One of the things I’m most excited about in ABA right now is Today's ABA—especially the work of Dr. Greg Hanley and the Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skills-Based Treatment (SBT) approach.

For parents, the biggest difference may be in how we think about challenging behavior.

Instead of simply asking, “How do we stop this behavior?”, we ask:

“What is making this situation difficult for this child, and how can we teach them a better way to navigate it?”

That shift can make a big difference.

Understanding Problem Behavior

Children communicate in many different ways. Sometimes they communicate with words, gestures, pictures, or other forms of functional communication. Sometimes, when they don't have the skills to communicate what they need, behavior becomes their communication.

And behavior isn't always about just one thing.

A child may be trying to escape something difficult while also wanting access to something they enjoy. They may want attention, control over what happens next, or a break. There may be several things happening at the same time.

That's one reason I appreciate the PFA/SBT approach. Rather than getting overly focused on identifying one specific "function" of behavior, we look more broadly at the conditions that make behavior more likely and work to understand what the child needs.

Starting With Safety, Trust, and HRE

A major part of this approach is creating conditions where a child can be happy, relaxed, and engaged, often referred to as HRE.

Before we start asking a child to tolerate difficult situations, we want them to experience what it feels like to be successful, understood, and safe.

During a Practical Functional Assessment, we look at what happens when different situations are introduced and how the child responds. We also look at what helps the child return to that happy, relaxed, engaged state.

The goal isn't to provoke behavior for the sake of provoking behavior.

The goal is to understand the child's experience and create a treatment approach that is effective while maintaining dignity and emotional well-being.

Teaching Communication First

Once we understand what a child is communicating through behavior, we can teach them a more effective way to communicate those same needs.

This might be asking for:

• Help
• Attention
• Something they want
• A change in the activity
• More control over what happens next

One example used in Skills-Based Treatment is an "My Way" mand. In simple terms, this gives a child a functional way to communicate that they want some control over the situation.

Imagine a child who frequently engages in challenging behavior when an adult asks them to do something they don't want to do.

Instead of expecting the child to simply tolerate the demand, we can teach them a way to communicate, "My way," "not yet," "help," or "break."

Now the child has a skill they can use.

And that skill can be built upon.

Teaching Tolerance Through Communication and Success

This is one of the parts of SBT that I find especially exciting.

Once a child has learned a functional way to communicate what they want, we can begin teaching them that they can also handle situations that don't go exactly their way.

For example, we might introduce an audible cue that lets the child know something they may not prefer is coming. This gives the child some predictability: I heard that sound, and I know what comes next.

We then teach a functional communication response, such as “My Way.” This gives the child a clear and appropriate way to communicate that they want things to go their way.

At the same time, we teach a tolerance response. This might be something simple like a fist pump or a high five.

The child learns that when they hear the cue and are asked to tolerate something, they can communicate appropriately and then show us, through their tolerance response, that they are ready.

And here's where the teaching gets really interesting.

Sometimes we follow through with the demand, and sometimes we don't.

The child doesn't know exactly what will happen every time they give their tolerance response. The reinforcement is delivered on an intermittent schedule, which helps build flexibility and tolerance over time.

We're not simply teaching a child, “You have to do what I say.”

We're teaching:

“You can tell me what you want.”

“You can tell me when something is difficult.”

“You can communicate and still be successful.”

“Sometimes things will go your way, and sometimes they won't—and you can handle that.”

As the child becomes successful, we can gradually introduce more challenging situations and continue shaping their tolerance while maintaining that happy, relaxed, and engaged (HRE) state.

The goal is not to overwhelm a child until they give in.

The goal is to build skills and tolerance gradually, with the child experiencing success along the way.

What Does “Tele-visable” Mean?

One of the concepts from Dr. Greg Hanley’s work that I especially love is “tele-visability.”

The idea is simple: if someone watched the therapy from across the room, without knowing anything about ABA, would what they see look like something that is genuinely helpful and respectful for the child?

In other words, the quality of the therapy should be visible.

You should be able to see a child who is engaged, comfortable, communicating, learning, and enjoying meaningful interactions with their therapist. You shouldn't have to understand the technical language of behavior analysis to recognize that the child is having a positive experience.

This is something we think about at Thrive.

Our goal isn't just to have an effective treatment plan on paper. We want the therapy itself to be tele-visable—something a parent can watch and think, “My child is safe, understood, engaged, and learning.”

That doesn't mean challenging moments never happen. Learning can be hard, and children may still experience frustration. But when challenging behavior occurs, our response should be thoughtful, respectful, and focused on teaching skills rather than simply trying to suppress behavior.

For me, this is one of the most exciting things about Today's ABA. Effective and compassionate don't have to be two different things. We can have both.

Why We Use This Approach at Thrive

At Thrive ABA Therapy, we believe ABA should be effective and compassionate.

That's why PFA/SBT is a required part of our clinical training. All of our therapists have completed the Practical Functional Assessment and Skills-Based Treatment training or are currently completing it.

I’m also proud to share that I have completed advanced PFA/SBT training and currently hold a Level 2 credential, while continuing to work toward my Level 4 credential.

This is an area of ABA that I genuinely love learning about.

There is something incredibly meaningful about helping a child move from a place where they are communicating through challenging behavior to a place where they can communicate their needs, tolerate small changes, and stay happy, relaxed, and engaged.

That's what Today's ABA looks like to us.

It isn't about making a child conform for the sake of conformity.

It's about understanding the child, teaching meaningful skills, honoring communication, and helping children build the skills they need to have more successful and enjoyable lives.

And that's something we're very proud to include in the therapy we provide at Thrive ABA Therapy.