‘Why Am I So Awkward?’ Social Anxiety Disorder vs Autism
'Why Am I So Awkward?' Is It Social Anxiety, Or Could It Be Autism? Have you been experiencing social difficulties? Perhaps you struggle to make friends, feel like you don't fit it, or get anxious during social gatherings. If social interaction is often problematic or painful for you, you may have asked Learn More
What To Do When Your Spouse Or Partner Has ADHD
What To Do When Your Spouse Or Partner Has ADHD Living with someone who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can be a challenge. If your girlfriend/boyfriend, spouse, partner, or roommate has ADHD, their behaviors may be causing relationship problems. Arguments about workload distribution are among the most common issues I have noticed Learn More
How To Increase Your Motivation (And Inspire Others!) at Work
How To Increase Your Motivation (And Inspire Others!)At Work As an executive coach, I work with C-suite executives and a variety of successful professionals. My clients are intelligent, ambitious, and high achieving. However, despite their many accomplishments, they often experience workplace burnout at some point in their careers. Learn More
How To ‘Inoculate’ Your Teen Against Anxiety
How To ‘Inoculate’ Your Teen Against Anxiety When your teen gets anxious or faces a challenging situation, what do you do? If you are like most parents, your instinct is to immediately intervene to save your child from discomfort. But is this really the best approach? While you may feel compelled to Learn More
Autism And Empathy: The ‘Double Empathy Problem’
Autism And Empathy: The ‘Double Empathy’ Problem Many psychologists still view autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a neurological defect. This view is harmful for many reasons, some of which I have detailed in my other blog posts. This week, we explore how the pathologizing of autism overlooks the Learn More
Think You Understand ADHD? Think Again
Think You Understand ADHD? Think Again Most people today are familiar with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but promoting public awareness of this disorder is only the first step in managing it. To ensure people with ADHD receive the understanding, support, and acceptance they need, we must also debunk Learn More
A Surprising Way To Decrease Stress At Work
A Surprising Way To Decrease Stress At Work Is your job stressing you out? If so, you might assume that putting in even more effort will reduce your anxiety. Perhaps you believe that if you could finish that next task quickly and perfectly, you could finally relax. That means committing 110% of Learn More
How Involved Should I Be In My Child’s Online Schooling?
How Involved Should I Be In My Child's Online Schooling? It's a question I have been getting a lot since many schools closed their doors due to novel coronavirus. A lot of parents are doing more than packing their kids lunches and sending them out the door. They're now facilitating and overseeing Learn More
Trying To Survive Online Classes With ADHD? 7 Tips
Trying To Survive Online Classes With ADHD? 7 Tips Are you enrolled in online college classes? If you’re barely hanging on, you’re not alone. With novel coronavirus forcing many universities to transition classes to an online format, many people who thought they would be studying on campus are Learn More
What Is The Autism “Spectrum”? The Answer May Surprise You
What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? There are many ways autism can be conceptualized. Viewed through the medical model, Autism Spectrum Disorder is a disorder to be diagnosed. A healthcare professional compares your behaviors to a list of autistic characteristics to diagnose you. These characteristics include "persistent deficits in social communication/interaction" and Learn More
Work-Life Balance Vs. Work-Life Integration: Pros & Cons
What Is Work-Life Balance, And Why Is It Important? The definition of work-life balance is an equilibrium between time spent on professional endeavors and investment in non-work priorities such as health, family, and school. Oftentimes, people think of overwhelm and overwork when they hear that phrase. Professional responsibilities Learn More
What To Do When Your Child Wants To Drop Out of College
Is Your Child Thinking About Dropping Out of College? Is your son or daughter intimidated by the demands of academic life? If your child is thinking about dropping out of college—or has already withdrawn—they’re not alone. Only 56% of college students who enrolled in a four-year program leave Learn More
Coping With ADHD At Work: How To Ask For Accommodations
Working With ADHD? You May Be Eligible For Accommodations Did you know that workers with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are entitled to workplace protections? Under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), employers must not discriminate against individuals with physical and mental disabilities. Upon request, they must provide reasonable accommodations to help Learn More
Autism in Women: Hiding in Plain Sight
When I hear someone ask the question, “Can women be autistic?” I realize we still haven’t overcome the cultural misconceptions about autism that were established more than 75 years ago. When German pediatrician Hans Asperger used the term “autism” in 1944, he was referring to a group of boys. Although he later realized that girls can also be autistic, Asperger initially believed autism only occurred in males.
Why You Should Start Therapy During COVID-19
For many, the thought of starting therapy in the middle of a pandemic feels overwhelming. Your schedule and routine has blown up, and you’re just trying to keep it together. Adding another appointment into the mix, even if it would be with a supportive person, feels sub-optimal. But I would suggest that now is the best time to start therapy!
The Secret Struggles of CEOs and How Therapy Helps
It’s easy to think that CEOs have it all together. After all, they had to be highly skilled to work their way up into this position. They earn a high salary, they’re well-respected, and when their company succeeds, they reap the rewards of their hard work. But, the truth is, being a CEO is an extremely stressful job.
Breaking the Cycle: Managing Conflict With Your Emerging Adult Child
Perhaps your adult child has moved back home recently, and you’re both butting heads. Or maybe you’ve noticed that every time you visit them, your conversations feel tense. And you may even find yourself dreading weekend phone calls because the two of you always end up arguing.
Why I Use Identity-First Language When Talking About Autism
Among autistic self-advocates and their allies, there have been some passionate debates about language and labels for several years. One particularly important discussion is the disagreement over whether people should use identity-first language (“autistic person”) or person-first language (“person with autism”). As expected, many different opinions have surfaced.
Improving Your Time Management with Time Awareness and Scheduling
Imagine for a moment... You have a long day ahead of you with no real commitments. And you also have a long list of things you need to finish up by tomorrow. Ideally, you would be able to get all of those tasks done in the time you have available. However, as the day winds down, you realize that you’ve gotten very little done.
Leveraging Your Strengths and Minimizing Your Struggles as an Autistic Adult in the Workplace
We live in a time of increased awareness. This is partially the result of advances in science and medicine. It’s also a cultural shift. Individuals are far more able to openly discuss how they may or may not be different from standard expectations. These parallel factors intersect in a few key ways. Learn More
How Setting Better Boundaries Will Change Your Life
Never before have we had so many outlets for personal expression. Thanks to smartphones and social media, it seems privacy has become a thing of the past. Everyone — from long-lost high school classmates to the barista at your local cafe — is sharing too much information (TMI). And they expect others Learn More
10 Common Ways Your Thinking is Making You Depressed
Depression has many causes. But what role do your thoughts and emotions play in this common and serious illness? Since your thoughts and behaviors are linked, what you think very much impacts how you feel. It only follows that your thinking has the power to make you feel depressed. The cycle builds from there.
Setting Up an Optimal Environment for Your ADHD Brain
How our brains function is not a fixed concept. The environments in which we exist can change our brains in many ways. This is good news— particularly for those living with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a condition marked by a pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. These factors consistently interfere with a person’s functioning or development.
A Neurodiversity-Affirmative Approach to Thinking About Autism
For the past thirty to forty years, the medical model and psychological disorder lenses dominated the conversation about autism. Now, autistic voices are being heard. The neurodiversity perspective has grown in recognition and popularity. Neurodiversity-affirmative therapists are showing up, and they are tailoring their therapeutic approaches. This is similar to therapists who Learn More