Latest Blogs

Part 3 of 3 in our series on rapport across the ABA team. In Part 1, we named the problem: rapport gets treated as optional at every level of an ABA team. In Part 2, we looked at the fix for the BCBA-parent relationship. Here, we close the loop with the other relationship that shapes a case just as much: the one between a BCBA and the Behavior Technicians they supervise. Guidance, Not Constant Direction A BCBA's job is to provide guidance, not to narrate every moment of a ses

Saying please and thank you is polite, but is it actually necessary? A closer look at where social politeness markers rank against real functional communication skills for a child with autism.

Part 2 of 3 in our series on rapport across the ABA team. In Part 1, we named the problem: rapport gets treated as optional at every level of an ABA team, not just between the BT and the client. This post and the next one are about the fix, starting with the relationship that shapes everything a family experiences: the one between a BCBA and a parent. What Parent Training Actually Is Before discussing rapport itself, it's worth clarifying what parent training actually is. At

When teaching communication to children with autism, more words are not always better. Extra language can get in the way of the skill you are actually trying to build.

In ABA, a behavior often becomes part of a child's repertoire long before they understand the reasoning behind it. Here is why that is not a shortcut, but often the most effective way to teach.

Selective eating is one of the most common, and most exhausting, struggles parents of children with autism describe. It is not a rare quirk affecting a handful of kids; the pattern shows up constantly, and it is often strikingly similar from family to family. Most children gravitate heavily toward carbohydrate-based foods, bread, crackers, plain pasta, while protein and vegetables are frequently the hardest categories to get accepted at all. When parents do manage to get prot

A few years ago, I evaluated a three-year-old with a heart murmur alongside an autism diagnosis. The parents were completely paralyzed. Every basic parenting moment, buckling into a car seat, a normal transition, a simple 'no', got met with total hesitation. I did not need to ask what was holding them back; I could see it immediately. Two fears were stacking on top of each other: fear of letting their child cry because of the heart condition, and fear of what was still allowe

Part 3 of 3 in our series on social flexibility in mainstream autistic children. Parts 1 and 2 covered why these social struggles happen and how ABA and speech therapy work together to address them. Here, we get practical. As an Amazon Associate, Imagination ABA Therapy earns from qualifying purchases. The real work of building flexibility happens in low-stakes moments, not in the middle of an actual playground conflict. Once a child is already in fight-or-flight from a senso

Part 2 of 3 in our series on social flexibility in mainstream autistic children. In Part 1, we looked at why 'the world revolves around me' behaviors reflect a genuine social language gap, not selfishness. When parents notice these social struggles, a common question follows almost immediately: should we pursue ABA therapy, or speech therapy? As a BCBA and Clinical Director, our answer for children navigating this kind of social language gap is almost always the same: both, w

Part 1 of 3 in our series on social flexibility in mainstream autistic children. Many autistic children in mainstream classrooms have age-typical or even advanced academic skills, yet still struggle deeply to hold onto friendships. To an outside observer, the behaviors involved, insisting an accident was intentional, ending a friendship over a single disagreement, can look like selfishness or stubbornness. Clinically, something very different is happening: a genuine gap in so

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is one of the most widely used communication tools in ABA therapy, but families and BTs often face a real, practical decision: physical picture cards, or an electronic AAC device like a tablet-based app. Both are legitimate, evidence-based options, and the right choice often depends on the specific child, not a universal 'better' answer. Physical Picture Cards: The Advantages Physical cards never need to be charged and simply canno

Part 1 of 3 in our series on rapport across the ABA team. When people think about rapport in ABA therapy, they usually think about the relationship between the RBT or BT and the client, and that relationship absolutely matters. But it is only one piece of a bigger picture. A well-rounded therapy approach depends on rapport across the entire team: the BCBA with the parents, and the BCBA with the BT. When either of those relationships is weak or assumed rather than earned, ther

A well-organized ABA session does not happen by accident. Whether you are a parent preparing your home for your child's therapist, or a new Behavior Technician (BT) setting up your very first sessions in New Jersey, the physical tools you use to structure time and tasks have a real, measurable effect on how smoothly a session runs. In New Jersey, many practices use the title BT (Behavior Technician) rather than RBT (Registered Behavior Technician), since not every technician

Last night, the Imagination ABA Therapy team joined Howell Township's Night Out Against Crime, an annual community event bringing together local police, fire, EMS, and community organizations for an evening of connection, safety education, and neighborhood spirit. A Community Coming Together Howell Township Police, the Ramtown Fire Company, Howell Township First Aid & Rescue Squad, and Howell OEM all came out in force, giving families a chance to meet the first responders who

Communication is often the very first thing families hope to see progress on when starting ABA therapy, and for good reason. The ability to express a need, share a thought, or connect with another person shapes almost every other area of a child's development. Communication Takes Many Forms At Imagination ABA Therapy, we recognize that communication isn't limited to spoken words. For some children, real progress looks like using an AAC device or picture exchange system; for o

Imagination ABA serves the Trenton, NJ community with compassionate, evidence-based ABA therapy that accepts Medicaid.

Imagination ABA has Spanish-speaking staff ready to support Latino families across New Jersey accessing ABA therapy.

Board Certified Behavior Analysts are the backbone of ABA therapy. Discover what a BCBA does at Imagination ABA every day.

From diagnosis to therapy and community support, Imagination ABA compiles the best autism resources for New Jersey families.

RBTs are the frontline heroes of ABA therapy. Learn how Imagination ABA trains and supports its behavior technician team.