​What commonalities do our clients all have?

Psychologist Dr. Tony Attwood created a list of challenges that are common among autistic individuals (formerly referred to as Asperger's Syndrome). 

​While levels of diagnosis can change and functioning can vary, we typically work with those categorized as Level 1.  Clients do not have to be diagnosed with autism to work with us!  Individuals with social communication challenges and want to improve their social cognition skills could also benefit from our work together.  

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Do you or your loved one have challenges in the following areas?  
If so, follow the link above to our Direct Services Page to find out how our
highly qualified Social Coaches can help you enhance your strengths for success!

• Listening and interpreting words that are read or spoken
• Difficulties reading the messages in someone's eyes
• A tendency to make a literal interpretation of what someone says
• A tendency to be considered disrespectful and rude
• To be remarkably honest
• To have a sense of paranoia
• An inability to see that another person is trying to help 
• An inability to compromise and/or resolve conflict
• Problems knowing when something may cause embarrassment 
• Anxiety
• Take a longer time to process social information due to using intelligence rather than intuitition
• Problems with focusing on one person's voice when several people are talking, or distorted perceptions of other people's speech
• Understanding what a relationship means
• Taking turns
• Cooperative and reciprocal interactions
• Sense of humor from anothers perspective

• Referencing when or how to give and receive compliments and criticism
  
• Having an awareness of when and how to interrupt
  
• The ability to make connecting comments (to introduce a change of topic)
  
• The ability to recognize and then repair a conversation or seek clarification (in a conversation)
  
• Knowledge of how to ask questions when confused as to what to say or do
  
• Reluctant to participate in a group conversation
  
• Understanding what someone is feeling and thinking (in a conversation)
  
• Literal interpretation of what another person says being greatly confused by idioms, figures of speech, innuendo and especially sarcasm
  
• Difficulty understanding the relevance and information conveyed by the change in tone, inflection or emphasis on certain words when listening to the speech of another
  
• Understanding social conventions i.e. touch, personal body space and gestures of affection

*List adapted from The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome (p.2007) by Tony Attwood.