Applied Behaviour Analysis Coaching:
Think like a Scientist and Change Challenging Behaviours
At any age, children can struggle with frustrations and expectations. Angry outbursts, aggression, tantrums, refusal, and prolonged periods of crying can happen when life seems like it’s too much for a young child. Of course, life is full of challenges at any age and learning how to cope is an important part of growing up. But when frustrations and outbursts are frequent—and still present as a child grows—a distressing cycle can take hold that can be hard to break.
Children with neurodevelopmental differences—like Autistic children or those with ADHD—can experience lots of frustrations when skills are lagging or on a unique trajectory. Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) can help you determine what is driving your child’s behaviors—including their effective and more challenging ones—and help you support your child’s development and mental health by considering the purpose of behaviour. At Possibilities, our Registered Behaviour Analyst (RBA) can support you in this task, offering compassionate, individualized coaching designed to build on your family’s strengths and priorities. Parent Coaching, grounded in principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis, is designed to empower you. Our goal is to help you feel confident, capable, and supported as you foster meaningful growth in your child during these formative years.
Here are some frequently asked questions, about this service along with our answers.
In direct therapy, a Registered Behaviour Analyst (RBA) works one-on-one with your child. In Parent Coaching, the RBA leverages ABA therapy and empowers you to apply strategies across natural environments—home, community, or childcare—ensuring consistent support throughout your child’s day.
At Possibilities, our ABA Coaching service with our Registered Behaviour Analyst focuses on early intervention for children up to 12 years of age. Through this evidence-based approach, you’ll gain practical, sustainable strategies to support your child’s communication, social engagement, daily living skills, and behaviour regulation—all within the context of your everyday routines.
Working collaboratively with you, our RBA will assess your child’s current strengths and needs, help set developmentally appropriate goals and guide you in implementing effective techniques that feel natural and doable in your family life. Coaching sessions may include guided instruction, live modelling, role-play or real-life practice, video feedback, and simple data tracking—always customized to what matters most to you.
This service can target a wide range of goals, including:
- Functional communication (e.g., requesting, labelling, commenting)
- Social play and engagement (e.g., joint attention, turn-taking, early peer interaction)
- Emotion regulation and coping strategies
- Transitions and daily routines
- Toilet training and other self-care skills
- Reducing challenging behaviours (e.g., aggression, self-injury, tantrums)
This coaching service is designed for parents or caregivers of young Autistic children up to the age of 12 years. It is also helpful for parents of children who are showing early signs of developmental differences—particularly during the early-intervention window (approximately 18 months to 6 years) when consistent, targeted support offers the greatest long-term benefit.
When a Registered Behaviour Analyst (RBA) works with your family, you’ll learn how to become a keen observer of your child’s behaviour. With keen observation you can learn about factors that drive and maintain your child’s challenging behaviour. On the flip side, you can learn strategies that might reduce those behaviours, too. At times, you might seek support to help increase your child’s ability to get started and complete tasks, like homework or routine chores. Or you might wonder how self-help skills can improve to make those getting ready for school or bedtime transitions run more smoothly. Through an Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) lens, you’ll learn strategies to build skills too!
Each 50–minute session is customized to your family’s goals and may include observation, strategy discussion, live or video-based modelling, hands-on skill-building, problem-solving around behaviours raising concerns, and constructive feedback. Sessions are scheduled weekly or bi-weekly, either in-person or virtually.
Yes. Caregiver-mediated intervention has strong research support, especially for young Autistic children. Studies show that when caregivers receive ABA-based coaching, they can implement strategies more effectively, leading to measurable improvements in their child’s communication, behaviour, and social development.
An initial 50-minute Intake Interview is designed to help you set a path forward. The intake fee is $300, which includes a 50-minute session. You will receive a report following this initial meeting. After that, each individual 50-minute coaching session is $200. Check with your insurance provider to see if services offered by a Registered Behaviour Analyst (RBA) are covered.
