about

Our Mission

At Hunterdon Behavior Therapy, our mission is to utilize evidence-based principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to create positive behavior change and build daily functional skills in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  We strive to make a difference in the lives of our clients and provide them with the necessary skills to maximize their potential at home, school, and in their community without compromising who they are as individuals.

Our Philosophy

At Hunterdon Behavior Therapy, we believe that every child can meet his or her full potential through individualized, data-driven, one-to-one therapy.  We use only evidence-based treatment methods centered on the principles and procedures of Applied Behavior Analysis, and tailor our approach to the needs of each child.  Treatment plans are developed based on thorough assessments of a child’s skills and barriers, implemented by Board Certified Behavior Analysists. We believe that a child’s motivation is a key element to learning, so we spend time getting to know each and every child through “pairing” sessions before therapy sessions begin.  This also helps to ensure the child begins their journey with the comfort of a friendly, familiar face.

Our treatment plans focus on creating positive behavior change and building daily functional skills.  We believe that all forms of behavior, whether functional or not, are forms of communication.  Knowing this, we look to minimize maladaptive behaviors, while increasing proficiency in foundational skills such as joint attention, requesting and communicating wants and needs in a more functional way, cooperation in tasks, and imitation of others in various settings.  Our treatment plans use a variety of evidence-based ABA strategies including Practical Functional Assessments and Skill Based Training (PFA/SBT), Verbal Behavior strategies, Natural Environment Training (NET), Discrete Trial Training (DTT) and Fluency Based Instruction.  Hunterdon Behavior Therapy emphasizes positive reinforcement methods in our treatment plans which help to promote generalization of positive behavior changes, so that the progress in therapy sessions extends to the home, school, and community settings.  Oftentimes, a child’s skill level and current needs change throughout the ABA therapy process.  We collect and analyze data on a daily basis to ensure that your child is making progress towards the treatment goals outlined in his or her treatment plan. If our analysis shows that a child is not making progress, we will modify elements of our programs to find what works best for that individual.

Hunterdon Behavior Therapy knows the impact of Autism Spectrum Disorder is not just limited to the child who has a diagnosis.  Each child, sibling and family member has a unique experience with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and it can affect several different aspects of daily living.  We make sure to understand the highest priorities of the families we serve and include parents in the treatment programming from start to finish.  We also conduct parent interviews before the start of therapy and provide parent training throughout the duration of the treatment period.  We understand that in many cases, ABA Therapy is only one component of your child’s overall support system.  Hunterdon Behavior Therapy works in collaboration with in-school child study teams, Speech and Language Pathologists, feeding therapists, Occupational Therapists and other related providers to ensure our treatment plans align with, and support your child’s overall goals.