I was standing in the post office shipping off a package when I got a burst of inspiration to take this funny picture. It uses humor to describes some of the challenges people with developmental disabilities face but it also helps me vent my frustration and address a wider issue. First day of school. College interviews. Job interviews. It seemsContinue Reading

When I was diagnosed with Aspergers, my parents enrolled me in 48 hours a week of social skills and coping mechanism training. That was 10 years ago. These are 23 friendly suggestions I still find to be true and carry with me today. My 23 Truths Never follow advice that you intend to carry out by hurting another living being.Continue Reading

social skills, aspergers, personal space

Q: Could you go into detail on other types of relationships (friends, co-workers, acquaintances, etc.) that you have had? Do you have a specific example of a misstep? Or situation that you were able to handle because of something you had been taught? A: Years ago, I was asked to help lead songs for a college-age Bible study (I was 30). Eventually, some of theContinue Reading

I’m emailing with Kris Jones, an eloquent writer on Linkedin about his Asperger’s Syndrome. We’re talking about the stressors he experiences that can create extremely self-limiting anxiety. We’re going to use several blogs to talk about different stressors. Kris’s first stressor was his lack of self–fulfillment. One of the causes of this lack of self-fulfillment was Kris’ social anxiety. TonyContinue Reading

beliefs, aspie

What Kinds of Beliefs are overrated? One of the most significant issues against the Aspergers Community is the high number of stereotypes that surround it. Many are obvious and some are not so obvious. Such stereotypes typically arise from well-known people and situations, such as Adam Lanza and the Sandy Hook Elementary Shootings. The reason for these negative beliefs is thatContinue Reading

Social Communication Disorder is marked by difficulties with pragmatics—aka practical everyday use—or the social use of language and communication. Therefore, SCD is concerned with an individual’s use of verbal and nonverbal social communication in everyday life. The condition is of particular interest to individuals with Aspergers or HFA. In the DSM-V, it specifically states that individuals who have marked deficits in socialContinue Reading

Terrilee Tatum

I had a lot of problems growing up because I felt socially awkward and did not fit in with my peers. My challenges mainly were with social issues. Getting along with people, reading facial expressions, and body language all seemed completely foreign to me. I was finally diagnosed with High Functioning Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome when I was 17 years old. Most people in TexasContinue Reading

We can see that Laura is not interested in the statement she is reading. Her gaze is unfocused, her eyes look blank. She’s zoning out. But she is not just uninterested. She finds the idea on the page boring, which we see from her compressed lips and the downturned corners of her mouth. Boredom is closely related to tedium, theContinue Reading

Awkwardness is about feeling a little unsure, suddenly feeling self-conscious. We can see the signs in the way Evan moves his body and avoids eye contact. He is talking about something quite personal, which makes him feel rather uncomfortable. There is a defensiveness about his posture, resting his chin on his fist, partially covering his mouth, looking away and thenContinue Reading

The dictionary defines glee as: ‘great delight, especially from one’s own good fortune’ Lindsay has just been asked about a household brand. By coincidence, the makers had only recently given her exceptionally good service, replacing an expensive part at no cost. She is more than just pleased, she is delighted – and it shows in her body movement. Glee oftenContinue Reading