The CEU Rebellion: 5 Radical Ways BCBAs® Are Reclaiming Learning

You’ve done it all by the book.

Ethics CEUs? ✔
Supervision CEUs? ✔
Compliance? Always.

But let’s be honest—how many of those hours actually changed how you show up at work?
How many made you feel more capable, more connected, more inspired?

Because if you’re like most BCBAs®, your CEUs are a cycle of passive webinars, familiar conferences, and free downloads you forget before the email confirmation hits your inbox.

You’re learning. Technically.
But it doesn’t feel like learning.

This post isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about breaking them.
Welcome to the CEU Rebellion.

Key Takeaways

• The limitations of passive, checkbox-style CEUs

• The shift toward immersive, active learning experiences

• Escape room-style CEU sessions that promote real-time problem solving

• Podcast CEUs that blend flexibility with meaningful content

• Community-driven CEUs through live discussion and collaboration

• Curated CEU memberships that reduce overload and increase relevance

• CEUs that support career transitions and business-building for BCBAs®

Continuing education is meant to sharpen our skills, challenge our thinking, and push our field forward.
But the way most BCBAs® earn CEUs? It’s barely holding us in place.

We fall into familiar routines.
We scan the BACB® emails that come to our inbox. Sign up for the same free or low-cost webinars. Attend the same conferences year after year.
We sit. We listen. We pass the quiz. We move on.

It’s efficient. It’s compliant. But it’s rarely transformative.

In a field built on data-driven change, our learning has become passive and predictable. And for many behavior analysts, that’s starting to feel like a problem—because what’s the point of continuing education if it doesn’t help you grow?

Luckily, change is happening.

A growing number of BCBAs® are stepping off the compliance treadmill and choosing something different: immersive retreats, podcast CEUs, collaborative case studies, flexible memberships, and learning paths that align with their long-term goals.

In this post, you’ll discover five bold, research-backed ways BCBAs® are redefining what CEUs can be—and how these shifts are helping them reconnect with the work they love.

BCBAs® don’t have to settle for boring, passive CEUs — there’s a movement toward active, meaningful, and even fun continuing ed.

1. Forget Role-Play—Try a CEU Escape Room Instead

Let’s be real—most BCBAs® hate role-play.

It’s awkward. It’s artificial. And it rarely mirrors the complexity of what we actually face in the field. So even when we know active learning is more effective, we still opt for passive formats—because they’re easier. Less cringey. Less effort.

But what if there were a way to learn by doing without the forced scripts or uncomfortable pretend scenarios?

That’s exactly what’s happening at immersive CEU events like the Master ABA Summer Camp-Empower, Advocate, Transform: Disrupting Norms and Reimagining the Field.

Instead of sitting through lectures or acting out feedback sessions, participants engage in hands-on, team-based challenges that mirror real ethical dilemmas, supervision issues, and leadership decisions. Each session is crafted to embed core CEU content—like ethics and supervision—into problem-solving games, collaborative exercises, and dynamic simulations.

No staged role-plays. No one is put on the spot.

Instead, instructors co-teach and model effective feedback, shaping, and communication strategies in real time, while participants apply what they’re learning alongside their peers.

The grand finale?
An escape room-style session where BCBAs® must work in teams to “save ABA” from collapse by navigating ethical gray zones, supervision breakdowns, and systems-level challenges—applying everything they’ve learned to succeed.

Check out this video teaser about the scenario for this final session!

Who wouldn't want to earn CEUs by participating in an escape room?

It’s engaging. It’s fun. And most importantly, it sticks.

Because when you feel something, you remember it. And when you practice in a way that feels safe, supported, and real? That’s when learning transfers to your work.

Looking for ethics CEUs for BCBAs® that actually deepen your ethical judgment—or supervision CEUs that build real collaborative skills?
This is how that happens.

→ Learn more about: Master ABA Summer Camp-Empower, Advocate, Transform: Disrupting Norms and Reimagining the Field.

2. Listen, Learn, and Actually Remember It: CEUs You Can Take on the Go

You don’t need more screen time.
You need CEUs that fit into your real life—without another hour glued to your laptop.

That’s where podcast CEUs come in.

More and more BCBAs® are turning to audio-based learning as a flexible, lower-friction way to engage with topics that actually matter to their practice. And it’s not just about convenience—it’s about retention.

When you’re walking, driving, or decompressing on the couch, you’re often in a better state for reflection, integration, and big-picture thinking. That’s what makes the Action Insights podcast such a powerful tool.

Each episode of Action Insights: The Intersection of ABA & Mental Health explores the nuance of behavior analysis in real-world contexts—like trauma-informed care, emotional regulation, neurodiversity, and supervision challenges.

You’ll hear from professionals who aren’t afraid to ask hard questions or challenge the status quo—and you’ll walk away with ideas you can apply immediately.

And yes—each episode offers 0.5 CEUs for just $5.
That includes ethics CEUs, general CEUs, and even supervision content, depending on the topic. Bite-sized CEUs you can consume regularly that challenge the way you think.

Because CEUs don’t have to mean more time stuck at a desk.
They can happen during your commute, your workout, or while you’re folding laundry—and still transform your practice.

→ Start earning CEUs through the Action Insights podcast

3. Ditch the Lecture—Join the Conversation

You’ve been in the virtual crowd.
Muted mic. Camera off. Another hour-long webinar where your only job is to stay awake and click the quiz link at the end.

It’s efficient—but it’s not engaging. And it’s definitely not how most BCBAs® learn best.

We thrive on collaboration. On sharing perspectives. On wrestling with real cases, gray areas, and “it depends” moments.

That’s why more behavior analysts are shifting toward discussion-based CEUs—live events where learning happens with your peers, not just in front of them.

Inside the Master ABA Dojo, members get access to live CEU sessions that are built around interaction, not information overload. These events aren’t lectures—they’re conversations. You’ll explore supervision challenges, ethical dilemmas, and field-shaping topics with a community of curious, open-minded BCBAs® who are committed to learning out loud.

Think less “sit and get” and more:

• What would you do in this case?

• How does this apply to your practice?

• What needs to change in our field—and how can we start?

You’ll walk away not only with CEUs, but with new ideas, professional connections, and insights that stick because you helped shape them.

Looking for ethics CEUs for BCBAs® or supervision CEUs that feel like real professional growth?
Start showing up for CEUs that show up for you.

→ Join the Master ABA Dojo and be part of the conversation

4. Stop Overloading—Start Curating

How many CEUs have you signed up for just because they were free, available, or close to your renewal date?

Now ask yourself—how many of those actually helped you become a better clinician, supervisor, or leader?

Here’s the truth: when everything is required, nothing feels important. And when your CEUs are driven by availability instead of relevance, they become another checkbox instead of a catalyst for growth.

That’s why intentional BCBAs® are moving away from the “grab and go” model—and embracing curated CEU libraries that let them choose what matters most.

Inside the Master ABA Membership, we offer a monthly CEU you’ll actually want to take, plus access to a growing library of over 24+ courses per year. That means you can choose the topics that align with your goals—whether that’s ethical decision-making, burnout prevention, staff supervision, OBM, or client collaboration.

No scrolling through outdated webinars. No wondering if this topic will be worth your time. Just high-quality, research-backed CEUs, delivered consistently, designed to help you grow on purpose.

Here’s why it works:

• It removes decision fatigue

• It helps you focus on impact, not just completion

• It supports values-driven learning—what matters to you, your clients, and your career

Your CEUs should be as intentional as your treatment plans.
Stop grabbing what’s available. Start choosing what’s valuable.

→ Explore the Master ABA Membership

5. Use CEUs to Build the Career You Actually Want

Somewhere along the way, CEUs became about staying certified—instead of staying fulfilled.

But what if your CEUs could do more than check a box?
What if they helped you create something new… something bigger?

For BCBAs® who are ready to grow beyond the clinical grind, CEUs can become the bridge to a different kind of career. Whether you’re dreaming about launching a parent course, selling behavior analytic resources, starting a consulting business, or simply shifting into a more values-aligned role—your CEUs can support that vision.

Inside our Beyond Boundaries: Freedom Frameworks program, you’ll find CEUs designed for entrepreneurial, creative, and mission-driven BCBAs® who are done waiting for permission to pivot.

Courses like:

• The Busy BCBA’s® Guide: Evidence-Based Strategies to Make BST Fast and Fun
  → Learn to create interactive PSI-style resources you could actually sell.

• Unstuck & Unstoppable: Leveraging ACT to Achieve Your Biggest Career Goals
  → Use ACT to clarify your next move, overcome imposter syndrome, and shift without losing your identity as a behavior analyst.

These CEUs don’t just expand your skills—they expand your options.

Because staying in this field doesn’t have to mean staying in the same role forever.
You can keep your certification and create a career that lights you up.

→ Explore the Freedom Frameworks CEU program

Reclaiming the Purpose of Continuing Education

CEUs were never supposed to be a burden.

They were meant to sharpen your thinking, connect you to your community, and expand what’s possible in your practice. But somewhere along the way, they became just another task—something to survive, not something to enjoy.

You’re not wrong for feeling burnt out.
You’re not alone if you’ve been coasting through webinars just to get the hours.
And you’re definitely not the only one who wants something more.

The good news? That something more is already here.

From immersive retreats and podcast CEUs to community-driven discussions and career-building courses, BCBAs® across the field are rewriting what continuing education can look like. Not just to stay certified—but to stay connected, curious, and in control of their growth.

So here’s the question:

What would it look like if your next CEU didn’t just check a box…
…but actually changed the way you work, lead, or live?

It’s time to learn like it matters again.