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Image result for anxious woman in forest

 

It’s the last thing you want to do when you’re anxious — that is, to be kind to yourself. After all, you’re anxious for no good reason. Again. And this is the third time today that you’ve felt your stomach take a nosedive and your entire body shake.

 

Having anxiety is incredibly frustrating. Our first impulse might be to lash out at ourselves. But what’s more helpful is to be kind, instead — even though it might feel unnatural at first. Because lashing out only boosts our anxiety, worsening our symptoms (not to mention it also sinks our mood). Self-compassion, on the other hand, calms us. It means soothing ourselves when we need it most.

 

“Kindness comes in infinite forms,” said Lea Seigen Shinraku, MFT, a therapist in private practice in San Francisco. Sometimes, kindness is taking a walk or talking to a friend or watching your favorite TV show to distract yourself, she said.

 

Read in Full:

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2015/12/05/4-ways-to-be-kind-to-yourself-when-youre-anxious/



Mackay artist with Asperger’s syndrome receives award for achievements

Posted

Mackay artist Nekea Blagoev stands inside a Mackay restaurant surrounded by her colourful paintings of trees

Photo: Standing inside a restaurant in the heart of Mackay, Nekea Blagoev, 32, is surrounded by an array of colourful paintings. All are her own and many have been a part of overseas exhibitions. (ABC Tropical North: Sophie Kesteven)

 

When the scattered afternoon sunlight seeped its way into a restaurant in the heart of Mackay, Nekea Blagoev’s creativity, widely splashed across the walls, came to light.

 

According to Nekea, the first milestone in her life did not involve walking or talking.

 

Instead, her earliest memories involve painting and drawing.

 

“Mum was always constantly painting the walls because I was always drawing on them,” Nekea said.

 

“It was more of a hobby when I was a kid, and it just developed into something bigger than I could have ever dreamed of,” she said.

 

It was not until five years ago that Nekea decided to take her creative side seriously.

 

She has since gone on to showcase her artwork around the world, and one of her artwork designs was recently used on a stamp in the United States for Autism Awareness Month.

 

Most recently her accomplishments have led to the Mackay artist being named the 2015 Individual Achievement winner at the Autism Queensland Creative Futures Recognition Awards.

 

“[I was given the award] for my achievements and being an inspiration and role model to my fellow community members, and my artwork on top of that as well just goes hand and hand with each other,” she said.

 

Read in Full:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-18/mackay-artist-aspergers-wins-award/7041304



Carol Sonnenblick, Ed.D.

Board of Directors

Freedom Fom Fear

 

Chubby Santa’s, twinkling lights, parties, the aroma of pies and cookies baking in the kitchen, champagne bubbles, family feasts and gifts piled high greet each year’s holiday season.  Holidays are happy times, right?  Not necessarily.  The advent of the holiday season is not always a time of joy.  It is a time when we mourn those whose presence is missed.  It is a time when frenzied activity adds to the burden of life’s already hectic schedules.  It is a time of excess—spending too much, eating too much and drinking too much. How can we put in the obligatory time with family which may prove toxic as old habits and unresolved issues resurface?   How can we enjoy the holiday season when coping with our usual stressors requires us to use all of our inner resources?  Here are some.

 

  • *Develop a shopping list and spending plan.  Resist impulse buying and extravagance.
  • *Remember that there is no reason to expect that difficult relationships will have improved since last year—so why get aggravated.
  • *Pace your activities.  Accept invitations to those events that will not overburden your life and cause next day exhaustion.  Feeling tired and frantic is not good for your physical and mental health.
  • *If food and drink are an issue—try moderation (more easily said than done—think  January when you will want to undo the results of binge indulging)
  • *Choose parties and events you really care about, avoid day after day of obligatory activities.
  • *Set aside some time just for yourself—do something that you enjoy, makes you smile and reduces your sense of being on a treadmill.
  • *Chose someone you really care about and spend some quality time, even if it’s only a quick lunch somewhere.
  • *Make plans for January and February to do something special—give yourself something to look forward to during the coldest, darkest winter months.
  • *Buy yourself a gift, something that you really want that no one else is going to get for you.

 

Put the holiday into perspective—the excitement, the scenery, the parties, friends and family.  Recognize that changes in routine can be stressful but that’s just part of the season—enjoy and happy holidays.

 

“Remember that our expectations will create our reactions, and expectations are often too idealistic if guided by the hallmark holiday image.”   -Mark Sisti, Ph.D

 

“Have the freedom to change traditions, based on what works and what no longer works.”-Constance Salhany, Ph.D.

 

Source:  http://www.freedomfromfear.org/viewtopic.asp?topic_id=246

Christmas and ASD

 

Christmas  can  be  an  exciting  and  fun  time,  but  it  can  also  be  stressful.
People  with  an  autistic  spectrum  disorder  (ASD)  may  be  confused  or
distressed  by  all  the  new  activity  within  the  household  at  Christmas  and
this can be upsetting for the rest of the family. Hopefully this information

sheet will provide some tips which might help. The word ‘child’ will be used throughout however some of the tips will be useful for adults too.

 

Preparation

 

As Christmas approaches, you may want to highlight this holiday period on the household’s or child’s calendar. We would suggest that you check when the school starts work about Christmas, and perhaps you could introduce the idea at a similar time. This will help to ensure consistency. However, if this time frame does not leave enough preparation time for your child, then you should adjust it as appropriate.

 

You may only want to emphasise Christmas Day on the calendar. Or you might want to indicate when the school term ends and starts again, to show that the child will be at home during this holiday. You could name this period on the calendar: ‘Christmas Time’ might be appropriate. Highlighting this on the calendar will help your child to prepare for the time spent away from school, and therefore the change in routine. You can start talking to your child about ‘Christmas Time’ and what this means. This will differ for each family. You could produce a booklet on Christmas with pictures of relevant items, for example Christmas trees, the sorts of decorations you use and the food you might eat. However, remember that if your child is very literal you will need to be careful as they may become anxious if your Christmas does not appear exactly as the pictures.

 

On your calendar you can mark the days that you will buy and put up the Christmas tree and decorations, as well as any other changes which will occur. Do not forget to include the day when relatives or friends will arrive to stay. Although a lot can change during this time, it is important to continue your child’s routine to some extent. If you use visual timetables with your child (see our ‘Visual supports’ information sheet, available free from the Autism Helpline), continue to use them to show what they will be doing during this period.

 

You should include your child with an ASD in the Christmas process. You may want to take them shopping for the tree and decorations, or show them where they are kept in the house before you bring them out for the holiday. This will help your child to become familiar with these items, even if they saw them the year before. Your child should also be involved in putting up the decorations, even if they are just in the room when it occurs. This will hopefully prevent any negative reactions to these new items being placed in a familiar environment.

 

If your child does want to be included then you may like to give them a particular job to do which they can focus on. This may help them to feel included and less anxious about the changes around them. You may even want to decorate the house over a few days if your child finds change particularly difficult. For example, you could place the tree in position, leave it for a few days and then start to decorate it, adding any house decorations later on.

 

The Autism Helpline is often asked about suitable toys or gifts for a child with an ASD. These will vary from one person to another. However we would suggest that for some children with an ASD having a huge number of presents from friends and family might be too overwhelming. Perhaps a set amount could be given, maybe one from mum and dad and one from grandparents. Any other family members who would like to buy a gift could perhaps put the money in a trust fund to be used for the child at other times. Alternatively, perhaps giving the child one gift a day might help to reduce any anxiety.

Suitable gifts

The Autism Helpline is often asked what toys might be suitable for children with an ASD. Therefore we have compiled a list (in no particular order):

1) Trampolines
These come in lots of different sizes, but make sure it’s strong. They are good for using up energy.

2) Sensory toys
There are many types of these, some examples are:

  • *bubble tubes/columns, all different sizes and colours
  • *fibre optic plumes that change colour and can be safely brushed with the hand
  • *bubble-making machines.

3) Board games

  • *’The Socially Speaking Game’ is a social skills board game for seven-year-olds+ from LDAlearning (www.ldalearning.com)
  • *Battleships/Guess Who? are both turn-taking games.

4) Music

  • *on tape or CD
  • *instruments.

5) Bikes/tricycles

6) Water toys

7) Books
Read-along ones, perhaps accompanied by a tape of the story; for example The Hungry Caterpillar.

These are just a few examples, there are many more. Please remember that every child is different so not every child will like the same toys.

The following website also has some advice about choosing toys for children with autism: www.insidethebubble.co.uk/toys.php

If your child is becoming obsessive about Christmas, you will need to try and set boundaries around this obsession. Please see the Obsessions, repetitive behaviours and routines information sheet for further information.
If you would like any of the information sheets mentioned in this article (Visual supports; Obsessions, repetitive behaviours and routines) please contact the Autism Helpline 0845 070 4004.

Useful contacts

Garden Adventure
Trampolines of all sizes and shapes
Tel: 01342 300146
Email: info@gardenadventure.co.uk
Website: www.gardenadventure.co.uk/Trampoline/index.php

Fledglings
A charity which helps parents and carers of a child with special needs of any kind to find simple, affordable solutions to practical problems.
Sells toys, trikes and other products for children with disabilities
Tel: 0845 458 1124
Email: enquiries@fledglings.org.uk
Website: www.fledglings.org.uk

KidsOut
National charity providing fun to children with special needs, including play equipment and grants
Tel: 01525 385 232
Email: kidsout@kidsout.org.uk
Website: www.kidsout.org.uk

Special Needs Kids
Some ideas for special needs toys
Email: enquiries@special-needs-kids.co.uk
Website: www.special-needs-kids.co.uk/toys-index.htm

LDAlearning
Resource catalogue
Tel: 0845 120 4776
Website: www.ldalearning.com

National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries
Tel London office: 020 7255 4600
Tel Scotland office: 0131 664 2746
Tel Wales office: 02920 566 333
Website: www.natll.org.uk

Rompathe 6th sense
Resource catalogue
Tel: 01246 211777
Email: sales@rompa.com
Website: www.rompa.com

SenseToys Ltd
Tel: 0845 257 0849
Email: info@sensetoys.com
Website: www.sensetoys.com

SpaceKraft Limited
Resource catalogue
Tel: 01274 581 007
Website: www.spacekraft.co.uk

TFH UK
Resource catalogue
Tel: 01299 827 820
Email: enquiry form on the website
Website: http://www.specialneedstoys.com/UK/

Winslow Resources
Resource catalogue
Tel: 0845 230 2777
Email: sales@winslow-cat.com
Website: www.winslow-cat.com

Please note the above organisations are not connected with The National Autistic Society in any way; we cannot recommend any of the above organisations.

References/recommended reading

Newson, J. and E. (1982). Top twenty toys for handicapped children in Living and working with autism. Section 5. The National Autistic Society.
This article is a little old-fashioned in its use of language. However many of their recommendations will still be applicable today. Copies are available from the Autism Helpline on 0845 070 4004.

If you require further information about autism and related issues, please contact the NAS Autism Helpline, open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm:

Tel: 0845 070 4004
Email: autismhelpline@nas.org.uk

Source:    http://www.autismjersey.org/

Further Articles

 

NAS:  Ten Ideas For A Happy Christmas

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/09/nas-ten-ideas-for-a-happy-christmas/

 

Grieving: 7 Tips To Get You Through The Holidays

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/09/grieving-7-tips-to-get-you-through-the-holidays/
 

Holiday Pieces: Getting Through The Holidays, Family Ties, Doing Right For Others & Holiday Blues:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/holiday-pieces-getting-through-the-holidays-family-ties-doing-right-for-others-holiday-blues/

Holiday Shopping Tips, Christmas Stress Management, Why Holidays Don’t Have To Be ‘Happy’:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/holiday-shopping-tips-christmas-stress-management-why-holidays-dont-have-to-be-happy/

NAS: ‘Tis the Season to be Jolly:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/nas-tis-the-season-to-be-jolly/

Introverts: Party Survival Tactics, The Party Predicament, Introverts & Health:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/introverts-party-survival-tactics-the-party-predicament-introverts-health/

LEGO NAS Charity Calendar 2010 & New LEGO Games:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/lego-nas-charity-calendar-2010-new-lego-games/

Sensory Toy Warehouse(Please Note Comment For Name/Site Change):

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/the-novelty-warehouse-sensory-toy-shop/

 

Introvert’s Guide to Holiday Merriment:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/introverts-guide-to-holiday-merriment/

 

Managing Holiday Stress, Alone For The Holidays, Families In Recovery:

https://www.aspie-editorial.com/2011/01/22/managing-holiday-stress-alone-for-the-holidays-families-in-recovery/



Labor Day is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the first Monday in September every year. For many people, Labor Day means a day off from work and school, barbecues, and maybe a neighborhood parade – but the true meaning of the holiday might not be at the forefront.
 

Labor Day is a holiday to celebrate the American labor movement and the important (yet often overlooked) contributions of the workers to this country. Without organized labor, we wouldn’t have a minimum wage, child labor laws, weekends, the 8-hour work day, the right to form a union, or the ability to strike for better working conditions. Working people have won a lot of victories, but there are still fights to be won – especially for workers with disabilities.
 

When the national minimum wage was established by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA), it was intended to be a living wage. It’s widely understood that the current national minimum wage of $7.25 is not a living wage, and today, there are movements to increase the national minimum wage. However, what’s not widely acknowledged is that Section 14(c) of the FLSA makes it legal to pay workers with disabilities less than the minimum wage – which means even if we successfully raise the minimum wage, there could still be hundreds of thousands of workers with disabilities who won’t get to celebrate that success. There’s nothing “fair” about the subminimum wage.
 

Last February, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) celebrated President Obama’s inclusion of workers with disabilities in his executive order raising the minimum wage for federal contract workers to $10.10. We couldn’t have won that victory without the hundreds of dedicated advocates who donated, volunteered, and contacted the White House and Department of Labor to demand the inclusion of workers with disabilities.
 

This Labor Day, we’re calling on you again to help us take that victory one step further. There are two bills in Congress right now which, if passed, could finally eliminate Section 14(c) and the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities. These are the Transition to Independence Act (S. 1604) and the Transition to Integrated and Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act (HR 188).
 

ASAN has put together two 2-page introductions to the Transition to Independence Act and the TIME Act, covering the key parts of each bill. These introductions will give you the information needed to contact your Senators (for the TIME Act) and your Representative (for the Transition to Independence Act).

 

 

Help us fight for the rights of workers with disabilities. Tell congress: Labor Rights are Disability Rights!



ASAN Statement on GAO Report on Autism Research Funding

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network takes note of the recently released June 30th, 2015 analysis of autism research funding from the Government Accountability Office. The report, which updates a November 2013 analysis, sheds light on the continued significant gaps in autism research funding priorities, most notably the lack of investment in research pertaining to the service needs of Autistic people of all ages and the particular needs of Autistic adults. 

 

GAO’s analysis notes that funding for research on the needs of adults actually declined from 2008 to 2012, reflecting an alarming lack of attention to growing community priorities regarding meeting the needs of adults on the autism spectrum. Not only does adult research continue to remain a low priority for the National Institutes of Health and other key autism research funders, but the area received very little investment as a result of the new autism research dollars made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which raised funding levels for other autism research areas. 

 

This lack of focus on the service needs of Autistic people and research around Autistic adults represents a long standing problem within federal autism research. In 2010, the most recent year for which data is publicly available, the National Institutes of Health allocated only 2.4% of its autism research budget towards services research and only 1.5% towards the needs of adults. ASAN calls upon NIH and other key research stakeholders to shift research funds to re-balance the autism research agenda. 

 

Autistic Americans deserve a research funding agenda that is aligned with building a better world for Autistic people, not one in which we do not exist. Research funding taking place in our name should be allocated with the input and involvement of the Autistic community. In keeping with that, we continue to urge NIH and other research funders to involve Autistic adults in grant review and other aspects of the research process, including through the use of Participatory Action Research models. 



In honor of the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is very pleased to announce the beginning of a new college scholarship program for autistic students, the Autistic Scholars Fellowship.

 

The ASAN Autistic Scholars Fellowship program, a new ASAN project to advance campus leadership, will provide 3 to 5 autistic students $5,000 tuition scholarships each to create systems change on their college campuses. Fellows will be required to establish or participate in a leadership role within an ASAN campus chapter or a disability rights student organization, work to promote Autistic culture and community, and take steps to improve disability accessibility and inclusion on their college campuses. Fellows are also expected to check in with ASAN on a monthly basis to receive support in achieving their advocacy projects. Applicants must be Autistic, be willing to publicly identify as such and should have a strong interest in disability rights advocacy and activism.

 

Scholarship applications can be found here. Completed applications for the January 2016 scholarship period are due on November 15. Application questions will ask students to describe the current problems for autistic and other disabled students on their college campuses and explain how their planned activities under the fellowship will enable them address these problems. ASAN staff will review completed applications and interview a select group of students starting in mid-November. We expect to inform fellowship recipients of their selection by mid-December.

 

ASAN will look for the following indicators when screening applicants for the scholarship:

  •  
  • *Strong interest in civil rights advocacy and activism for autistic people and other people with disabilities. If students are not yet involved in disability rights, involvement in or support for other causes can demonstrate potential for leading disability rights efforts.
  • * A background in and experience with the values of the neurodiversity movement
  • * A commitment to building Autistic culture and community on their college campus or in their local community 
  • * Commitment to working with all autistic people in an inclusive and welcoming fashion

 

ASAN is able to offer this program thanks to the support of a generous donor.

 

Questions about the fellowship program and the application process should be directed to Natalia Rivera Morales, Leadership Programs Coordinator for ASAN, at nriveramorales@autisticadvocacy.org.



Dear friends,

 

Over the course of the last year, ASAN and our allies have been working with our allies in Congress to craft groundbreaking new legislation on employment of people with disabilities. The Transition to Independence Act (S. 1604), introduced last month by Senators Grassley, Wyden and Casey, is the result of those efforts. 

 

This bill would create a ten-state demonstration program that would provide states with Medicaid bonus payments for closing segregated settings, like sheltered workshops, and increasing integrated employment of people with disabilities. You can read the bill text here or check out ASAN’s two page description of the bill on our website.

 

This is an exciting opportunity for people with disabilities to make real progress in being included in the workforce. And we need your help to make it happen. Here are three things you can do to help build support behind the Transition to Independence Act.

 

1) Call your Senators and ask them to co-sponsor S. 1604. You can do this by dialing the Capitol Switchboard, giving the person there your state and asking to be connected with your Senator’s office. Consider using this script:

 

“Hi, I’m a constituent of Senator ___ living in [Your Town],[Home State]. I’m calling to ask the Senator to co-sponsor S. 1604, the Transition to Independence Act, bi-partisan legislation introduced by Senators Grassley, Wyden and Casey designed to help people with disabilities get into the workforce. Can I talk to the staffer responsible for Medicaid or disability issues in your office?”


If connected, tell them about S. 1604 and explain why employment of people with disabilities matters to you. Try using this script: 

 

“Hi, I’m a constitutent of Senator ____ living in [Your Town], [Home State]. I’d like to ask the Senator to co-sponsor S. 1604, the Transition to Independence Act. It’s bi-partisan legislation that would reward states with bonus payments for expanding integrated employment. People with disabilities are often stuck in sheltered workshops and other segregated settings. This bill would give states bonus payments if they helped move people into integrated workplaces. Would your office be willing to co-sponsor S. 1604?”


If you aren’t connected, make sure to leave a message for the Senator with the person who picks up the phone, making sure they know the bill number, name and your desire for them to co-sponsor. Either way, ask for an e-mail address to follow up. Try to do this for both of your Senators – remember, there are two in each state!

 

2) Set up a meeting at your Senator’s District Office in the month of August. Congress adjourns for most of August, so this is a great time to try and meet with your Senator directly or with senior staff members that work for him or her. Check your Senator’s website to find out where the district office closest to you is, and ask for a meeting during the August congressional recess. 

 

When you attend, feel free to use our two page fact sheet to help educate them about why supporting the Transition to Independence Act is important. After the meeting, e-mail ASAN at info@autisticadvocacy.org so that we can follow up here in DC.

 

3) Tweet at your Senators asking them to support S.1604. This isn’t as effective as calling or setting up a meeting, but can be a useful addition on top of those things. You can find your Senator’s twitter handle here and a list of sample tweets for you to use here.

 

This month marks the 25th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. People with disabilities have been excluded from the workplace for far too long. With your help, we can make a difference. Tell Congress it’s time to act on disability employment.

 

Nothing About Us, Without Us!

 

Sincerely,

Ari Ne’eman

 

President

Autistic Self Advocacy Network



The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is proud to announce the release of a new resource for autistic people and our families on Medicaid coverage for autism-related services. These services can include developmental approaches regarding social communication, sensory integration, emotional regulation, and adaptive skills.

 

Until now, much advocacy for coverage of “autism interventions” has focused on purely behavioral approaches, like Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). These interventions can be inappropriate or even harmful, and exclusive focus on coverage for behavioral interventions can result in limited access to evidence-based and emerging models that focus on improving relationships, communication skills, and development of skills that are meaningful to individuals’ quality of life. 

 

Fortunately, Medicaid law allows states to cover a wide range of interventions. Moreover, Medicaid beneficiaries under the age of 21 are entitled to coverage for interventions that are necessary to build skills like communication, coordination, emotional regulation and self-care.

 

ASAN’s new guide to Medicaid coverage explains the evidence base for promising developmental interventions and provides instruction on how to advocate for coverage for these interventions. It is the first of several upcoming publications about health coverage for developmental interventions. You can read the new guide here.

 

For more information, contact Samantha Crane, scrane@autisticadvocacy.org.

 

DOWNLOAD OUR NEW RESOURCE HERE



 

This month, Maryland became the first state in the United States to enact the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s model law banning disability-based discrimination in organ transplantation. Maryland will be the third state to have an organ transplant anti-discrimination law, joining New Jersey and California.
 

This victory is the result of years of hard work here at ASAN. It started with our policy brief on discrimination in organ transplants. Our research, described in the brief, found that people with significant developmental disabilities are routinely denied life-saving organ transplants for no reason other than their disability.
 

In 2014, I wrote a model law against disability-based discrimination in organ transplants and published it in our comprehensive toolkit on organ transplant discrimination. I hoped that state advocates would be able to bring our model law to their state legislators and ask them to enact it.
 

This month, with help from the Arc of Maryland and the Maryland Disability Law Center, the Maryland legislature voted unanimously to pass that law. Our law.
 

Once it’s signed by the governor, the law we wrote will become the law of the land in Maryland – protecting not only thousands of Marylanders with disabilities but also out-of-state patients who seek help from major transplant centers like the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University. Already, major transplant centers like the University of Maryland have removed language from their web sites saying that they would not perform transplants for anyone with a “severe” developmental or psychiatric disability, regardless of medical need.
 

And we won’t stop there: we are working already on getting organ anti-discrimination laws passed in other states, including Pennsylvania!

If you’re as excited as we are about this victory, please consider making a contribution to support ASAN’s important work and help advance the cause of disability rights. Your support makes what we do possible.
Thank you for your support. As always, Nothing About Us, Without Us!

 

Sincerely,

 

Samantha Crane, J.D.
Legal Director, Director of Public Policy
Autistic Self Advocacy Network



 

Dear Readers,

 

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend!

 

Julie

xx



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