Find a Career You'll Love in Applied Behavior Analysis

In today's world, it's harder than ever to know that children are being brought up in the best possible way and providing all the opportunities necessary for them to grow up into thriving, successful adults. The challenges that parents and behavioral specialists face are far-reaching and hard to predict. According to the CDC, 1 in 32 children in New Jersey are identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This puts the state at the highest rate of autism cases in the nation, compared to the 1 in 54 national average. Many parents are struggling to provide support for their children alone, and others who seek the support of behavioral specialists are still at a loss when they can't find access to the right kind of professional. For anyone who wants to make a difference in a child's life, a career in applied behavioral analysis is the perfect opportunity to do so. You'll not only brighten the future of struggling children but also giving new hope to families that might otherwise have had none.

What is Applied Behavior Analysis?

Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA therapy, is a unique method of improving a person's behavior, modifying their responses to various situations to allow them to operate more functionally in the world. This is a technique that is particularly helpful for autistic children. Some of the specific behaviors that ABA therapy focuses on are communication, social skills, reading, and learning. By giving children the means to open up and express themselves, they're better able to move on to more complex challenges and continue their path of development. These communication skills are critical to avoid bottling up feelings, which leads to tendencies of internalizing all emotions. When a child is better equipped to reach out and ask for help when needed, they don't have to feel so alone. Applied Behavior Analysis also works with a client's adaptive learning skills. This includes behaviors that kids will use in their everyday lives, thus setting them up for success as they grow into more responsibilities, allowing them to face the challenges of a big world that just seems to keep growing. Adaptive learning skills are things like grooming, hygiene, and fine motor dexterity. These are the kinds of abilities that allow people to show up on time, perform jobs well, and take care of things around the house. Many professionals find that pairing ABA therapy with other types of interventions helps to maximize the benefits. Every child is different and requires different forms of attention. By blending other techniques with this highly adaptive form of therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, professionals can use their own insight to provide the best possible care to their patients.

A Highly Rewarding Career

When you work in the field of Applied Behavioral Analysis, you end every day knowing that you made a difference in a child's life. Seeing the progress that your patients make session after session gives you the perspective you need to keep pushing forward, striving each time to help your clients reach new heights. When you work this closely with another person, it's truly a journey that you're all on together, and so their success also means your success. Seeing the developmental progress of the children themselves is only one part of the rewarding nature that defines this line of work. You'll also be in the presence of a family that is truly grateful for the work that you do. Parents or guardians, as well as siblings and extended families who are seeing their loved ones grow up right before their eyes and make progress in ways that they never could have imagined, are always eager to show their gratitude to the professionals who made it all possible. Although there will be daily challenges that you face, you'll be facing them together with those who truly need your help the most. The rewards of seeing a smile on a child's face when they suddenly realize that they're able to do something that they were never able to before is more than enough to make it all worth it.

A Flexible Schedule

When you work with ABC Applied Behavior Analysis, you can choose a work schedule that's right for you. With the fast pace and high expectations of the modern professional world, it's unfortunately common for those with any burden of financial responsibilities to have a poor work-life balance. This is particularly common among the most well-trained specialists whose services people rely on the most. With a job in Applied Behavior Analysis, you have numerous different work schedule options. You can work with the number of clients that's right for you. This allows you to focus more time on the clients that you do have, provide them better care, and ensure that you're taking care of yourself at the same time. Many who work in this field are continuing their education or volunteering in addition to the ABA work that they do. Some find out as they work in this branch of care that their dreams take them deeper into the field of healthcare and social work. To others, their work outside of this regular day job, such as serving on local boards and volunteering in support groups, is highly important. Flexibility in scheduling with this kind of career allows these talented and generous professionals to help their communities in the ways that work best for them.

Work in a Variety of Settings

It doesn't take an expert to tell you that no two kids' minds work exactly the same. With the countless factors that influence a child's behavior, it's often impossible to isolate just one and control it completely, let alone simulate a comfortable environment. Some clients work better with in-home ABA therapy, while others see the best results when sessions are held in the clinic or the office. Based upon the results that the behavioral specialist is seeing and the preference of the client and their family, the setting where the actual therapy is administered can be modified to match the patient's needs. There are times, of course, when only one of these options is viable for the client. Whether it's a transportation issue, a client who's suffering from illness, or one who's recovering from an injury, it's up to the therapist to work with what's best for the client. This requires a level of flexibility on the therapist's part since each setting comes with its own advantages and challenges. Be that as it may, this need for flexibility is more than compensated by the dynamic nature of these different work settings. You'll never get tired of returning to the same office day after day. Instead, you'll be the one going to the patients in many cases, seeing how they behave in their natural everyday surroundings. Every day is an adventure, at the end of which, you always end up making someone's life a little bit better. All this comes with the advantage of a strong team that has your best interests in mind. You'll receive clear leadership from the top via an Administrative Support Team that understands your needs and unique challenges. At the same time, there's support and community on all sides with your fellow colleagues, which makes this career incredibly fulfilling and worthwhile.