Navigating Feeling Judged as a BCBA: How to Stay Grounded When Your Work Is Being Picked Apart

Being a BCBA is deeply rewarding, but it also comes with a unique pressure that many people outside the field do not see. You are constantly making clinical decisions that directly affect a child’s development, a family’s hope, and a team’s workflow. Because of that, people have opinions. They talk about your programs, question your choices, compare your approach to someone else’s, or make comments that feel like subtle criticism. Over time, it can make even the strongest clinician wonder, “Am I even good at this?”

If you have ever felt judged as a BCBA, you are not alone. The goal is not to eliminate judgment completely but to develop the psychological flexibility to navigate it without losing your confidence or your compassion.

1. Separate your identity from your work

Clinical feedback or opinions about your programs are not a reflection of your worth. They are data points. A BCBA’s role is to make decisions based on evidence, not emotions, and to adjust when needed. When you detach who you are from the work you produce, judgment feels less personal and more like part of the clinical process.

Reframe: Instead of “They think I am a bad BCBA,” try, “This is information about how my work is being perceived. I can evaluate it and decide what is useful.”

2. Remember the context others cannot see

People often comment without having the full picture. They may not know the client’s history, the barriers you are managing, the parent dynamics, the insurance limits, or the clinical reasoning behind your choices. You know the entire case. That matters.

3. Anchor yourself in your values

Your values are the foundation of your practice. Compassion, ethics, progress, and dignity guide you more than outside opinions ever could. When you operate from values, you become less reactive to judgment and more stable in your decisions.

Ask yourself: What kind of BCBA do I want to be in moments when others are watching? What about when no one is watching?

4. Use supervision as a grounding tool

Every BCBA needs consultation. It protects you, your clients, and your peace of mind. Running your reasoning by another clinician can bring clarity and help you feel more assured that your decisions are sound. This is not weakness. It is part of ethical practice.

5. Allow feedback, but reject internalized shame

There is a difference between being open to feedback and absorbing every comment as truth. Some feedback helps you grow. Some simply reflects someone else’s bias, lack of information, or limited experience. You can listen without taking everything in.

Use this filter: Is this feedback clinically relevant? Is it accurate? Is it coming from someone with expertise? Can this improve client outcomes?

If the answer is no, release it.

6. Build psychological flexibility

Psychological flexibility allows you to handle difficult thoughts and emotions while still acting in alignment with your values. It helps you stay present, open, and grounded instead of spiraling when you feel judged.

A few quick strategies:• Name the feeling without attaching a story to it.• Notice the thought instead of fighting it.• Redirect your focus back to the child and the treatment goals.• Remind yourself that discomfort does not equal incompetence.

7. Give yourself grace

Most BCBAs are harder on themselves than anyone else. You care deeply about your clients and your work, which makes criticism sting more. Remember that growth is part of the job. You are allowed to evolve, adjust, and learn. That does not make you inadequate. It makes you ethical.

Final Thoughts

Being judged as a BCBA can shake your confidence, but it does not have to define you. When you understand your values, stay grounded in evidence, and practice psychological flexibility, you develop a resilient clinical identity. Your strength comes not from being perfect, but from continually choosing integrity, compassion, and clinical excellence even when it feels uncomfortable.

References

Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2016). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change. Guilford Press.

Luoma, J. B., Hayes, S. C., & Walser, R. D. (2007). Learning ACT: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Training Manual for Therapists. New Harbinger Publications.