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Autism, Neurodiversity and Employment: Working Together for Positive Futures
Autistic people are confronted with an array of barriers in many situations throughout their life. These situations centralise around what general society expects of all people, a one size fits all model, without the distinct consideration of disability, difference and inclusion. With the added...
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Navigating Neurodiverse Relationships: Disclosure and Self-Advocacy
If you are an adult who has had a longstanding diagnosis of ASD or a newly diagnosed individual, then you probably grapple with these ongoing decisions: If and when to disclose your diagnosis to others The pros versus the cons of disclosure How to go about sharing this information with...
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Preparing for a Successful Holiday Season
Parties! Gift giving! Twinkling lights! The holiday season can be a source of joy and excitement for some but for individuals with ASD the holidays present unique challenges. With communication, planning, and patience, individuals with ASD and their families can successfully navigate and enjoy the...
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Partnering with the Community to Provide Information and Resources Related to OPWDD’s New I/DD ID Cards
By now, some of you may have heard about OPWDD’s (Office for People with Developmental Disabilities) new I/DD ID cards for individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities in New York State. These standardized cards are available upon request and can be a very useful tool in bridging the...
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Breaking Down the Barriers of Social Communication for Young Adults
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is an important and transitory juncture in the lives of modern young individuals. This exciting and oftentimes anxiety-inducing time brings with it a host of challenges: increased independence, heightened self-awareness, the taking on of more personal...
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What NOT to Say…
It’s easy to say the wrong thing to someone, even when you have the best of intentions. Everyone has done it, and whether you realize it yourself or someone points it out to you, mistakes like these don’t feel good. All of us learn social and communication skills from many sources, including...
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Researchers Explore Virtual Reality to Build Crucial Social and Safety Skills
Those in the autism community are familiar with missed social connections, but misunderstood behaviors have the potential to escalate quickly during interactions with law enforcement. A recent study1 found that 1 in 5 young adults with ASD will be stopped and questioned by police before age 21 and...
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A Group-Format Parent Training Program to Improve Communication Skills in Young Children with ASD
The first few years of life are an important period for communication and language development. Even before the emergence of spoken language, typically-developing children engage in communicative interchanges with caregivers through gaze, directed facial expressions, gestures, and vocalizations....
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Communication Challenges in College Students with ASD
In addition to the typical challenges faced by young adults pursuing post-secondary education, those with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis face unique challenges related to deficits in social communication. These include deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, such as taking turns in a...
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Three Strategies to Strengthen Communication for Adults with Autism and Learning Differences
Communication is an essential skill that contributes to success with relationships. Individuals with ASD particularly focus on growth in their communicative skills for a majority of their lives. With young adulthood comes the combination of self-identity development and the presentation of more...
