What the show brought up for me, however, was what lessons were missing that would prove valuable for these young adults and the ones watching. Most young adults on the spectrum are vulnerable in many areas – a key one being decoding intent and motivation and as more and more on-line dating apps become available.
Importance of Emotional Health
Feelings. Everyone has them, all the time. And yet, we don’t always acknowledge
them or talk about our feelings, much less identify emotions accurately.
Society and social media give us the message that individuals and couples should
be living a life of happiness, a life that is relatively free of dark emotions, like
anger, sadness or fear. In fact, the opposite is true: Research shows that the
happiest, most emotionally healthy people are actually the ones who are most
comfortable with the full range of their emotions.
Emotionally healthy people tend to be both self-accepting and self-aware. They
know how they feel, and they have a great deal of tolerance and self-compassion
when they’re not feeling so great emotionally. They don’t try to avoid bad feelings,
and they also know how to (gently, appropriately) support themselves through
challenging times. They know that reality is a life that is 50 – 50.
Authentic emotional health is knowing which feelings to listen to and which feelings
to leave alone. It can be hard to develop emotional health and learn how to stay in
balance between taking wisdom from your emotions, but not always “obeying them.
Learning how to tell the difference between helpful and unhelpful feelings, helps
you develop self-compassion, self-understanding, and self-control.
Personal growth and inner development include learning how to have an authentic
relationship with your own emotions. This development often addresses:
Life experiences that shaped your emotional reality and core beliefs
Acknowledging any unfinished business with the past
Figuring out which feelings are serving you and which ones are keeping you
‘stuck’
Harnessing the power of your emotions to fuel your hopes, dreams and goals
Learning how to move through big, dark emotions in a healthy way without
reacting
Learning how to become aware of your emotions and the thought that are
creating them, in the moment
This inner work often takes months of conscious, focused attention and it’s so worth
it. Learning how to manage your emotions allows you to have better relationships
with others, improve your self-esteem and create meaningful life goals.
Autism Spectrum Life Coaching from a Parent's Perspective
StarPointe has an incredible coaching program. I'm convinced it is the best place for my son to gain the support he needs to enhance the many talents that he already owns. And not just him--any young adult having trouble launching into the community will find the essential respect and help they deserve to move into a new phase of their life. StarPointe listened.
Can I Go To College if I'm Disabled?
It’s that time of year where you have completed high school and are looking to have a similar
experience that friends might be having, heading off to college, but the decision may not be so
easy if you have ASD, or other learning challenges. If you are in this position, you might want
to consider the following:
Why isn't my young adult launching into adulthood?
Strategies to Gain Control Over Your Life
The thought of making a change in your life can bring up many thoughts and emotions that are wired in our brains. It can feel as though it is a daunting task or downright scary and impossible for many, especially for those struggling with ‘failure to launch’ or with ASD. For many, the more important something is, the more worried they get about doing it “right” and the result is that likely no actions are taken, and the self-fulfilling prophecy of not being able to change, is once again evidenced.
What does 'Failure To Launch' mean for my family?
A diagnosis of ASD or ‘failure to launch’ syndrome affects the entire home. No one is immune to the stress, sacrifice, accommodations and range of emotions associated with the diagnosis. Oftentimes, the questions that come up in parent groups, has to do with what parents, caregivers, siblings and other family members can do to deal with the stress associated with raising a young adult with ASD or ‘failure to launch’ syndrome