PIPS Autism Blog
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Find articles with Solutions for women, men, and couples who want to better understand themselves and their relationships in a socially confusing world. PIPS is all about Promoting Independence and Problem Solving, especially for behaviors associated with Autism and related conditions like ADHD.
PIPS Autism Blog
2y ago
Photo by Joyce Adams on Unsplash
You may be one of many people who cherish the solitude of sheltering at home during the pandemic, even while hating the cause for it. What a relief it is not having to make up excuses to turn down party invitations. These events can be social and sensory nightmares, overwhelming and debilitating. It’s lovely to know that staying at home is the smart and safe option. Of course, you have been hoping or praying along with the rest of the world for an end to COVID and its variants.
That end is probably in sight as of this w ..read more
PIPS Autism Blog
2y ago
Many neurodivergent (ND) adults struggle with social conversations. Life would be so much simpler if people would just say what they mean and mean what they say, rather than assuming that everyone is privy to their secret social rules of conversation. It’s easy to become frustrated when you are so often misunderstood, or accused of being rude when that was never your intention.
There are four ideas that may smooth the way when you must engage in face-to-face social conversations with your neurotypical friends, family, and colleagues: F.A.C.E. Conversation Strategies. F.A.C.E. stands fo ..read more
PIPS Autism Blog
2y ago
Photo by Jelleke Vanooteghem on Unsplash
We know now that boys aren’t the only ones who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As the science advances and we learn more and more about autism, boys are being diagnosed in greater numbers, and receiving needed services, accommodations, and understanding.
But what about their sisters?
We know that autism often runs in families, but even with this knowledge, the sisters of autistic boys, who show characteristics of autism themselves, are not being identified at the same rate as their brothers.
Why is this?
There are several possible reasons. Often, g ..read more
PIPS Autism Blog
2y ago
Photo by photo by Priscilla du Preez on Unsplash
TRUST AND COMMITMENT
Drs. John and Julia Gottman teach us that trust is cherishing each other and showing your partner you can be counted on. They go on to share that choosing commitment means accepting your partner exactly as he or she is, despite their flaws. Their book Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love, co-authored with Doug and Rachel Carlton Abrams, is an excellent tool for growing closer as a couple.
In a neurodivergent (ND) relationship, where one or both partners has a neurological difference such as auti ..read more
PIPS Autism Blog
2y ago
Photo by Arwan Sutanto on Unsplash
I am sometimes asked for advice about how to help autistic children deal with major life changes. Change is difficult for most people with autism, but it is especially challenging for those who are not yet verbal or fluent with a functional communication system. A couple of examples I’ve been asked about recently: an eight-year-old girl who is living with early onset of puberty, and a girl whose family welcomed a new baby. In each case, the girl reacted with behavior regressions and outbursts that have been hard and exhausting for the whole family.
Remember ..read more
PIPS Autism Blog
2y ago
AUTISTIC WOMEN, DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL? – YouTube
I’m so excited! I signed a contract with Future Horizons, Inc. to write my next book, coming out in 2022. The working title is, Recognizing Autism in Women and Girls: Behind the Mask. This is a topic near and dear to my heart.
Many women find it difficult to get a proper diagnosis. They may have masked their autistic characteristics since childhood, and now they are tired of wearing the mask. But how can you get a diagnosis when everyone thinks that since you make eye contact, you can’t be autistic? It is a dilemma, and one that I’d l ..read more
PIPS Autism Blog
2y ago
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Gary Chapman, author of The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts, describes five different ways that couples in love can communicate their feelings to their partner. The first of these is Words of Affirmation.
Chapman writes, “Verbal compliments, or words of affirmation, are powerful communicators of love.”
In any relationship, it can be difficult to be sure that each partner is giving the kind of words of affirmation that their love ..read more
PIPS Autism Blog
2y ago
Photo by Irene Davila on Unsplash
Some people wait and hope for good luck to come their way, and other people actively take steps toward the future they wish for themselves. Here are some of the things they do to make their own luck:
VISUALIZE where you’d like to be in the future – your ideal job, home, relationships.
IMAGINE what it will be like when you achieve goals you have set for yourself.
PLAN out the mini-steps needed to get from here to there. Do research if you need to know what is required to get to where you want to arrive.
START off down your path. The first step can be difficult ..read more
PIPS Autism Blog
2y ago
Photo by Sebastian Pichler on Unsplash
When you’re home with little ones who can’t go to preschool or kindergarten because of the pandemic, it can be difficult to come up with ideas to keep them safely busy and entertained. You know your kids on the spectrum thrive with structure and themes. Lucky for you parent-teachers, every new month brings a theme to focus your activities around. If your little ones are learning colors, then March is the month to focus on all things GREEN. You can find many different March-themed activities for different ages and abilities online. Here are a f ..read more
PIPS Autism Blog
2y ago
Photo by Korney Violin on Unsplash
Gary Chapman wrote a book called, The Five Languages of Love: The Secret to Love that Lasts. If you or your partner are autistic, you may feel you have enough trouble communicating socially with your loved one in one language. Five languages? How does that even work?
Tchiki Davis wrote an article in Psychology Today that explains. There are at least five different ways that people can demonstrate to their partner that they love, value, appreciate, and cherish them. These are (1) Words of Affirmation, (2) Acts of Service, (3) Receiving Gifts, (4 ..read more