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Family & Youth Forum |
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September What's Inside
Mission
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Does It Work?
by Danielle R. Caraway, MA, LPC, LMFT,
Director of Autism Support Alliance The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust
Consider every interaction you have with
another person – your spouse, friend, coworker, or child – and how
“second nature” it is for you to communicate about daily events.
Individuals diagnosed with autism do not have this luxury, and it is
a constant effort for them to relate effectively to others. The
mission of the Autism Support Alliance is to promote access and
opportunities for persons with autism to be fully included as
participating members of their communities. This includes providing
a safe, tolerant environment in which children, adolescents, and
adults can learn and practice valuable social skills. These
individuals also have an opportunity to develop kinships that would
otherwise have been inaccessible to them. As many may know, missions
are important to identify because they help us to stay focused on
our goals and evaluate progress. So the question becomes, do we in
fact meet our mission or, as they say, “Does it work?”
The answer was demonstrated in a recent social skills group meeting. During the meeting, one member was obviously troubled. The group members intuitively sensed that there was a change in this individual, and began inquiring as to why. After receiving an explanation, the group took initiative to provide words of encouragement. They agreed that they would all pray for her that night. Their actions demonstrated how our work in group has allowed them to build on their capacity for recognizing how others feel. They cared enough to give useful and relevant words of encouragement. This speaks volumes to their capacity for developing and maintaining lasting friendships, as now they were able to view another’s experience with new eyes. So, again, the question is, “Does it work?” Well, upon considering the mission for our social groups and after reflecting on our recent group experience, the answer is an indisputable, undeniable - YES! For more information on helping those with autism in their voyages of discovery, contact Kathrin or Danielle at 337-436-9533. For more information view Autism Support Alliance web pages.
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