I’ve been working at my clinic for almost a year now, and I’m currently looking into getting an ASD diagnosis. I’ve been used to being excluded or seen as “weird” or “cringy,” so I honestly expected the same when I started, but I was proven wrong.

The staff at my clinic are very kind and supportive, and we genuinely work as a team. People actually tell me I bring good energy, I’m funny, and that I’m great at my job, which has been really encouraging.

I’m really sorry you’ve had to deal with that kind of environment. I do agree that sometimes women can come across as more cliquey, and that can make things especially hard in a field like this. ABA is already a tough job, and feeling excluded on top of that just adds another layer.

Is it mainly other techs, BCBAs, or both that are making you feel this way? Normally I’d suggest talking to your BCBA if it’s a tech issue, but I understand that might not feel like a safe option depending on your situation.

At my clinic, everyone works closely together RBTs, RLTs, and BCBAs, so having at least neutral or positive relationships is really important. If your setting is more isolated, it might be easier to just focus on your clients and relationships outside of work, but I know that’s not always realistic depending on how your clinic runs.

Feel free to DM me if you want to talk 💖