If you’re a parent exploring ABA therapy, you may have mixed feelings — especially if you’ve come across stories from autistic self-advocates, adults who have experienced ABA firsthand, or critics concerned with its past.
Those stories matter. They reflect real harm, real trauma, and the urgent need for change.
And thankfully, change is happening.
Acknowledging the History
ABA — Applied Behaviour Analysis — has been around for decades. In its early days, it was sometimes applied in ways that were highly controlling, compliance-focused, and devoid of individual voice or choice. Children were often required to sit through long hours of repetitive trials, rewarded only when they conformed to neurotypical behaviours. Behaviours like stimming were suppressed. Eye contact was demanded. Noncompliance was treated as a problem to be fixed — not a communication to be understood.
Many autistic individuals who went through this type of therapy have spoken out, describing it as traumatic, dehumanizing, and erasing of who they are. Their voices have been instrumental in calling the field to evolve — to rethink not just how we support people, but why and on whose terms.
A New Direction: Relationship-Centered, Neurodiversity-Affirming Care
Today’s ABA — when practiced ethically and responsibly — looks very different. It centers on respect, dignity, and meaningful outcomes for the individual. At Flourish, we are committed to affirming neurodiversity: the idea that neurological differences like autism and ADHD are natural variations in how brains work, not problems to be “fixed.”
We do not teach compliance for compliance’s sake. We do not try to make children appear more neurotypical. Instead, we focus on helping individuals build skills that improve quality of life on their terms — things like communication, independence, safety, emotional regulation, and flexibility.
The Enhanced Choice Model & PFA-SBT
One of the clearest shifts in modern ABA comes from the work of Dr. Greg Hanley, who developed the Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skill-Based Treatment (SBT) models. These approaches move away from triggering problem behaviour during assessment and instead focus on understanding behaviour in the context of safety, trust, and joy.
A key feature of this model is the Enhanced Choice Model — which ensures that children can opt in or out of treatment activities, express preferences, and maintain access to what they enjoy even during learning. Therapy is no longer about removing everything a child loves to get compliance. It’s about teaching in ways that are engaging, flexible, and affirming.
Our Clinical Director at Flourish is credentialed in PFA-SBT and receives ongoing training to ensure our practice remains responsive to evolving scientific and ethical standards. This commitment ensures that we’re not just talking about change — we’re living it in our day-to-day work.
ACT, RFT, and the Rise of Compassionate ABA
Alongside safety and choice, today’s ABA also increasingly integrates modern tools from contextual behavioural science, including Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) and Relational Frame Theory (RFT). These approaches help us move beyond surface behaviours and into the richness of language, meaning, and psychological flexibility.
Instead of teaching rote responses, we’re helping children make sense of their world, regulate difficult emotions, and engage in behaviour that’s truly values-aligned. And we’re doing it with respect for their identity, their preferences, and their autonomy.
A Final Word
It’s okay to feel unsure about ABA. The field is still evolving, and not every provider practices in the ways described here. But families deserve to know that compassionate, affirming, science-based care is possible — and that your child’s wellbeing, voice, and autonomy should always be at the center of any service you pursue.
At Flourish, we are proud to be part of a new era of ABA — one that listens, adapts, and stands firmly in support of dignity, safety, and neurodiversity.
Check out FAQ | Flourish Behavioural Health and Education for more information!
References
Hanley, G. P., Vanselow, N. R., & Hanratty, L. A. (2021). A progressive model of training for the Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-Based Treatment. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14(4), 1105–1118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00593-7
LeBlanc, L. A., Taylor, B. A., & Carr, J. E. (2020). Contemporary ABA: Moving toward compassionate, client-centered practice. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 13(4), 873–886. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00468-4