Relias

The Value of Facilitating Social Groups for Autistic Adults in a Community Mental Health Setting

Providing comprehensive and meaningful therapeutic services for autistic adult clients in a community mental health center requires offering a range of therapeutic groups within which a client can work to reach their potential in a way that might not be possible via individual therapy sessions...

Helping Autistic Individuals Navigate Barriers to Adulthood

An adult on the spectrum can accomplish or achieve everything his/her/their cohort who is not on the spectrum has accomplished or achieved, and yet not be rewarded with that same level of independence and autonomy for his/her/their efforts (Cheak-Zamora, Tait & Coleman, 2022). Although young...

Using Media as an Effective Tool to Teach Social Skills to Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Media is a powerful educational tool for adolescents and young adults in general; however, for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) it provides a unique opportunity to learn social skills. Popular television shows, movies, YouTube clips, and other social media sites are a vehicle to...

Summertime Games and Simple Strategies to Reinforce Social Skills

Summertime is fun time for most children. School routines give way to relaxation, perhaps at summer day or sleep away camp – and there’s no studying. While most typically developing children welcome this, it can become problematic for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). That’s why...

Healthy Relationships and Sexuality for All

It has become commonplace to read about or hear stories about issues related to people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Healthcare, education, mental health and social services offer options for children that did not exist years ago. As these children grow up, their needs change. Older...

Filling the Gaps: Developing Programs for the Lifespan

The number of children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has, without a doubt, been increasing rapidly over the past 20 years. The increase can be attributed to several factors, a few of which make it clear that many children with autism spectrum disorders went undiagnosed in the...