Why ABA Professionals Need Fresh Starts Too: Getting Back to Your Clinical Foundations
- Brigid McCormick
- Jan 8
- 5 min read
Let's be honest about something most ABA professionals won't say out loud: sometimes you realize you've been winging it. Not in a reckless way, but in that "I've done this a thousand times so I'm just going to trust my gut" kind of way. And then one day, you're sitting with data that doesn't make sense, or a parent asks you a question you should know the answer to, and you think... wait, when did I stop being intentional about this?
If that hits close to home, you're not alone. And you're definitely not a bad clinician. You're just human, working in a field that demands a lot and doesn't always give you space to pause and recalibrate.
The Real Cost of Clinical Drift
Here's what happens when we drift away from our ABA clinical foundations: we start making decisions based on convenience instead of data. We stop asking "why" and start asking "what's fastest." We tell ourselves we'll get back to best practices once things calm down, except things never really calm down.
The scary part isn't that we make mistakes - we all do that. The scary part is when we stop noticing we're making them. When we're so busy putting out fires that we don't realize we're the ones who left the stove on.
I've seen brilliant BCBAs defend intervention decisions they couldn't actually justify with data. I've watched skilled RBTs implement programs they didn't fully understand because "that's how we've always done it." And I've caught myself doing the same thing more times than I'd like to admit.
Why Going Back to ABA Clinical Foundations Isn't Admitting Defeat
There's this weird stigma in our field about admitting you need to refresh the basics. Like if you're a "real" professional, you should just know everything all the time. But think about it - surgeons practice basic techniques regularly. Athletes drill fundamentals constantly. Why should ABA be any different?
Revisiting your clinical foundations isn't about fixing what's broken. It's about maintaining what's working and preventing future problems. It's the difference between waiting until your car breaks down versus getting regular oil changes.
What a Real Fresh Start Actually Looks Like
Forget the dramatic overhaul. You don't need to throw out everything you know and start over. A genuine fresh start in ABA practice is more subtle than that, and honestly, more sustainable.
Start by asking yourself these questions - and actually answer them, don't just nod along:
When was the last time you read the research behind an intervention you use daily? Not just implemented it because it works, but actually understood the mechanisms? If you can't remember, that's your first clue.
Can you explain your data collection decisions to a skeptical parent without getting defensive? If the words "because that's what we do" are anywhere in your explanation, dig deeper.
Are you making clinical decisions based on what the data actually shows, or based on what you hope it shows? This one's tough because we all have confirmation bias, but it's worth examining.
The Foundation Reset Framework
Here's a framework I use when I need to get back to my ABA clinical foundations without completely disrupting my caseload. It's not revolutionary, but it works.
Pick one client case - not your most complicated one, just a standard case.
Now pretend you're presenting it to your supervisor for the first time. Walk through every decision you've made: why this assessment, why these targets, why this teaching procedure, why this reinforcement schedule. If you stumble anywhere, that's a foundation that needs shoring up.
Spend one week documenting your decision-making process in real time.
Not your data - your thoughts. Why did you choose that prompt? Why did you decide to push through versus taking a break? Why did you adjust the criteria right then? You'll be surprised what patterns emerge when you actually pay attention to your own clinical reasoning.
Find one thing you're doing purely out of habit and question it.
Really question it. Maybe it's still the right approach, but maybe it's just familiar. Either way, you should know the difference.
Making Fresh Starts Practical, Not Performative
The biggest mistake people make with fresh starts is treating them like New Year's resolutions - all motivation and no system. You get excited, change everything at once, overwhelm yourself, and end up back where you started within two weeks.
Instead, think small and specific. Don't commit to "being more data-driven" - that's too vague. Commit to graphing one specific measure daily for two weeks. Don't promise to "improve parent collaboration" - decide to send one substantive update per client per week.
The goal isn't perfection. The goal is intentionality. It's about being able to explain why you do what you do, with data to back it up and research to support it.
When Fresh Starts Feel Impossible
Look, I get it. You're reading this thinking "this all sounds great but I'm drowning in paperwork and barely keeping up as it is." Starting fresh feels like one more thing on an already impossible to-do list.
But here's the twist: going back to your foundations actually makes everything else easier. When you're solid on the basics, decisions get faster, not slower. You waste less time second-guessing yourself. You can explain things clearly to parents without that nagging feeling that you're missing something.
The time you invest in rebuilding your foundation isn't extra work - it's the work that makes all your other work actually work.
Time for Honest Assessment
So where are you actually at right now? Not where you think you should be, or where you were five years ago. Right now, today, with the caseload you have and the resources available to you.
If you had to rate your confidence in your ABA clinical foundations on a scale from "I could teach this" to "I'm hoping nobody asks me to explain this" - where would you honestly land?
And more importantly, what's one small, specific thing you could do this week to strengthen that foundation? Not a complete overhaul. Just one thing.
Because here's the truth that nobody likes to talk about: every expert was once a beginner, and every experienced clinician occasionally needs to be a student again. The best professionals aren't the ones who never need fresh starts. They're the ones who recognize when they do and actually do something about it.
What's your fresh start going to look like?
Want weekly strategies for strengthening your ABA practice without the overwhelm?
Join our Foundations and Fresh Starts newsletter series. Each week, you'll get practical tips, honest conversations, and actionable tools delivered straight to your inbox - written by clinicians, for clinicians.