Opus ABA

Thinking about ABA for your child, but not sure where to start? The first step is easier than you think — just send a text.

We know reaching out can feel like the hardest part. So we made it simple: text us, and we'll call you back at a time that works for you. No long forms, no pressure, no figuring it out on your own.

Here's all it takes:

📱 Text "HELLO" to (605) 295-OPUS — or request a callback below.
☎️ We call you back — a relaxed conversation to answer your questions and learn about your child.
✅ We handle the rest — insurance, scheduling, and every next step, so you don't have to.

That's it. You send one text; we do the legwork.

We're accepting new clients now, with in-home, center-based, and community-based ABA across the Aberdeen area. If you've been waiting for a sign to take that first step — this is it. 💛

📱 Text or call: (605) 295-OPUS (6787)
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 opusaba.com
📍 In-home · Center-based · Community-based ABA — Aberdeen, SD

When a child always says "no," the answer often isn't more pushing — it's more control. 🧩

Many autistic children dig in when they feel powerless. One simple shift can change the whole moment: instead of giving a command, offer two choices you're happy with either way.

Instead of "Get dressed" → "This shirt, or that one?"
Instead of "Come drink" → "Milk, or water?"
Instead of "Do it now" → "Now, or in five minutes?"
Instead of "Let's go" → "Walk, or hop like a frog?"
Instead of "Pick a cup" → "The big cup, or the small one?"

Either way, you get where you need to go — and your child gets to feel in control. And a child who feels in control is far more likely to cooperate, and far less likely to melt down.

Offering choices like this is part of a recognized ABA approach called antecedent-based intervention — setting the moment up for success before a struggle ever starts.

Start with the part of the day that brings the most "no." Turn one command into a choice, and watch what changes.

📞 (605) 295-OPUS
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 opusaba.com
📍 In-home · Center-based · Community-based ABA — Aberdeen, SD

One small change that research says makes a big difference: make the day visible. 📋

Many autistic children process what they see more easily than what they hear. So when the day lives only in spoken words — "in a minute we're leaving," "after lunch it's bath time" — it can feel unpredictable, and unpredictability is one of the biggest sources of stress and meltdowns.

Visual supports turn the invisible day into something a child can see and trust:

• A picture schedule that shows what's happening, and what's next
• A "first / then" board ("first shoes, then park")
• A visual timer so transitions don't come out of nowhere
• A choice board that gives your child a way to tell you what they want

Why it works: it leans on a real strength instead of a struggle. And the research is encouraging — in one 2023 study, families who added simple visual supports at home over just a few visits reported meaningfully higher quality of life and more confidence as parents. The share of families using visual supports at home went from fewer than half to nearly all of them.

You don't need anything fancy to start. Pictures on the fridge. A drawn-out morning routine. A timer on your phone held up before a transition. Start with the one part of the day that's hardest, and make just that part visible.

This is exactly the kind of everyday strategy our BCBAs build right alongside families — in your home, your routines, your child's real life. If you'd like help getting started, we're here.

📞 (605) 295-OPUS
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 opusaba.com
📍 In-home · Center-based · Community-based ABA — Aberdeen, SD

Is summer a good time to start ABA therapy?

Yes — it may be the best time of year to begin. Here's why.

☀️ A calmer start.
Starting without the pressure of school lets your child settle in, get comfortable, and build trust with their team. No homework, no rushed mornings — just space to begin well.

📚 A head start on the school year.
Summer is the perfect window to work on the exact skills the classroom asks for: routines, focus, communication, and managing transitions. Skills built now don't disappear in September — they walk into the new school year with your child.

👪 More room for families.
Without the daily school scramble, parents and caregivers have more mental space to be part of the process — to sit in, ask questions, and learn the strategies that make progress stick at home.

🌳 Real-world practice.
Longer, open days mean skills can be practiced where they actually matter — at home, in our center, and out in the community, not just at a table.

One more reason not to wait: getting started involves an assessment and insurance authorization, which take a few weeks. Beginning now means services can be up and running by the time the school year is — instead of just getting started.

If you've been thinking about ABA for your child, this is the season to take the first step. We'd love to talk it through with you, no pressure.

📞 (605) 295-OPUS
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 opusaba.com
📍 In-home · Center-based · Community-based ABA — Aberdeen, SD

Opus ABA ABA therapy for children in Aberdeen, SD. In-home, evidence-based, family-first. Revealing the brilliance within.

Before the team. Before the diagnosis. Before any of the help that finally came — there was you.

The early mornings. The quiet patience. The steady hands that showed up, again and again, long before anyone called it progress.

To every father walking this road with his child: you are one of the most important people in your child's world. Today, we see you.

Happy Father's Day, from all of us at Opus ABA.

—
Opus ABA | ABA therapy in Aberdeen, SD
📞 (605) 295-OPUS
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 opusaba.com

🎉 CONGRATULATIONS, HANNAH! 🎉

We're so happy to announce that Hannah Middlebrook is the winner of a FREE one-year subscription to The Aberdeen Insider — a $125 value! 📰🥳

Hannah entered at our pop-up event on Thursday, May 21, and we couldn't be more thrilled to see this go to a fellow member of our Aberdeen community. Enjoy a full year of local stories, Hannah! 💛

A big thank-you to everyone who stopped by, said hello, and entered that day — and to The Aberdeen Insider for partnering with us to give back to our community.

Opus ABA — Autism Therapy
📞 (605) 295-OPUS · 🌐 opusaba.com

A small tip that makes a big difference: ask once, then wait. ⏳

When you ask your child to do something and they don't respond right away, the instinct is to repeat it, rephrase it, or jump in to help. It feels like you're being supportive.

But here's the thing — many children on the spectrum need extra time to process. To take in the words, make sense of them, and plan how to respond. That quiet stretch isn't them ignoring you. It's them working. 🧠

And every time we repeat or rephrase too soon, we accidentally hit "restart" on that whole process — so they have to begin again.

So try this: ask once, then silently count to ten before you say anything else. Ten seconds can feel like forever in the moment. But that pause is often the single most helpful thing you can give your child.

It's one of the simplest tools our BCBAs use — and one of the most powerful. 💛

Save this one for tomorrow. 🌱

📞 (605) 295-OPUS · 🌐 opusaba.com · 📧 [email protected]

🎉 WE HAVE A WINNER! 🎉

This week we asked you to tell us about a great thing a kid did — and Aberdeen, you did NOT disappoint. We are not exaggerating when we say this was genuinely hard to pick. We read every comment more than once. 💛

Just look at these kids:

🛻 An 8-year-old who tows his little brother around the yard on his 4-wheeler so his little guy never feels left out. That's a big brother with real heart — he noticed someone feeling left behind and did something about it. Emotional intelligence alot grown-ups don't have. 🧡

🪀 A kiddo so big-hearted he gave away his very own yo-yo so another child wouldn't go without. No hesitation, no being asked — he just saw a kid go without and fixed it. That's a heart of gold in the making. 💛

🥞 A 5-year-old who surprised mom with breakfast in bed for her birthday. Five years old and already understands that love is something you DO for the people you care about. We absolutely melted. 🥹

🚗 And a 13-year-old who entertained his 2-year-old nephew for HOURS on a long car trip — patiently, happily, just to make the little guy giggle. No phone, no complaints, no reward. Just a big kid deciding a little one's happiness was worth his time.

Every single one of these stopped us in our tracks. Patience. Generosity. Looking out for the little ones. Thinking of others first. Parents — these are the things that matter most, and you are clearly doing the work. You should be so proud. 🧡

We promised to pick our favorite, and after going back and forth more than once, the one that truly melted us was Alana Sparling's son — that 13-year-old and his hours of giggles. That's the quiet, big-hearted kindness this whole thing was about. 🏆

🚁 Alana — your family has won the GPS camera drone + full kit! We're sending you a private message to get it to you.

This was so much fun. Aberdeen, you made our whole week. Let's do it again soon. 💛

Opus ABA — Autism Therapy
📞 (605) 295-OPUS · 🌐 opusaba.com

🚁✨ OPUS FRIDAY SMILE — let's celebrate a great kid in South Dakotah! ✨🚁

Here's what we know: Aberdeen is FULL of amazing kids doing quietly wonderful things. 💛

The little one who shared their last cookie. 🍪
The big brother who waited — so patiently — for his turn.
The kid who said sorry first.
The one who held the door, cheered for a friend, or gave the world's biggest hug today. 🤗

Those small, kind, humble moments deserve a spotlight — and this week, one of them WINS! 🎉

👇 HOW IT WORKS 👇
Drop a comment telling us ONE great thing a kid did recently — yours, your neighbor's, the kiddo down the street, anyone! 🌟

This Friday we'll pick our favorite — and that incredible kid takes home a GPS CAMERA DRONE 🚁 (case, batteries, the whole kit!).

So go ahead… brag a little. Let's flood Aberdeen with good news! 💬💛

— — — — —

🧡 Opus ABA provides autism (ABA) therapy for children in Aberdeen & across South Dakota. We'd love to talk about helping your family:
📞 Call or text: (605) 295-6787
📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Book a callback: https://opusaba.com/callback

(Open to South Dakota residents only. Adult supervision required. Not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook.)

Opus ABA ABA therapy for children in Aberdeen, SD. In-home, evidence-based, family-first. Revealing the brilliance within.

A small tip you can try today: "first, then." 🌱

When a hard moment is coming — leaving the park, getting dressed, turning off a show — name what comes right after it.

"First shoes, then the park."
"First we clean up, then snack."

It's a small shift, but it does something powerful: it turns a demand into a sequence your child can see coming. The hard part stops feeling like it's out of nowhere, and starts feeling like a step on the way to something good.

It won't work every time — nothing does. But it's one of the simplest tools our BCBAs use, and a lot of families are surprised how much calmer transitions become.

Save this one for the next tough moment. 💛

📞 (605) 295-OPUS · 🌐 opusaba.com · 📧 [email protected]