FAQ
AUTISM PERSONAL COACH
Here you will find frequently asked questions about our coaching services. If you still have questions you can go to our contact us page and ask questions there or give us a call at (216) 336-5889.
Q: How does coaching differ from traditional therapy for autistic people?
Traditional therapy is done in an office, our coaching can happen in any environment. To further help you understand the difference between therapy and coaching think about an example if your goal was to learn how to ride a bike. The therapist would discuss with you the basis for your fears about riding and the consequences of falling. The therapist may explain why it is important for your self-esteem or psyche for you to learn this and be successful, and helps you unload whatever baggage may be impeding your potential to ride. A coach would listen to your desire to try riding. Asks you if you need instructions on how to ride and asks where you might get them. Asks if you like the color/kind of bike you are about to ride. May help you pick the bike up and help you get onto it. The coach may also if you think it would be helpful to run alongside the bike “checking in” to see if you are enjoying the experience and asks what might make it more fun. Will help you discover what you need to take care of yourself when/if you fall. When you’re done, the coach might ask about your experience and what was valuable, and whether or not you want to pursue mastery of bike riding. If so, asks you how you might devise a plan to attain that mastery; if not, may help you devise a plan to sell the bike! Our coaching primarily deals with these 4 areas and much of it is offered in context of REAL LIFE SITUATIONS:
1. Developing community to create a sense of acceptance, belonging, and confidence.
2. How to set boundaries and advocate for yourself so you can get what you want and need.
3. Teach executive functioning skills to help you get the things done that are important to you.
4. Support with sensory processing sensitivities in order to reduce your daily overwhelm.
Q: Can you help with a specific issue not related to your 4 main areas of coaching?
Absolutely! While any goal you have is probably related to one of our four main areas of coaching we want you to imagine the possibilities for your life with the support of our coaching services. To get you to start to imagine the possibilities here are some examples of goals we have worked on with clients:
- Going to a local LGBT clinic or any medical appointment with a client to provide support. We start off by helping them prepare for the appointment with the right information to give the doctor. The more informed the doctor can be about you, the better support the doctor can provide. Once we get there with our we help to advocate for their wants and needs regarding things as needed such as: being in the least overwhelming spot in the waiting room, help with filling out paperwork, making sure our clients have to deal with the fewest amount of transitions during appointments (only going from the waiting room straight until the appointment room), and supporting in communication with the doctors and nurses. We are also helping people advocate for online medical appointments unless it is absolutely necessary to go to a doctors office (blood tests, x-rays, etc).
- We coached someone that really loves to read ,but is not interested in joining book clubs in an effort to meet others her enjoy her love of reading because of the challenges of dealing with new people and these clubs often switch locations and meeting days/times.. Coach helped her to start her own book club, supported her to reserve the library so they could do it in the same place.She was able to build community around something she was interested and took the initiative to build it which was great for her self-confidence.
- We coached someone who only communicates through sign language or alternative communication devices. Transitioning is super difficult, but LOVES physical things and to be in the community. APC thought about what could be a great way to get involved in community so we trained with him to run for a 5 K. He really loved doing this and looked forward to getting out and a sense of pride in his accomplishment. This activity was also helpful to him because he didn’t have to verbally communicate but felt great about being present and out in the world in a way that was comfortable for him.How is my coach chose
Q: How is my coach chosen for me?
Choosing the right coach for you is such an important part of the coaching process. If you can’t develop a trust and connection with your coach then coaching will not be successful. That is why we ask you many questions during the intake meeting to find out who would be the best fit for you.
Q: How do you work remotely with clients?
We find we can offer very customized support via the phone, text, video call and even facetime. EXAMPLES: we can text or call a call if they are needing on the spot support. They can text or call right before going to the grocery store, on a first date, before a date or job interview to prepare.
We work with our clients weekly schedules and activities and if there is anything pending we that we know they will need support with we address it in our weekly call and maybe even schedule a call before the event.
Have two decades of experience being embedded in the Autistic community and where to look for resources and community support. Help them with research on what to do in that community and what are the resources for the Autistic community. Know where to look for autistic communities in person and online in any city. Have contacts in the autistic community nationwide.
Q: Does insurance cover this?
Insurance companies do not cover coaching services. Coaching services cost less than therapy and provide many services that therapists don’t.
*If you are eligible for financial aid, there are a handful of nonprofits who maybe able to help pay for services.
When you’re Autistic, the world isn’t designed with your unique traits in mind and everyday demands can feel insurmountable.
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