Ellie🥂

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella @signguidelines Yes completely. I feel I will be listened to in the industry if I have a qualification. E.g. If I am trying to explain all of the reasons ABA is bad, and I can say I am an RBT so I have witnessed the problematic teaching and I also have experience in ABA, it may be taken onboard.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella @signguidelines Providing a STRIKE or ELECTRIC SHOCK as a positive punishment. Whilst the lecturer states “these were used very early in our field and we have developed since then” - WHY use them as examples?!

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella @signguidelines (1) Update: I am still completing my RBT qual - purely so I can learn everything about the field and know all the reasons behind my decision to leave (and hopefully help to ban this career). Whilst completing todays module, I was taught this …

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@Robert_Paulson7 I am an ABA tutor and I agree that #ABAisabuse 👍🏼 I am in the process of leaving my job due to the realisation of the long-term ramifications on mental health from ABA. I have been trained to do things that aren’t right. I have first hand experience. De-bunk that.

[Kourtnie @k_mckenzie]

@ShonaDav The #ABAWorks “success stories” sounded like autistic children learning how to mask; so they’re set up for a future of pleasing NTs, not self-care.

I want to tell parents to teach coping/loving skills to their children instead, but—how?

I think they think masking is better.

[C.L. Lynch @lynchauthor]

No one is disputing that #ABAworks
But consider this
1. The base mindset/goals are wrong so it successfully accomplishes bad things.
2. There are other autism therapies that Also work.
3. Those therapies don’t have former students campaigning against them.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella @signguidelines Could I go as far as to say, that ABA attempts to make neurotypical peoples lives easier - not autistic peoples lives easier?

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella @signguidelines Exactly - every article consistently refers to ABA being evidence-based but when trying to find the evidence, I am coming up empty. Also blowing my mind about Lovaas using behaviour modification to ‘treat feminie-boys’. Fucked up.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella ABA is the most effective 'treatment' for children with autism, but never backed up by any studies or statistics.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella I will definitely share responses. Depending upon how long they are I may DM them to you, and then it is up to your discretion what you feel is best to share.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella Also, I was supposed to be taking part in an Autism conference where I help to promote ABA. As of last night I have withdrawn my presence from this, and I have asked all of these questions highlighted by twitter to my boss to see how they respond.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@killen_tara @drusjella @abaukdiscussion @KieranRose7 @AusomeIreland @DivergentSLT @AnnMemmott @NeuroClastic @thriving_autist Thank you for these resources.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella However, I understand how it is all based off the same flawed principles which does not deem it morally right. I am looking at moving over to SLT.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella (1) No I am not only the SBA register and only had to complete around 2 hours online training to start as an ABA tutor (this highlights how little I know). What I meant by the UK do it differently is we don't reinforce eye contact, or try to block stimming.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella We are taught the term non-verbal here, but yes I mean non-speaking. Also, in the UK we don't do more hours - I only work 6 hours with a child a week and that is broken into three 2 hour slots. And honestly I can't answer that for my org as again I am very new to this profession.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@MorningGloryVT @AutSciPerson Thank you, I totally agree with everything I am reading. A lot of things I was trained to do felt wrong to me, but we were told "it helps them in the long run" etc, but I am so glad I am being opened up to this, as I feel they are being treated like circus animals.

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella Also I am an ABA tutor in the UK. Think this is similar to an ABA therapist in US (however we truly do it so differently here).

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@abaukdiscussion @drusjella I am not defending or promoting ABA in any of these tweets. So would things like Speech and Language therapy be better? (For non-verbal children who need help developing speech).

[Ellie🥂 @MayBurley]

@drusjella @abaukdiscussion (4) What is the best thing I can do for them? I would genuinely like your opinion and I will listen to it wholeheartedly. I want to be apart of the group of people who ban harmful ABA practice and employ a better future for people with ASD.