Using Informational Interviewing in Your Job Search
Now that we have worked on our one minute commercial, a script for networking, and learned about cold calling, let’s go over informational interviewing. Informational interviewing is an important tool to use with all three practices we have discussed. Informational interviewing is the act of gathering information about the career field,Continue Reading
Advice From College Students with Aspergers: Part 2
The best advice one can receive about effective support for college students diagnosed with ASD comes from, of course, students themselves. Kristopher Kirk graduated from Marshall University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering (with an emphasis in Civil Engineering) in early December, 2014. At a university-sponsored Parent WeekendContinue Reading
Creating a Network for Those with Aspergers in the Workforce
Once you have written your “one-minute commercial” and are confident telling others about yourself, it is time to start building your network. What is a network? A network is any friend, family member, mentor, teacher, or professional that can help you in your quest for employment. Building a network takesContinue Reading
Living with a Roommate to Counteract Isolation and Depression
Many factors play into a person’s mental health. Communication styles can even be tied into mental health. Having roommates that you must learn to communicate with on a regular basis can be a helpful treatment for depression and isolation. Having roommates can also offer the opportunity for learning valuable socialContinue Reading
Using Intense Interests to Grow the Aspie Mind, Body, and Spirit
Everybody in the Asperger’s Community already acknowledges that aspies have that one thing that keeps them happy and comfortable: their intense interest. Whether you are a teacher, a parent, a sibling, or a friend, coming to understand the aspie’s intense interests is crucial for creating a relationship and helping themContinue Reading
Parenting Aspergers: A Father’s Unlikely Success
I was inspired to share the story of the ongoing relationship (both struggles and triumphs) of my husband Herb and our son Sam after creating the below series of photos. Parenting someone diagnosed with High functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome begins as a challenge to the adult who had expectationsContinue Reading
A Visual Social Story to Use for Safe Halloween Tips
Halloween can be both a fun and nerve-wracking time for parents. Especially for children with ASD, there are many unknowns and events that could trigger a meltdown or even put your child in danger. But halloween can easily be safe and exciting experience if you plan in advance to prepareContinue Reading
Sensory Processing Difficulties: Smell with ASD
Remember in our previous blog on taste differences that smell makes up a large part of our sense of taste. Therefore, an individual with an Autism Spectrum Disorder might have an extremely fine sense of smell, which can be enough to make them avoid certain foods or even lose theirContinue Reading
Is Higher Education Ready to Support Students with Asperger’s? Part 3
In 2013 I surveyed disability service professionals at 578 degree-granting, four-year public institutions of higher education. The survey was designed to determine the current readiness of higher education to support the academic, social and communication, and independent living needs of college students diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder. 230 colleges participated inContinue Reading
Mentorship and Role Models are Crucial for Those with ASD
With my decades of direct support with individuals who have Autism I have noticed a few commonalities with social skills modeling and maintaining positive healthy friendships. Mentorship and role models are incredibly important for adults with ASD. There are many ways that you can make sure that this invaluable resourceContinue Reading
Using the High IQ of ASD to Foster Emotional Intelligence
As many people in the Asperger’s Community understand, aspies often have trouble dealing with emotions. The emotional intelligence of a child’s mind is not much different from an aspie’s mind. Unfortunately, without useful tools, this emotional thinking carries into adulthood and can lead to poor decision making. If an adult aspie has a low EQContinue Reading
