The Big Picture: Understanding the SBT Framework

0.5 General CEUs

*This is a self-contained module from the “Beyond the Protocol” workshop, a comprehensive workshop on PFA and SBT.

Course Abstract: This brief module offers a big-picture orientation to Skill-Based Treatment (SBT), the intervention that grows out of the PFA. It frames how treatment builds from a foundation of reinforcement, up through a core set of skills, and out into individualized branches. Participants are introduced to the aims and assumptions that ground the model, along with key terminology and the overall sequence of steps from communication through generalization. The goal is a shared mental map of where SBT starts, how it progresses, and how its pieces fit together before later modules unpack each step in detail.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this training, participants will be able to…

• Describe the overall structure and sequence of SBT, from assessment through generalization
• Explain the core aims and assumptions of SBT, including teaching from a place of joy, prioritizing cooperation over compliance, and the assumption that interfering behavior is communication maintained by a synthesis of reinforcers
• Define the key terminology and progression of SBT, including the foundational skills of communication, tolerance, relinquishing, and transitioning and how treatment branches out from them

Presenter Bios: Liisa Podosek, MSW, M.Ed, BCBA, LBA built and delivered mentorship programs that transformed how hundreds of practitioners implement PFA/SBT and assent-based care, guiding clinicians from “I read about this” to “I can do this confidently.” She brings a trauma-informed lens to mentorship, helping practitioners navigate difficult cases and develop authentic caregiver partnerships. She currently leads the development and coordination of educational offerings through PFA & SBT Community.