SELF-ADVOCACY, AUTISM, & ADLERIAN PSYCHOLOGY 1 Self ...

Running head: SELF-ADVOCACY, AUTISM, & ADLERIAN PSYCHOLOGY 1 

Self-Advocacy, Autism, & Adlerian Psychology 

A Summary Paper 

Presented to 

The Faculty at Adler Graduate School 

____________________ 

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for 

The Degree of Master of Arts in 

Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy 

____________________ 

By: 

Amy M. Reid 

July 2012

SELF-ADVOCACY, AUTISM, & ADLERIAN PSYCHOLOGY 2 

Abstract 

The purpose of this paper is to explore application of the relationship between Autism 

Spectrum Disorders, self-advocacy and Adlerian psychotherapy. Adlerian psychology 

concepts as well as other psychotherapy methods will be discussed. It is critical for 

individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders to advocate for themselves to be successful 

in communication, relationships, and employment. 

Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders will better equip a therapist, educator, parent, 

or caregiver to teach people with autism how to have relationships, communicate clearly, 

secure employment and access his or her community. Researchers agree that to have 

strong advocacy skills one must have knowledge of self, knowledge of one’s rights, 

communication skills, and leadership skills. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders 

may struggle in these areas and may result require direct teaching to develop skills 

necessary to be an effective self-advocate.


Acknowledgements 

I want to thank my family and friends for supporting me through this journey and 

guiding me as I learn and grow. I would like to thank my parents for their 

encouragement. I would like to thank Dr. Karyl Frye for all of her support throughout the 

process of completing this project. Finally, I would also like to thank my friend and 

business partner Kim Busse for taking this journey with me. Without her support and 

encouragement completing this project and graduate program would not have been 

possible.


Table of Contents 

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………5 

Autism Spectrum Disorders…………………………………………………………….. 6 

Self-Advocacy……………………………………………………………………………8 

Alfred Adler and Social Interest………………………………………………………...10 

Autism and Psychotherapy……………………………………………………………...11 

Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………...15 

References……………………………………………………………………………….18 

Presentation Process Paper………………………………………………………………22 

Appendix A: Self-Advocacy Presentation Proposal…………………………………….25 

Appendix B: Materials for Call for Papers from AUSM………………………………..29 

Appendix C: Material from AUSM Regarding Speaker Presentations………………….30 

Appendix D: Evaluation Form for AUSM Presentation………………………………...33 

Appendix E: Materials Representing Gathered Information for Presentation…………..34 

Appendix F: PowerPoint Presentation for Self-Advocacy for Individuals with Autism 

Spectrum Disorders……………………………………………………………………...37 

Appendix G: Additional References for AUSM Participants……………………………59


Self-Advocacy, Autism, & Adlerian Psychology 

As the numbers of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) diagnoses continues to 

increase it is of growing importance for professionals to have an understanding of autism. 

In the field of psychotherapy it is likely that a client will present with ASD or some of its 

characteristics along with another mental health diagnosis. The presence of ASD can 

pose challenges to the therapeutic process due to impairments in communication and 

social skills. The importance of helping clients learn ways to advocate and communicate 

for themselves effectively is critical for social success. As a result of acquiring self- 

advocacy skills increases the likelihood that, a client will have success in social situations, 

communicate clearly, and identify his purpose and role in society. 

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders who have a duel diagnosis such as 

anxiety or depression often struggle with asking for help, which is a critical skill in 

successful self-advocacy. A parent, family member, or an outside agent such as a social 

worker, will often urge the individual with ASD to enter into therapy. A client with ASD 

may struggle with personal insight and the ability to identify when he or she may need 

help. The therapist will need to identify whether he or she has this skill. If the client is 

not able to ask for help the therapist will need to provide him with strategies to become 

more self aware and identify when help is needed. 

This paper will define Autism Spectrum Disorders and self-advocacy, and 

identify the Adlerian psychology concepts and other effective psychotherapy methods 

that can be used in working with this population of clients. The need for individuals with 

ASD to be able to advocate for themselves toward successful communication, 

relationships, and employment is critical. This paper will identify the importance of and


provide guidance for individuals with ASD in the development of self-advocacy skills 

and communication skills in the therapeutic environment. 

Autism Spectrum Disorders 

In the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 

“an estimated 1 in 88 children (11.3 per 1,000) has been identified with an Autism 

Spectrum Disorder (ASD)” (CDC, 2012, p.1). This rate of diagnosis results in many 

individuals and families needing assistance and support as they learn to cope with a 

diagnosis of autism. An increasingly large group of individuals with autism are looking 

for therapists and support groups that understand their challenges. 

Autism Spectrum Disorders can look very different from one individual to the 

next with some displaying only mild symptoms and others more debilitating 

characteristics. ASD symptoms include problems with language, communication and 

repetitive or restrictive patterns of thoughts and behavior. 

In addition, individuals with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) may have some of the 

symptoms described above, as well as normal or above normal intelligence and verbal 

skills. AS is usually thought to be the mildest of the ASD (Janzen, 2003). AS involve 

impairment in reciprocal social interaction, communication, restricted interests, behaviors, 

and activities (Stiefel, Shields, Swain & Innes, 2008). Significant sensory needs that 

have a limiting impact on daily activities may also be part of the picture for people with 

AS. 

Portway and Johnson (2005) worked with a group of individuals with Asperger’s 

Syndrome to identify a category that “were not obviously different, but did not quite fit in 

to many aspects of daily living” (Portway & Johnson, 2005, p. 76). Many of the


participants displayed unusual developmental patterns, intense interests, strong 

preference for routines, and a dislike for change (Portway & Johnson, 2005). This group 

of individuals also displayed social immaturity and an inability to advocate for 

themselves. As a result of these differences, these individuals often received negative 

labeling such as “naughty” or “not smart”. Several participants described episodes of 

being bullied as a result of their differences but they did not share with family members 

or professionals the extent of the negative experiences they endured. Often the person 

did not recognize the treatment as negative but viewed it as normal. As result of having 

Asperger’s Syndrome, many misunderstood the intentions of their peers and just accepted 

the treatment of others. 

More males than females are diagnosed with AS. Like males with Asperger’s 

Syndrome, females often have difficulty coping with change in routines or patterns and 

struggle with inflexible or rigid thinking. Social relationships are challenging for 

individuals with AS even though they have a desire to have friends and fit in. Their 

behaviors can be unpredictable and impulsive, making social interactions challenging. 

Executive functioning frequently a problem area for those with AS includes 

deficits in: inhibition, visual and working memory, planning, cognitive flexibility, short- 

term memory, and visual motor integration (Verte, Geurts, Roeyers, Oosterlaan & 

Sergeant, 2006). These struggles most often relate to brain impairment which result in 

difficulty switching attention from one task to another” (Attwood, 2007, p. 232). 

Sometimes individuals have learning difficulties specific to one subject area while being 

gifted in other subject areas.


Family and Autism 

Individuals impacted by autism often deal with many issues that are very 

consuming and as a result the entire family is affected. Some families are looking for a 

“cure” for their child with autism. Others are looking for therapy that is going to “fix” 

their child. This intense focus may put a strain on the parents’ relationship. These 

families are attempting to take direction from several outside agencies such as; social 

workers, therapists, and personal care attendants. The uncoordinated involvement of 

these professionals often causes the family to lose its own identity as they struggle to 

figure out how to function in a healthy way. Many families have other children going 

through their own developmental stages that add to the family dynamic. The siblings 

struggle to understand why the parents focus so much energy on their sibling with autism. 

Conflicts and lack of understanding on the part of the extended family can also place 

strain on the whole family unit. 

Self-Advocacy 

Stephan Shore (2003) identifies that “Advocacy is realizing what a person needs 

in order to maximize his or her functioning in life and knowing how to arrange the 

environment or obtain the necessary accommodations to do so. Or to put it another way, 

it is being literate about a person’s needs” (Shore, p. 173). Self-advocacy is a concept 

most commonly associated with self- determination. Research suggests that people who 

are self-determined have better post-school outcomes (Test, Fowler, Wood, Brewer & 

Eddy, 2005), specifically citing correlation between the employment success of an 

individual with strong self-advocacy skills and his or her postsecondary outcomes. An 

individual’s ability to self-advocate is a step toward self- determination and social


success. Often when individuals with disabilities leave the supportive environments of 

school, they do not understand their strengths and needs well enough to seek the 

accommodations they need beyond school (Test, Fowler, Wood, Brewer & Eddy, 2005). 

Researchers agree that in order to have strong self-advocacy skills, an individual 

must have knowledge of self and of one’s rights, as both are identified as the foundation 

of self-advocacy. Communication and leadership skills are also considered crucial to 

developing self-advocacy (Test, Fowler, Wood, Brewer & Eddy, 2005). Communication 

is an important factor in self-advocacy in order to accomplish telling others what one 

wants and needs. Being able to communicate effectively with others through negotiation, 

assertiveness, and problem solving in individual and group settings is necessary to self- 

advocate. Leadership skills which involve awareness of common needs and desires of 

others, group dynamics, and accepting responsibility, enable a person to move from 

individual self-advocacy to advocating for others as a group with common concerns (Test, 

Fowler, Wood, Brewer & Eddy, 2005). Generally, there are few opportunities for 

individuals with developmental disabilities to obtain leadership skills in traditional ways 

such as school activities, employment, or mentoring (Caldwell, 2010). 

During interviews of people with ASD, Caldwell (2010) discovered that 

individuals with disabilities had similar accounts of being labeled and bullied in school. 

Identifying themselves as leaders, these adults developed their self-advocacy and 

leadership skills through a connection to a disability community, family influences, 

relationships, and community supports (Caldwell, 2010). Caldwell found the 

participants cited similar experiences in which they were able to practice self-advocacy 

and leadership skills such as: volunteering, belonging to committees, workshops on


leadership and opportunities to advocate. Research shows that being part of a self- 

advocacy group assisted participants in feeling supported, expressing views and opinions, 

and having a sense of belonging (Gilmartin & Sievin, 2009). 

Alfred Adler and Social Interest 

Alfred Adler stressed the importance of community. He used the German term 

Gemeinschaftsgefühl, which means community feeling, social interest, social feeling or 

social sense. The concept identifies recognition and acceptance of the interconnectedness 

of all people, experienced on affective, cognitive, and behavioral levels. Individuals with 

disabilities such as ASD frequently struggle to find a place to belong within their 

communities. Those with a mental health issue in addition to ASD can experience even 

more isolation and pose particular challenges to therapists, social workers, teachers, or 

families. 

Adler identified that Gemeinschaftsgefühl occurs at various levels. “At the 

affective level, it is experienced as a deep feeling of belonging to the human race and 

empathy with fellow men and women. At the cognitive level, it is experienced as 

recognition of interdependence with others, i.e., that the welfare of any one individual 

ultimately depends on the welfare of everyone. At the behavioral level, these thoughts 

and feelings can then be translated into actions aimed at self-development, as well as 

cooperative and helpful movements directed toward others. “At the heart of the concept is 

the feeling of community that encompasses individuals' full development of their 

capacities” (Stein & Edwards, 2003, p. 23). Many individuals with disabilities struggle 

with cognitive, behavioral, and emotional regulation, which impacts their ability to be 

part of their communities. They may be perceived as being strange or outcasts. Adler


believed strongly that everyone is entitled to have a place of belonging and acceptance. 

Adlerian psychology identifies anxiety as being accompanied by a struggle to 

belong. Oberst and Stewart (2003) state that anxiety “represents the experience of feeling 

alone and vulnerable in a harsh and unforgiving world” (p.124). If an individual 

struggles with anxiety along with autism he may remove himself from his community 

thus resulting in a lack of social interest. Alfred Adler identified that people need social 

interest in order to have a sense of belonging. Anxiety can prevent individuals from 

experiencing this sense of belonging. Ansbacher and Ansbacher state that Adler used the 

term anxiety to identify safeguarding behaviors. Adler defined anxiety as an “increased 

feeling of inferiority and its consequences, the feeling as if one lived in an enemy country, 

and the feeling of insecurity and inadequacy” (Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956, p. 303). 

A child’s early attachment also affects how he develops the ability to complete 

Adler’s life tasks. “A number of influences such as harsh, authoritarian, abusive, or 

neglectful parenting may underlie the creation of basic anxiety and give rise to 

subsequent efforts to use neurotic strategies (moving towards others, moving away, 

moving against) to reduce these anxieties” (Oberst & Stewart, 2003, p. 124). An 

individual’s attachment style can intensify the level of anxiety they may experience in 

social situations. Individuals with autism often struggle with attachment, and as a result 

they mat have symptoms of anxiety and become socially isolated. 

Adlerian Psychology 

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Psychotherapy 

Adlerian therapy is based on growth and movement and focuses on the 

individual’s positive capacities to live fully in society (Corey, 2009a). This theory


stresses life goals that give direction to behaviors. Persons with ASD have difficulty 

understanding their behavior and fitting into society. Adlerian therapy identifies humans 

are motivated by social interest, a sense of belonging, and a feeling of significance 

(Corey, 2009b). Feelings of inferiority often provide creativity, which motivates people 

to strive for mastery, superiority, and perfection. Having ASD can put a unique spin on 

superiority and perfection often resulting in the person being fixated on routines, and 

lacking speech intonation resulting in being misunderstood as arrogant or selfish. In the 

therapeutic setting, it is critical for the client with ASD be taught how to understand 

others’ perceptions. 

Adlerian therapy is holistic, social, goal-oriented, and humanistic in its approach. 

Adlerian therapists believe it is essential to understand people within their systems they 

live (Corey, 2009b). Adler believed that social interest “has important implications for 

personal adjustment as well as for the well-being of society (Leak & Leak, 2006). Leak 

and Leak state that social interest is the foundation of good mental health. When 

experiencing isolation people are less likely to feel a sense of belonging. Eva Dreikurs- 

Ferguson states that when experiencing a sense of belonging from early on results in 

more likelihood that an individual will contribute to the community as he ages. In order 

to feel belonging he must have a sense of equality with others (Dreikers-Ferguson, 2010). 

ASD results in a struggle to experience a sense of belonging because of the difficultly in 

understanding feelings, emotions, and others intentions. 

Reality Therapy 

Reality therapy is based on the idea that problems are a result of a present 

unsatisfying relationship or the lack of a relationship. A major premise of reality therapy


is that all behavior is aimed at satisfying needs for survival, love and belonging, power, 

freedom, and fun. Acting and thinking are chosen behaviors, which should be the focus 

of therapy. ASD may result in inappropriate behavior due to misperceptions of social 

situations, which causes the person to make social mistakes or demonstrations of 

unexpected behavior. The use of reality therapy techniques can encourage exploration of 

perception using activities such as social stories, video modeling, and role-play. Reality 

therapy looks at total behavior including the four inseparable but distinct components of 

acting, thinking, feeling, and the physiology that accompanies all our actions (Corey, 

2009b). 

The reality therapy approach to counseling and problem-solving focuses on the 

here-and-now of what the individual perceives as problems and how to go about creating 

a better future. Participants seek to identify goals and learn self-advocacy skills. An 

assessment the clients’ current status is conducted, including how he is choosing to 

behave and how that impacts reaching his goals. When focusing on the here and now, 

social behavioral mapping is a concrete way to teach desired social behaviors. Through 

social behavioral mapping the client and the therapist work together to identify hidden 

rules in social situations. Once the hidden rules are identified a course of action is 

developed and will focus on positive behavior changes. This whole process is written out 

and a toolbox of tips for social situations is created (Winner, 2007). 

Reality therapy is more than a counseling technique. Reality therapy is a problem 

solving method that works well with people who are experiencing situations they want 

help understanding. It also works for those who do not realize that problems exist. 

Considering that during social interactions, others often perceive autistic behavior as


problematic which results in affecting daily living. Reality therapy also provides an 

excellent model to solve problems objectively and serves as the ideal tool for therapeutic 

sessions. 

Reality therapy provides a model of building relationships by instructing 

therapists to create a need-satisfying counseling environment. The five basic needs of all 

humans are survival; love and belonging; power; freedom and fun. So, in a helping 

relationship, the therapist must create an environment where it is possible to feel safe, to 

connect with the therapist in some way, to be listened to and respected, to have choices, 

and to have fun learning. After creating this need-satisfying environment and working to 

maintain it throughout the relationship, the therapist can move on to the actual problem. 

Once a positive relationship is developed, the therapist and client with ASD can then 

focus on building skills and confidence in the areas of self-advocacy, social skills and 

communication. The client is being asked to stretch his comfort zone and through role- 

play activities, video modeling and social stories a wide variety of social skills and 

situations can be explored. 

Solution Focused Therapy 

Steve de Shazer out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, developed Solution Focused 

Therapy (SFT), which identifies exceptions to the problems a person may have or times 

in in the person’s life when the problem issues are not present. SFT upholds has the 

belief that individuals have strengths, coping skills, and behaviors already necessary to 

solve problems. During SFT sessions much time is spent not talking about the problems 

but rather talking about things that are going well. This non-problem talk assists the 

therapist and client in to building relationship. Bliss and Edmonds have found that


during this non-problem talk “eye contact, body posture, as well as the give-and-take of 

conversation often improves with in the first 15-20 minutes of the solution focused 

conversation” (Bliss & Edmonds p.30). These are important observations as individuals 

with AS often have trouble with eye contact, body posture, and reciprocal conversation 

skills. 

SFT affirms that people are already doing things that work in their lives. The 

client’s problems are not always present so there are times when he is making good 

choices an advocating for himself. SFT addresses the successes already occurring in 

daily life. A Solution Focused therapist spends much time listening to the client. The 

therapist is not telling the person with AS what to do but rather listening to what is 

already working. Often people with AS have difficulty following directions because 

what the other person is saying does not make sense. “The exchange between the worker 

and the client is meant to be on an expert-to-expert basis, so that each person shares equal 

responsibility for coming to a common understanding of the way forward” (Bliss & 

Edmonds, 2010. p.42). SFT addresses an individual with Asperger Syndrome’s deep 

sense of social justice by keeping the therapeutic environment as equal as possible. 

Conclusions 

Self-advocacy is critical for achieving goals; self-advocacy and self-determination 

go hand in hand. The process of becoming self-determined requires an “awareness of 

one’s own strengths and challenges along with knowledge and skills needed for adult life” 

(Fullerton & Coyne, 1999. p. 42). The process of developing self-advocacy skills takes 

time and assistance from parents, teachers, family members, and community members to 

provide opportunities to become self-determined. Individuals with ASD often think


differently from those without ASD. They experience challenges with communication 

and may have a difficult time understanding life planning and self-advocacy. 

Clients with ASD may be able to use the words to self-advocate, however they 

may not have an authentic understanding of self-advocacy (Fullerton & Coyne, 1999). 

Direct instruction is required for the person with ASD to effectively understand self- 

advocacy and self- determination. An understanding of how the disability influences 

experiences and what strategies can be used to deal with challenges is necessary for 

success (Fullerton & Coyne, 1999). 

Acquiring solid self-advocacy skills involves the entire family. The families of 

individuals with ASD play a critical role in the development of self-advocacy skills 

because they are providing natural role models. Family role models provide a strong 

influence for learning self-advocacy skills. The family dynamics will naturally provide 

an environment of risk taking and exploring advocacy skills (Field & Hoffman, 1999). 

When parents of a child with a disability are required to advocate for their child, they 

model self- advocacy. The parent needs to encourage the child to practice these skills in 

order to learn to generalize self-advocacy skills across environments. 

People with disabilities have much to teach the world. They are talented and 

deserve access to their communities. When working with individuals who may or may 

not have a disability, it is important to strive to help them see their many strengths and 

gifts. 

People with ASD also have much to offer their communities. They have an 

amazing ability to take in large amounts of information quickly. They are able to 

remember information for long periods of time. They have the ability to concentrate on


narrow topics of specific interest. All of these strengths would make an individual with 

ASD a valuable employee or volunteer given the chance. 

So often doors are closed quickly because people with ASD lack the correct social 

skills and are not able to interact in ways society sees as acceptable. Therapeutic 

interventions can provide the tools needed to be successful. It is critical for the therapist 

to have an understanding of ASD in order to adjust commonly used therapeutic 

techniques to accommodate social and communication deficits resulting from ASD. 

Clients with ASD can learn social and self-advocacy skills; however it is a slow process 

that requires much repetition and patience during the therapy sessions. Encouragement 

and a safe environment are essential for the person to develop skills needed for social 

success. Through positive experiences an individual with ASD can be an active 

participant in his community.


References 

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Adler. New York: Harper & Row. 

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Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 

Bliss, E.V., Edmonds, G. (2008). A self-determined future with Asperger syndrome. 

Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 

Caldwell, J. K. (2010). Leadership development of individuals with developmental 

disabilities in the self-advocacy movement. Journal of Intellectual Disability 

Research, 54(II), 1004-1014. 

Corey, G. (2009a). Student manual for theory and practice of counseling and 

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Design of the Presentation 

Presentation Process Paper 

Methodology 

The ideas for this presentation were developed during the course of our current 

roles as Autism Specialists in local school districts as well as our coursework at Adler 

Graduate School. Through our work with Sheila Merzer MA, LP at our internship, we 

began to see more trends in the area of self-advocacy. In our work with young people 

with Autism Spectrum Disorders, we repeatedly are faced with individuals who prefer to 

isolate rather than join in their communities. In using what we have learned about 

Adlerian Psychology and the need to belong we began to formulate a presentation 

addressing the Autism Spectrum Disorders needs as well as the need to belong. 

Population 

This presentation is designed for those working with individuals with Autism 

Spectrum Disorders (parents, educators, mental health professionals, etc.). 

Presentation Development 

The development of this presentation began when we were approached by a 

school district to present training on self-advocacy skills to a group of educators. We 

began to research this topic and started to see reoccurring themes of belonging and social 

interest, which led us to make the connection to Adlerian Psychology. As a result we 

wanted to develop training for mental health professionals, parents, and educators. 

We submitted a proposal to AuSM (Autism Society of MN) and were chosen to 

present at the State of Minnesota Autism Conference in April of 2012. We created a


power point presentation and handouts for the conference. We videotaped the 

presentation given on April 27, 2012 for a group of 75 attendees. 

Description of Presentation 

Advocate and Succeed (Taken from the AuSM state conference program, 2012) 

It’s hard for anyone to advocate for themselves, but when you struggle with basic social 

skills, it becomes impossible to navigate alone. So come and learn the power to reaching 

self-advocacy to individuals on the spectrum. This breakout will address the skills 

necessary for effective self-advocacy and the strategies for teaching these skills. 

Understanding the importance of social connection opens up doors to leading a successful 

life for individual with ASD. 

Personal Reflections 

Summary of Project 

We are very pleased with the outcome of the presentation. The breakout session 

was well attended. We received positive feedback and comments at the conclusion of the 

presentation. We are happy with the pacing of the presentation and our ability to remain 

within our time limit. We feel we were able to balance out the speaking parts of the 

presentation evenly between us. We are excited to hear the positive comments and the 

opportunity to continue to make connections with families, educators and other 

professionals who attended our presentation. 

Evaluations 

Participants completed a general evaluation for the entire conference. A blank 

copy of the evaluation is included in this paper. Results will not be released from AuSM 

until later in June or early July. We have had people contact us for further help since


giving the presentation in April. We also have heard positive feedback from others that 

attended. 

Participants asked questions during and after the presentation. Questions they 

asked were related to the use of visual supports, the individual’s acceptance of their 

diagnosis and how to disclose about their disability. The questions helped participants to 

further their understanding and knowledge of individuals with ASD and how to support 

them through their journey of becoming a self-advocate. 

Future Plans 

We plan on expanding the concepts in our presentation into a book format in the 

future. We would also like to develop and present workshops related to bullying and how 

not to become the victim. 

Conclusion 

It is our hope that through this presentation a greater awareness and understanding 

of Autism Spectrum Disorders and the need for self-advocacy skills has occurred so 

individuals can gain a sense of belonging and become productive members of their 

communities and be socially accepted.


Appendix A

SELF-ADVOCACY, AUTISM, & ADLERIAN PSYCHOLOGY 26




Appendix B


Appendix C




Appendix D


Appendix E




Appendix F


The Arc’s position on self-advocacy states that “self-advocacy 

means acting and communicating for oneself”. 

Self-advocacy groups provide individuals with developmental 

disabilities their first and most consistent opportunities to 

development membership and leadership skills. 

Individuals can advocate for their wants and needs and belong in 

their communities 

It can be easy to focus on challenges and limitations but, focusing 

on abilities and finding ways to advocate lead to success.


SABE: Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) is the selfadvocacy 

organization of the United States. Founded in 1990, we have 

been working hard for the full inclusion of people with developmental 

disabili.es in the community throughout the 50 states and the world 

for 21 years. Our non-profit advocacy organization is run by a board of 

self-advocates representing 9 regions of the country. 

AuSM: The Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) is an organization of 

families, educators, caregivers, and professionals committed to 

supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It was 

established in 1971. AuSM has members throughout the state of 

Minnesota and the upper Midwest. 

Autism Society: The Autism Society, the nations leading grassroots 

autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all affected by 

autism. We do this by increasing public awareness about the day-today 

issues faced by people on the spectrum, advoca.ng for appropriate 

services for individuals across the lifespan, and providing the latest 

information regarding treatment, education, research and advocacy. 

ACT is: a disability rights organization, non-profit, run by and for


people with developmental disabilities and other disabilities 

MCIL: offers Individual Advocacy and Systems Advocacy. Both types of 

advocates assist people who have any sort of disability. Individual 

advocates work one-on-one with consumers, combining their voices 

and experiences to solve daily problems and navigate the bureaucracy 

maze. Systems advocates’ initiate, develop, and implement public 

policy. They work with government officials, community groups, and 

private businesses in an effort to improve the lives of people with 

disabili.es.


Even in areas one might think require primarily academic or 

cogitative skills, such as school or work, having limited social skills 

can be devastating. 

For instance, college is arguably as much about the social 

experiences as it is about earning a degree. 

Dating and romantic relationships can be especially confusing. For 

example, individuals with Asperger’s have trouble interpreting 

signs from the opposite sex, meaning it is easy for them to either 

be taken advantage of or mislabeled as a stalker. 

At work, even a good employee can find their job in danger if they 

“fail coffee break.” 

Individuals with Asperger’s are chronically under-and unemployed, 

due to problems arising from lack of social 

understanding, such as difficulty with interviewing, failure to 

respect coworkers’ personal space, talking too much or too little, 

or inappropriate dress or personal habits


In individuals with ASD there is already a social impairment so this 

might be an area where we see more obvious evidence of 

Executive Functioning deficits or differences. 

An individual may be confused by social cues, struggle with 

reciprocal conversation with peers. These individuals may or may 

not desire to be social with their peers.


Social coaching –Social coaching focusing and incorporates and 

Executive Functioning model may 

Significantly improve an individuals’ ability to learn how to be 

more confident. Social coaching helps individuals identify personal 

strengths and challenges (including understanding his or her 

diagnosis) 

Social coaching provided individuals with tools necessary for 

success in social environments.


Clip of Sheldon shopping for a gift for a 93 year old women. 

Perspective taking- 

Michelle Garcia Winner 

4 steps of perspective taking: 

. 1. Each person is aware of and has small thoughts about 

everyone else around him or her. 

. 2. People think about why people are near them...do they want 

something (motive) 

. 3. People think about what others are thinking about them. 

. 4. People monitor and possibly modify their own behavior 

based on what they want other people to think. 

Social thinking refers to the process of thinking your own 

thoughts and about the thoughts f others, and figuring out how to 

make other people think the way you want them to think about


you page. 

We use social thinking all the time, even when we’re alone. Social 

thinking is something you do 24/7. 

• Tony Attwood defines Theory of Mind as: 

– “From the age of around four years, children understand that 

other people have thoughts, knowledge, beliefs and desires that 

will influence their behavior.” 

– “People with Asperger’s Syndrome appear to have some 

difficulty conceptualizing and appreciating he thoughts and 

feelings of another person.” 

– “For example, they may not realize that their comment could 

cause offence or embarrassment or that an apology would help to 

repair the person’s feelings.”


If you do not understand yourself and your characteristics it is 

impossible to identify those same characteristics in others. 

Invisible nature of ASD


Professionals: Social Workers, Voc. Rehab, Mental Health 

Professionals Teachers


#2 Theory of Mind 

Share a story about disclosure


How and what to research/information gathering... Autism, 

Accommodations, Other’s with Autism


Share needs and wants (accommodations) either verbally or in 

written form 

Write a letter 

Send an email, Make a copy of accommodations on IEP Ask for a 

meeting to talk 

Where to advocate: college setting 

Work place or community


CBT-Teaches people to monitor their own thoughts and 

perceptions and become more aware of themselves. 

Solution Focused Therapy-focuses what the client wants to get 

out of therapy rather than the problem. This therapy focuses on 

the present and future and not the past. 

Bio-Feedback- the process of becoming aware of various 

physiological functions using instruments to provide information. 

May be used to improve health and performance and 

physiological changes occur in conjunction with changes to 

thoughts, emotions and behaviors. 

Talk Therapy- Talk therapy is simply talking about what is 

bothering you. Talk therapy can be practiced with a friend or 

loved one, a family member, or a therapist. 

Skills Groups- used to teach ways to improves ability to interact 

socially. 

Reality Therapy- considered a CBT approach... focuses on the


behaviors or symptom rather than a diagnosis 

What we found out through interviewing other clinicians: 

Focus on self-awareness, Be able to identify triggers, Without 

identifying triggers it is difficult to advocate 

In the handouts is a resource chart-used to help an individual 

organize and be able to identify who to communicate with given 

certain types of problems or situations.


What Alfred Adler called Social interest refers to the idea of the 

individual as a social being. The way he or she interacts with other 

people is of extreme importance for psychological health. 

Social interest is an inborn capacity of the human being, but it 

must be fostered during childhood. 

Having social interest means feeling like part of a family, a group, 

a couple, and the human community. 

Social interest means to participate, to contribute, to share, to 

feel accepted, appreciated, and loved as well as accept, 

appreciate and love other people too. 

Social interest is a feeling of belonging to others and not being 

“outside”. Oberst & Stewart pages 12, 17-19.


Must have success in theses areas to met life’s challenges. Leak & 

Leak Social Interest is required for healthy functioning 

Eva Driekers- “All humans need to feel a sense of belonging” 

Mental health improves when individuals feel belonging. 

When social interest and belonging are missing an individual 

struggles with effective advocacy 

Advocating is communicating-can be positive or negative or verbal 

or non-verbal. 

These behaviors can be expected or unexpected. (scripting, 

repetitive behaviors, jumping around the room, stuttering/start 

and stop verbal thoughts)


Often it is the individual with ASD’s perception that they don’t fit 

in or belong... it is not a result of caregiver’s not providing an 

encouraging environment for the individual 

Penny’s Christmas gift to Sheldon Perspective taking


Theory of Mind 

Belonging 

Knowing yourself




Appendix G 

Examples of accommodations for individuals with ASD 

• Assistance with time management (prioritize, deal with 

procrastination) 

• Learning self limiting skills for special interest 

• Using visual schedules and supports 

• Using voice recognition software 

• Help with organizing 

• Checking for understanding of instructions 

• Use of priming to prepare for next activity/task 

• Study skills training 

• Guidance for working in groups 

• Allow sensory breaks 

• Social mentors 

• Social coaching/skills 

• Warn of changes

Agency/Title 


My Resources 

Parent or Guardian 

County Social Worker 

or Case Manager 

Mental Health 

Worker/Therapist 

Primary 

Doctor/Physician 

Dentist 

Psychiatrist 

School Personal 

/Case Manager 

Transportation 

Example: 

MNET 

Vocational Rehab 

Services 

Individual's 

Name 


Line 

What can 

he/she do for 

me? 

IEP Case 

manager 


to medical 

appointments 

Employment 

plan, college, 

job 

placement, 

etc… 

Questions to 

ask 

Can you help 

me find a 

job? 

Can you help 

me register 

for college? 

What is on my 

employment 

plan? 

Contact 

information 

1-866-467- 

1724 

Other

SELF-ADVOCACY, AUTISM, & ADLERIAN PSYCHOLOGY 1 Self ...

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