During her career as a special education teacher in Pitt County, Beth Strathern helped countless children with autism. But it’s her special 20-year relationship with Shala Bell that made Beth the 2020 winner of the John and Claudia Roman Direct Service Award. The annual award honors a direct service employee of the Autism Society of…
Working through the Challenges of Wearing a Mask
As wearing a mask becomes our new normal, supporting an individual with autism to wear one for any amount of time might feel like a mountain to climb. In this blog, I will discuss potential reasons it can be particularly challenging for individuals with autism to wear masks, some alterations/adaptations to try, and suggestions for…
New Adventures in These Challenging Times
As a Direct Support Professional working with a young adult on the spectrum, I found myself looking for ways to offer fun and engaging structure during this season of unavoidable change. Particularly, I wanted to build a new routine that wouldn’t replace our previous busy schedule of community outings and routine volunteer commitments, but rather…
From Awareness, to Acceptance, to Empowerment
Individuals with autism and those who love and support them have a long history of advocating for their community, an undertaking fueled by their fundamental belief that the potential for a person with autism is limitless. From these grassroots advocacy efforts has sprung meaningful, sustainable outcomes that benefit everyone with autism and those who love…
Creating Success While Incorporating Interests and Strengths
A Look Back When my son Logan was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4, he was preverbal and was not able to pronounce most of his sounds. He could say “ba,” and a year later was able to say “ma.” It took years for him to master making all of the sounds necessary…
Compliments and Criticisms: Supporting an Adult with ASD
One day, not so many years ago, my son shared with his therapist that when he hears me call his name or sees my name on his caller ID on his phone, he immediately gets nervous. He wonders what he did wrong and how angry I will be. While that was hard to hear as…
Promoting Independence with Supported Decision-Making
Many 17-year-olds cannot wait for the day they will be on their own and can do whatever they want! Even as people warn that being an adult has challenges, they believe they will figure it out. When my neurotypical, oldest daughter reached adulthood, I was able to relate to this frame of mind. After much…
Working with Students with Autism Before the Holidays
The holidays are quickly approaching, and it can be a time of high anxiety for people with autism. I teach and tutor young people with autism, and I have autism. I also work with specialists in related fields. We all help students with reaching educational and behavioral goals. I am going to provide some input…
Taking Care of Yourself Benefits Your Loved One with Autism
Taking care of yourself is vitally important. Anyone who has been a parent, let alone parent to a child with a disability such as autism, will tell you that parenting can be tough. In my book, it’s definitely one of those conundrums where it is the toughest yet most rewarding thing you can do in…