Three Unique Ways Autism Support Groups Can Help Your Child Today
Autism support groups — they may sound like just another commitment to add to your child’s already-busy schedule, but they’re actually filled with benefits you don’t want to miss. These unique meetings can help your child make friends, find judgement-free support, and incorporate therapy in a fun and engaging fashion. Read on to learn all about what these well-designed programs have to offer:
Autism Support Groups Make it Easy to Find New Friends
For children with autism, making friends isn’t always the easiest feat. The social skills that seem to come naturally to others may need a bit more teaching or practice, and kids with similar life experiences can be difficult to find.
In autism support groups, everyone is coming in with similar challenges. There’s a deeper level of understanding for various actions compared to everyday life. Group moderators are patient, caring, and experienced in supporting social skills as friendships begin to bud, too.
Some groups, like those offered by Ascent Autism, even form around similar interests. This can help your child form close relationships as well as there’s a shared passion and tons of topics to talk about along the way.
They Provide an Understanding, Judgement-Free Zone
Unfortunately, judgement is all-too-common in the world we live in. In autism support groups, however, it’s nearly non-existent. Every group member understands the challenges that come along with having a disability.
This environment brings about a space to vent about shared experiences as well. Not every person understands what it’s like to live with autism, but fellow peers and group moderators sure do.
These individuals being “in the know” allows for frustrations to be understood at all times. The feelings are well-known and the tough days are common, too.
Because of this, when your child feels comfortable enough to share about their current struggles, their concerns will never be pushed under the rug. They’ll be accepted, validated, and they may even be solved by friends who’ve gone through the same thing — or moderators who are trained to help.
They Include Therapy Techniques In a Fun, Interactive Setting
More therapy isn’t always interesting to our kids. When it’s tangled into a fun and engaging environment, however, it may not feel like just another counseling session.
Autism support groups are designed to support kids from all angles, but they aren’t a place where children are forced to talk about certain topics or work on specific skills. They’re a place to be comfortable and accepted, allowing the rest to naturally work itself into the conversation.
Is it a replacement for therapy? Not always — however, it’s an excellent addition in almost every circumstance.
If you’re ready to give these incredible benefits to your child, consider trying out an autism support group today. At Ascent Autism, we offer online options tailored to your child’s age, interests, strengths, weaknesses, and availability. Our professional peer group moderators keep things fun and engaging, and they know how to support each member throughout their highs and lows along the way.
Oct 11, 2021Hye Ryeon Lee, PhDHye Ryeon is a neuroscientist with over 10 years of experience studying Autism Spectrum Disorder, including at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She has published numerous papers on the mechanisms of autism in journals such as Nature, Science, and Nature Neuroscience.https://www.linkedin.com/in/hyeryeonlee/