The act of exploring and identifying a gift or an interest is one thing, but to a recognized strength or gift can open a new world to peer connections, participation in organizations/clubs, leisure, suitable employment, defined career direction, and interpersonal growth with increased emotional adaptation.   Jackie Marquette PhD Marquette Index, LLC. Creator and Founder […]

I believe there is Much We Can Hope for The Future of Individuals with Autism   As parents we worry about where are adult children will live and be cared for after we die or get ill. For Trent, my autistic son, I want him to be physically and psychologically safe, live in his house […]

I see the community both welcoming and friendly, as well as indifferent and unsafe. As parents and caregivers, we deeply desire our teens and adults with autism have acceptance and freedom. Examples include: to have safe community access, be supported by safe people, to participate in activities they enjoy, to have their needs met, and to […]

Today’s employment situation for individuals with autism is in a state of emergency. For a short time, I am offering for FREE my strengths tool to help individuals with autism facing transition. Do you know a student or an adult with autism seeking transition possibilities? With this online tool, the individual or his teacher/parent advocate will identify strengths […]

These two great women have influenced my perceptions about many things, including the concept of ‘independence’ surrounding individuals with disabilities. “The myth of the lone individual is a trope, a rhetorical device. In real life no one is self-made; few are truly alone.” Linda Kerber “We are an Interdependent People. Dependence is not bad–indeed, it […]

Many of us are in roles of providing caregiving, daily living support, community assistance, on-the-job training, or teaching in educational settings to individuals with autism or disabilities. I found three words that are harmful that we should stop using. We often use these words when describing the individual to other people involved, such as, when talking about […]

When considering what you would like to do in life, ask the right question to guide you. Don’t ask, 1) “How capable are you?” about (a subject)______. Rather, ask, 2) “How are you capable?” The first question,  “How capable are you?”  emphasizes comparison of your current skills to others, presents your ability or a specific score […]

When we are the one person that another with a disability relies on, how do we create positive life experiencrelies? “Each day I find I must have clear perception as my goal, that is clean windows not clouded by culturally conditioned beliefs. While this isn’t easy, it is the only way I know to stay focused […]

Recently, I advocated for one of my clients who has autism. In this blog I withhold any names of people or settings to not reveal this individual’s identity. Today we experienced a closed door that ended his place there for the last 3 years. This was confusing because he always enjoyed it there and felt accepted. ‘Ableism’ […]

Today at 1 I will be a guest on Dr Andy McCabe’s radio talk show. http://www.healthylife.net/RadioShow/archiveADA.htm I will talk about creating individualized career options for those who don’t fit within the typical boxes of finding and having work. Points include: How to identify what you are good at doing and what draws your attention. Two […]