Parent resources
Guides for the road ahead.
Short, plain-words guides you can read in the pickup line — written for parents, not clinicians. No dates, no jargon, no homework. Start at the top if all of this is new, or jump straight to the question on your mind.
New to all of this? Start here.
Four guides, in order — from “what even is ABA” to your child’s first session. About twenty minutes, beginning to end.
What is ABA therapy?
The plain-words version: what ABA is, what a session looks like, and what it should feel like for your child.
6-minute read
First steps after a diagnosis
Just got the news? Breathe. Here's a short, do-able list for the first few weeks — and what can wait.
7-minute read
Paying for ABA: insurance basics
Commercial plans and Medicaid — how coverage usually works, and the one shortcut that skips the confusion.
5-minute read
Preparing for your first session
What happens on day one, what to have ready (almost nothing), and how to help your child feel at ease.
5-minute read
Wondering about autism? Start with the signs.
For the stage before any diagnosis — what the signs look like at each age, what the levels mean, and how the free screening works.
What does Level 2 autism mean?
The three levels, translated to plain words — what Level 2 looks like day to day, and what it doesn't mean.
6-minute read
Signs of autism at 18 months
What to watch for at a year and a half, what's usually nothing, and the one move that costs you nothing: asking.
6-minute read
Signs of autism at age 2
What most 2-year-olds do, the signs that stand out at this age, and the next step that costs nothing.
7-minute read
Signs of autism at age 3
Why some signs only show up around preschool, what stands out at three, and the free school-district evaluation many parents don't know about.
7-minute read
The M-CHAT, explained
The free 5-minute autism screening for toddlers — what it is, what the result means, and what happens after.
5-minute read
Guides for everyday questions
The practical stuff — settings, coaching, who’s who, and a glossary for decoding reports.
Parent training, explained
It's coaching, not homework — and it's the part of ABA with the longest reach. Here's what it involves.
5-minute read
Home vs. daycare sessions
Both work — they're just good at different things. How to think about the choice, and why many families mix.
5-minute read
BCBA, RBT... who's who?
The letters, decoded: who designs the plan, who runs the sessions, and how everyone stays in sync.
4-minute read
ABA words, translated
A pocket glossary of the terms you'll hear in reports and meetings — each one in one plain sentence or two.
6-minute read
ABA vs. speech therapy
They're teammates, not rivals — what each one does, where they overlap, and whether your child needs both.
6-minute read
Is ABA therapy harmful?
An honest answer — where the criticism comes from, how modern ABA differs, and the red flags to watch for in any provider. Ours included.
8-minute read
How many hours of ABA?
The honest answer: it depends on your child. How hours get decided, what the ranges mean, and why more isn't automatically better.
6-minute read
ABA therapy for toddlers
What ABA looks like for a 2-year-old: play-based sessions, short attention spans, and parents at the center of the plan.
6-minute read
How to get ABA therapy
The path from 'I think my child needs help' to a first session: diagnosis, referral, insurance and the assessment.
6-minute read
Have a question instead?
Alongside these guides we keep a set of straight answers to the questions parents actually call us with.
Reading only gets a family so far.
When you're ready for answers about your child — coverage, timing, next steps — fifteen minutes with an intake advocate replaces guessing with a plan.