WKC's Trauma Informed ABA Approach
Where Compassion Meets Evidence-Based ABA
Philosophy of ABA
At Whole Kids Co., we take a trauma-informed, child-led approach that starts with what your child loves—using play-based strategies through Natural Environment Training (NET) and structured support with Discrete Trial Training (DTT) when needed. If emotional or trauma-related concerns are present, we may recommend another form of therapy better suited to their needs. Our ABA team works within a whole-child approach, focused on trust, fun, and family-wide support.
This is Accomplished by:
✔ Asking parents how their child is doing upon seeing them in the lobby
✔ Asking the child how their day was
✔ Observing both subtle and obvious cues related to the child’s sensory needs
✔ Prioritizing antecedent strategies in every session
✔ Ensuring our actions never provoke the child or push them beyond their limits
✔ Allowing room for common sense (e.g., if a child’s parent was just deployed, they may need time to grieve)
✔ Being a “yes” therapist: offering choices, using frequent non-contingent reinforcement (like attention and praise), clearly stating the behaviors we want to see, and minimizing punishment
✔ Providing the child with a structured environment as consistently as possible
✔ Shaping behavior at a pace that respects the child’s nervous system—avoiding fight, flight, or freeze responses
✔ Avoiding overfilled ABA treatment rooms to maintain calm, focused spaces
What is NET (Natural Environmental Training) & DTT (Discrete Trial Training)?
NET (Natural Environmental Training) will first seek to understand what the child enjoys, and plan to run ‘our’ programs in the context of their preferred play. DTT (Discrete Trial Training) will be used when a new skill is being taught, or the RBT/BCBA finds it most effective for teaching a particular skill. During the initial FBA with the BCBA, if it is reported that the child has experienced significant childhood trauma, or is presently experiencing severe emotional concerns, it will be recommended that the child receive another form of therapy offered at Whole Kids Co., instead of ABA.
Our Multidisciplinary, Whole Child Approach
At Whole Kids Co., we work to meet the needs of the entire family. We do sibling work, as well as parental therapy.
Our therapies include:
Play therapy, Filial play therapy, Floor time play therapy, Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), Cognitive behavior therapy, Solution focused therapy, and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) therapy.
Trauma informed ABA takes the whole child into account when working with him. It highly emphasizes extended periods of pairing and trust building. It seeks to understand any triggers (including emotional triggers) that may impact this client’s care. Further, trauma informed ABA is knowledgeable about a child's fight, flight, or freeze center and seeks to minimize this reaction in the client through awareness of our tone, facial expressions, timing of demands, and quantity of targets. Trauma informed ABA seeks to keep therapy light and up-beat, and fun for the healing child.
Schedule an Intake Today
If you recognize any of these challenges in your child, an evaluation may be beneficial.
Call us at: 719-344-9342 to schedule an evaluation. Before the appointment, we will check if we accept your insurance.
Or fill out the form below.
We are here to journey with you!
