How to Purchase CEUs

1. Got to ⁠⁠https://www.aba-ceus.com/get-ceus⁠⁠
2. Select the CEU episode you’d like to purchase and add it to your cart.
3. At checkout, enter the three key words listed during the episode.
4. Complete your purchase through our secure checkout.

Your CEU certificate will be emailed to you within 24–48 hours.Each submission is individually reviewed and verified, so please allow time for processing and approval.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us anytime.

Summary:

Ever feel like “good ABA” and “natural, joyful learning” are in two different worlds? This episode bridges that gap by unpacking Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) in plain language—what they are, why they matter, and how they fit with the science you already use.

You’ll hear how play, shared control, and real-life routines can still be deeply behavioral and data-driven, and you’ll get concrete ideas for shifting sessions away from rigid table time without losing structure. If you’ve been wondering how to make your ABA more developmental, more relational, and more sustainable for kids and families, this episode is your roadmap.

Sources:

Schreibman, L., Dawson, G., Stahmer, A. C., Landa, R., Rogers, S. J., McGee, G. G., et al. (2015). Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions: Empirically validated treatments for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(8), 2411–2428.

Dawson, G., Rogers, S., Munson, J., Smith, M., Winter, J., Greenson, J., Donaldson, A., & Varley, J. (2010). Randomized, controlled trial of the Early Start Denver Model: A comprehensive early intervention for toddlers with autism. Pediatrics, 125(1), e17–e23.

Vivanti, G., & Stahmer, A. (2020). Can the Early Start Denver Model be considered ABA practice? Behavior Analysis in Practice, 13, 267–276.

Frost, K. M., Brian, J., Gengoux, G. W., Hardan, A. Y., Ingersoll, B., Kasari, C., et al. (2020). Identifying and measuring the common elements of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions for autism: The NDBI-Fi. Autism, 24(8), 2285–2297.

Ingersoll, B., & Wainer, A. (2013). Initial efficacy of Project ImPACT: A parent-mediated social communication intervention for young children with ASD. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(12), 2943–2952.

Kasari, C., Gulsrud, A., Paparella, T., Hellemann, G., & Berry, K. (2015). Randomized comparative efficacy study of parent-mediated interventions for toddlers with autism. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 83(3), 554–563.

CEU info: This episode qualifies for Ethics CEU. Listen for the three keywords and submit them at aba-ceu.com to claim your CEU.

“Trauma-Informed Care in ABA” gets practical about something that’s often treated like a slogan. We start by defining trauma in plain language—acute, chronic, and complex—and focus on impact: how histories of unpredictability and lost agency change what feels safe, how fast escape becomes the best option, and what that means for the contingencies we arrange. From there we connect the dots to modern, assent-based ABA: predictable openings, real choices, a clean “pause” pathway, simple communication that works immediately, humane delays, and micro-successes during waits. If you’ve heard our “My Way” episode, you’ll recognize the backbone—communication → tolerance → cooperation—applied deliberately through a trauma-informed lens.

We also confront the training gap. Most behavior analysts endorse trauma-informed practice but report little formal preparation. So we close it with a supervisor toolkit: four 15-minute micro-modules (safety and predictability; assent and choice; reinforcement-first teaching; compassionate care skills), concrete behavior goals (four authentic choices per 10 minutes; honor opt-out in ≤3s; 4:1 acknowledgments; a “first five minutes” script), tight role-plays with checklists, IOA on assent recognition, and small weekly huddles that post real data the team can see. If a safety procedure is ever unavoidable, we frame it as a temporary, data-based exception with pre-brief criteria, informed consent, debrief, and an immediate plan to fade via skill building.

By the end, you’ll have a clear way to show that trauma-informed ABA is not extra; it’s the Ethics Code in action. You’ll know how to document not just behaviors reduced but harms avoided—fewer holds, fewer room clears, more observable assent, faster re-engagement, and caregiver reports of “felt safe” and “would do again.” And you’ll have language you can use tomorrow that keeps sessions humane, effective, and deeply behavior-analytic.

Who it’s for: BCBAs, BCaBAs, and RBTs who want compassionate, research-aligned practices that improve engagement and outcomes in autism intervention—and clinic leaders who need an actionable plan to coach and measure this work.

Sources (selected):
Hanley, G. P., Rajaraman, A., Gover, H. C., & Staubitz, J. L. (2022). Toward trauma-informed applications of behavior analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice.
Taylor, B. A., LeBlanc, L. A., & Nosik, M. R. (2018). Compassionate care in behavior-analytic treatment. Behavior Analysis in Practice.
Wheeler, K. (2024). Behavior analysts’ training and practice regarding trauma-related concepts. Behavior Analysis in Practice.
Gover, H. C., Rajaraman, A., & Weiss, M. J. (2024). Incorporating trauma-informed care strategies into assessment and intervention for food selectivity.
Hanley, G. P., et al. (2014). Skill-Based Treatment (“My Way”) and synthesized contingencies. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
Rohrer, H. M., Jessel, J., & Hanley, G. (2021). Assent-based practice. Behavior Analysis in Practice.
CASP (2024). Practice Guidelines 3.0. Visit: https://aba-ceus.com

How to get your CEU: To earn 1.0 BACB CEU for this episode, go to aba-ceu.com, select “Episode 5: Implementing the ‘My Way’ Strategy,” and complete the short quiz. You’ll need the three keywords—Communication, Tolerance, and Assent. Submit to receive your certificate instantly.

This episode of ABA Beyond the Data takes you from research to real-world practice with the “My Way” approach—an assent-based, skill-building model for safely replacing severe problem behavior. We start with why Hanley and colleagues’ 2014 study was a turning point: rather than isolating a single function or relying on extinction-heavy procedures, they synthesized the contingencies that co-occur in family life—attention, tangibles, escape—and taught a better route to the same outcomes. In plain terms: teach a powerful request, teach a calm “Okay” to brief denials, then fill the wait with tiny, doable actions that build independence.

From there, we map implementation step by step in the show’s practical, conversational style. You’ll hear how to run the open-ended interview and confirm the “knot” of contingencies with a brief synthesized analysis. We teach the omnibus FCR (“My way, please”), shape the polite chain (“Excuse me.” → “May I have my way, please?”), and move into tolerance training where “not now” becomes a cue for regulation, not escalation. You’ll learn to extend short delays without losing assent, and to embed response chains—simple, appropriate actions during the wait—so cooperation becomes the fastest route back to what matters.

We also cover the messy middle. You’ll learn how to coach RBTs with behavior skills training (model → role-play → feedback), how to keep sessions safe and humane, and what to do when old patterns flicker—shrinking delays, simplifying tasks, and sweetening the contrast for calm, independent responding. We talk through parent concerns with empathy—showing that “My Way” doesn’t trade effectiveness for kindness; it delivers both. And we outline adaptations for non-vocal learners using AAC, signs, or switches, while keeping the core sequence intact: get attention, make the omnibus request, accept “not now,” complete a tiny task, access preferred outcomes.

By the end, you’ll have a clinic-to-kitchen roadmap—and a clean data package to prove it’s working: independent FCRs up, independent tolerance up, problem behavior near zero, reinforcement time shifting as flexibility grows, and brief tasks completed without physical guidance. Most of all, you’ll hear what this sounds like at home: quieter rooms, calmer voices, and kids who feel safe enough to try again tomorrow. Because “My Way” isn’t a one-off protocol; it’s a process—Communication → Tolerance → Adaptation—held together by fidelity and compassion. When kids feel heard, we don’t need to take their control away to teach them. We show them how to use it.

SEO: BCBA, ABA therapy, CEUs, ACE Provider, Applied Behavior Analysis, autism, continuing education, podcast, Functional Communication Training, IISCA, PFA, Skill-Based Treatment, compassionate ABA, assent-based ABA.

Sources

• Hanley, G. P., Jin, C. S., Vanselow, N. R., & Hanratty, L. A. (2014). Producing meaningful improvements in problem behavior of children with autism through synthesized reinforcement and skill-based treatment. JABA, 47(1), 16–36.

• Jessel, J., Hanley, G. P., & Ghaemmaghami, M. (2016). Interview-informed synthesized contingency analyses. JABA, 49(2), 359–376.

• Ghaemmaghami, M., Hanley, G. P., & Jessel, J. (2021). A review and practical summary of skill-based treatment research. JABA, 54(3), 1045–1072.

• Rohrer, M. W., Jessel, J., & Hanley, G. P. (2021). Assent-based practice. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14(3), 566–582.

• Council of Autism Service Providers (2024). ABA Practice Guidelines (Section 4).