03/15/2026
Sharing a great post written by our own Nicole Kapetanakis😊
I typically don’t post more than a picture now and then….BUT… this article from the Wall Street Journal paints a broad and deeply misleading picture of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). When ABA is practiced correctly, it is not the caricature that is sometimes portrayed. Ethical, responsible ABA is INDIVIDUALIZED, PERSON-CENTERED, and ETHICALLY BILLED within clearly defined contracted rates. It is guided by data, professional standards, and a commitment to improving the lives of the individuals and families we serve. It is flexible meeting each individual where they are.
At its core, ABA is about improving quality of life. It helps individuals build independence, develop meaningful communication, and access the world around them in ways that may not have been possible before. It provides caregivers, teachers, and other stakeholders with effective training and practical strategies so that support can continue beyond the therapy setting. In fact, one of the fundamental goals of quality ABA is to work ourselves out of a job; to equip families and communities with the tools needed so that the individual can thrive without intensive services.
ABA also gives individuals of all ages the opportunity to be seen and heard. For some, that means finding a functional way to communicate for the first time. For others, it means learning skills that allow them to participate more fully in school, work, or daily life. These changes are not abstract outcomes; they are deeply personal victories that transform families and futures.
A day in the life of an ABA clinician is not easy. One moment may bring the joy of a breakthrough….an individual using communication instead of behavior, expressing a need, or achieving a skill they have worked on for months. Another moment may bring tears or even a trip to urgent care for the clinician after a difficult incident. The work can be physically and emotionally demanding. Yet clinicians continue showing up the next day because the work is meaningful and impactful.
A “challenging day” in ABA often carries a very different meaning than a challenging day in many other professions. It can involve navigating intense behaviors, protecting the safety of the client and staff, supporting families under immense stress, and continuing to approach the work with patience, compassion, and professionalism.
I am proud to be part of the work being done at the ABA organization I am apart of; Amazing Transformations. It is an organization made up of clinicians and leadership who genuinely seek to “do good” and improve quality of life. Continually learning, growing, and training for all on the team whether they hold a Master’s, Bachelor’s, or highschool diploma…. BCBAs, BCaBAs, RBTs, and ABA therapists alike. Beyond providing high-quality services, it is also an organization that has quietly stepped in to support families in need…sometimes providing services or assistance in ways that are generous and never publicly advertised. Those efforts are not done for recognition, but simply because it is the right thing to do.
For the The Wall Street Journal to broadly lump all ABA providers together under a negative narrative is not only unfair, it is irresponsible. Such sweeping claims ignore the science, the ethical standards governing the field, and the countless professionals who dedicate their careers to helping others.
If the goal is to inform the public, then the responsibility is clear: do the research, understand the science, understand the needs of the individuals and families receiving services, and present the facts.
Do better Wall Street Journal.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1AZtN4uKFF/?mibextid=wwXIfr
A WSJ investigation found providers of autism therapy extracted Medicaid payments as high as $800 an hour for routine therapy that a high-school grad could administer.
🔗 Here's what to know: https://on.wsj.com/40qZyj9
