A Human Take on ABA Therapy
The ABA industry used to be about helping children with autism grow toward greater independence. Now it's become oversaturated with a revolving door of clinicians, administrative runarounds, and AI-generated companies, and somewhere in that, a lot of kids ended up stuck indoors, waiting for progress that comes slowly.
We're building something different. StarRise looks for the spark in every child: the activities, places, and moments that light them up, and builds therapy around it, at home and out in the community where life actually happens.
Whether you're just starting to look for ABA care, or you've already lived through the other kind, you're in the right place.
What Good ABA Actually Looks Like
Your Child Deserves Care That Actually Delivers
Navigating an autism diagnosis for your child is hard enough. Many families don't know where to turn, and precious time gets wasted. ABA is most effective when children are able to start early. That's why we designed our clinical philosophy around these core values:
✦ You may be new to ABA. You may have already lived through what happens when this industry loses sight of the kids it's supposed to serve. Either way, you deserve a team that puts your child and family first.
We Build Community Around Care
What Makes StarRise Different
Most providers in this space are optimizing for billable hours and investor returns. We're not.
You've probably noticed that a lot of ABA and healthcare websites read like they were written from the same AI prompt: vague mission statements, stock photography, and language that could describe any company. Often, they were. AI-generated content is common in this industry now, and it shows. Every word on this page was written by our own team, and when you call for a consultation, a real person answers.
We build consistent care teams that are committed to this work. They communicate clearly, collaborate with your family, and focus on progress that shows up in the moments that matter most. Our goal is for your child with autism to shine as bright as the stars.
In our innovative system, you choose your level of involvement, from just staying looped in, to weekly parent workshops or extensive training sessions alongside other families. At StarRise, we're also building real relationships with outside providers and gathering community resources in every state we operate in, so you're never alone.
We also know you're not only a caregiver. You're a person and a partner, carrying things no one prepared you for. Our workshops go beyond technique into the real stuff: burnout, guilt, self-care, and holding onto your own sources of meaning. When parents are supported, kids thrive.
Built by People Who Believe in This Work
Fayna Pearlman, our CEO, was drawn to StarRise because healthcare can too easily become transactional, and she believes clinical excellence and humanity should strengthen each other, not compete. Meet the team behind StarRise, including our Clinical Director, Elliott Miller.
Meet the TeamOur Mission
Rebecca, our lead recruiter, has a daughter on the autism spectrum. She remembers how hard it was just to get care started; it took her years to get off a waitlist. Because of ABA, her daughter now attends college.
People like Rebecca lead StarRise: people who've sat on the other side of this system and know exactly where it tends to fail.
ABA works. Decades of research back that up. But research doesn't help anyone without real support behind it, and your involvement in it. Our goal is simple: give every family the tools to help their child reach real independence, and push this industry to work better for the kids it's supposed to serve.
We Measure What Actually Matters
What Progress With ABA Can Look Like
Every child's path is different, and no one can promise a specific outcome. But here's what real progress has looked like for families we've worked with. Our graduates have learned to:
- Communicate their needs
- Use the bathroom independently
- Ask for a break during anxious or overwhelming moments
- Form deeper bonds with family members
- Enjoy socializing with peers, and develop friendships
- Decrease challenging behaviors, including self-harm
- Develop spoken language, in some cases
- Enjoy time outdoors and in public spaces with more comfort
These are the moments that matter most to families, and they are what we aim to build with every child.
The Problem
Families tell us the same thing: their world got smaller.
Fear of behaviors keeps everyone home. Progress feels slow. And everyone is tired, including the child, and the parents holding it all together.
It doesn't have to be this way. When therapy meets a child where their life actually happens, and starts from what lights them up, the goal changes: not just fewer behaviors, but a life that gets bigger instead of smaller.
That's what Our Process is built to do.
Our Process
Intake
We start by understanding your child's strengths, needs, and goals.
Custom, BCBA-Led Therapy Plan
A personalized plan grounded in evidence-based methods, focused on communication, social, and life skills.
Ongoing Support and Therapy
Our therapists work one-on-one with your child, tracking milestones and adjusting the plan as your child grows.
Family Collaboration
We work with you, not just for your child, training you and learning from your feedback so progress continues at home every day.
Tracking What Actually Matters
We measure real independence and family confidence, not just hours logged or boxes checked.
Where We Serve Families
Insurance, coverage, and local partnerships vary by state, find the details for your area.
Start Your Child's Assessment
Tell us a bit about your family and we'll be in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions For Parents
Real answers about ABA, autism, and what to expect from StarRise.
View All FAQsWe Raise the Bar
Your Child Isn't a Number Here.
Guided by empathy. Grounded by science. Industry standard is our floor, not our ceiling.
A constellation of care, built by people who want you to Rise.
Start Your Child's AssessmentUniting families, communities, and ABA therapy to help every child grow toward meaningful independence.