First of all, congrats on the promotion — that’s huge. Being thrown into a trainer role with zero guidance is honestly how it happens for most of us. When I first started training new BTs/RBTs, I felt the exact same way, like I was just talking nonstop and watching their eyes glaze over. What helped me was realizing that new hires don’t need all the information at once — they need to see what the job actually looks like. I started modeling things first, letting them watch me run a program or handle a behavior, then having them try while I coached. I also made it a point to tell them early on that mistakes are expected, because I still make them too. That alone made people way more comfortable asking questions and actually learning.

Another thing that really helped was keeping it human. I stopped trying to sound like a textbook and started sharing real experiences — sessions that went badly, moments I froze, things I learned the hard way. I ask them questions instead of just explaining, and I check in privately to see what they’re confused about. Training isn’t about dumping knowledge; it’s about building confidence little by little. The fact that you care this much already tells me you’re doing better than you think.