Beyond Board Games: Redesigning Social Skills Groups in ABA with Lee Courrau

Beyond Board Games: Redesigning Social Skills Groups in ABA with Lee CourrauIn this episode of In the Field: The ABA Podcast, I sit down with Lee Courrau, behavior analyst and founder of Launch Kids Academy, to explore why social skills instruction is often treated as an afterthought in ABA—and how we can do better. Lee shares his journey from RBT to curriculum developer, highlighting the missed opportunities he saw in traditional social skills groups and how that inspired him to create structured, play-based approaches that truly engage learners.We talk about practical strategies for designing effective social skills groups, the importance of honoring self-advocacy, and how leaders can better prepare and support technicians beyond the 40-hour training.Key Topics:The Problem with “Wing It” Groups: Lee shares his early experiences with unstructured social skills groups and why they often fail to produce meaningful outcomes.From Afterthought to Impact: The financial, clinical, and staff engagement costs of underdeveloped social skills programming—and the missed opportunities for generalization.Assessment and Readiness: Why a lack of social skills assessments holds back progress, and what indicators suggest a learner is ready to join a group.Creative, Play-Based Approaches: Examples like art, cooking, lemonade stands, and functional skills that create natural opportunities for interaction, independence, and fun.Curriculum Development: How Lee’s structured social skills curriculum balances engagement, structure, and flexibility, with built-in modifications for individual learners.RBT Training and Support: Why the 40-hour model isn’t enough, and how leaders can provide ongoing training, shadowing, and role-play opportunities to build staff confidence in group settings.Key Takeaways:Social skills groups should not be an afterthought—when structured well, they improve learner outcomes, staff engagement, and organizational sustainability.Honoring self-advocacy and embedding choice is critical for building skills that truly generalize beyond the therapy room.Leaders can strengthen staff development by training technicians in group dynamics and providing systematic support beyond initial certification.Keywords: Social Skills Instruction, ABA Curriculum, Group Programming, RBT Training, Staff Development, Behavior Analysis, Generalization, Launch Kids Academy, Lee Courrau, Applied Behavior AnalysisConnect with Lee Courrau:Website: Launch Kids AcademyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecourrau/Subscribe to the Podcast: Don’t miss more conversations with leaders rethinking how we supervise, train, and deliver services in ABA. Subscribe to In the Field: The ABA Podcast for insights, strategies, and practical tools. Visit Sidekick Learning for more resources on supervision, training, and professional development.Disclaimer:BCBA®, BACB® [or any other BACB® trademark used] is/are registered to the Behavior Analytic Certification Board® BACB®. This website and products are not in any way sponsored by the BACB®.All information and products are for educational purposes only.