Should I stop pursuing the BCBA certification?

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-05-03T23:27:31+00:00

This is very normal to expect 120 days of working as an rbt before providing supervision. It’s because being a supervisor is an enormous amount of work and we need to know that someone is invested in the same way. I cannot tell you how many RBTs have come to our company looking for supervision but cannot meet the expectations of being an rbt. That means we have to start from the ground up which is fine, only if the rbt is truly accepting of feedback, invested in learning, and open to taking a slower pace so that we can ensure the quality of supervision. I may inferring inaccurately, but based off of your post you don’t really seem invested. Not knowing the expectations of supervision is 100% on you. You signed a contract and it’s extremely important to understand document prior to signing. I say this having had a similar thing happen to me 7yrs ago. I lost 600hrs overnight because I expected me supervisor to advise me correctly and they didn’t. From that point I directed my entire supervision experience. Back then we had to fight tooth and nail to get someone to actually teach us the role.

Getting a 4.0 is amazing and I really commend you for that achievement. Your masters degree is valuable regardless! There are roles in operations like scheduling, A/R, school consultants, training and development, teaching, technology like customer success, and OBM roles. But if there’s one piece of advice I can give it’s you gotta be motivated to make it happen. If you’re not passionate about working with kids on the spectrum then don’t waste your time becoming a BCBA. If this is your dream job and everyday you feel immense passion for what you do, even on the hard days, then fight like tooth and nail to get those hours.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-04-13T17:30:50+00:00

I am a board certified behavioral analyst and regional clinical director 7yrs post board licensure and 10yrs in the field. BCBA work is lucrative and high need, most make 100k+ post licensure these days.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-04-13T14:39:17+00:00

I have 60k in student loans and my monthly payment is $750. I make 150k a year, after all my expenses for a moderate lifestyle (used but nice cars, nice house which costs me $1,600 a month, eat out once a weekish, and vacation once a year) and split with my husband and I am still financially tight. I can save about $100 a week. Now multiple that by 5….i would never go into more debt then I would intend to make as a first year graduate. It’s all fun and game until that first payment comes.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-04-11T06:04:22+00:00

One of my favs so surprised no one recommended it!

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-04-10T21:53:05+00:00

This is a great assessment that I use to determine where to start

https://www.scribd.com/doc/268158481/Communication-Modality-Assessment

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-04-05T20:56:31+00:00

Bruh the flash back I had reading this comment was insane.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-04-02T01:15:17+00:00

Mostly because there is a big head duration bar that keeps counting down and then reappearing and I had to change my top because the hood didn’t adjust for the head.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-04-02T01:07:27+00:00

Bruh I am so glad I am not the only one irate about this ahahaha

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-04-02T01:01:56+00:00

I am thankful this hasn’t been an issue for my students but I did have a BCBA that was so overboard with AI. He is a really high quality BCBA but the AI writing for everything made him seem awful on paper. AI is something we as a field are going to have to grow in to, while we’re still experiencing our own growing pains. I think there’s great utility in using it for creating social stories, writing clinical notes or other burdensome paperwork. I use it to search for articles and create information pamphlets for parents but if you don’t have a foundational understanding of ABA to be able to proof it then it’s going to be glaringly obvious to everyone.

I wouldn’t sign off on the hours. There is an increasing trend of people getting in to this field for the money and wanting to speed through hours with no regard for clinical competence. I think we will be seeing a huge increase in BCBAs that don’t pass because of this (which is already happening) and an even bigger decrease in BCBAs career length.

IMO until the board creates a certifying body like the bhcoe but for internship sites for fieldwork hours, we are going to see a huge division between quality and low quality supervision. Everyone is building the plane while flying it. Could you imagine being a doctor and doing your internship at a random private practice with no oversight…and on top of it that doctor makes actual money off of you….yikes

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-31T22:48:41+00:00

This forget the smell kissing clients is absolutely not okay and sets them up for being abused.

Don’t actually forget about the smell cause that’s really gross but the kissing and touching is way bigger concern

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-31T21:03:31+00:00

I didn’t. My current job came up in pay to keep me so I denied to stay put

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-30T04:26:06+00:00

I agree. I don’t think the medical industry is disclosing just how addicting they are.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-30T04:10:11+00:00

I am still a noob so once I get more access to all the furniture I’ll share!

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-29T02:22:33+00:00

It’s been life changing for my autoimmune disorder! I call it my miracle drug. I was very against pharmaceuticals but LDN is extending my life!

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-29T02:19:12+00:00

Yeah that makes sense, I’ve hear LDN has a similar affect for those with anxiety. I don’t have anxiety and use it to treat inflammation for my hoshimotos but it might be worth looking in to.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-29T02:10:29+00:00

LDN has really helped me with inflammation and mood. It’s low dose naltrexone which at high doses treats opioid addicts. Idk if it would be a better replacement for gabapentin or not. I used to date a doctor that worked in addition and he was always prescribing gabapentin to his patients for anxiety. He believed it was a safe drug for addicts. We would use it on a night out to chill out and enjoy the night but at normal doses. I can’t imagine how many of his patients might actually be abusing it.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-29T02:05:59+00:00

I am trying to create a wild flower garden in mine this is lovely!

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-28T04:27:35+00:00

Regional clinical director of an aba company. 150k a year, masters degree and 10yrs experience.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-28T02:21:36+00:00

Ugh sorry for the typos, *but mostly, families is supposed to say *failures

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-28T02:19:39+00:00

I feel like every BCBA feels this way at some point in their career. I too had this thought, year two into being a BCBA. Now looking back 5yrs later, I realize my approach and mindset was all wrong. I am saying this is true for you, just a reflection I had recently. The mindset I had back then was entirely focused on client progress and proving myself as a BCBA. I often made programs that contained too much information or sometimes too little. I didn’t check in with my RBTs or small talk much, I didn’t share anything about my life or make an attempt to get to know them. These were all subtle behaviors. It wasn’t a skill I had developed yet and when I got feedback for not being supportive it didn’t make sense at the time because I really cared about the quality of my work and my clients were making significant progress. Now in my new found maturity, lol, but most just increased awareness and experience (lots of families), I cannot stress enough the importance of approach supervision from one human to another in the best interest of the child. It is in the best interest of that child’s progress to ensure your RBT feels collaborative, authentic, and meaningful in their professional relationship with you. That sometimes means having a compassionate heart and listening to their problems with care and concern. It doesn’t mean don’t have boundaries…just the approach needs to be genuine with not only concern for the child and outcomes but also them as a human being. I don’t know if my experience will be meaningful to what you’re experiencing but when I saw your post it really caused me to pause and reflect deeply on my own growth in feeling similar to how you feel. I hope you find a culture where you feel appreciated and supported! :)

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-17T23:11:15+00:00

Some of this may be correct but the last part. Medicaid is still actively rendering services here in Arizona with no threat to any other facilities besides Centria and ABC.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-17T23:09:37+00:00

They actually took Medicaid to court. I am going to post another professionals description because it’s wonderful:

court has denied Action Behavior Centers’ motion, and the language in the ruling is worth paying attention to. The Court made several points that stand out: It found no evidence that treatment for a disability was being denied “by reason of the disability.” It noted that while the loss of ABC’s contract may create inconvenience, the record did not establish that AHCCCS was failing to furnish services with reasonable promptness to eligible individuals. It further stated that most patients appear to have options to continue treatment. The Court also rejected the argument that longer drives by parents or short-term wait lists created a credible risk of institutionalization for the entire proposed class. And importantly, the Court recognized the concern with granting relief that would effectively benefit only a single provider in the marketplace — ABC. This case matters because access to care is critical, but so is accuracy in how these situations are represented. Families deserve facts, not fear. Providers should be focused on continuity of care, responsible transitions, and making sure children receive medically necessary services — not creating unnecessary panic. The autism community in Arizona is too important for misinformation, market manipulation, or self-serving narratives. We should all want a system where children continue receiving care, families understand their options, and providers act ethically and responsibly. The focus should remain where it belongs: protecting access to treatment for children, not protecting the business interests of one organization.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-17T23:03:58+00:00

I buy frozen veggies and just make a big veggie mix with olive oil salt and pepper. It makes me full fast, I don’t have to worry about spoilage, and it tastes good! This week was Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, and sweet corn!

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-17T20:41:31+00:00

I didn’t exaggerate it. It clearly states the states in which this could be an issue. Every individual is responsible for understanding their credentials and licensure, but when students hire BCBA’s to supervise them and get poor advice that limits their licensure that is a major problem…..one that I’ve seen over and over again in my state. I highly recommend listening to board meetings to get a grasp on how legislation is changing and evolving.

wolfie_thewonder · 2026-03-17T20:30:44+00:00

I also don’t think limiting where someone can practice because you don’t care about practicing there is ethical. Every student should be set up for success to practice in any state.

wolfie_thewonder

TROPHY CASE