Creating Your Dream Life

Lately, I’ve seen more and more programs advertising something they call “trauma-informed ABA.” On the surface, it sounds hopeful. After all, who wouldn’t want therapies to be gentler, safer, and more humane for children who have already experienced adversity? But here’s the reality: ABA can never be trauma-informed. No matter how many times it is rebranded, no matter what rewards are substituted, no matter how softly the language is phrased, the foundations of Applied Behavi

One of the newest rebrands of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is “play-based ABA.” At first glance, it feels reassuring to parents and educators who have heard the critiques of traditional ABA. Instead of a child sitting at a table with flashcards, they’re now on the floor surrounded by toys, pretending with dolls or rolling cars across the carpet. The therapist smiles, joins the play, and reassures: “See? We’re not drilling or punishing — we’re just playing.” But underneath