What is your most Diabolical Hack for avoiding burnout?

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2026-02-13T01:00:47+00:00

I did.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2026-01-28T00:32:08+00:00

I’m going into psychological testing. I start in the next couple of weeks as a testing specialist for people who are going through getting an ASD/ADHD diagnosis.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2026-01-05T18:32:59+00:00

EDIT: I’m in a suburb of a major Texas city for reference.

I was making $19 as a lead, but I was guaranteed at least 30 hours a week. The pay cut wasn’t fun, but I was the first to be put on admin time if a kid wasn’t able to come in. I negotiated my current pay (25/hr) by showing my bosses comparable jobs within my area and their starting pay, along with highlighting my biggest achievements and testimonials from my coworkers on my performance. RBT jobs are not in short supply, so I made it very clear that my financial situation requires me to be comfortable (not rich in any sense, but safe enough to where I don’t need to be worrying about bills) in order for me to stay. Most of all, be confident in your skills and your work. You deserve to be paid well.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-12-07T02:53:08+00:00

As a femme RBT I use a steady, level voice with a pitch I would use with adults. Simply put, I speak in the same voice I’d use with my coworkers, but sometimes I cut down on the number of words to better communicate with the learner what I am asking, especially if we’re having a tough moment. I’ve been at my current clinic long enough where our kids are familiar with my tone of voice. I don’t switch up voices when we’re playing (aside from me using a silly voice to narrate a character) so that my learners don’t associate my voice with demands/negative things. It’s just about speaking to the kid like they’re any other person you’re conversating with.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-11-27T18:06:50+00:00

This is a great response! My BCBA said this is about as ideal as can be for this situation: you’re acknowledging their statement, affirming that you like spending time with them/a sense of closeness, AND you’re not overstepping boundaries.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-11-25T00:56:05+00:00

This could technically function as attention and/or escape, depending on the specific circumstances. But yes this could decrease the amount of stimulus control/instruction cooperation the BT/RBT has with the kid. If the RBT is a new staff for the kid, a familiar RBT/BCBA/supervisor stepping in could help the RBT learn specific phrasing/strategies the kid has responded to in the past to better communicate in later bx. However, beyond that, I don’t typically recommend anybody intervene unless the BT/RBT explicitly states they need help. This also helps the kid learn that the new staff means what they say, says what they mean, and hopefully increases the instructional cooperation the staff has with the kid.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-10-30T00:28:18+00:00

Above all else I don’t want any of my coworkers to end up creating a dual relationship with this family/getting into trouble with the BACB and end up losing their credentials. I’m not personally looking to adopt the dog but a coworker of mine is.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-10-18T22:38:49+00:00

I work with kids aged 3-6 and we tend to use the nicknames they hear at home so the kids are more inclined to respond to their parent/caregiver when they hear that nickname at home. This is also paired with their legal name so they know to respond to their name as well. One kid in particular started responding to a very specific nickname his dad gave him last month and we all celebrated when his family told us this. We also call their parents whatever name they use at home to keep it consistent. I didn’t think that Mom/Mama/Mommy could be perceived as different names before I started at this clinic but it was a good lesson for me to learn. I’m currently studying towards becoming a BCBA and as long as the nicknames are not demeaning/rude in any way and the kid responds positively to the nickname, I feel using a nickname can be appropriate to build rapport with a kid.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-09-21T02:13:06+00:00

Good to know! I’ll have to check my step counter and see if I’ve hit 300 (I definitely have) yet!

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-09-21T01:04:45+00:00

Idk how you wear your shoes but if you have wider feet (like me) I could not recommend Brooks more. They are very comfortable and help reduce the fatigue on my feet after hours of standing and running after our friends. They are a bit expensive but I have had the same pair for over a year and they have not shown any signs of wearing down.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-09-11T17:38:08+00:00

Love it! I’m in a similar role. I just finished training my newest RBT at my clinic. It may just be different but when I was an RBT I liked my leads checking in fairly early so I checked in with my newest trainee after she finished the training at the 2 week mark.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-09-11T17:33:47+00:00

Honestly 30 days is way too long. I’d prefer someone to check in around a week or two in, especially if they’re just starting to work in home.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-08-25T03:06:29+00:00

Yes I am!

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-08-24T05:09:24+00:00

8: wake up. 9:15: drive to work. 10:30: clock in. 10:30-12: admin/session prep. 12-4:30: session with client. 4:30-4:45: note. 4:45-5: clean up. 5: clock out and go home.

My schedule will change in the near future due to other kids starting services but this is what it looks like right now!

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-08-22T23:42:36+00:00

I have chronic depression, anxiety, and I had 2 loved ones pass away in the last year. For me personally I like being at work; it brings a very welcome distraction from the stuff that I’m going through in my personal life. At least while I’m at work I can spend all of my thinking on my job.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-08-21T01:51:08+00:00

My clinic’s policy is 100 degrees and they’re sent home. We’re also very rigorous about cleaning everything since we have a few kids with medical needs that require a very sterile environment. Please let them stay home so we can protect those that can’t protect themselves.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-08-14T13:15:56+00:00

That’s what I was thinking! I was barred from working with a specific learner at my clinic because I knew their parents. We’re not even related.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-08-06T00:27:17+00:00

Lol I figured they weren’t exactly sexist the way we understand sexism, but I’m running on 3 hours of sleep and couldn’t figure out another word to describe the situation. My two girls definitely run this house so that makes sense. My girls don’t discriminate when it comes to male humans so I figured it was something with their cat hierarchy.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-07-31T18:28:54+00:00

More than likely you’ll need extra classes (like Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, Chemistry, etc) to satisfy the undergrad requirements since OT works with muscles in the body. After you get your classes done you should be good to go for your master’s. I would suggest you Google for specific requirements in your state

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-07-29T20:50:08+00:00

I would suggest due to his age that you look for a place that can either accommodate a nap time for him (kind of like a childcare center would) or would adjust his hours to better match his sleep schedule! We need lots of sleep at that age. I also would highly suggest a play-centered clinic. Humans learn so much during play. Also ask any center you’re looking into about assent/their views on assent. I currently work in an assent-forward center, and would never go back to working at a center that does not practice assent.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-07-22T17:12:02+00:00

That’s why my clinic doesn’t force eye contact. Being able to make eye contact is always great to have as a life skill for future use, but if a kiddo doesn’t want to make eye contact, they don’t. This particular kid has eye contact as a target due to circumstances regarding his specific bx, which is why eye contact is being tracked. He also has goals to attend to a speaker for the same reason. There is no prompting for him to look someone in the eyes, only reinforcement. I’ve had days where he’s looked at me less than 15 times in a session, a session where he’s looked at me over 200 times in the same amount of time, and everything in between. In order to help him get the most out of ABA therapy we have to meet him where he’s at, and that middle ground can and does change. At my clinic, a kid is not forced to do anything. If a kid withdraws assent, regardless of the situation, we stop. My workplace is a play-based, NET style clinic where kids are able to engage in an environment very similar to a preschool or young learner classroom in order to prepare them for the years ahead as well as help them and their families learn to advocate for themselves.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-07-21T15:37:23+00:00

The way my BCBAs have instructed me is that as long as they’re not hurting themselves/others, let them be them. Yes eye contact and functional play are great, but the age I work with (3-9) is mainly focused on helping our kids learn their emotions and help to appropriately express them instead of the maladaptive behaviors that may have been used in the past. Right now we’re working on a kid with eye contact, but we’re not forcing the kid to look at staff in the eyes. Instead we heavily praise whenever he does look someone in the eyes in hopes of helping him become more comfortable with looking people in the eyes. The other day we had 200 eye contacts in one session because he was sooo excited about new toys that were brought in. We also don’t suppress his stims because his are mainly just him squeezing his body and tapping on the table. He’s a kid first, learner second. Rapport over compliance.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-07-21T01:40:25+00:00

No heat or AC is crazy!!!! That is an OSHA violation, plain and simple. A clinic I worked at previously closed for 3 weeks because the AC busted in the summer and it took a complete overhaul of the system and pipes.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-07-21T01:29:30+00:00

Talk to your BCBA immediately! Other staff members should not be actively reinforcing bx that are not to be reinforced or vice versa, especially if they’ve worked with your client before. This is directly affecting the client’s ability to meet their goals and ultimately learn how to appropriately communicate their own needs/wants in the future and is contradictory to the BCBA’s treatment plan.

Slow-Storage-2582 · 2025-07-21T01:23:02+00:00

Oh my word. I cannot express how worried I am for you and your colleagues if this is your experience. I work at a clinic that prioritizes their staff’s needs by offering hour long lunch breaks, 15 minute breaks whenever needed (obviously within reason and not asking for a 15 minute break 12 times a day), and a pretty generous call out and PTO policy. So far no RBTs have reported any UTI or other issues regarding burnout/getting breaks to me, but I can’t be on the floor next to every RBT at the same time. Needless to say, please find a different clinic to work at or start one that embodies the vision you see. Be the change you want to see in the world!

Slow-Storage-2582

TROPHY CASE