What Does ABA Therapy Look Like?
What Does
ABA Therapy
Look Like?
ABA therapy is a structured, evidence-based approach that helps children learn new skills and reduce behaviors that may get in the way of learning or socializing.
Here’s an example of what a typical ABA client might look like and what therapy might involve.
ABA therapy is a structured, evidence-based approach that helps children learn new skills and reduce behaviors that may get in the way of learning or socializing.
Here’s an example of what a typical ABA client might look like and what therapy might involve.
An ABA Client
Emma is a 4-year-old who has recently been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She’s sweet, energetic, and loves playing with blocks and watching bubbles.
Emma has limited verbal language — she can say a few words like “more” and “go,” but often cries or pulls adults’ hands to things she wants instead of using words. She also has difficulty following directions and has frequent tantrums when her routine changes.
Emma is a 4-year-old who has recently been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She’s sweet, energetic, and loves playing with blocks and watching bubbles.
Emma has limited verbal language — she can say a few words like “more” and “go,” but often cries or pulls adults’ hands to things she wants instead of using words. She also has difficulty following directions and has frequent tantrums when her routine changes.
An ABA Client
Meet Emma (Age 4)
ABA therapy is individualized, so Emma’s goals are based on her specific strengths and needs. Some areas her team is working on include:
Skill Building:
Communication: Teaching Emma to use words, pictures, or a communication device to ask for what she wants instead of crying.
Following directions as a listener: Learning to respond to simple instructions like “Come here,” “Sit down,” or “Clean up.”
Play & social skills: Helping Emma learn how to play independently and take turns with peers.
Self-help skills: Teaching her to wash hands, put on her shoes, and eat with a spoon.
Behavior Reduction:
Tantrums: Reducing tantrums by teaching Emma to express her needs in more appropriate ways.
Hand-flapping during work time: Helping Emma use calming strategies or sensory alternatives when needed.
What ABA Focuses On For Emma
What ABA Focuses
On For Emma
ABA therapy is individualized, so Emma’s goals are based on her specific strengths and needs. Some areas her team is working on include:
Skill Building:
Communication: Teaching Emma to use words, pictures, or a communication device to ask for what she wants instead of crying.
Following directions as a listener: Learning to respond to simple instructions like “Come here,” “Sit down,” or “Clean up.”
Play & social skills: Helping Emma learn how to play independently and take turns with peers.
Self-help skills: Teaching her to wash hands, put on her shoes, and eat with a spoon.
Behavior Reduction:
Tantrums: Reducing tantrums by teaching Emma to express her needs in more appropriate ways.
Hand-flapping during work time: Helping Emma use calming strategies or sensory alternatives when needed.
Emma has ABA therapy 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, in a one-on-one setting at home with a trained behavior technician.
Here's a glimpse of a typical session:
Emma has ABA therapy 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, in a one-on-one setting at home with a trained behavior technician.
Here's a glimpse of a typical session:
What a Therapy Session
Might Look Like
What a Therapy Session
Might Look Like
1. Greeting & Warm-Up
The therapist welcomes Emma and lets her choose a favorite toy to play with. This builds rapport and helps transition into the session.
Skills we practiced:
Eye-contact
Greetings
Play
Requesting items
2. Structured Teaching
Emma works on goals using fun, play-based learning techniques. For example:
The therapist holds a toy and waits for Emma to say “Ball” or use a picture to request it.
Emma practices sorting colors or matching pictures with lots of praise and high-fives!
After each short activity, she gets a break to play or watch bubbles.
Skills we practiced:
Labeling items
Sorting
Matching
Listener responding
Tolerating and responding appropriately to "no" and "wait"
Social play
Functional play
Requesting items.
3. Snack & Life Skills
Emma practices asking for snack items using her words or picture cards and works on self-feeding.
Skills we practiced:
Requesting preferred items
Requesting breaks
Independent feeding skills
Expanding variety of foods
Tolerating non-preferred activities
Cleaning up
Handwashing
4. Play & Social Skills
The therapist helps Emma take turns during a game or encourages her to share toys if another child is present.
Skills we practiced:
Requesting items with peers
Responding to peers requests
Social play
Turn taking
Sharing
Cooperative play
Functional toy play
Requesting others to stop
5. Wrap-Up
At the end, the therapist reviews progress from the day with parents.
How ABA Helps Over Time
How ABA Helps Over Time
With consistent therapy and support, children like Emma often make big gains in communication, independence, and behavior. The goal of ABA is to help your child learn the skills they need to succeed at home, school, and in the community.
With consistent therapy and support, children like Emma often make big gains in communication, independence, and behavior. The goal of ABA is to help your child learn the skills they need to succeed at home, school, and in the community.
With consistent therapy and support, children like Emma often make big gains in communication, independence, and behavior. The goal of ABA is to help your child learn the skills they need to succeed at home, school, and in the community.