Autism and Asperger's
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact effectively with others as well as their environment. It is considered a spectrum disorder, as different individuals with ASD can exhibit a wide range of symptoms and severity. As the saying goes, “If you’ve met one person with Autism, you’ve met one person with Autism.”
As of May 2014 the APA has combined Asperger’s Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder NOS into a single diagnosis of Autism. However, the term Asperger’s Syndrome is still used and is meant to indicate a mild form of Autism.
A combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and social skills training is used by our Licensed Mental Health Counselors to provide interventions specifically tailored to the needs of each individual who presents for therapy with social and/or occupational difficulties related to Autism or Asperger’s. For some, medication may also be helpful to treat coexisting conditions such as anxiety and depression.