With over 20 years of experience, The Behavior Exchange helps children with autism and their families overcome behavioral concerns in a nurturing learning environment. The accredited, woman-owned, family business brings hope and meaningful change into the lives of families through the positive intervention techniques of Applied Behavior Analysis therapy (ABA).

Founder and Owner Tammy Cline-Soza began her career over 20 years ago while working as an undergraduate in the North Texas Autism Project where her passion was sparked while working with a three-year-old boy who had autism and an infectious laugh. He taught her as much as she taught him. Working as a team with his parents and other professionals, she was able to provide life-changing results that gave her a fulfilling purpose and an ability to truly help others. The experience changed her life and she decided to pursue a lifelong career in ABA, following her passion for helping children with autism and supporting their families.

What is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy?

ABA is a data-driven approach in which interventions based on the principles of learning and motivation are used to significantly improve behaviors such as learning readiness, language and communication, age-appropriate play, as well as social, motor, and self-help skills.

“At The Behavior Exchange, our dedicated team helps children build new skills, engage in meaningful communication and social interactions through fun activities to prepare them for future environments such as school,” Cline-Soza said. “We also offer parent training and support sessions for parents to understand how to facilitate the use of these skills with their child outside of therapy sessions.”

Think your child could benefit? Enroll in The Behavior Exchange’s Summer Camp and see the progress your child can make.

Cline-Soza said The Behavior Exchange’s Summer Camp is a perfect opportunity for children of all skill levels to progress during the summer and participate in a theme-based, multi-modality curriculum developed in-house. Summer Camp includes one-on-one therapy and small groups, to encourage social skills and incorporates music, movement, art and much more.

To enroll, fill out the contact form on the website to get more information about their summer camp.

Fueled by passion

The ABA field has recently seen an insurgence of private investment companies opening, and it can be hard for parents to tell which organizations have a legacy of informed, excellent care and a passion to help families versus a focus on the bottom line.

The Behavior Exchange is proud to be a leader in the industry with a proven track record of effectiveness. The organization has a 3-year accreditation as a Behavioral Health Center of Excellence®—the highest accreditation possible.

“We want to let families know that we are different, and that we hold ourselves to a high standard of excellence,” Cline-Soza said. “...accreditation was created for this very reason: so families could quickly and objectively recognize the best providers of ABA therapy.”

Career paths at The Behavior Exchange

Just as Cline-Soza began her career through on-the-job training, The Behavior Exchange offers robust training programs for staff to set them on their career path. New hires can become a Registered Behavior Technician ® (RBT) which is credentialed through the national Behavior Analysis Certification Board. The RBT position requires a minimum of a high school diploma and 40 hours of training. Cline-Soza said it is a great opportunity for any entry-level applicant, college students and teachers looking for a seasonal position, and for students interested in a meaningful career in behavior analysis.

Once individuals pass their RBT exam, they can continue to grow their career by becoming a Board-Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA), which is bachelor’s level certification. They can also further their education and growth by obtaining a master’s-level BCBA certification, which is in high demand. The Behavior Exchange provides the training and mentorship required to fulfill the board’s requirements.

Cline-Soza said The Behavior Exchange mentors, provides the supervision hours, and prepares staff with everything they need to meet the requirements to get certified at these levels. The Behavior Exchange has fostered relationships with universities that offer tuition discounts to their employees and is proud to have homegrown most of their BCBA team.

“We try to home-grow our professionals and offer growth paths for every staff member because they deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential just as they help provide opportunity and life-changing development to our clients,” Cline-Soza said.

During the summer, The Behavior Exchange sees a sharp increase in enrollment of clients, and Cline-Soza said they are looking to hire and train individuals for seasonal positions to help meet the demand.

“Becoming an RBT will give individuals lifelong skills and experiences that will help them become better people, parents, and teachers,” Cline-Soza said. “Learning behavioral strategies will help them in every facet of their life and they will make meaningful relationships with our dedicated team and the families we serve along the way.”

The Behavior Exchange has three Texas locations in Plano, Frisco, and Prosper as well as one Colorado location in Boulder. Learn more about The Behavior Exchange, available summer camps and career opportunities at behaviorexchange.com.

The above story was produced by Senior Multi Platform Journalist Summer El-Shahawy with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of its "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.