aba therapist

behavioral therapist

speech language pathologist

occupational therapist

board certified behavior analyst

Partners In Excellence

The turnover rate for behavior therapists should be considered a warning for the difficult nature of this position and the amount of support and value that the company considers for your role. Despite being the primary agents in delivering therapeutic programming to the children, behavior therapists are not valued enough for the company to make necessary changes and accommodations to retain valuable employees. In my opinion, the quality of therapy depends primarily on the behavior therapists. Partners in excellence does not prioritize the quality of therapists which impacts the clients they claim to serve. I am not implying that the therapy is not extremely valuable to the clients. I am suggesting that it would be better for the clients if the turnover rate of behavior therapists wasn't so high. 

I had the unique experience of working at 2 locations (Minnetonka and Burnsville). The work environment is extremely dependent on the supervisor you are assigned to. My experience in Minnetonka was much more positive than in Burnsville. In Burnsville I was able to see the flaws in corporate / the company itself. I will not disclose any personal information about my superiors but I will give an overview of why my supervisor in Burnsville was the reason I could not remain at the company. 

I worked here for almost 2 years (which is considerably a long time given the turnover rate). I was a valuable therapist considering my experience and knowledge of the role. I received outstanding yearly performance reviews. I am humble but I was a good person for this type of work and I went above and beyond.  I took on more responsibility than I was compensated for. I reached a point where the extra tasks given to me was more than I could handle. I would go home and have to plan for the next day. My work life balance suffered and not only caused me stress but also my fiancé. 

I made several requests for help and a more even distribution of responsibilities for my coworkers in the same role that I was in so that it was more fair and less overwhelming for me. No changes were made to help. In fact, generally the opposite of my requests were granted. It is worth mentioning that I had disclosed disabilities and mental health issues with medical documents to corporate and to my supervisor in these meetings leading up to my resignation several times with no accommodations. 

I was not alone in viewing my supervisor as inadequately performing her responsibilities. Almost everyone would recognize that she was hardly ever present to observe the environment which she was supervising. When she would be present, she would observe clients who were less challenging while looking at her phone the entire time. 

Being the primary reason I decided to leave, I mentioned this explicitly in my exit interview. Rather than listening to my constructive and brutally honest criticism, I was gaslit by the building supervisor as well as the HR manager. Everything was my fault. It was my fault that I couldn't handle the extra responsibilities given to me disproportionately compared to my coworkers. It was my fault I didn't tell my supervisor how to do her job and fix the things she said she would change (which was a daily occurrence). The exit interview itself caused me a panic attack. 

I didn't want to leave. But there was not enough support in Burnsville for me to handle the difficult role of behavior therapist. Keep in mind that this population of clients regularly engage in challenging behavior including biting, scratching, throwing large items, and attempting to run away from the building, etc... 

It wasn't an easy job, but it was rewarding and I absolutely loved the kids I served. I would have stayed if the reasonable things I requested were honored. 

It is worth mentioning that you will get sick often and there are no sick days and if you do not have enough accumulated PTO you will be forced to either take unpaid time off or come into work sick. Unfortunately many people come in sick to ensure a regular paycheck as well as to avoid scrutiny for work performance for taking unpaid time off (even if you are genuinely sick). 

Be warned that they will try to discredit these statements. Be mindful that many of the short positive reviews have been posted due to the incentive given by corporate that writing a positive review will give you the chance to win a $25 gift card. The negative reviews are the most honest. 

If you are the right person for this type of work, you will inevitably love the children and your coworkers. I can only hope that the valuable employees are treated as such and receive the support they need to handle the difficult job. 

I’ve been working here 3 months. My supervisor and the primary behavior technicians try their best to train you, but staffing is so short you get thrown into the deep end. I had experience with autism but not ABA. The video training is good, but I’m a hands on learner and barely got any supervised time doing therapy. 3 months in I feel fairly comfortable with most programs but totally lost on others. I have brought it up but so far no further training. 
I do think they train better if you are full time. I’m part time. 
The day is very go go go. You get a lunch break but typically less than 30 minutes because the person relieving you is rarely on time. Your lunch break is not a consistent time and can be as late as 1:30. They theoretically offer 4 7 minute breaks per day but there is not good way to actually take them.  As someone who takes my jobs seriously I don’t get breaks.  There’s no way to continue therapy and take a break at the same time. 
The management in my pod (what each room is called) is good, but overall the company could improve a lot. People work sick all the time because otherwise you use your paid time off which you NEED for vacation so you get an actual break. 
It’s theoretically a scent free work place but that is not enforced at all. 
The pay is low for what you do. And they don’t give much above base pay for experience. Aggression is common towards staff. They try to train you how to handle it. 
The kids can be really sweet and seeing the progress is fulfilling. 

Overall it’s an okay work place. For part time the benefits aren’t too shabby. But burn out is super common due to management errors. And it’s hard to get accommodations for allergies/disabilities. 



Overall I had a great work experience at Partners. After leaving, I learned they pay well, there are advancement opportunities, and the people you directly work with are friendly and helpful. They also offer very intensive trainings to make you feel comfortable. However, management is rarely involved in you day and the center manager wanted employees to feel comfortable going to her but she was hardly on site and wasn’t approachable. The center manager has also made many comments if an employee is interested in additional schooling the manager doesn’t care to invest time into those employees, but will still hire. Additionally, if you provide any type of notice (2 weeks or 2 months) the manager doesn’t think that employee needs to “finish out their job”. I wasn’t able to attend meetings for my clients due to leaving but I knew the clients from the day they started. Lastly, they have yearly skills assessments which when I started were taken very seriously and it helped hold staff accountable to providing exceptional therapy to clients. However, as time went in and the center expanded, the seriousness of the assessments decreased and so did the thoroughness of therapy. Also after working for a few years there I felt that they treated new staff with more respect and cared about their thoughts and opinions more than the veteran staff. 

I came here to help the kids but after working here for a number of years it is clear to see that the kids are NOT a priority for this company, money is. They cut so many corners to make and save money at the expense of both clients and employees and it's getting worse and worse. So glad I got out when I did. They got rid of our 15 minute breaks so the only break you are given is a 30 min lunch break which most of the time you don't get the full amount of time because you have to deal with behaviors. The rooms are packed with kids and adults to multiple capacity making working here a sensory nightmare and the kids are expected to perform well in an environment like that. They don't send kids home when they are sick unless they have a "fever". To check if they have this fever they use broken and inaccurate thermometers that haven't been recalibrated in years and they know this. So basically kids are almost never going home sick unless they have an extremely high fever. Employees are barely given any sick days and once those are gone PTO had to be used and trust me you will get sick often! There is a huge turnover rate for staff who get burned out after a few years here. 

If you need a temporary job then this place would work ok. Pay is good but not nearly enough for what you are expected to go through. I will also say that my coworkers were amazing and kids are adorable! Which made the job bearable for awhile.

Before applying to Partners, you need to be very confident in your ability to be patient and energized around kids. If you don't like kids, or don't work well with them, this is not the job for you. The job is very physically demanding but at the same time its such a good workout. Because of insurance reasons (I believe), we are only allowed to take 7 minute breaks throughout the day, but every single staff member (including supervisors and higher level therapists) are super supportive and available if a 7 is needed. In my experience, the workplace culture is very friendly and supportive, and I don't dread going to work every day like I have with previous jobs. It's incredibly rewarding to be able to help children learn in accessible ways for them, and while you may experience some physical aggression throughout your time here, everyone is incredibly helpful and willing to come to your aid as soon as its needed. Overall, this job is the longest I've ever worked somewhere, and that's truly because the work environment is so validating and because you can see how you're helping the kids. If you love working with kids, and won't take it personally or mind much if you get scratched or your hair gets pulled once in a while, this job is definitely a good place for you. 

Partners is a great place to work! The management is working hard everyday to help their employees grow. There is room for advancement when you work hard. The company really cares about employees. During the pandemic the owners paid for our benefits while we were required by state to close in the spring. The company also offered hazard pay when reopened  because we are essential workers. They even give small holiday gifts to show appreciation. 

Working with the kiddos can be really hard at times but rewarding in the end. It’s exciting to see the impact and progress that we as therapists have made in each of our client’s lives. The pod teams are often fun and very helpful when needed. The supervisors are always checking in and keeping employees safe and answering questions as needed.

Partners clients are constantly changing (the nature of ABA and working with disabilities) be ready to be active and on your toes to keep up with the changes. The company needs shift often due to client needs shifting. You must be flexible and open to change to be fit for this job. 

The kids and therapists were super fun to be around. Company went through way too many changes in a super short period of time with little to no support from management. Programming changed significantly during the time I was there and the center really lost sight of ABA principles. Began to feel like daycare and even overheard new hires referring to it as that, saying that is what it felt like coming in. A large number of therapists left within the span of 2-3 months due to stress during the changes being made, including some that had been with Partners for years. New staff were training newer staff and quality of therapy greatly declined. Supervisors were preoccupied with all the change and were rarely on the floor to see anything that was going on. I loved the kids and felt like I really benefitted from the skills that I learned, however the stress from all the changes the company threw at us and the lack of structure just won in the end. If Partners can get back on track with their therapy, learn how to better support their staff, and prevent more change from happening all at once in the future I really believe in the company and their ability to help kids. 

A typical day at Partners, for me, is getting to complete direct therapy with one or more client(s) at a time, conducting protocol modification with other practitioners, inputting progress data into client's databases, and meeting with other staff to coordinate about progress and novel goals. I have learned beginning to moderate levels of ABA therapy since starting at Partners, and have had additional trainings in leadership as well as behavior modification. Management at Partners has changed over the course of 2 1/2 years, and has become such an empathetic and supportive system here! Workplace culture here is really fun and it is understood that everyone is 'in this together' and supports one another to no end! The hardest part of the job is definitely running out of energy some days when trying to keep up with the kiddos! The most enjoyable part of the job is interacting with amazing kids who make such impressive progress over time, and being able to see the changes in behavior, acquired skills and language in center and hear about improvements in the home too! Watching these kids reach their highest potential is such a gift!

La Crosse PIE is one of the best locations because overall there is really wonderful leadership and organization. Every company has its flaws and there's always room for improvements, but this Partners provides you with proper training and a great work culture. Generally everyone gets along in and outside of the workplace and that's a really important key in such a fast paced environment. Yes it will get stressful and overwelming, but it's easy to grow passionate in this field. The job growth opportunity can be challenging and slow, but this company wants to double its client intake in the next four years so the pace is picking up. I currently work at the La Crosse location and I love the experiences this job has offered to me. Definitely apply to this location if you're looking for a job that provides you with a positive environment, challenges you every day, and can offer competitive pay for this type of center.

Supportive supervisor and coworkers. Everyone works as a team and works in the best interest of our clients. Super great training program. 2 paid 15 minute breaks with 30 minute unpaid break. Great place to get experience in ABA/mental health/children. I have experience working at other ABA therapy centers in MN, and I can say Partners has the most established/structured program. Also, with their policies in place, they definitely have more ethical practices when working with children with ASD. Again, co workers are great and welcoming. Open to teaching and mentoring you to hone your skills!

These aren't cons but you need these traits to work here successfully: if you can't handle working in fast paced, new environment, with kids, kids that can be challenging, if you aren't patient or can't maintain a positive attitude on tough days, this job isn't for you.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Aba therapist 32 salaries reported	$26.01 per hour
Behavioral therapist 3 salaries reported	$14.67 per hour
Speech language pathologist 7 salaries reported	$38.89 per hour
Occupational therapist 8 salaries reported	$41.74 per hour
Board certified behavior analyst 20 salaries reported	$87,689 per year

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