The Autism Playbook For Teens

“When I was a teen, many of the exercises and activities in this book would have helped me calm down. ... This book is a real, practical, and positive guide for reducing stress.” —Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures Teens with autism have the potential to be excellent actors. They are natural observers—able to study, imitate, and learn social behavior. The Autism Playbook for Teens is designed to bolster these strengths with mindfulness strategies and roleplaying scripts, while also helping teens reduce anxiety, manage emotions, be more aware in the present moment, and connect with others. This book offers a unique, strengths-based approach to help teens with autism spectrum (including Asperger’s Syndrome) develop social skills, strengthen communication, and thrive. The activities contained in each chapter are custom-designed to work with the unique perspectives, sensory processing, neurological strengths and challenges that teens with autism bring to their encounters with the social world. By engaging in these activities, teens will gain an authentic awareness of their surroundings, leading to better social interaction that is also rewarding, interesting, and fun. The delightful and creative activities in this book are grounded in well-documented clinical observations and current empirical studies. They also take into account the real neurological differences that exist in young people with autism, and focuses on the unique pathways needed to connect with and inspire these exceptional and fabulous teenagers. This is the only book available for teens with autism that specifically integrates mindfulness skills and imaginative scripted roleplaying activities for building authentic social experiences.

This positive, straightforward book offers kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) their own comprehensive resource for both understanding their condition and finding tools to cope with the challenges they face every day. Some children with ASDs are gifted; others struggle academically. Some are more introverted, while others try to be social. Some get "stuck" on things, have limited interests, or experience repeated motor movements like flapping or pacing ("stims"). The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders covers all of these areas, with an emphasis on helping children gain new self-understanding and self-acceptance. Meant to be read with a parent, the book addresses questions ("What’s an ASD?" "Why me?") and provides strategies for communicating, making and keeping friends, and succeeding in school. Body and brain basics highlight symptom management, exercise, diet, hygiene, relaxation, sleep, and toileting. Emphasis is placed on helping kids handle intense emotions and behaviors and get support from family and their team of helpers when needed. The book includes stories from real kids, fact boxes, helpful checklists, resources, and a glossary. Sections for parents offer more detailed information.

This book explores what it feels like to be a young person on the autism spectrum and looks at all the brilliant things people on the autism spectrum can do. Full of insights about being awesome and autistic, this book celebrates the strengths of understanding the world in a different way. It looks at all the reasons being you and thinking differently can be totally awesome! It also has tips for managing tricky situations such as meltdowns, sensory differences and anxiety. It includes fun activities and diary pages where you can write your thoughts and feelings to help you concentrate on your strengths and work on your challenges. This book helps you develop the confidence to be who you are and help you live life with as little stress and anxiety as possible.

Talk show host Holly Robinson Peete pairs with her twins in this narrative about the challenges and triumphs of being a teen who has autism and the effects on family, school, friends, and life. Being a teen is hard enough. But when you have autism--or when your brother or sister is struggling with the disorder--life can be challenging. It's one thing when you're a kid in grade school, and a playdate goes south due to autism in a family. Or when you're a little kid, and a vacation or holiday turns less-than-happy because of an autistic family member. But being a teen with autism can get pretty hairy--especially when you're up against dating, parties, sports, body changes, school, and other kids who just don't 'get' you. In this powerful book, teenagers Ryan Elizabeth Peete and her twin brother, Rodney, who has autism, share their up-close-and-personal experiences on what it means to be a teen living with autism. SAME BUT DIFFERENT, explores the funny, painful, and unexpected aspects of teen autism, while daring to address issues nobody talks about. SAME BUT DIFFERENT underscores tolerance, love, and the understanding that everybody's unique drumbeat is worth dancing to.

Connect with friends and care for your emotions—for teens on the spectrum Social situations can feel mysterious or tricky to navigate—and if you are on the autism spectrum, they can feel overwhelming. The Social Survival Guide for Teens on the Autism Spectrum unlocks socialization secrets and helps you understand your feelings. Autism books for kids don’t always address teenagers’ needs, but the practical tips and step-by-step guides in this handbook are perfect for ages 12-16. Learn how to handle situations like managing anxiety, starting a conversation, understanding sarcasm, and dealing with conflict. Build stronger social skills and take care of your emotional health at the same time. This guide can help you feel more confident—and more connected to people you care about. Build new social interaction skills with: Friend fundamentals—Understand what makes a good friend, and learn about informal conversation, nonverbal communication, online etiquette, and more. Social essentials—Discover strategies for joining a group activity, staying flexible, saying no when you need to, and other topics essential to autism books for kids. Insight into you—You are your friend, too! Learn to recognize and express emotions, boost your mood with positive self-talk, and more. Feel more confident and build valued friendships with this helpful handbook.

Build friendships and care for your emotions--a practical handbook for teens on the spectrum Social situations can feel mysterious or tricky to navigate--and if you are on the autism spectrum, they can feel overwhelming. The Social Survival Guide for Teens on the Autism Spectrum unlocks socialization secrets and helps you understand your feelings. Autism books for kids don't always address teenagers' needs--the practical tips and step-by-step guides in this handbook are perfect for ages 12-16. Learn how to handle situations like managing anxiety, starting a conversation, understanding sarcasm, and dealing with conflict. Build sparkling social skills and take care of your emotional health at the same time. This standout among autism books for kids can help you feel more confident--and more connected to people you care about. Go beyond other autism books for kids with: Friend fundamentals--Understand what makes a good friend and learn about informal conversation, nonverbal communication, online etiquette, and more. Social essentials--Discover strategies for joining a group activity, staying flexible, saying no when you need to, and other topics essential to autism books for kids. Getting to know me--You are your friend, too--learn to recognize and express emotions, boost your mood with positive self-talk, and more. In the world of autism books for kids, this helpful social survival guide is written just for teens.

Now fully revised and updated, including new and fun activities for dealing with school anxiety, social media overwhelm, bullying, and more. Being a teen is hard enough without anxiety getting in the way. Not only are you changing more than ever before—physically and mentally—you’re also facing an increasing number of global issues, such as pandemics, school violence, and climate change. On top of all these big events, if you suffer from panic attacks, chronic worry, and feelings of isolation, it can be very difficult to meet your goals and succeed. The good news is there are real, powerful ways that you can take control of your anxiety—and your life! In this second edition of Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety, psychologist and learning specialist Christopher Willard offers teens like you proven-effective, mindfulness-based practices to help you cope with your anxiety, identify common triggers (such as dating, social media, or school performance), learn valuable time-management skills, and feel more calm at home, in school, and with friends. You’ll learn doable skills for dealing with specific situations that cause anxiety, such as public speaking, taking tests, meeting new people, and more. You’ll also discover special breathing exercises to help you stay calm in moments of panic, and guided visualization exercises to be cool and collected, even in the tensest situations. If you are ready to move past your anxiety, panic, and worry and start being your best, this workbook will be your guide—every step of the way.