Paper Topic:

Counseling the Disabled and Autistic

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This will examine developmental disabilities and counseling techniques . Counseling of the individual as well as counseling of the family will be discussed . Autism , a pervasive developmental dis is a particularly challenging diagnosis and has an impact on the method of counseling . People with no verbal skills , expressive or receptive are also a challenge faced by counselors . It is this writer ' belief that any form of counseling needs to

include the individual as the focus . In doing so , the counselor will be able to work within the strengths of the individual . Further , counseling must be conducted as a means of support for the individual , not as a method of behavior modification .Introduction

Jeremy is twenty-nine years old and autistic . He lives in a group home with three other adults with developmental disabilities . Life has never been easy for Jeremy . He has limited communication skills and will sometimes become quite upset when there is a change in his routine Jeremy isn 't able to cope with stress and when he becomes upset , he will bang his head on the wall , sometimes until it bleeds . Because he is unable to express what is occurring at that moment , the staff who work with him focus their energies on keeping him safe and restraining him Jeremy is on psychotropic medications to help him control his impulse behaviors . He sees a psychiatrist frequently to monitor his medications , but the psychiatrist gets little input from Jeremy on how he feels . The psychiatrist is dependent on staff reports to know how Jeremy is doing . Jeremy is dependent upon those staff to report accurately . Life has never been easy for Jeremy . He is autistic

Autism and Implications for Counseling

Autism is a dis that results in impairments of socialization communication and imagination . People with autism often exhibit significant language problems such as delayed or absent speech perseveration , and echolalia . People who are labeled autistic experience an unusual relationship with the world around them . Their neurological development can result in an altered sensitivity to sound touch , visual input and movement . They may have difficulty attending to more than one sensation at a time . Distress and anxiety are common emotional states for people with autism . Even for individuals who are very capable , problems with communication are quite fundamental Providing counseling for someone who is diagnosed autistic can prove to be quite challenging . Capable individuals with autism are more likely to develop good coping strategies . Even the most significantly disabled individuals can learn useful strategies when approached consistently and respectfully (Van Bourgondien Schopler , 1996

Rituals seem to be universal with individuals with autism . The use of rhythmic movements , humming , and rocking are soothing activities to someone with autism , and also provide a way to cope with sensory hypersensitivity . These behaviors have been considered pathological within medical and clinical definitions , however , individuals with autism find the use of rituals...

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