The honest overview
ABA therapy gets described in ways that are either too clinical (full of jargon about antecedents and consequences) or too vague ("it's like play-based learning!"). Neither is quite right.
Here's the honest version: ABA is a systematic, data-driven approach to teaching skills and reducing challenging behaviors. It works by carefully identifying what your child needs to learn, designing specific practice opportunities, measuring whether those opportunities are working, and adjusting continuously based on what the data shows.
In your home, it looks like a trained therapist working with your child through a mix of structured teaching, naturalistic routines, and play — all guided by a plan designed specifically for your child by a BCBA. It is not passive. It is not just playtime. And it is not the same program running identically in every home.
"ABA is not passive, not just playtime, and not the same program running identically in every home."
Stage by stage: what you'll experience
The intake call
Everything starts with a 20–30 minute call. We ask about your child — their diagnosis, their current challenges, your goals as a family. We explain what Kindaya does and how we work. You ask us anything you need to. At the end, we both decide whether this feels like a fit worth pursuing.
This call is free. There's no commitment. The goal is an honest conversation, not a sales pitch.
What you do: Call (916) 461-5285 or submit a contact form. Gather your child's diagnostic report if available.
What we do: Listen, ask questions, give you an honest read on fit.
Insurance verification and authorization
If we're moving forward, our team contacts your insurance company to verify your benefits and begin the prior authorization process. We'll ask you to provide insurance information, your child's diagnostic report, and any previous evaluations.
Most authorizations take 2–4 weeks. This is the step that creates most of the wait time before therapy begins — and it's largely outside anyone's direct control. Starting this process promptly is the best way to minimize delay.
What you do: Provide insurance info and documentation. Be responsive to requests from our team or your insurer.
What we do: Submit the authorization request and follow up with the insurer.
The BCBA assessment
Once authorization is in process, the supervising BCBA schedules the initial assessment — typically 2–3 visits in your home. This is the foundation of your child's treatment.
The BCBA will observe your child in your home environment, administer standardized skills assessments, interview you about daily routines and your family's goals, and review existing reports. The assessment takes a holistic view — not just what's challenging, but what your child is good at, what motivates them, and what matters most to your family.
What you do: Be present and available for the parent interview portion. Let your child behave naturally — don't prime them to "perform."
What we do: Observe, assess, and listen. The BCBA is building a picture of your child and your family.
Treatment plan review
The BCBA writes a treatment plan based on the assessment — specific, measurable goals organized by domain (communication, social, daily living, behavior). Before therapy begins, you review this plan together.
This meeting is not a formality. You are expected to ask questions, push back on goals that don't align with your family's priorities, and add things the BCBA may have underweighted. The final plan should reflect both clinical need and what matters to you.
What you do: Read the plan before the meeting. Come with questions. This is your chance to shape the direction of therapy.
What we do: Walk through the goals, explain the rationale, and revise based on your input.
First sessions: rapport building
The first few sessions are deliberately light on formal skill programs. The RBT's primary job is to become someone your child trusts and enjoys spending time with. Therapy that isn't fun enough for a child to cooperate with doesn't work, no matter how well-designed the program is.
Early sessions look a lot like play. The RBT follows your child's lead, learns what they enjoy, and starts building the relationship that will make the work possible. Don't judge early sessions by how much "therapy" you see in them.
What you see: Play. Building connection. Light data collection in the background.
What's happening: The RBT is learning your child and establishing the relationship that makes future sessions work.
Ongoing therapy sessions
Once rapport is established, sessions shift into the structured but naturalistic rhythm of ongoing ABA. The RBT runs skill programs from the BCBA's plan, collects data on every target, uses behavior plans for challenging behaviors, and weaves formal practice into play and natural routines.
Sessions are 2–3 hours. Your child may be working on multiple goals in a single session — taking turns in a game, requesting preferred items verbally, following a two-step instruction, or tolerating a change in routine. The flow is purposeful but not robotic.
Ongoing therapy: what the routine looks like
Beyond the first few months, ABA therapy settles into a regular cadence. Here's what that looks like at Kindaya:
- Regular sessions: The RBT comes to your home on a consistent schedule, usually the same days and times each week
- BCBA supervision: The BCBA conducts in-person supervision sessions — watching the RBT work, reviewing data, updating programs, and meeting with you
- Parent training: Embedded into every program, parent training sessions teach you to use the same strategies the RBT uses between sessions
- Progress reviews: Every 3–6 months, the BCBA conducts a formal review — looking at data trends, revising goals, and recommending adjustments to hours or program direction
- Authorization renewals: Every 6–12 months, the BCBA submits a re-authorization request to your insurer with updated data and a revised treatment plan
Your role in therapy
ABA works best when parents are active participants, not passive observers. You don't need to become a clinician — but you do need to understand what's being worked on and why.
"You are one of your child's most important learning environments. The goal of parent training is to make you as effective as possible in that role."
Practically, that means:
- Attending parent training sessions with the BCBA
- Using the strategies you learn between therapy sessions — at meals, during daily routines, while running errands
- Communicating clearly about what's working, what isn't, and what matters most to your family right now
- Being home during sessions (required for safety) and being available for brief check-ins with the RBT
The families whose children make the most progress in ABA tend to be the ones who treat it as a team sport — not something that happens to their child for a few hours a day while everyone else waits outside.
Measuring progress
One of the things that distinguishes ABA from many other interventions is the centrality of data. RBTs collect data on every skill target every session — not impressions, but counts, rates, and percentages. That data is reviewed by the BCBA regularly to determine whether the program is working.
Progress in ABA isn't always linear. You may see rapid gains on some targets and slow progress on others. You may see a behavior get temporarily worse before it gets better (a common phenomenon called an extinction burst). The data helps distinguish meaningful trends from noise.
At Kindaya, we'll share progress data with you in a format you can understand, and we'll explain what it means. If a program isn't producing progress, we'll tell you — and change course. Data without transparency isn't useful to anyone.
A first conversation costs nothing.
Call us or fill out a contact form. We'll walk through what the process looks like for your specific situation.
Schedule a Consultation (916) 461-5285