NCBC adopts the social model of disability. Services focus on helping the individual learn their own strengths, identify current barriers, work to advocate for the removal of those barriers and discover work-arounds in some cases (society does move slower than a person’s current needs sometimes).

• Watch a video about the Social Model of Disability

Clients can say no - it’s NCBC’s job to figure out why, how to make instruction better, and build a safe and honest relationship with the client that results in trust and movement toward client-values-based therapeutic activities when the activities and the time are right for the client. NCBC actively looks for signs of agreement (such as saying ’yes’, movement toward the activity, and other verbal or nonverbal signs of interest) through out sessions. With signs of disagreement, NCBC stops the activity.

Self-advocacy and noticing, trusting, and responding to your own thoughts and feelings are skills shaped and trained with all clients (speaking and nonspeaking) from the very beginning of contemporary ABA services with NCBC.

All behavior happens in an environment and a big part of that is the environment within ourself - our thoughts, feelings, history and preferences all inform our behavior at any moment. This internal context matters just as much as the external environment.

• NCBC uses an approach to the science of behavior that called Relational Frame Theory (RFT), that examines both external environments and the internal ones. This is key to understanding individual perspectives and customizing interventions to meet an individual’s unique needs and that move an individual closer to what is important to them.

  • Watch a video about RFT here.

• NCBC then uses interventions from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), based on RFT, that gently encourage individuals to accept their authentic selves and move toward their own values by taking steps they identify.

  • Watch a video about ACT here.

NCBC uses processes from Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) to teach discovery of and monitoring of personal values.

• When personal values are identified, NCBC bases programs on the client’s values and in alignment with goals and steps the client wants to take in pursuit of their values.

  • Watch a video about values here.

• Since NCBC intervenes through actions defined by the client in pursuit of their values-based goals, self-reflection and self-management are skills foundational to NCBC’s approach. Client’s learn to manage their behavior in a way that is effective, safe, meaningful, and authentic to them by examining their progress through self-evaluation.

All the providers at NCBC, who deliver contemporary ABA service are professional, state-licensed practitioners. In the state of Washington, only LBA or LABA level providers work with contemporary ABA clients.

Caregiver training is a critical component to contemporary ABA services NCBC.

• Caregivers participate in coaching and training sessions with licensed NCBC staff, guided by Acceptance and Commitment training and goals based on caregiver values and client-values.

• For some families, caregiver training is the only component of contemporary ABA that they need!

• Each family receives a custom caregiver training package, specially curated to meet their specific needs.

Since NCBC only uses licensed, professional-level providers to deliver contemporary ABA services with a big focus on caregiver training, clients and families receiving contemporary ABA services at NCBC require less direct time with practitioners than they might expect.

• The recommended schedule for contemporary ABA services may be much lighter than you anticipate!