The Role of ABA Therapy in Addressing Challenging Behaviors in Public Spaces
Public spaces such as grocery stores, parks, schools, and restaurants can be overwhelming for individuals
Welcome to Cultivate Behavioral Health & Education in Colorado Springs, Colorado! Our clinic provides a variety of specialized ABA therapy services designed to support individuals with autism. Located in the heart of Colorado Springs, we create a welcoming and nurturing atmosphere where children can grow and develop vital skills.
At our Colorado Springs location, we offer clinic-based services, family services, and social group services, so families have the support they need. We proudly serve not just Colorado Springs but also the surrounding communities. Families in nearby areas like Monument and Woodland Park can also take advantage of our comprehensive ABA therapy services, helping individuals achieve their highest potential in a safe and supportive environment.
Whitney has been the Clinical Manager at our Colorado Springs location since July 2015 and brings a wealth of knowledge in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in both center and home settings. With a strong emphasis on teaching Registered Behavioral Technicians (RBTs) to implement evidence-based interventions with children ages 2-21, Whitney plays a vital role in equipping children and their families with the necessary skills to achieve the greatest level of independence.
Our ABA clinic provides a structured and nurturing environment for children to develop essential developmental and age-appropriate skills. Through a combination of play–based and adult–directed activities, children learn communication, daily living, pre-academic, and social readiness. Our experienced team facilitates these sessions, helping your child build independence and confidence in a setting that mirrors real-world scenarios. Clinic–based service models include regular parent and caregiver training to maximize learning opportunities outside of structured ABA Therapy sessions.
If you’ve noticed differences in how your child communicates, interacts, or plays, getting clarity early can make all the difference. At Cultivate, we help families take those first important steps by offering trusted autism screenings, such as the M-CHAT-R (for toddlers) and the CAST (for older children).
These screenings can provide valuable insight and help determine whether pursuing a formal diagnostic evaluation is the next step. Our team can help directly connect you to our diagnostic partners to ensure families have clear pathways to the support they need.
Ready to start ABA therapy in Colorado Springs? Our compassionate team is here to help your child build the skills they need to thrive. Contact us today at 855-444-5664 to learn more about our autism treatment services and schedule a consultation. We look forward to partnering with your family on this important journey!
Our Colorado Springs center provides center-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for children with autism and related developmental needs. Services include comprehensive ABA treatment, one-on-one therapy sessions, individualized behavior intervention plans, parent training, and developmental screening support.
Each child’s ABA therapy program is personalized based on clinical assessment and focuses on building communication skills, improving social interaction, strengthening daily living skills, and reducing behaviors that interfere with learning and independence. All services are supervised by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) to ensure evidence-based, ethical, and goal-driven care.
What sets our ABA therapy program apart is our commitment to quality over volume. We intentionally maintain smaller caseloads so each child receives individualized attention and highly customized programming based on their unique needs, strengths, and family goals. This approach allows our clinicians to spend more meaningful time teaching, assessing progress, and adjusting treatment plans.
Our team of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) is highly trained and supported by a positive workplace culture that prioritizes consistency, collaboration, and professional growth. We also exceed the standard 5% supervision requirement, with supervisors spending more time actively involved in sessions rather than working solely behind the scenes. This hands-on clinical oversight helps ensure therapy remains effective, responsive, and truly child-centered.
The frequency of the ABA therapy sessions is determined through a comprehensive behavioral assessment completed by a BCBA. Based on your child’s developmental profile, learning needs, and treatment goals, therapy may occur multiple times per week or on a more intensive schedule.
Consistency is a key factor in successful ABA therapy. Your BCBA will recommend a schedule that supports skill acquisition while considering family routines and long-term progress.
Yes, absolutely! At Cultivate Behavioral Health & Education, parent/caregiver training is an essential part of ABA therapy. We believe that when parents feel supported and confident, children make even greater progress.
During parent training, you’ll work directly with your child’s Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to learn effective strategies, review progress, and practice techniques that can be used at home and in the community. Our goal is to empower you with the tools and knowledge needed to best support your child’s growth and independence beyond therapy sessions.
Caregiver collaboration is at the heart of everything we do because when families and clinicians work together, children thrive.
Each ABA therapy session at Cultivate Behavioral Health & Education is tailored to your child’s unique goals, interests, and learning style. Sessions are typically one-on-one and led by a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
Therapy may include structured learning activities, play-based teaching, and natural environment training—so skills are practiced in ways that feel fun and meaningful. Depending on your child’s treatment plan, sessions may focus on areas such as communication, social skills, emotional regulation, daily living tasks, or behavior reduction strategies.
Throughout the day, data is collected to track progress, and your child’s BCBA continuously adjusts goals to ensure growth. Parent collaboration is also built in, so you can learn how to reinforce these skills at home and in the community.
Our goal is for every child to leave sessions feeling successful, confident, and supported—building the foundation for long-term independence and happiness.
Progress is tracked during every ABA therapy session. Our Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) record data in real time on your child’s goals—such as communication, social interaction, daily living skills, and behavior reduction.
This information is reviewed by your Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to make data-driven decisions, update goals, and celebrate milestones. Tracking progress in each session helps ensure therapy remains effective, individualized, and aligned with your child’s needs.
We do not provide a formal autism diagnosis at Cultivate Behavioral Health & Education. However, we offer free developmental screening tools like the M-CHAT-R (recommended for children ages 16–30 months) and the CAST (recommended for children ages 4–11 years). These quick screenings can help identify early signs of autism or developmental differences and guide families toward the next steps.
If screening results suggest further evaluation, our team can connect you with our trusted diagnostician partner who can provide virtual autism evaluations for fast, convenient access to care. Once your child receives a formal diagnosis, our Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) can work with your family to begin an individualized ABA therapy plan.
At this location, ABA therapy services are currently provided exclusively in a center-based setting. Delivering therapy in a clinic environment allows for consistent routines, structured learning opportunities, and close clinical supervision, all of which support high-quality ABA outcomes.
Center-based ABA therapy also encourages peer interaction, social skill development, and access to specialized teaching materials that may not be available in a home setting. This model allows our clinical team to collaborate closely and adjust treatment plans efficiently.
Yes. Families are essential partners in the therapy process. While sessions are led by trained RBTs, parents participate through structured parent training, ongoing communication, and progress reviews with the BCBA.
This collaboration helps reinforce skills beyond therapy sessions and supports long-term success.
If you’ve noticed your child having challenges with communication, social interaction, or behaviors that affect learning and daily routines, ABA therapy may be a helpful next step. Many families reach out when they observe signs such as limited eye contact, repetitive behaviors, speech delays, or difficulty connecting with others.
At Cultivate Behavioral Health & Education, we make the process easier by offering developmental screening tools such as the M-CHAT-R and CAST—both of these screening tools are designed to help identify early signs of autism or developmental differences. These screenings are quick, free, and a great first step toward understanding your child’s needs.
If results suggest further evaluation, our team can also connect you with one of our trusted diagnostician partners to help you access a formal autism evaluation faster. Once the assessment is complete, our Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) will create an individualized ABA therapy plan designed to support your child’s growth.
Positive reinforcement is an essential component of ABA therapy. In ABA, positive reinforcement takes several forms:
Social reinforcers refer to positive responses from an ABA therapist when a child or teen accomplishes a goal. Social reinforcers could be as simple as a smile, a cheer, or a thumbs up. Social reinforcers provide a clear indication that a child or teen with ASD is doing a good job and that others recognize their behavior as praiseworthy.
Tangible reinforcers refer to physical objects that are given as a reward. Examples of tangible reinforcers include a favorite toy, a new shirt or hat, or a book.
When someone receives a tangible reinforcer after completing a task, they learn to associate task completion with gaining access to those items.
Token reinforcers serve as a type of in-house currency that can be exchanged for desired activities, items, or any rewards reinforcing for the child. Using token reinforcers connects goal completion with future rewards, teaching children and teens how to accomplish tasks for future gains. Tokens are typically customized currencies, though this may vary based on individual programming. They might take the form of themed “bucks” or tickets and are exchanged for rewards like extra playtime, food items, or special privileges.
Using token reinforcers helps motivate children to accomplish tasks or reward them for good behavior. Examples of token reinforcers include:
Tokens can be tied to specific behaviors, activities, task completion, or other measurable achievements.
Edible reinforcers are similar to token reinforcers in that they are earned or rewarded when the desired behavior is accomplished. Examples include candy, crackers, and fruit.
Importantly, these edible reinforcers are extra, fun snacks. An example of an edible reinforcer would be earning three goldfish crackers for each math problem completed or a piece of fruit for not having an outburst during a difficult situation.
Using activity reinforcers is another way ABA therapists associate good behavior and accomplishments with desired outcomes. Games, reading, or puzzles are examples of activity reinforcers, and they are gained by a child accomplishing a task or completing a goal.
Another essential component of ABA therapy services for children is referred to as the “A-B-Cs” of ABA: antecedent, behavior, and consequence. Helping children learn how the environment can affect their behavior, which in turn creates consequences, can help them learn to self-regulate and behave in a healthier fashion.
The term “antecedent” refers to the situation that occurs right before a specific behavior. Antecedents can be different for everyone, but some examples include:
Whatever the initial stimulus is, it often results in a specific pattern of behavior.
In ABA, a therapist works with a child to identify what their specific triggers are. By identifying their specific triggers, they can work to avoid these triggers, teach the child to cope with them when they happen, or practice a different behavioral response that is more adaptive.
Behaviors are the actions that a person takes immediately following an antecedent. These behaviors can often be inappropriate or unwanted and are referred to by BCBAs as “target behaviors” for change.
An example of inappropriate behavior that an ABA center for children works to change would be emotional outbursts. If a parent, therapist, or teacher asks a child to put their toys away, and they react in a strongly inappropriate manner, such as by yelling “no” or flopping on the floor, that unwanted reaction would become a target behavior for change.
Consequence is the last step of the ABCs of ABA. They refer to the outcomes that happen as a result of their behavior. In the example listed above, an emotional outburst could result in caregivers attempting to discipline the child for their behavior. They may take the child’s toys away from them or limit the amount of time they get to play with toys in the future.
Understanding how behaviors have consequences is an essential lesson. Furthermore, BCBAs can teach kids how changing the target behavior can lead to different outcomes, allowing them to associate behavior change with positive outcomes.
The ABCs in applied behavior analysis help clinicians identify target behaviors, triggering situations, and potential consequences. But they also serve as a valuable tool that helps children understand how behavior change can benefit them.
By focusing on antecedents, behaviors, and consequences, ABA therapists can teach kids and teens with ASD social behaviors. If a child responds appropriately to a known antecedent trigger, a therapist will reward them using positive reinforcement.
The ABCs not only provide a structured framework for analyzing behavior but also empower individuals with ASD by offering a clear path toward positive change. This approach fosters understanding, promotes skill-building, and encourages meaningful interactions, creating a foundation for long-term success in managing behaviors and improving quality of life.
At the heart of our Colorado Springs autism therapy center is a focus on cultivating positive change. While this includes targeted behavior change, it extends even further than that. Our program has proven results in helping teens & kids with language development, school readiness, skills for everyday life, and navigating social situations.
Each child gets a comprehensive and individualized treatment plan to help them accomplish these goals. Cultivating positive change means recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Each child with ASD has specific needs, wants, desires, and abilities. By capitalizing on their strengths and working together to overcome their struggles, they can achieve greater and greater heights.
All ABA therapy is conducted under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA). BCBAs have at least a master’s level education as well as specific training in the tools and techniques of applied behavior analysis.
These providers are responsible for each patient’s assessment, development of the treatment plan, implementation of evidence-based treatment approaches, and monitoring progress throughout their time receiving ABA services.
The BCBA is supported by behavioral technicians with specialized training in applied behavior analysis. These dedicated and supportive staff members are responsible for most of the one-on-one interactions in therapy. They work diligently to ensure that each child is getting the support and help they need.
We strive to hire only the best and brightest people for these roles — people who exemplify Cultivate Behavioral Health’s core values and treatment philosophy.
By performing ongoing assessments, the BCBA will closely track the progress of each client. As goals are achieved, the BCBA will determine the next steps and direction of treatment and see if the child is ready for transitioning to the next chapter of their life.
At the end of the day, we want to see all our learners thriving in their natural environment with the least amount of support possible. Nothing brings more joy to our staff than recognizing that they are ready for the next stage in their life!
How Effective Are ABA Services?
Both the Surgeon General and the American Psychological Association consider ABA an evidence-based treatment, and it is considered to be the best clinical practice treatment for helping kids & teens with autism spectrum disorder.
Decades of scientific and clinical research have proven that ABA improves behaviors, helps with intellectual and social functioning, and advances language development.
Put simply, ABA services are the gold standard of treatment for children who are experiencing significant challenges due to autism spectrum disorder.
Empathy and compassion are at the heart of philosophy. In order for children to grow, they need to be able to trust their treatment team. To this end, we take great care to individualize each treatment program, ensuring that therapy is personalized to each patient.
We strive to respect the unique needs of different patients and diverse families and will do everything we can to accommodate our services to your preferences.
Our center focuses on early intervention but offers autism services for a variety of young ages. The foremost goal of our entire team is to help your child grow and thrive by providing the support and clinical services they need.
Too often, families looking for ABA therapy services are faced with long waitlists, scheduling conflicts, and other roadblocks to treatment. Our autism center in Colorado Springs works hard to minimize these setbacks. Most families never wait on a waitlist at Cultivate Behavioral Health & Education, and we have minimal wait times across the board.
Our autism therapy center is here to provide as much treatment as is clinically necessary to see results. For some patients, this can be up to 40 hours a week. We don’t shy away from helping the kids who need these services the most, and we will be there to support them as much as possible for as long as necessary.
At the same time, we don’t want children who are succeeding to dedicate more time than is necessary to see improvement. The best ABA therapy is always aimed at the cessation of services.
At our ABA center, the family is always encouraged to participate in treatment. Our team can teach you the tools and skills that can have a drastic and lasting impact on your child’s life. We will show you how to incorporate them into the home. Families are always involved in developing the treatment plan, and they play a pivotal role in the success of their child’s treatment.
Paying for treatment is one of the most commonly cited reasons that people don’t enroll their child in autism services. Fortunately, most major insurance companies will cover all or part of your child’s treatment at our Colorado Springs autism center.
We have specialized team members that can help you navigate the insurance maze, check whether your plan provides coverage for ABA services, and help you make the best decision for your family. You don’t have to do this alone. We’ll be there to help you every step of the way.
At Cultivate Behavioral Health & Education, we know that hearing your child has autism can feel overwhelming. It’s natural to worry about their future and independence. We get it – that’s why our approach is built on compassion, teamwork, and a commitment to expert care. We believe supporting a child with autism is a team effort. By partnering closely with your family, we create a care plan as unique as your child. We use Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as our guide – an evidence-based approach designed to spark real change and help your child develop important, everyday skills.
Our team is here to empower you, too. We want you actively involved in your child’s growth. By building trust and keeping communication open, we create an environment where kids can truly spread their wings and reach for the stars. At Cultivate, we’re committed to weaving equity, inclusion, and diversity into everything we do. We understand each family has its own story and challenges, so we’re always ready to adapt our services to fit your needs.
Our mission is simple but powerful: collaborating to improve lives with engaging, individualized, and compassionate care. We’re here to equip you with the tools and support to navigate life’s twists and turns confidently. Because with the right support, every child has the potential to bloom in their own unique way.
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