When clinicians are pursuing their BCBA certification, they must often decide whether to pursue a career in home based therapies or a clinic/center setting. There are many reasons for choosing either setting. In this article, we’ll discuss the 4 reasons clinicians often choose home-based therapies, along with some additional considerations if you choose this path.
Building Rapport & Insight
In-home therapists can build rapport with the child as well as the entire family in a setting that is familiar. This can provide the opportunity for significant progress. At the same time, you can identify environmental insights to provide practical treatment and advice. Most families tend to be more comfortable in their own setting which often allows clinicians to identify more ways to improve the overall family interaction.
Observation
While clinics provide many unique benefits, the biggest advantage to working in a home-based environment is the ability to observe target behaviors, often as they occur. Clinicians can take a lot of time trying to understand the triggers or environment that provokes the target behaviors. But, when the clinician can view the interaction and environment that causes the target behaviors, the solution may be much clearer. For example, parents are often innocent contributors without realizing how they may be influencing the target behaviors. Observing the interaction in the family when a target behavior occurs provides unmatched insight to the clinician.
Flexible Schedule
Another big advantage to home based therapies is flexibility. Verbal Beginnings offers employees the opportunity to work as little or as much as you want. You work with your clients to set the schedule that works best for you and them, often in the evening, leaving you lots of time during the day for errands, lunch with friends, doctor’s appointments, etc.
Quality of Therapy
The quality of therapy you can provide in home-based therapies is different than most clinical settings. You have more time to observe, evaluate, and work with the child and their family in the setting where many target behaviors occur. These behaviors can often be modified by educating and including the family in the therapeutic process. By observing the interaction and responses with other family members, real progress can be made. The therapy setting can also be extended to include the backyard, a nearby playground, etc.
Home Based Therapies with Verbal Beginnings
Ideally, Verbal Beginnings believes a combination approach can be extremely helpful to the child and the clinician. Our organization provides a community-based approach, giving many in-home therapists access to tools, resources, and colleagues that can be extremely valuable when struggling with a difficult case. If you are considering a home-based career, contact Verbal Beginnings today to learn more about our community approach or check out the available positions we are currently seeking to fill! You can also give us a call at 855.866.9893 for more information.
