I’m incredibly excited to share that Thrive ABA Therapy was recently featured in Breaking News ABA in a founder profile exploring the story behind our unique BCBA-only model.

The article, “Thrive ABA Therapy Runs an In-Network, BCBA-Only Care Model,” takes a closer look at why I founded Thrive, how our model works, and why we chose to build a practice that looks very different from the traditional tiered ABA model.

Read the full Breaking News ABA article here.

While I don’t want to simply repeat the article, the feature gave me an opportunity to reflect on why I chose to build ABA differently in the first place.

Why I Chose a BCBA-Only Model

When I was starting Thrive ABA Therapy, I did consider hiring RBTs and building a more traditional tiered model.

But I kept coming back to a few questions.

RBTs are an incredibly important part of the ABA field, but the workforce has also faced significant challenges, including shortages, high turnover, demanding workloads, and compensation that does not always reflect the importance of the work they do.

I wasn't sure I wanted to build my new company around that system.

Instead, I kept thinking about what would happen if the person actually providing the therapy was the person with the advanced clinical training making the treatment decisions.

That became the foundation for Thrive.

What if a BCBA could spend their time doing what they became a BCBA to do—working directly with children and families?

I believed that could create an exceptionally high-quality experience for both families and clinicians.

More Than a Different Staffing Model

Our BCBA-only model isn't simply about putting a BCBA in the place of an RBT.

It changes the entire clinical relationship.

At Thrive, the BCBA providing direct therapy is also the person who gets to know the child deeply. They see the little things that may not show up in a data sheet. They learn what makes a child laugh, what captures their attention, what causes frustration, what motivates them, and how their behavior changes in different environments.

That continuity matters.

As I shared with Breaking News ABA, “The data doesn’t show everything.” A clinician who is physically present during therapy can notice patterns and relationships that might otherwise be missed and adjust treatment accordingly.

Families also benefit from knowing who is walking through their door. Instead of a rotating team of direct-care staff supervised by a BCBA, Thrive families have a BCBA directly involved in their child's care.

A Different Experience for BCBAs, Too

One of the things that has made me most proud of Thrive is seeing how much our model means to the BCBAs who work here.

Our clinicians have greater clinical autonomy, smaller caseloads, and more control over their schedules. Most importantly, they have the time to actually know the children and families they serve.

They aren't trying to balance a large caseload while simultaneously supervising multiple behavior technicians.

They get to be clinicians.

And I believe that makes a difference in the work they do and the progress they see with their clients.

When a BCBA has the time to understand a child's interests, strengths, communication style, challenges, and individual needs, they can create therapy that is truly individualized. That is the kind of ABA practice I wanted to build.

Families Deserve Options

I want to be clear about something: I don't believe the traditional tiered model is inherently wrong, and I don't believe RBTs don't have an important place in ABA.

They absolutely do.

But I do believe families should have choices.

Some families are specifically looking for a BCBA-direct model, and that is why they find Thrive.

We are proud to offer something different: BCBA-led, direct ABA therapy without a center and without the traditional RBT-to-BCBA tiered structure.

ABA Therapy Designed Around Your Child

Thrive ABA Therapy serves families throughout King County, Washington, providing therapy where children naturally live and learn.

We provide in-home ABA therapy and school-based services, rather than operating a traditional center. We welcome clients of all ages, with a particular focus on early intervention, because early support can be such an important part of helping children build meaningful skills.

Our goal isn't to grow as quickly as possible.

It's to provide excellent care.

As I said in the Breaking News ABA feature, “I want to have quality services over quantity.”

That philosophy continues to guide every decision we make at Thrive.

If you're a family looking for a different approach to ABA—one where an experienced BCBA works directly with your child and family—we'd love to talk with you.

Learn more about Thrive ABA Therapy and our BCBA-direct model.

Families deserve options. And sometimes, doing ABA differently can make all the difference.

Article written by Kristen Gainer