pearl Report post Posted June 6, 2007 JP is leaving college soon, you all know its been a fantastic place not just academically but pastorally too. He has had regular counselling, anger management & time management sessions. He is getting a bit jittery (and so are we) at the thought of losing all this support, he gets very negative thoughts & needs to talk to someone other than us. He keeps asking me, will there be counselling at work? Truth is, I dont know, & if there is I expect its more of a short-term thing than a regular one. Does anyone know what (if anything) is "out there" for our young adults? I would hate to see him losing all the gains he has made this last 2 years for want of a bit of support. I'm off to bed now but will check in the morning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frangipani Report post Posted June 7, 2007 Hi Pearl, Unfortunately, thats where we are at at the moment, re-establishing 'new' support networks outside the framework of college etc. Perhaps a good place to start is your local carers support network, thats where I am looking for local networks, with general disabilities across the board. Once they are over 18 you literally have to start from scratch, but look at it like this, it will be a positive network that will be his backup for the future, thats how I am looking at it. It will take time and a bit of adjustment, but we have a lot to gain from carers of ALL disabilities, they are very loving and supporting. Dont feel overwhelmed, you will find many of them with problems way harder than your childs, but you need to remember it is your sons needs you are there for. They said to me, I need to start setting up networks for the future in case one day I am not here to look after him. This will assure me that my son is getting the care he needs. I wish you and son all the very very best, and know you will both grow stronger through this process, and closer. Best of luck. <'> <'> <'> Hope this helps. I will be looking at this thread with interest to see what others have found helpful too. Love F xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 7, 2007 Hi Pearl, It's a difficult one because there seems to be a mentality that you hit 18 and everything's ok, which of course it isn't. There's counselling out there, but you really need a counsellor with experience in AS and these seem to be limited - my advice would be definately not to see a non-specialist - I did and I can't ever see myself going to see a counsellor again (even an AS specialist one) because of the damage she did. The NAS have suggested to me email counselling which is something I might look into - however this was as much because of my greater ability to express myself in text than speech than previous experience - it would probably not be what JP needs if he's used to counselling face to face. Have you tried Prospects? They may well provide such a service because it would be part of helping JP into and staying in work so would come under their remit. If they don't they might know someone who does. Mumble Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted June 7, 2007 Hi Frangi & Mumble Thanks for your replies. Yes perhaps Prospects is a good place to start - pretty sure though that JP would prefer face to face as basically, he enjoys talking! I am also hoping that the sheer "busyness" of working full time may keep the negative thoughts at bay. He says its always worse when he's bored. HAVE to keep him busy after he leaves college, its a long time til he starts work & don't want his confidence slipping. We've been so spoilt these last 2 years. Wouldnt have had it any different though. Just makes you realise what it should be like all the time for our children. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted June 7, 2007 Hi pearl, I feel I ought to respond as I have an 18 year old, but I'm at just as much of a loss as you when it comes to finding anything suitable. I'm thinking about this issue too as I'm trying to find someone who can help L with a particular difficulty -not directly caused by having AS but the counsellor/therapist would certainly need to be aware of how she thinks and expresses herself. In our experience, one reaches a limbo around 17 where Children's services gleefully dump you as they realise you won't be a drain on their budget anymore, and Adult services begrudge taking you on. I agree with Mumble - it's so important to find someone with expertise in dealing with people on the spectrum - we had a disastrous experience at Camhs with someone who clearly had no idea. I think one just has to scout around for a counsellor or psychologist, and do your research to ascertain how much ASD experience they have. The directory of clinical psychologists has a detailed search facility: you can find someone in your area, and view their areas of specialism. K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 7, 2007 He says its always worse when he's bored. HAVE to keep him busy after he leaves college, its a long time til he starts work & don't want his confidence slipping. That's really interesting. My supervisor uses distraction to help me cope when I'm worrying and sets me rediculous quantities of work if there's something else I'm worrying about (knowing that I'm a perfectionist and will do the work) - I get annoyed sometimes thinking that he's being over controlling but actually it's so helpful but in a very subtle way. An idea - I don't know what JP's work involves but could you contact them and find something he could be doing in the gap - maybe some research related to something the company does? Maybe you could even make something up or with the company make something up - even if it's not real if it seems important and relevent to JP it would give him something to work on. I assumme he's excited (as well as everyhing else) about this job, so will have some motivation hopefully to extend the 'project' himself. Mumble Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted June 7, 2007 (edited) Thanks Kathryn & Mumble - some good ideas there. I have had one idea about finding appropriate help - have recently been in touch with one of JP's autism specialist teachers from years ago who is the fount of all knowledge so I'll pick his brains first. JP will be working for the city council Mumble doing business admin (fancy term for office work) so not quite sure what he could be doing to prepare. Am also wary of being the mother from hell & scaring them to death before he even starts But I do think something voluntary may keep him plugged in. Theres a local Blind Home I may approach, they need techie stuff doing which he'd be ace at. I think once he's at work he'll be fine, just have to keep the momentum up. Edited June 7, 2007 by pearl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
