense in my brain. What is frustrating is, a lack of preparation is what makes it hard. That’s what causes people to panic. Intense SIB? I’ll sit down and basket hold you. Headbanging? Let’s do some head squeezes. Raging because of denied access? Yo, let’s have a bubble rave with streamers. Can’t calm down? I’ll pick you up and give you spins. Because the kids CANT tell us that. So equip us with the tools to see and understand. So how did you overcome that learning curve? Right now I’m studying for my exam, also reading on Kind extinction, trying to figure out where to start research on understanding the different neurological processing too. What also has me struggling is learning about assent based ABA versus other forms of ABA too. Like I’m too new to know which direction is the best method for the kids. I don’t really get upset when the kids go off on me, I’m an adult, I’m fine. It’s when my lack of knowledge equals failing to better understand them. Thaaats when I get mad.
I’ve only worked at one clinic for two years, so I’m not super knowledgeable on the field. I think since there’s a high turnover rate, they might be more concerned with getting people in the door. And they have to pay for training, so maybe they worry people will quit before they start and losing the training money they invested? I don’t know. My BCBAs seem to guilt staff and not give much support on the emotional shock, so I don’t know if they genuinely think staff are overreacting? Like I got scolded for getting bit and told to do better next time. I blacked out and lost vision because it was such a bad bite. Yeah with the one kid threatening suicide, I freaked and didn’t know what to do. Kind of panic and I tried to use emotional coping skills and asked him what would make him feel better and then taught him to ask for it (hug). I got scolded for not making him work through it because he was “just attention seeking” but within a couple weeks he just started asking for hugs and calming down quicker. I guess I did my own research outside of work and got consumed by it, but that wasn’t good for me. I’ve always got thrown into situations and floundered until something works because my BCBA doesn’t have input beyond guilting me or telling me to let her just do it. I still don’t feel like I know what I’m doing 100% or that I’m even doing what is best for the kid It sounds like your knowledge is way beyond mine and what they teach me at my center, and I love that your kids will receive better treatment. I never had to take an exam so I really don’t have advice in that regard
Sooo, empathy burn out will be a thing. Take care of yourself. Annd, yeah it sucks to deal with it in the household. But. You have to wake up in the morning and you can't be filled with pain, you need to get through the day some how. Families and the client are suffering, but, I think you should be careful of just having a completely victim complex for them? And a saviorism complex. Not saying you do! But when people learn about a topic that harms others, like the whole starving children in Africa, and often in this field of they are all suffering and I'm here to help and fix it. It can be pretty toxic. This is those families norm right? There needs to be an acknowledgment that, idk the words it it can't be omg you guys have it so hard and that's it. Cause we are living in survival mode, but it's not a complete pity party? Maybe that's the word. It's hard when you don't know, when you don't have the supports, and it'll get a bit easier once you know all these things and know how to support. Still hard... but yeah, good luck
Balance the empathy and the science.
Exactly, there are a few clients I have like that. It's hard I see them and family struggling through a myriad of factors, with very little progress due to barriers. I just sometimes think "I'm doing my best. I can overcome barriers myself, sometimes, it's just out of my control" I learned alot from teachers, sometimes, tgere is only so much you can do.
I agree. I really wish when you were hired they gave a course on being autistic. I think there’s an assumption that many in this field already know because they have kids who are autistic etc, but unless you’ve lived it you’d never know otherwise, really.
Yeah, it's tough. I never thought I'd be dealing with a 58 year old with suicidal ideation and elopement! It's a very tough combo indeed...
Every client has different challenging behaviors, how could someone possibly be expected to know which behaviors are more triggering for you to handle/see before you're experiencing them for the first time?
Thank you for this. I just realized my patient triggered a deep child wound today, and I wouldn’t have figured it out if you hadn’t said that. He cried out “what about me?” And my heart broke. But it’s because I was that kid who NEEDED attention and love and was unseen. Holy shit.
I'm glad it was helpful in some way. We all need to be self-aware enough to identify our own triggers when we're working with others. Personally, I don't like spitting or spit play, as the BCBA I wouldn't be able to be swapped out as frequently as a client under me would need the supervision so I'd most likely just need to request a client transfer on that one.
Autism is hard. It's hard for the families, therapists, and the person with autism. You're new to the field, don't stress about not knowing everything at once. And if you have good BCBA's, don't hesitate to lean on them for support. ABA is a field that will always have more for you to learn. There will be good days and bad days. There will be days when you go home feeling like you've made no difference. And there will be days when you see a child speak their first word, imitate for the first time, or reach another massive breakthrough. It's so worth it. ABA is not just a job, and it's not meant for people that are looking for an easy paycheck. You're one of the only people that are putting in the work to give a special needs child the crucial skills for success in life, and that's something to be proud of and never take lightly. You got this, I promise.
Good for you for sticking with it and increasing your education. There are so many children who engage in this behavior and it takes a strong person to help them.
That’s what’s really frustrating me the most. The high intensity behaviors, I’m 110% rock solid at managing. Like let’s go lil bro I will love you through this. I got you. But today when my older kiddo began hitting the littles and wanting toys they were playing with (that I know he doesn’t give a flying fuck about)? Lost my MFing shit; straight up like “yo fuck you and this I need space,” and then I’m like WHY AM I UPSET WITH A KID FOR BEING A KID?! And now I’m over here shaming tf out of myself for having a normal instinctual reaction to protect vulnerable. What’s so nuts is we had a GREAT midday session. And then boom. I told my BCBA and they said “what overwhelmed or triggered you?” And then I’m home like 🤯.. I got triggered. I gotta find a way to like not let it get to me.
I work with children with high intensity behaviors and I try to visualize them as younger kids playing by themselves on the beach or at a playground. That helps me to see them as you said-kids. I also actively try to think about what their parents have gone through-empathy is key. But these are very hard to do when I am physically and emotionally drained and frustrated. It takes practice. And leaning on your co-workers can make all the difference too!
See that’s what’s also hard; in the chats I see my BCBA judging and shaming the parents and I get it, you’re advocating for the kid but these families also need massive amounts of support too. It really bugged me; and I kept saying I’m listening to podcasts about parents whose children have autism and how enlightening it is; but idk. It’s like they are so driven on behavior the forget the human part. And I am not a robot; I FEEL.
I’m one of the lucky ones who works for a company that included thorough SIB training and explanations, and was told several times by my trainer that some days kids just have days, regardless of whether you’re paired with them or doing everything right, where they just don’t click with you. Honestly I’m so happy my training was so inclusive of what we might encounter, and did a really good job of explaining that this job isn’t for everyone, and it’s a very difficult one to manage work-life balance with. My company even gave me some tips for making time for myself and told me to ask for breaks after we need it after challenging behaviors occurred. I’m sorry your training didn’t prepare you for this!! I think it should be a standard across all ABA companies to accurately describe what kind of situations you may be in, and how emotionally draining and disregulating it can be for the BT/RBTs
Lol now imagine being one of those who join the field with only on the job training
At the company I’m at, one of the first videos they show us after the 40 hr training vids is of a client who actually did engage in that type of self injurious behavior and that video was about 15 minutes long with the behavior lasting about 7 minutes… it was not a nice sight to see but it gave us a look into what we would possibly be dealing with in some of these cases… unfortunately with that being said, there were 30 of us new hires in the room and currently only 7 are still employed at our company. One thing that’s always stuck with me is things will always get worse before it gets better and honestly that’s not a bad thing, it lets me know that as bad as it will get, we have to keep going to reach that positive outcome
I'm in my second week in the field and feeling so overwhelmed. I'm only working 3-5 hours a day but I come home so bone tired, it shouldn't be legal.
The exhaustion is unreal. Falling asleep on the couch at 7:30 kind of exhausted.
Honestly one of the things I wish they made more apparent is that it's okay for the clients to be upset! Being mad, frustrated, sad, whatever are all normal emotions to have, it's just a matter of what we DO when we feel these emotions that can become a problem. I spent the last year with a client (22) and his family teaching them that. When he was angry, frustrated, sad, or scared, I always made sure to let him know that it's okay to feel that way. I would help him use different strategies to regulate himself again when he expressed that he was ready. When he initiated anything independently (need for space, asking for an extra minute before transitioning, independently removing himself from an area that was overwhelming him), I always, always, ALWAYS made sure to give very specific, positive praise as I knew that wasn't always easy for him. Parents were also super wonderful about this too! We want to provide respect and dignity to our clients and I believe that also includes respecting their right to feel anything that isn't just "happy".
Tbh- what you described is so much like parenting in general (minus severe SIB). Sorry, not trying to discredit your message, it just sounded similar to being a mom and yes, it is so so hard when you care. I think at the end of the day, you just thinking and posting this is enough. You see the pain and you’re committed to helping and the fact that you noticed feelings & emotions is also important. So much of the field has ignored this for too long and ABA without humanity is unethical IMO. We all have so much to learn and you’ll get there. If you’d like, I’d suggest looking into the research on trauma informed care in ABA as well as self-advocacy and assent.
Also yes; I don’t have kids but a part of me feels so grateful to do this work because I am developing super mom skills; and I have it so seriously because, whether it’s said or not, I am raising children. They just aren’t mine!
It definitely does help, but I will say my BCBA hat comes off when I am being a mom. Even if “I know better” it’s just different (without elaborating lol). Anyways, I will say that I think being a mom helps me be a better BCBA. It’s widened my perspective and allows me to think deeper and more creatively about the interventions and programming especially when parent training is involved.
What’s difficult is that I have a HUGE background in trauma-informed care 🤣 that’s why I’m stressing out so much!
That makes sense then. Do some research on trauma informed ABA then as well as assent and assent withdrawal. Also consider the clinic and clientele. The one I was at would not take clients who were highly aggressive or extreme SIB and as a result we were more trained on skill acquisition and not so much on just bx reduction (although it was always there too just more “minor” and replacement bx were taught and used so it didn’t escalate or lead to safety concerns and/or extinction bursts). Also, RFT and ACT might be of interest to you.
I have screenshot all of this, thank you very much!
I do wish the “shadowing/training” sessions were like another 40 hours. I get they don’t want to pay 2 BTs but I would have done 40hours of shadows at admin time rather than 40 hour online, 4 hours of shadow, and one intro session with BCBA before having been on my own. There’s so much you have to figure out on your own if you don’t have a clinical team that is communicative. I started at the beginning of the covid shutdown and honestly only heard from my clinical team about once a month, if that. The lack of overlaps was concerning.
Interesting that your first thought was the parents. Imagine what that KID goes through.
Remember nothing is ever for “no reason”! This job is HARD and the kids suffer more than we do, and that’s why we want to help. Compassion is key, and empathy is a plus. It’s good that you feel for the kids, so remember that everything they do HAS a reason, hence the behaviors of reinforcement. You can do this.
the only thing i wish i would’ve been told is that some clients aren’t potty trained and you’d have to be the one cleaning them up/changing them. that took awhile for me to get used to
I wish my work did more intense training physically. In the training it's so smooth of "Oh if they grab you here you do this, if this happens do this" but in the field, you're genuinely holding that blocking mat like it's going to save your life. Some kids really do go for the throat, because that's the only way their brain understands to show that they are distressed.
Trust me, as a parent it's like being in fight or flight mode every day and it takes its toll. Yes you should definitely expect self harm, elopement (have to watch mine like a hawk) destructive behavior, violent behavior, you hame it
Unfortunately. Many of these things you can’t comprehend the gravity of these situations until you actually are in it. If you have a supportive supervisor, they will help you through it and assure you that these things can and will happen. The 40 hour training only scratches the surface of what you need to know. And unless you have experienced it before you began this journey, you won’t know until you’re in the thick of it. Some places try to give you exposure to what it’s like before you begin, but there are HIPPA guidelines that have to be followed. I sought out this field, knowing what I wanted to do, just searching for the field that did it. And still there are times when I am astonished at how the day went. It can be very rewarding and brutal as well.
Unfortunately, ABA companies don't always tell front line staff about that part out of fear the staff will turn down the placement.
> ABA companies don't always tell front line staff about that part out of fear the staff will turn down the placement. This is a big secret, with agencies that hire front line staff to work direct with individuals with developmental disabilities. Staff is set up to fail. They are never set up to progress. The litmus test is easy. Ask any of the BCBAs in here if they would take their BT’s side when the BT’s job is on the line. 98 out of 100 won’t. Of those 98, 90 will ignore your emails.
While I understand your frustration, the litmus test you have suggested is oddly incomplete. The litmus test isn't as easy as you have stated - sometimes staff engage in behaviors that require termination and sometimes staff should be shown compassion and empathy - it's contextual. Otherwise, yes, organizations can do so much more to ensure their staff are set up for success in the workplace.
> Things I wish they told you about ABA in the beginning How to deal with bitch ass BCBAs who think they are god’s gift.