Overview
Group therapy can be an effective and empowering experience for those with
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and can benefit the individuals in various ways. It can help them give a sense of belonging in a group, which they might be devoid of in their usual world wherein they come out as different as well as find themselves unable to have the skills to build relationships with others. It can reduce the sense of isolation that these individuals can face and provide a supportive and encouraging environment in the group setting. Hearing other group members facing similar challenges can induce a huge sense of relief. The individual would learn a lot of different strategies that help them navigate challenges due to their social and communication deficits such as – Learning to reduce and manage negative emotional states such as stress and frustration, Learning conversational skills that aid relationship building, Learning to adapt to any changes in life such as routines and life transitions, Gaining the ability to advocate for self and the ability to communicate in order to get their needs met, Developing skills that help them build lasting relationships, Helping learn to plan and organize, and managing sensory sensitivities, Learning to set goals and achieve them.