What's "Social Thinking?" (Autism Spectrum Disorder in Burnaby and Vancouver, BC)

I often start sessions asking the parents of adults I see to define , as they understand it, autism spectrum disorder or Asperger's Disorder as many call it. I then define it myself, decribing issues relating to "social thinking."

Hrre is what Michelle Garcia Winner says about social thinking:
"Social Thinking is what we do when we share space with others and when sending an email, sitting in a classroom, lining up at the grocery store, reading a work of fiction, watching a funny video clip, participating in a business meeting, driving in traffic, and a host of other daily activities that involve our social interpretation and related reactions.  We consider the context; take in the thoughts, emotions and intentions of the people with whom we are interacting and use that information to determine how we respond. How we think about people affects how we behave, which in turn affects how others respond to us, which in turn affects our own emotional internal and external responses. It's an incredibly complex process that most of us take for granted."

From https://www.socialthinking.com/Articles?name=Introduction%20to%20Social%20Thinking


My best example of social thinking is coming toa cross walk and looking, very briefly, for a second or two, at the face and eyes of the driver about to take the turn and making a jusdgement about them. Will they stop? Will they wait for me? Will they ignore the rules of the road? and thendeciding what to go...cross, or wait. These are the kinds of daily decisions we make by reading what is in other people's heads, and making social decision based upon their eye contact, facial expression, posture and any other social hints I might find in my view.

This kind of social thinking comes natuarally to most of us, but to those with high functioning autism, what use to be called "Asperger's Disorder," these decisions and this swift and non-verbal communication is difficult. Sometimes just slow. And over the years, as they have many social experiences that don't work out, were misread and lead to less than hopeful results, they often develop anxiety about social thinking, about taking action in social situation, and can become isolated and simply not develop appropriate skills as they grow.

an initial and critical component to interventions for children, teens or adults with autism spectrum disorder, ASD or Aspeger's, is to get an understanding of these basics. To know what ASD is well enough to describe it, recognize it, and then and only then do we move on to doing something about it....when and where we want to.

Michelle Garcia Winner describes Social Thinking interventions on the links below, and I invite you to go to those web pages and get an understanding yourself. In my own practice, where I see children, teens and adults for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis as well as treatment, I use Michelle's materials throughout the intervention process. She has an excellent set of curriculum materials for home and school, and this is a resource no parent or adult with autism should be without.

Vistit here website at www.socialthinking.com

Other articles that might be of interest include these:

• The Social Communication Dance: The Four Steps of Communication
• Social Thinking®: A Developmental Treatment Approach for Students with Social Learning/Social Pragmatic Challenges 
• Explaining Social Thinking to Others: The Big Picture in Sound Bites
• Social Behavior Mapping: Connecting Behavior, Emotions, and Consequences Across the Day

For more information about my practice in Burnaby and Vancouver, where I see children, adolescents and adults for diagnosis and treatment, please visit my website at:

www.relatedminds.com

http://www.psychologists.bc.ca/users/jimroche

https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/70682

I am a Registered Psycholgist in BC, and a member of the RASP list of ACTBC Behaviour Interventionists. Services to children and adolescents with ASD are often covered by BC Ministry funding.

 

Behaviour Interventionist Burnaby / Vancouver

I provide behaviour interventionist services in my Burnaby office for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD and Asperger's disorder. I am a member of the ACT (Autism Community Training) RASP list and my services are covered under minsitry funding programs for children and teens.

Most of my services are focused on specific behavioural problems which parents and consultants are having a hard time dealing with. I provide parent training, consultation and some school based training and consltation. I have workd as the behaviour management specialist for several school districts and as a provincial autism consultant through the Provinical Outreach Program for Autism and Related Services (POPARD). I am deeply familiar with school based programs and have supervised and cnsulted with many professionals in local districts.

Two other things that I provide in my pracritce:

First, I provide autism diagnosist services. If you suspect your child has autism an appointment can usually be set up within 10 days to 2 weeks. I prioritize my cases with individuals with autism spectrum disorder because I am aware how few services there are here in BC.  Please visit my website for more information on arranging an appointment for an autism diagnostic consultation. I require an initial 1 hour session to discuss current symptoms and history. The cost of this session is $175.00 and this is part of the overall costs if we decide to move forward with testing.

I also see children and teens in my office for individual therapy. This therapy usually is focused on issues of communications and follows the structure of interventions you will find in the work of Michelle Winner ( Social Thinking). Often these sessions include a period of play therapy, some didactic training and skills development, and then a period of feedback with parents so that they will understand the process and be able to impliment supportive skills trainng in the home.

In addition to diagnosising and providing therapy for autism spectrum disorder / Aspegers disorder, I also focus much of my practice on ADHD and executive dysfunction issues. These are often co-morbid with a diagnosis of ASD.

Finally, I not only provide autism spectrum disorder services to children and teens, but also to adults as well, and see patients from across the lifespan.

Please visit my website at www.relatedminds.com or http://www.relatedminds.com/autism and contact me if you have any questions I can help you with.

Adult Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asperger's Disorder

The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), sometimes referred to as "Asperger's Disorder" can be very difficult for a family practitioner  due to the amount of time and the instruments and tools used to complete a comprehensive examination.

While many people make a determination by filling out an on-line form, the diagnsis is actually far more complex. In British Columbia an "offical" diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, especially high functioning autism which until recently was referred to as Asperger's Disorder - sometimes also diagnosed as "non-Verbal LEarning Disorder" requires several specific tests. For children under six a team is required, including a psychologist, physician and a speech pathologist. The reason a team is required is that autism can often look like other disorders, and other disorders can often look just like autism. Here the Ministry of Children and Families also requires specific tests be used. These include AT LEAST the ADOS- Autism Diagnossit Observation System, which is a procedural test that looks at current symptoms and behaviours, and the ADI-R, the Autism Diagnositic Interview Revised, which is a highly structured history. These are necessary for recognition of ASD by schools and the ministry.

When assessing/testing adult I use these same tests, as an autism diagnosis in BC can be used for obtaining tax credits, social services and most often accomodations at school, college, university and the workplace.

In addition to these specific tests and procedures I also administer a series of neuropsychological tests and personality assessments in order to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms. Additionally individuals with autism spectrum disorder/ adult Asperger's can also have co-morbid disorders, such as depression, anxiety, OCD and ADHD. This comprehensive look at your symptoms and hisotry helps guide treatment choices.

The cost of such an assessment is $1,200-1,600, depending upon the complexity. Regretfully, these costs are not covered by provincial MSP (medical Service Plan) but some costs may be covered by your extended health care plan.

My schedule allows me to see most individuals who are seeking an assessment for adult autism spectrum disorder within 3-4 weeks, as I try not to schedule out more than 4-6 weeks in advance, and prioritize adult autism spectrum disorder assessments as there are few professionals in the lower mainland with the ability or experience necessary to do these assessments.

For more information on adult autism spectrum disorder assessments please visit my web page and contact me by phone or by completing the form on the web page. I am a Registered Psychologist in British Columbia with over 25 years experience in the field of autism, including working as a special education teacher for students with autism spectrum disorder, as a school district behaviour management specialist and as a provincial autism consultant. I have also worked as a rehabilitation psychologist and neuropsychologist with adults returning to the workplace. This hands on experience with individuals across the spectrum of ages and development provides me with a unique set of skills and knowledge base.

Web page:  www.relatedminds.com
http://www.relatedminds.com/autism/
http://www.relatedminds.com/adult-autism-and-aspergers-disorder/
                 

Therapy for Teens and Young Adults with Asperger's / Autism in Vancouver and Burnaby

While some schools provide small groups to work on skills training with students with Aspeger's Disorder, it seems to be the exception here in the lower mainland. Children, teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorder, especially those who are higher functioning and until recently we would have said they had "Aspergers Disorder," need supportive servies for a number of issues. These services can be provided in several different ways:

1. In small groups, such as what one might find in a school setting. This type of group, often called a "social thinking" group is often directed by a psychologist or school speech pathologist. The most frequent type of group that we see are those modelled after Michelle Garcia Winner's Social Thinking program, and address issues such as developing the ability to engage in small-talk, learning to "read others," by studying their entire body and learning to use methods to gather information that they can use to engage in the give and take of conversation, and sometimes direct learning and practice using another of Michelle's curriculums such as her "Social Behavior Mapping" program.  You can see many of these materials at her website" www.socialthinking.com

2. When groups and school based programs are not available many children, teens and adults use one-to-one therapy to learn and practice these skills. Sessions might include some diadactic learning, some conversation time and then a period to reflect on the quality of the conversation and on issues relating to their experiences in other environments, such as school, home or the workplace. While I organize and sometimes direct small groups through schools, in my private practice much of my time is spent providing these types of services. I find that most individuals can make use of Mitchell's materials, and keeping the focus on skill development for reciprocal conversation skills is key. Many adults see me because of relationship issues, and problems in the workplace relating to asperger's and communications problems.

In addition to these language based services, I often spend a good deal of time directly teaching skills relating to anxiety, stress, and for many, depression. Manby of my patients have previously seen therapists or counsellors who have tried to address issues like anxiety, stress and depression who are not familiar with autism spectrum disorder and how it effects individuals across the lifespan.

3. The third way I often see patients about asperger's or autism spectrum disorder is through my services as a family therapist. This might mean working with a couple, or working with parents, providing parent education and behavioral skills training.

For those with children who have provincial funding I am a registered behavior specialist with ACT - Autism Community Training, and my services for children or teens can be billed directly to the Ministry.  If you suspect your child or teen has autism spectrum disorder I also provide diagnostic / testing services that help you meet the qualifications for BC autism funding.

Adult services are often covered by their extended health plans, and in some cases cololege, universities and employers help with payments. Most individuals with autism spectrum disorder - Asperger's Disorder - also qualify for tax benifits, which can help defer the costs.

For more information on my services please feel free to contact me through my website at www.relatedminds.com, or call 778.998-7975

Dr. Jim Roche is a licensed and Registered Psychologist with over 30 years experience in the field of autism, education and neuropsychological assessment.

KEY WORDS: Autism, Asperger's Disorder, Burnaby, Vancouver, Coquitlam, New Westminster

Books for Teens, Young Adults and Adults with Autism / Aspergers

As a provider of assessments for children, teens and adults with sautism spectrum disorder, or what was previously called "Asperger's Disorder," I am often asked for a good book to read on the subject. Specifically, today, I will suggest one book for teens and young adults. There are others for adults and married couples, but honestly, there isn't too much quality material available.

For teens and young adults I would recommend "Socially Curious and Curiously Social" by Mitchelle Garcia winner and Pamela Crooke. I also often suggest this to adult who can relate to many of the issues and experiences that this teen-young adult book speaks about.

After recieving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or Asperger's Disorder young people are often in need of a book, or at least a resourse of materials, on issues they relate to every day. This book, which is an anime-illustrated guidebook, is written to help explain how the social mind is expected to work in order to effectively relate to others at school, at work and in the community. This book redines what it means "to be social."

Michelle Winner is the leading practitioner in the field of ASD - Asperger's. She has a large clinic in San Jose California where she provides individual, group and family therapy to those with Aspergers/ASD, and provides training and curriculum material that most of the schools I work with, in many different states and provinces, in the schools. This includes materials such as here "Social Thinking" curriculum, "Social Behavior Mapping," and "Thinking About You Thinking About Me." These materaisl work well with other related systems such as "The Incredible five Point Scale."

Here web page, www.socialthinking.com is an excellent resourse for other related materials.

..............................................

Dr. Jim Roche provides assessments / testing for autism spectrum disorder and Asperger's in his offices in Burnaby and Vancouver, providing services for children with autism, Asperger's and NVLD in Vancouver, Burnaby, coquitlam, North Vancouver, West Vancouver and throughout the region. He is a licensed and registered psychologist, a certified teacher of special education and a licensed school psychologist. He has worked as a behaviour management specialist for schools in BC, California, Washingto, and New York. He has been providing assessment and testing for children, teens/adiolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder and Asperger's Disorder for over twenty years. His assessments help many individuals qualify for provinical funding and related support programs. He is one of the few practitioners in BC who has worked in schools and workplaces directly with individuals with autism spectrum disorder and Asperger's Disorder and brings his experience as a teacher, psychologist and consultant to each case.

For more information on assessments and testing for autism spectrum disorder or Asperger's disorder please visit his webpage at www.relatedminds.com

https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/70682

Autism Diagnostic Services| Burnaby

Dr. Jim Roche provides diagnostic services for children, teens and adults with suspect autism spectrum disorder or Asperger's disorder. These services are used to help families obtain funding through the BC autism funding program, school-based services and accommodations in school, college, university or work for adults.
I am a registered and licensed psychologist with 

over twenty-five years of experience in this field. I also hold licenses and certificates in school psychology and as a teacher of special education, so I am familiar with what it's like to run a classroom.

For ore information on my services please visit the ACT-RASP web page at http://www.actcommunity.ca/profiles/224/

Or visit my web page at www.relatedminds.com

Other places you can find information about my services include:
http://psyris.com/drjimroche

https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/name/Jim_Roche_JD,PhD,CAGS,RPsych,RMFT_Burnaby_British+Columbia_70682

http://www.psychologists.bc.ca/users/jimroche

Dr. Jim Roche

I am a Registered Psychologist and Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in working with teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and what has been called Asperger's Disorder.   My work with teens and young adults addresses school issues, sometimes psychoeducational testing, school observations, emotional issues and behavioural issues.

I am a member of the ACT RASP and am a registered behaviour consultant with them, and therefore can see children below the age of six using provincial funding. I provide autism diagnostic services and help parents become familiar with the many treatment modalities that are available to them. As a registered psychologist my services are also covered by most extended health care plans.

A number of patients see me for weekly 1-2 therapy, often addressing issues of anxiety, stress, depression or behavioural issues. I also see parents for parent education and sometimes for family or couples related counselling relating to the stress of dealing with the many aspects of ASD.

With most clients my focus is on either behavioural training, aimed at parents, caregivers or schools, or on social communications issues. I often use materials from Michelle Winner and her Social Thinking program. This includes curriculum materials such as "Social Behaviour Mapping," and "The Incredible Five Point Scale." I also teach a number of visual support techniques.

The methods I use are those that are considered by most school districts as "research based" and in use in those districts. As a previous POPARD provincial consultant for autism I am familiar with the methods, materials and curriculum used in most schools in the Vancouver/BC area and try to work in a manner that works well with what you should expect from the schools.

I also provide school based observations and consultations in both public and private schools.

I am a registered and licensed psychologist with over twenty five years of experience in this field. I also hold licenses and certificates in school psychology and as a teacher of special education, so I am familiar with what it's like to run a classroom.

For ore information on my services please visit the ACT-RASP web page at http://www.actcommunity.ca/profiles/224/

Or visit my web page at www.relatedminds.com

Other places you can find information about my services include:
http://psyris.com/drjimroche

https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/name/Jim_Roche_JD,PhD,CAGS,RPsych,RMFT_Burnaby_British+Columbia_70682

http://www.psychologists.bc.ca/users/jimroche