Frequently Asked
Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

We want to help you make the best decisions for your child. The questions and answers below are a place to start to learn more about our services and the high level of expert care available at The Behavior Exchange. We hope you find this information useful and that you take comfort knowing you're not alone. If your child has an autism spectrum disorder, attention deficits, language delays, behavioral issues, learning differences, and other special needs, we can help!

We want to help you make the best decisions for your child. The questions and answers below are a place to start to learn more about our services and the high level of expert care available at The Behavior Exchange. We hope you find this information useful and that you take comfort knowing you're not alone. If your child has an autism spectrum disorder, attention deficits, language delays, behavioral issues, learning differences, and other special needs, we can help!

Contact Us to learn more!
Is It Right For My Child?

Let's start here.

Click on each statement to get more questions.

Understanding ABA & Autism
Deciding if ABA is Right for My Child
Getting Started at The Behavior Exchange
Daily Life in ABA
Enrichment & Programs

Understanding ABA & Autism

What is autism?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition of the brain that affects how a child communicates, interacts socially, and processes the world around them. “Spectrum” refers to how autism can impact children in a wide variety of ways. Every child on the spectrum has a unique set of strengths and challenges, which means treatment and support should be highly individualized.

Should I take a wait and see approach?

No. The earlier a diagnosis, around the age of two, the better. Children learn best and more in the first fives year’s of their life than at any other time. That’s why it’s called the formative years. They are forming a foundation for learning and developing during the first five years that will have an impact on every year after that. Children with autism need help forming that foundation. If you wait and see, they could miss out.

Why do doctors recommend ABA therapy for autism? 

ABA therapy (Applied Behavior Analysis) has become the gold standard in autism care because it has proven – over decades of research and use – to benefit children in all the essential areas of their development. It uses strategies based on the principles of learning to help children build communication, language, social, motor, daily living, and academic skills that can enrich their lives.

Extensive data is collected during each ABA therapy session to document a child’s behavior. ABA therapists use the ABC (Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence) approach to better understand what happens before a specific behavior, what the behavior is, and what happens as a consequence of the behavior. With this data, therapists can begin to affect change in a child’s behavior that will ultimately help them reach their full potential.

Deciding if ABA is Right for My Child

Can ABA help my child?

ABA therapy is the gold standard autism care because it can make a difference not only for children with autism, but also children with other developmental and behavioral concerns. Click here to learn about common concerns that ABA can help with.

Does my child have to an autism diagnosis to enroll in ABA therapy?

ABA therapy can help children with other challenges, like ADHD. However, insurance companies typically require an autism diagnosis to cover ABA therapy services. If you’re in this situation, here’s what we encourage you to do:

  1. Speak with a doctor about evaluating your child for autism. Autism and challenges like ADHD often go hand in hand.
  2. Schedule an ADOS-2 evaluation to determine if an autism diagnosis is appropriate. We can fast-track the process for you. If your child does not meet the criteria for autism, we can still discuss other support options.

Can ABA therapy take the place of preschool?

Yes. Our early start program – B.E.E.S. – offers a fun, preschool-like environment where children with autism can learn critical social, communication, and academic skills to prepare for starting school and build their confidence.

Is ABA therapy an accused absence from school?

Yes, in Texas, ABA therapy is an excused absence from school per state law. The only requirement is children must either start or finish their day in school. Many families will divide their days evenly, spending half the day in school and half in ABA therapy.

Getting Started at The Behavior Exchange

What’s the process to enroll my child in ABA therapy at The Behavior Exchange?

There are a few steps from contacting us and enrolling to your child’s first therapy session. Here’s an overview.  For more details, click here.

  1. To begin the conversation, complete our short contact form. Or, you can skip that step and go directly to our enrollment form that captures more information like your insurance details.
  2. From there, we’ll schedule a multi-part assessment of your child and family with the specific purpose of designing an individualized ABA therapy plan.
  3. The final step involves securing insurance authorization and finalizing schedules to begin services.


What insurance do you accept?

We work with several major providers, including Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, TriWest, UnitedHealthcare, UMR, Cigna, Magellan, Champ VA, and others.

Do you take Medicaid?

Not at this time. Please contact your child’s doctor for assistance or find an ABA therapy provider that is listed in your child’s health plan provider directory.

What’s the age range for services? 

We specialize in early intervention ABA therapy for children as young as two and school-aged children up to 12.

Daily Life in ABA

What is an RBT?

An RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) is a trained and certified paraprofessional who works directly with children under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). RBTs provide day-to-day therapy, implement treatment plans, and track progress.

What is a BCBA?

A BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) is a master’s-level clinician who designs, oversees, and adjusts individualized ABA therapy programs for children. BCBAs supervise RBTs and work closely with families to ensure effective, evidence-based care.

What time does therapy start and end?

It varies by child based on their unique needs. We’ll provide you with hourly and weekly recommendations after our initial assessment during the enrollment process. All of our hives are open from Monday to Friday from 8:30am – 5:30pm. We also offer an extended stay service from 5:30 – 6:30pm as well as Saturday Services at our Frisco Hive from 9:00am – 3:00pm. 

What does a typical day look like at The Behavior Exchange?

There are no typical days, because each child’s schedule is tailored to their individual needs.  Depending on your child’s therapy plan, they could start by taking part in small group activities, like circle time or social skills groups, where learning goals are naturally woven into playful, engaging experiences. Or, they could be participating in one-on-one sessions with a therapist for more focused skill building. Whatever your child is doing, you can be sure they’ll be having fun and learning to thrive.

Will my child have time with other children?

Absolutely. Our hives and programs are designed to support social interaction with peers at each child’s developmental level. Children may participate in small group activities, like circle time or music and movement, or begin with more focused opportunities to interact with one peer as they build the skills and confidence to join larger groups.

Enrichment & Programs (e.g., Summer Camp, Social Skills, School Readiness)

What’s the process to enroll in Summer Camp at The Behavior Exchange? 

Our Summer Camp is an ABA therapy program offered over 12 weeks. It features all of the services available during the spring and fall semesters and has the same enrollment process, including insurance verification and authorization and an ABA assessment to design a therapy plan for your child.

Is insurance required for Summer Camp?

Our Summer Camp ABA therapy services are covered by insurance. Private pay options are also available for families without coverage.

Is it a sleep-a-way camp?

No, our Summer Camp is a day program. Children attend during scheduled hours and return home each day. This allows families to maintain their regular routines, while their child receives the benefits of structured ABA therapy.

What is the schedule like? 

Summer Camp schedules are based on the individualized therapy plan for each child and insurance authorizations. We work with families to determine the best schedule for each child’s needs.

What’s the cost for Summer Camp?

Most insurance plans cover ABA therapy, including Summer Camp at The Behavior Exchange. Families without coverage can review our private pay rates. We are happy to help you explore your options.

What’s the age range for Summer Camp? 

Our summer camp is designed for children ages 2–12, with age-appropriate activities and interaction.

How does The Behavior Exchange help my child develop social skills and build friendships?

We help children learn how to connect with others through fun, structured play and group activities. Our team teaches important skills like sharing, taking turns, and understanding feelings in a supportive and encouraging environment. We help your child build confidence and enjoy making friends.

How does your program prepare my child for school?

Our School Readiness Program helps children build the skills they need to thrive in the classroom, from following routines and listening to teachers to working with peers and learning early academics. We make learning fun and positive so your child feels confident and ready for school each day.

Didn’t See An Answer
To Your Question?

Didn’t See An Answer To Your Question?

Please give us a call at 972.312.8733 to
discuss your family’s unique needs. We’re excited to help.

Please give us a call at 972.312.8733 to discuss your family’s unique needs. We’re excited to help.

Ashvina attended University of Bombay and graduated with a Bachelors of Commerce. She got her Montessori Diploma in 1985 and taught ever since. Ashvina came to TBE in January of 2016 as Admin Assistant. During the years she got the opportunity to learn and work in different departments such as HR, Finance, Office Manager and Executive Assistant. Last summer TBE bought billing in house and her current focus area is Revenue Cycle Management. She is detail oriented and enjoys working with people. Ashvina volunteers to deliver meals to seniors and local shelters on the weekend. She loves to spend time with her family and grandkids. Ashvina loves her job because she enjoys hearing different points of view, and she feels her contributions help fuel the direction of our company.

Working with children comes naturally to Angela. Her mom was a special education teacher for 30 years and often had Angela join her for Take Your Child to Work Day. And in high school, Angela spent every summer as the nanny for a little boy with an autism spectrum disorder. It was this experience where her passion for working with children with autism started to blossom.

From there, she went on to graduate from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences. She learned about Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in a non-normative development class and from that moment knew that ABA would be her life’s work.

Angela moved to the DFW area shortly after and began working at The Behavior Exchange as a therapist. She worked on her Master’s in Behavior Analysis at the same time. A year after graduating, she earned certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Now, as a Clinical Director at The Behavior Exchange, she brings a life-long passion to her work, holding a special place in her heart for children with limited language skills and working closely with families to develop healthy sleep habits.

Danielle’s passion for working with families is deeply personal and from the heart. Her younger brother has an autism spectrum disorder, and through their journey as a family, she found her purpose in life as an advocate for individuals with special needs.

After graduating from the University of North Texas with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies, Danielle began volunteering at The Behavior Exchange. She saw passionate therapists, meaningful change for clients, and families with hope for the future. After a summer of volunteering, she officially joined the team as Director of Admissions and found her home with The Behavior Exchange family.

With her extensive experience working as a client advocate with insurance providers, Danielle perseveres to help individuals of all ages and abilities receive the services they need to reach their full potential. She feels truly honored by each and every family who entrusts The Behavior Exchange to be part of their journey and is committed to the organization’s core values, mission, and goal of being a beacon of hope for the community.

Adam has always had a passion for helping individuals of all ages thrive and reach their full potential. He’s also an enthusiastic musician, songwriter, leader, and devoted family man, who has been helping children and team members grow with The Behavior Exchange since 2010.

Prior to joining the team at The Behavior Exchange, Adam was a mortgage loan consultant and grad student, pursuing his master’s degree in Education at the University of North Texas. He graduated in 2013 and also earned a graduate academic certificate in Autism Intervention. The following year, after years as a Behavior Therapist and seeing first-hand the power of ABA and the meaningful impact it can have on children and their families, Adam became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. He then commenced from the Stagen Leadership Academy after completing the Integral Leadership Program (ILP), a 52-week practice-based program designed to develop executives serious about transforming themselves, their teams, and their organizations.

Adam is truly grateful to be a part of a dynamic, inspiring and compassionate team, and he’s dedicated to bettering the lives of all children and their families through the delivery of the highest quality of ABA services, while supporting the amazing team at The Behavior Exchange.

Soraya is from South Africa and moved to Texas in 1996. She graduated from The University of Texas and pursued a career, at that time, in Education. Soraya taught at a Montessori school for a few years and then took on a leadership role.

During her time in the education system, Soraya realized her passion was to assist children with special needs. So she joined The Behavior Exchange as a therapist, transitioned into a supervisory role in 2017, and a year and a half later, was promoted to Clinical Operations Manager.

She quickly learned the ins and outs of ABA operations and scheduling and successfully collaborates across departments to ensure The Behavior Exchange continues to provide quality services to clients and their families. She’s thankful to be part of such an amazing organization and excited to see what the future holds.

You could say Walter’s career started when he spent hours as a young child drawing superheroes and coloring maps. This passion, along with extraordinary swimming skills, landed him a full swimming scholarship at Texas Christian University, where he graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Graphics.

During the next 13 years, his design and art direction skills, conceptual-thinking abilities, and marketing-savvy know-how were honed at a few prestigious advertising and marketing agencies around the Dallas area. In the mid 2000s, he helped his wife Tammy Cline-Soza (founder and CEO of The Behavior Exchange) create a unique and concise brand for her new business. From logos and websites to uniforms, brand voice and visuals, Walter has been the main creative force for all things The Behavior Exchange.

Aside from giving birth to The Behavior Exchange brand, Walter is helping Tammy raise two amazing, beautiful children, River and Sierra. In his spare time (the two minutes he’s got per week), you can find Walter illustrating iconic landmarks of Dallas and Texas or looking around for this next open-water swim. Once he gets back in shape.

After 20 years of building The Behavior Exchange, literally from the ground up,
Tammy couldn’t be more proud of the team, culture, and organization that it has become.

As a family helping families, The Behavior Exchanges looks for opportunities that will make the biggest impact and produce life-changing outcomes – for clients, families, and even for team members. Tammy believes that if a team, a family, a community takes care of each other, the possibilities are endless and the relationships built along the way can make life more enriching and challenges easier to navigate. You could say her goal has been to build a kind of utopia full of support, love, and expertise that brings the best services possible to the community and ensures more families have access to those services.

Tammy and her family have dedicated their lives to the mission of The Behavior Exchange and continue to grow, learn, cultivate, challenge, support, and create better models for success. To that end, she is committed to her own leadership development and actively participates in advanced training, mentoring, and deep self-exploration on how to live out her purpose to love and support her family and help others reach their full potential. She takes her position very seriously and tries to serve as a channel for what the universe wants to come to fruition.

She also loves travel, gardening, being creative, MUSIC!, tennis, yoga, meditation, journaling, reading, being in nature, adventures, and more than anything, spending time with her husband Walter and their two beautiful children, River and Sierra.