April came and went in the blink of an eye. As they say, time really does fly when you're having fun! April was certainly an invigorating and eventful month for Self Esteem Shop. We were out and about for much of April participating in some great conferences and doing so many interesting things that we almost forget to send all of our friends an April newsletter. It's always better late than never, so we combined our April and May editions into a super-newsletter with twice as much good stuff inside.

Catching Up

Every April brings National Autism Awareness Month. Since the 1970s, it has provided a special opportunity to educate the public about autism and issues within the autism community. 

In the foreword you say each chapter describes common therapeutic elements. Please expand on this.

By common therapeutic elements, we are referring to useful therapeutic factors that are the basis of  the work of each author/clinician. Such common therapeutic factors include following or building upon the child's interests, encouraging the child's initiative, becoming and remaining connected and interacting in ways that are meaningful for the child.  

How did you choose the authors for this compilation?

We scanned the literature and our large network of colleagues who were working with this population, with an eye toward those who were doing empirically grounded, in addition of course, to clinically meaningful work.

Who is your target audience?

What was the over-all goal of this book, and how does it differ from other books in the ASD field?

The writing from the authors is such that it's accessible for non-professionals; do you recommend it for parents, teachers and other adults dealing with children on the spectrum? 

This book is an excellent resource for alternative practices clinicians may not have considered.  What factors should be taken into account in determining the treatment of choice?

What was your biggest revelation as you wrote and compiled this handbook?

As a result of this comprehensive compilation, are there particular treatment interventions  that you believe will become  standard  protocol in the future?

We expect that as clinicians begin systematically applying the theory and methods of Canine Assisted Play Therapy, Client Centered Play Therapy, Theraplay/Developmental Play Therapy, Drama Therapy, and Filial Therapy; in addition to the methods and techniques of the creative/expressive therapies, i.e., art, music, dance and movement therapy, that solid results will follow and lives will be changed.

What changes would you like to see to meet the needs of parents and  siblings  of children on the spectrum as well as the children themselves?

Increased support and a deeper appreciation for the challenges that both parents and siblings face. As far as children and teens with ASD, we would hope to see a greater understanding of the many gifts and abilities that these children and teens possess, increased tolerance and acceptance, and a willingness to reach gently and compassionately into their worlds

A big thanks to Loretta Gallo-Lopez and Lawrence Rubin for taking the time to talk with us about their new book. Snag your own copy today.

Dr. Temple Grandin's recently published Different...Not less: Inspiring Stories of Achievement and Successful Employment from Adults with Autism, Asperger's, and ADHD is full of motivational anecdotes that prove that determination makes all the difference. Dr. Grandin compiles fourteen stories of personal triumph from a diverse group of adults. All of the inspiring individuals who tell their stories of success in this book have supported themselves most of their lives and many did not receive their diagnoses until later in life. Their stories recollect how their place on the spectrum affected their careers, education, and personal relationships throughout their lives, but ultimately didn't prevent them from achieving their goals. Families and those with ASD will recognize the familiar difficulties and discover how others have used those experiences to grow. Great read for all! Find it at Self Esteem Shop here.

Looking for a fantastic, interactive book to help children with anxiety or anger issues? Not just for ASD kids, A "5" Could Make Me Lose Control! by Kari Dunn Buron is an activity book to help identify what specific situations upset a child or make him/her nervous on a scale of one-to-five, one being "I can handle this," all the way to five being, "This can make me lose control!" The companion guide is a very useful aid for the educator, practitioner, or parent to teach the child how to "scale down" and make a situation less stressful. This resource presents a non-confrontational method to discovering thoughts a child would otherwise feel uncomfortable sharing.  It's a great way for any kid to learn self-control and for parents to improve their understanding of what makes their kids tick! Learn more here

Conference Recap

We've traveled from coast to coast over the last month or so for some really terrific conferences. Since our last newsletter we attended the Florida Association for Play Therapy Conference in Orlando, the Colorado Association for Play Conference, the Virginia Association for Play Therapy conference, and more. This past weekend brought Self Esteem Shop all the way to California for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Conference in San Diego. Fun was had, many friendly faces were met, a lot was learned, but are we ever glad to be home!

 

Conference Participants Perusing the Book Selection in Orlando

Presenter at Kentucky Association for Play Therapy, Margo Winstead (left) with conference participant, Joan Miller

Dr. Laurie Zelinger and doctoral candidate Angela Trapani presenting their study on speech and social difficulties in young boys at the New York Association for Play Therapy Conference

Thanks to everyone who made all of our recent conference trips great experiences!

Happy Mother's Day