What to expect, week by week
Starting therapy with a teenager works best when the teen knows exactly what is coming. Here is the process we walk families and adolescents through, step by step.
The first call
You talk with a real person about what is going on, and your teen is welcome on that call if they want to be. If you would rather start with a clinician, book a free BCBA consultation; it is a good setting for a skeptical teen to ask their own questions, and it commits nobody to anything.
Verification of benefits
Before scheduling, we contact your insurance company and confirm what your plan covers. We are in-network with Aetna and Anthem, including Anthem HealthKeepers Plus, Virginia's Medicaid managed care plan, and TRICARE-certified for military families. Almost every other plan is out of network, and we say so up front, before anyone gets invested.
The in-home assessment
A BCBA meets your teen at home, and the assessment looks more like a series of conversations than a test. The BCBA asks the teen what is hard, what they want, and what they are already good at, then talks with you, and reviews school documents like the IEP or transition plan when you share them.
The treatment plan
The plan is written around goals the teen helped choose, with clear ways to measure each one. We submit it to your insurer for authorization and advocate for the maximum services your teen qualifies for. Weekly hours for adolescents are usually leaner and more targeted than early-childhood programs, but the honest number comes from the assessment, not a sales pitch.
The first weeks of therapy
Early sessions are low-stakes on purpose. The technician or BCBA spends the first visits earning the teen's trust: talking about their interests, working on something the teen actually cares about, keeping demands light. Most teens engage more once they see the sessions are about their goals, not a list of complaints about them.
Ongoing BCBA oversight
The BCBA supervises the program throughout: reviewing data, observing sessions, and adjusting goals with the teen, not just about them. Teens see their own progress data, which tends to matter to this age group. Plans are reassessed for each insurance reauthorization, typically every six months, and again whenever a big transition like a new school year changes the picture.
How ABA at 13-17 differs from early-childhood ABA
If your mental image of ABA is a toddler at a little table with a bin of toys, teen ABA will look almost unrecognizable. The science is the same; nearly everything else changes.
| Early-childhood ABA | ABA at 13-17 |
|---|
| Session feel | Play-based, adult-guided, high energy | Coaching between the teen and a respected adult |
| Who sets the goals | Parents and the BCBA | The teen, with parents and the BCBA supporting |
| Skills in focus | Language, imitation, play, early routines | Independence, executive function, social navigation, work readiness |
| Where sessions happen | Mostly at home | Home plus the community: stores, transit, job settings |
| Parent's role | Hands-on, learning strategies side by side | Deliberately stepped back, so independence is real |
| Materials | Toys, songs, picture cards | Phones, planners, bank apps, job applications |
Goals we actually work on with teens
Every plan starts with what the teen wants. These are real examples of the kinds of goals that come out of those conversations.
- Independence and daily living: running a full laundry cycle; making a simple meal; owning a morning routine with an alarm instead of a parent; managing hygiene without reminders.
- Executive function: breaking a long assignment into steps with deadlines; using a planner or phone system that actually sticks; getting out the door with everything needed for the day.
- Community and life skills: ordering and paying at a restaurant; navigating a store with a list and a budget; learning bus or Metro basics; practicing for a driver's permit study routine.
- Social and self-advocacy: texting a friend to make weekend plans; asking a teacher for help or an extension; explaining their accommodations in their own words; recognizing when to step away and regroup.
Who teen ABA fits, and who it doesn't
This program works when the teen is at least willing to give it a try; therapy built on assent cannot be forced, and we will not pretend otherwise. If your teen is firmly opposed, we often suggest one low-pressure conversation with a BCBA and let them decide. ABA is also not a substitute for mental health treatment; if anxiety or depression is the main concern, a counselor or psychologist should lead and we will coordinate. We are not tutors, and we are not a crisis service. For support during the school day itself, our in-school ABA support is the right page.
We support teens and their families statewide, including Arlington County, Chesterfield County, and Norfolk. See our insurance page for the plans we work with.
🎯 Goal-Focused
