CEU Course 2 – Rapport and Therapeutic Relationships

CEU Course 2 — Rapport and Therapeutic Relationships is a self-paced online professional development course for Registered Behavior Technicians. Explores the ethical side of working relationships in ABA: influence among peers, boundaries, honest documentation, confidentiality, social media and the gray areas that test professional judgment.

The content covers and expands on the RBT 40-hour training outline and the RBT Ethics Code (2.0). Every lesson keeps to the RBT scope of practice: implementing the plan as written, documenting objectively, and bringing clinical decisions to the supervising BCBA.

Learning objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Explain how influence and power affect relationships with peers, clients and caregivers, and how to use influence ethically.
2. Identify appropriate professional boundaries with peers, clients and families, including dual relationships.
3. Describe ethical documentation practices, including objective language, timely entries and accurate time records.
4. Apply confidentiality requirements to team conversations, shared spaces and social media.
5. Use a structured approach to navigate ethical gray areas and bring concerns to the supervisor.
6. Describe self-care practices that protect ethical performance.

Lessons (9)

• Module 2 — Ethics & Professional Judgment: 2.1 Ethics Beyond Compliance; 2.2 Power & Influence; 2.3 Boundaries with Peers; 2.4 Documentation Ethics; 2.5 Confidentiality in Teams; 2.6 Ethical Use of Social Media; 2.7 Navigating Gray Areas; 2.8 Ethical Self-Care; 2.9 Module Review

Format and completion

• Every lesson includes an instructional video, a Deep Dive audio episode with a visual guide, a Lesson Guide, an interactive worksheet, and a scenario-based quiz (80% to pass, up to three attempts).
• Estimated learning time: about 8 hours.
• To complete the course, finish every lesson and pass every lesson quiz. Lessons you already completed in the Lead RBT Professional Development Certificate are shared with this course.

Professional Development Units (PDUs)

Under the BACB requirements in effect since January 1, 2026, RBTs complete 12 PDUs every two years. PDUs for this course are pending approval: BxM Education is not yet issuing PDUs for it, and it should not be counted toward RBT recertification until approval is confirmed. These lessons are also part of the Lead RBT Professional Development Certificate; the BACB does not award PDUs twice for the same activity in a cycle.