For RBTs and newer BCBAs who question the script.
Practical reflections on connection, assent, and how we show up for kids.
Recent posts from @heybffjill.
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Read, reflect, and keep questioning. Here’s what you can explore now.
A book for RBTs about rapport, assent, and moving beyond automatic responses.
Join the book waitlist 02 / REFLECT & RETHINKShort reflections on pairing, language, and participation, with prompts to think through your own practice.
Explore the reflections 03 / KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOINGFollow heybffjill for ongoing RBT conversations and a closer look at familiar advice.
Follow on TikTokI’m a BCBA with 16+ years in autism services. This is where I talk about the everyday habits in our field that deserve a second look.
Pairing that feels like a performance. Scripts we repeat without thinking. The difference between a child participating and a child having a say.
I care about what we do, how it feels to the child, and whether the people doing the work have useful support.
Find heybffjill on TikTokThe conversations here are becoming a book: session scenarios, explanations, reflection pages, and tools for RBTs.
Explore the bookConnection needs room to happen. It isn’t a checklist of compliments, imitation, and proximity.
Would this interaction feel comfortable if someone approached you this way? Notice whether the child seeks you out, can move away, and has space to influence the interaction.
Before repeating the script, ask what it communicates—and what the child actually needs.
A phrase can sound friendly while still dismissing what someone is trying to say. Consider what happened before the behavior, what the child may be communicating, and whether your words offer useful information.
Look beyond getting through the activity. Consider comfort, choice, and the ability to pause.
What does willingness look like for this child? What does hesitation look like? Bring those observations to your supervising BCBA and consider how the plan responds to them.
Explore what’s inside and join the existing waitlist. Already signed up? You’re still on the list.
Go to the book waitlistExplore Atsila’s family guides, quick references, and free fillable worksheet.
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