Posts Tagged ‘Asperger’s’
Young Adults with Asperger’s Disorder: The Challenges
Asperger’s disorder, also known as Asperger’s syndrome, can be especially challenging for young adults. Because it is often lumped together with autism and other developmental disorders, people with Asperger’s syndrome can often struggle to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment they need to live independently and succeed in life. History of Asperger’s Disorder in Young Adults…
Read MoreAsperger’s Disorder and Failure to Launch Syndrome in Young Adults
Many people wonder why young adults with Asperger’s often struggle when it is time to launch into adulthood and independent living. Is it due to their difficulties in the social world? Is it due to their thinking style? Is it due to their challenges with day to day independent living skills? At OPI, we believe…
Read MoreAssets of Asperger’s: A Positive Spin
Okay, your adult child has Asperger’s Syndrome. That does NOT mean that he or she is flawed. In fact, it makes them gifted. Keep reading to learn why. Asperger’s in young adults can be a confusing diagnosis to understand. If your child has been diagnosed, you may have been particularly focused on some of the…
Read MoreAsperger’s and Failure to Launch Syndrome
Asperger’s Syndrome can present with many symptoms that can have debilitating effects on young adults as they try to launch into adulthood. Individuals often exhibit impairment in reading and interpreting social cues as well as difficulty understanding and demonstrating empathy. Most of these add up to the most devastating effect for young adults:, difficulty forming…
Read MoreDownload our Free ebook on Asperger’s in Children and Young Adults
Optimum Performance Institute is dedicated to helping young adults with Asperger’s Disorder to pursue independence in young adulthood with confidence and joy. Join our Asperger’s email list to receive helpful information, a heads up on upcoming free webinars on this topic, and other articles of interest on Asperger’s from reliable sources. Upon signing up, you’ll…
Read MoreCareer Planning for Young Adults with Asperger’s Disorder
Because of the age range of the young adults that we work with, we generally see participants in the exploration phase of their career process. According to Donald Super’s “Stages of Occupational Development,” people in their late teens and early twenties are beginning to try out new experiences and different roles in relation to career…
Read MoreMy Young Adult Child with Asperger’s: Out of the Nest and Into the World
Most parents feel some degree of anxiety and reluctance about releasing their young adult children out into this difficult world. Rejection, failure, and heartbreak are staples to maturity and success but parents often feel a need to protect their children from these pains. When you have a young adult who is suffering from Asperger’s disorder,…
Read MoreAsperger’s and Getting Unstuck (Overcoming Failure to Launch Syndrome)
Why is it that young adults with Asperger’s often struggle when it is time to launch into adulthood and independent living? Is it due to their difficulties in the social world? Is it due to their thinking style? Is it due to their challenges with day to day independent living skills? I believe that it…
Read MoreDSM-V and How it Affects the Diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder
Many of the participants at OPI come to us because they struggle with difficulties in communication and social interactions. They may have a prior diagnosis of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder such as Asperger’s Disorder. In the previous edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), the main diagnostic criteria of Asperger’s Disorder…
Read MoreIntensive Outpatient Program at OPI Living Expands Services For Local Young Adults
Young adults aged 17–28 in the Los Angeles area who need help defining goals and becoming independent can now participate in a unique Intensive Outpatient Program at the Optimum Performance Institute. This program offers everything from individual and group psychotherapy, life coaching and career development classes to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), yoga, tennis, hiking and…
Read MorePart Two: Q and A with Anne LaRiviere, Director of Admissions at OPI Living Programs
As Director of Admissions for all OPI Living Programs, I recently decided to start a blog post series to outline some commonly asked questions that we receive from parents and referring therapists. This is the second set of questions in my new series. To read all of the frequently asked questions I’ve discussed, visit our…
Read MoreAsperger’s and the Power of ‘Joy’: Treating the Whole Person, Not Just the Diagnosis
In my 30-plus years of treating children, Young Adults and their families, they are the ones who have taught me the most. Today, I am lucky enough to recognize just how many times my assumptions were incorrect. This is especially true at the Optimum Performance Institute where we work in a supportive system that affords…
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