People with Aspergers can have intimate relationships

If by “intimacy” one means the feeling of being in a close personal association and belonging together, the answer is yes. People with Aspergers love just like anyone else. With the right kind of communication and a strong desire to make the relationship work, intimacy is entirely possible.

It’s not easy, however. Here are reasons why intimacy is generally harder to develop for someone with Aspergers.

Mind Blindness

It’s characteristic of someone with Aspergers to have difficulty predicting the beliefs and intentions of others. “Reading” what another person is thinking is limited or even absent, so that forming a bond through knowledge and experience of the other person is hard to accomplish.

It’s also typical for people with Aspergers to have trouble understanding and using common rules of social contact, rules based on gestures, eye contact, word choice, movement and many other aspects of behavior. It’s hard for them to recognize what someone means when they use a phrase that has several meanings even though the context in which the phrase is used specifies a particular meaning. The same is true of gestures and movements, and other non-verbal expressions that specify what someone means. These are all difficult for the person with Aspergers to make sense of correctly.

Because their comprehension of other people’s expression and gestures is poor, and because they often misinterpret or ignore non-verbal signs of communication, their relations with others is often difficult.

Emotional Blindness

People with Aspergers have a great deal of difficulty identifying and interpreting emotional signals in themselves and in others. They don’t “get” how other people feel, and accordingly they have trouble being empathically attuned to others.

Since this emotional blindness is true with regard to awareness of their own feelings they are often unable to identify and regulate their own emotions, particularly strong emotions like sadness, anger and joy. Feelings are expressed in sudden outbursts that seem to have no relation to what’s just happened. Lacking emotional stability is a frequent complaint of those in a relationship with someone who has Aspergers.

As an Aspergers psychologist, I see this emotional blindness as the main factor in preventing intimacy for adults with this condition.

Social Blindness

Difficulty in social situations goes hand in hand with problems empathizing and controlling emotions. The conversations of someone with Aspergers is often one-sided, long-winded, circumstantial and lecture-like.

They can come across as self-centered, insensitive, rigid and having to have the last word.

They are not deft in social settings, are unlikely to offer apologies or acknowledge responsibility for mistakes, are overly sensitive to criticism and are often suspicious of others. Because they hold onto lingering resentments over perceived slights, they can been accused of being paranoid.

All of this makes it hard to be in an intimate relationship with someone who has Aspergers.

So, How Is Intimacy Possible?

It’s possible with the right person. A partner who will learn about Aspegers and make the necessary adjustments to what’s lacking and difficult in the relationship can ensure a fulfilling level of intimacy.

Intimacy is possible when both parties have a strong desire to make the relationship succeed and to work hard at communicating their different perspectives. Communicating non-judgmentally, which is essential to understanding and appreciating the differences between the pair is a key factor in creating intimacy. I see this often, as an Aspergers psychologist, when I work with couples to change ineffective communication patterns.

Being committed to compromise and sharing is vitally important. Since these do not come naturally to the person with Aspergers, working to make sure that accommodations and equal division of labor are present in the relationship is critical to success.

For some people with Aspergers, social skills training can help them deal with partners, spouses and children.

Therapy, especially with an Aspergers psychologist or other experienced mental health professional, can help both parties understand what’s happening in their relationship, what’s working and not working, and what can be done to improve it.

Overall, the key to achieving intimacy for people with Aspergers is a willingness to accept the difficulties of this condition and commit to putting in the work that it takes to change those difficulties into positive agents for closeness.

Dr. Kenneth Roberson is an Aspergers psychologist in San Francisco with over 20 years of experience. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 415-922-1122.

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Child psychologist, Dr. Kenneth Roberson, describes his psychology practice

My work as a child psychologist extends back 30 years ago to my graduate training. At that time, I became interested in how social and emotional skills develop in children as well as why some children have difficulty maturing in an ideal way.

One thing I learned is that correcting uneven or misaligned development early on in life has much more of an impact than it does later on. Being able to help in such a significant way was a big reason why I decided to become a child psychologist.

Shortly after moving to San Francisco in 1991, I developed an interest in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), conditions that are common among children and adolescents but also impact many adults.

Through coursework, study and clinical practice, I’ve become an expert in these two areas. As a child psychologist, I am also qualified to treat other conditions, such as childhood depression and anxiety, learning disabilities, anger, defiance, grief and loneliness.

My Work as an Autism Psychologist

I refer to myself as an autism psychologist because conditions that are included in the autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been the main focus of my professional work for the past 15 years.

My work as an autism psychologist encompasses three main areas:

1. I assess people to determine if they have autism or ASD, using various screening and assessment instruments together with clinical interviews and reviews of educational, medical and occupational reports.
2. I also provide therapy, using approaches that are effective in the treatment of autism.
3. Finally, I help parents and teachers find ways to assist those with autism so they can build the kind of skills that ensure success at home and at school.

A key ingredient of that success is teamwork. My approach to autism rests firmly on the conviction that teamwork is the only effective way to address this condition. Ideally, everyone should be working together towards the common goal of promoting autistic children’s well being. No one person can do it alone. Communication, cooperation, and common goals and strategies ensure the best possible outcome for those with autism.

My Work as an ADHD Psychologist

ADHD is a complex and trying condition. Those with severe ADHD struggle to concentrate on routine tasks. They are easily overwhelmed by decisions, often have trouble finishing tasks, feel restless and overly energetic, interrupt and intrude on others, and are disorganized. School is a challenge for children with ADHD and life at home is difficult as well. Finding effective treatment is a priority. As with autism, cooperation of the key people in the life of someone with ADHD is critical to ensuring their success.

I have worked with children, adolescents and adults with ADHD for 20 years, providing a range of services:

• I am experienced in assessing people for ADHD, using a combination of clinical interviews, history-taking and rating scales.
• I use therapy to treat children and adolescents with ADHD, and I coach parents in how to best manage ongoing problems in household routines and family relationships as they are impacted by ADHD.
• I consult with teachers in developing classroom strategies that increase attention to detail, promote organization and decrease disruptive behavior in children with ADHD.

My Work as a San Francisco Psychologist

Although I am a child psychologist, my practice is not restricted to children. Because the processes involved in conditions on the autism spectrum disorder and ADHD are similar, whether the person is a child, adolescent or an adult, it is possible for a psychologist like myself with expertise in these areas to see people across a broad range of ages, from children as young as two years old to adults in their senior years.

The most important factor in determining whether someone will succeed in overcoming the effects of conditions like autism or ADHD is not how severe the condition is or how long someone has had it or even how disrupted their life is by the condition, but how motivated they are to change. Like many things in life, the desire to grow, to overcome obstacles and to change determines one’s success. As a San Francisco child psychologist, I am honored to play a role in the success of many people who are determined to make their lives better.

Dr. Kenneth Roberson is a San Francisco child psychologist with over 25 years of experience. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 415-922-1122.

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Adults with Asperger syndrome share three main characteristics

Asperger Syndrome begins in infancy but it often causes the most problems in adolescence and young adulthood when accomplishments depend so much on successful social relationships. Problems that were mild enough to be disregarded in childhood become more apparent later on. For many adults, coping with Asperger syndrome at this stage in their life is more difficult and has greater significance given what is at stake.

What does Asperger Syndrome in adulthood look like compared to its childhood variation?

Impaired Social Interaction

Proper behavior among people is guided by established and widely held views of what is thought to be appropriate and fitting. Adults with Asperger syndrome act as if they are unaware of these accepted rules. This lack of awareness is, in my experience as an Aspergers psychologist, the more common feature of adult Aspergers.

One job applicant, when notified that the interview was over, asked the interviewer his age. In this, the applicant overstepped social convention by blurring the line between formality and intimacy.

Adults with Aspergers often appear as though they lack interest in the feelings or ideas of others, but not because they actually lack interest. Rather, the difficulty they have in understanding and applying the accepted rules that govern social behavior makes it appear as though they lack interest.

This same problem of understanding rules of relating makes them often seem self-centered and aloof, as though they operate by their own rules and practices. As the problems of relating to others progress and magnify, many adults with Asperger syndrome retreat into social isolation.

Non-Verbal Communication

The difficulty in communicating that adults with Asperger syndrome have is not due just to problems understanding how people interact but also to peculiarities in sending and receiving cues nonverbally. Individuals with Asperger syndrome are wired to hear only the content of language itself, the spoken word. They naturally expect a word to have the same meaning every time it is used.

But meanings change considerably from one inflection and tone of voice to another. Words can be delivered with a different set of facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, movement and other nonverbal expressions. A statement that is delivered with a frown is different from one delivered with a smile.

Understanding as well as using proper nonverbal communication is naturally difficult for the adult with Asperger syndrome. Often, the results are misleading body language, poor eye contact, absence of expressive gestures and movements, and peculiar vocal tones. The lack of fit between a situation and a person’s nonverbal expressions is one of the main features I use as an Aspergers psychologist to identify Asperger syndrome.

Special Interests

Adults with Asperger syndrome typically have unusual, repetitive and narrow interests and hobbies. They are pursued privately without regard to how they might involve other people. Examples include collecting pictures and books about cathedrals, observing road signs, memorizing the dates of historical events, bus routes, heights of tallest building, models of steam train engines and varieties of deciduous trees.

Often accompanying this repetitive pattern of activities is a dislike of change in one’s environment and a preference for repetitiveness. Some adults have a hypersensitivity to noise, taste, smells and touch, such that too much of one or more of these disturbs and disorients the person.

In some cases, special interests and special abilities go hand in hand. Skills with numbers and good rote memory are present among some adults with Asperger syndrome. Often, a single-minded pursuit of their interests can lead to great achievements in academic and professional life.

This leads to my final thought. When looking at the characteristics of Asperger syndrome in adulthood, one might understandably conclude that the disadvantages outweigh the benefits. How, for example, could someone with such difficulties interacting and communicating with others find reason to approach life with confidence and optimism?

Simply put, the adult with Asperger syndrome, while challenged in many ways, also enjoys many exceptional characteristics that offset the complications of Aspergers. Like anyone else, strengths exist alongside shortcomings, and it is the work of those with Aspergers, as it is with others, to try and turn the balance in favor of the former. The adult with Asperger syndrome has every reason to believe such an undertaking is entirely possible.

My work as an Aspergers psychologist has shown me time and again that success in life is available for those who want it.

Dr. Kenneth Roberson is an Aspergers psychologist in San Francisco with over 25 years of experience. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 415-922-1122. 

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An autism psychologist describes the most effective treatment for autism

Opinions may vary, but scientific studies show that Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the most effective treatment for autism compared to other therapies.

Various scientific organizations, including the National Institute of Mental Health, Association for Science in Autism Treatment, and the Organization for Autism Research have concluded that ABA-based procedures are highly effective.

Various government agencies have also advocated for the use of ABA-based procedures, most notably the Surgeon General of the United States (see page 164).

The same is true for academic and trade journals. Pediatrics, and Current Opinion in Psychiatry are among a number of journals that report on the effectiveness of ABA.

What is Applied Behavior Analysis?

ABA is a program used by mental health professionals, including autism psychologists, to increase desired behaviors in children, adolescents and adults with autism and to decrease the likelihood of undesired behaviors.

The first step of an ABA-based program is to identify the factors preceding a particular behavior and the factors following that behavior, as well as other factors influencing whether the behavior will occur. This process refers to the “behavior analysis” part of ABA.

The goal is to determine what happens to trigger a behavior and what happens after that behavior that seems to reinforce it. The plan is to remove these triggers and reinforcers and to use new reinforcers to teach a different behavior in response to the same trigger.

What Happens in ABA Treatment?

There are several established procedures used in ABA. In Discrete Trial Training, clear instructions are given about a desired behavior (“please pick up the toy”) and if the child responds correctly, the behavior is reinforced (“Great job! Here’s a sticker”). If the child doesn’t respond correctly, the autism psychologist gives a gentle prompt (e.g. places the child’s hand over the paper). The hope is that the child will eventually learn to generalize the correct response.

In Pivotal Response Training, the child or adult is taught crucial skills that are important (or pivotal) for many other skills. When improvement is made on one of these crucial skills, similar improvements occur in a variety of other skills that are not specifically trained.

In Fluency Building, the autism psychologist helps the child build up a complex behavior by teaching each element of that behavior until it is automatic or “fluent” using the ABA methods of observation, reinforcement and prompting.

For example, washing hands is broken down into small steps with each step being mastered before moving on to the next step. Turning on the water, getting the hands wet and using soap are each taught in stages. This is done with specific repetition until the behavior is considered fluent.

ABA is not just for undesired behavior like tantrums, aggression and self-injury but desirable behaviors like language, social skills and following instructions among others.

Whenever possible, ABA-based interventions work best when applied intensively, as much as 30 hours or more a week.

Can Applied Behavior Analysis Cure Autism?

No known treatment can cure autism, but this claim deserves clarification. The term “cure” implies removing the cause of the problem. Presently, the cause of autism is unknown, hence it is not possible for any treatment or procedure to claim a cure.

On the other hand, it is possible for a child with autism to achieve normal functioning without finding a cure for autism, just as it is possible for a physician to recover patients to normal functioning without having found a cure for their illness.

As mentioned above, ABA is considered by many researchers and clinicians to be the most effective evidence-based therapeutic approach demonstrated so far for children with autism. Several studies have shown that about 50% of children with autism who were treated with the ABA approach before the age of four had significant increases in IQ, verbal ability, and/or social functioning. Even those who did not improve this dramatically did improve more so than children who did not receive any treatment.

ABA is not a miracle cure for autism, but it is one of the best treatments that is currently available today to enable children with autism to reach their maximum potential.

Dr. Kenneth Roberson is an autism psychologist in San Francisco with over 25 years of experience. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 415-922-1122. 

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When do Children Need Help From a Child Pychologist?

Parenting children can be stressful, especially if it’s your first time. Every cough, ache, and fever can have you wondering if you need to see a doctor right away. Medical problems, unfortunately, aren’t the only health issues affecting children. Emotional, social, and behavioral problems do occur with children and they need attention as well.

So, how do you know if your child needs to see a child psychologist or other mental health professional? Do you listen to friends and family members who’ve raised their own kids? Do you take the latest quiz in a parenting magazine to see if your child is developing normally? Do you follow the guidance of experts warning about the danger signs of childhood disorders? Or do you trust your instincts? After all, you know your child the best.

First, it’s important to know that children commonly experience occasional problems growing up. Conflicts over bedtime, homework, video games, and friendships occur in most households. Problems with parents and peers are common with children as they try to establish a personal identity and practice relating to others. Children experience conflicts with teachers as academic and behavioral demands increase.

As children are faced with new situations, demands, and expectations, it’s common for them to have emotional ups and downs accompanied by feelings of sadness, fear and anger.

These situations tend to be short-lived, however, and usually do not interfere significantly with the child’s life.

So when do you know if it’s time to seek professional help for your child?

Here are four considerations I use in advising parents whether it makes sense to consult with a child psychologist.

Disruption of Daily Life

If your child’s behavior is causing significant disruption at home and at school and what you’ve done to correct the problem hasn’t worked, talking to a psychologist could be helpful. The same is true if your child seems overwhelmed by the behavior or the emotional distress it causes. And if the disruptions appear to interfere with your child’s development, a consultation is worth considering.

For example, parental divorce affects children in a variety of ways. Uncharacteristic school failure, fear of sleeping alone or exaggerated worrying when separating from a parent typically means a child’s normal ways of operating aren’t working and a referral for psychological treatment is indicated.

Problems in the Family

Sometimes children’s difficulties interfere with how their family is working, even though the child doesn’t recognize it as such. Some children who are afraid about going to school become frantic when separating from their parents. They don’t recognize how distressed and inconvenienced their parents can become when dealing with a refusal to go to school, being late to work or missing work altogether.

In cases like this, the stress that parents and other family members experience as a result of the child’s condition is a sufficient reason to ask for help.

Stress from Outside Sources

Life can be difficult for children as it can be for adults, and when problems occur that are complicated and outside the ranger of normal daily experience psychological treatment is often helpful.

For example, children who suffer from serious or life-threatening medical problems might benefit from talking to a child psychologist who can help them develop coping skills and advise parents on how best to support their child.

Serious Problems

The least common but most clear indication that psychological treatment is needed is when a child’s behavior is severe and potentially life threatening.

Examples of this are hearing voices or talking to people who aren’t there, setting fires, hurting animals, or talking of suicide. In such cases, a referral for help is critical.

Most parents can, and should, attempt to help their child cope with problems before consulting a child psychologist. However, there are some situations where outside help is warranted. I believe the informed parent recognizes when their child may need, or benefit from, psychological treatment and understand that such intervention is not in any way a sign of failure on their part.

Therapy offers children the opportunity to identify, discuss and understand problems they have and to develop necessary coping skills. It is also a time to address parental concerns, education you about your child’s unique needs and assist you in meeting those needs.

No matter what, don’t forget to trust your instincts. If you think you or your child would benefit from talking to a child psychologist, then make that contact. Most likely, it will be the right decision.

Dr. Kenneth Roberson is a child psychologist in San Francisco with over 25 years of experience. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 415-922-1122. 

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Therapy can promote success for adults with Aspergers

Perhaps you’ve been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome or suspect you have it. If so, you may be wondering what sort of help is available. Although a cure has not yet been discovered, many therapies have emerged recently that assist adults with Aspergers to live successful, meaningful and happy lives.

Here are five ways that therapy can help you with the challenges of Aspergers in adulthood

1. Improving Communication

An Aspergers psychologist or other mental health professional with experience in this condition can improve your understanding of others and how to express yourself. You can learn to interpret gestures, facial expressions and change of tone so that the intentions of someone you are conversing with, in addition to the subject matter itself, can become clearer.

By learning how communication works, it is possible in therapy to become less literal and to comprehend the meaning of complex words and phrases, such as metaphors and analogy, so that is it easier to understand what people mean. Interpreting the body language of others and how non-verbal cues are used in communication is possible through instruction and practice in therapy.

2.  Using Special Interests

Adults with Aspergers typically have intense or even obsessive interests that in some cases are narrow and limited, such as train schedules, road signs or WWII fighter planes. At first, this sort of focused interest may not seem useful, but the kind of obsessive involvement with a particular topic that occurs in Aspergers has several advantages. It allows the person to gain unusually proficient insight and knowledge in a specific area. It also can lead to a similar focused interest in unrelated areas, computer programming or systems analysis.

Therapy can help you center your interests on subjects that provide for broad acquisition of knowledge and increase your employment opportunities. An Aspergers psychologist can work with you to choose a type of work that best reflects your strengths, interests and skills or to help you better align your interests with your current job.

3. Increasing Social Possibilities

Problems recognizing how people interact often leads to social isolation for those with Aspergers. Not understanding sarcasm or humor, or having difficulty maintaining eye contact, recognizing facial expressions, body posture or nonverbal gestures make it hard to interact successfully one-on-one and in groups.

An important benefit of therapy is to guide the adult with Aspergers in building skills that lead to greater comfort, ease and success interacting with others. These skills can be learned, and through guided practice, refined and improved resulting in more flexibility in social situations and less need to isolate yourself.

4. Accepting One’s Self

At some point in your life, you came to recognize that you are different from other people. You may have seen yourself as inadequate compared to your peers, less skilled socially, alienated from others and lonely.

Psychotherapy can help you achieve a realistic appreciation of who you are and to recognize your strengths more than your weaknesses. It can reduce self-doubt and self-criticism and increase social success and self-esteem.

Working with an Aspergers psychologist can help you understand the intentions of others and to gain a more objective perception of how people experience you.

If your reaction to Aspergers has been to achieve social acceptance by acting the way you think you are expected to act, you may have camouflaged your true self and who you really are. Psychotherapy can help you achieve a realistic understanding of yourself and greater acceptance of the unique qualities you possess.

5. Promoting Intimacy

You may choose to stay single or to marry, to have children or not. But if you are searching for an intimate relationship, the challenges of Aspergers may require guidance.

You “love” just like anyone else but you may not understand the need for expressing love nor understand when and how expressions of love should occur.

Developing skills that increase intimacy such as empathy, communication of emotions, active listening, positive vulnerability and mutual respect are core benefits of a therapy aimed at building personal closeness.

Whatever the direct cause may be, Aspergers can be treated. Professionals, such as an Aspergers psychologist, can help you improve the quality of your life and of the relationships surrounding you. Support from a therapist, together with support from friends, relatives and others can help you overcome your problems and aid you in leading a happy, productive and satisfying life.

Dr. Kenneth Roberson is an Aspergers psychologist in San Francisco with over 25 years of experience. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 415-922-1122.

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A child psychologist describes the process of diagnosing problem behaviors

“Diagnosis is not the end but the beginning of practice.” – Martin H. Fischer

“There is only one cardinal rule: one must always listen to the patient.” – Oliver Sachs

Without knowing the problem, it’s hard to know the solution. If your child is behaving unusually or inappropriately, or if you find the behavior distressing, I recommend that you have your child evaluated by an experienced child psychologist or child therapist. It may seem like an extra, or unnecessary, step in the treatment process but in most cases it is an indispensable one.

With an accurate diagnosis, a child psychologist can select certain specific treatments over others that are less effective for that condition. It also becomes possible to predict more accurately how your child’s behavior will improve with treatment.

Practices vary among child therapists, but generally speaking diagnosing behavioral problems in children involves a three-step process. Parents and therapist meet first to discuss the child’s difficulties. The child and therapist then meet individually. Finally, the results of the evaluation and a diagnosis are presented to the parents, usually in person.

Information Gathering

A diagnosis starts with collecting information. A full medical history is taken along with a record of your child’s progress in acquiring skills, such as walking, talking, socializing, that are performed within a given age range. An account of school performance, including social and behavioral conduct, is collected. All other information about your child’s past and present that might be relevant to the current behavioral problems is solicited.

This is also a time to ask how siblings and extended relatives have experienced your child’s difficulties, which interventions have worked and which haven’t, and to explore with you the patterns of communication and interactions within the family that may have contributed, or have developed in response, to your child’s behavior.

Interviewing

Once all the relevant information about your child and the family is collected, a similar process takes place with the child. The child psychologist will talk with your child to learn whether he or she is aware of the problems that have been reported and to see if your child is experiencing any other symptoms or problems.

Meeting with your child also gives the therapist a chance to observe his or her social skills, how your child thinks, and the presence or absence of other significant behaviors.

The child psychologist will observe your child’s behavior and may watch how he or she engages in ordinary activities, such as playing with toys, drawing, or playing a game.

Sometimes, it is important to observe children at school to see what they are like in that setting and with peers.

In some cases, psychological testing can be helpful. This might involve questionnaires that a child, parents and/or teachers fill out. Less frequently, when a child is having problems with memory, attention, problem solving or learning, more intensive testing may be indicated. In those cases, a testing specialist is brought in to complete this part of the evaluation.

Feedback

The final step in the evaluation process is a meeting in which the child psychologist shares the results of the evaluation with the family. This is done in a number of ways. Some child psychologists will meet with the parents and child together, others will meet with the parents and child separately, and some will do both depending upon the child’s age.

Generally, the feedback I give in this step of the process involves the following:

• An explanation of the diagnosis and why I came to this conclusion.
• Information about the diagnosis, such as how the diagnosis typically progresses or changes over time and the outcomes that can be expected.
• Recommendations for how a child can best be helped, which often include what type of therapy a child and his family might benefit from, what ways the family can support the child at home and changes to the child’s environment that would be helpful.

With a thorough evaluation and an accurate diagnosis, your child’s success in eliminating behavioral problems will greatly increase, to the well-being of everyone.

Dr. Kenneth Roberson is child psychologist in San Francisco with over 25 years of experience. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 415-922-1122. 

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An ADHD psychologist describes how parents can work effectively with ADHD

Having worked for 25 years with children who have ADHD, I have come to one inescapable conclusion: children with ADHD whose parents participate in treatment improve academically, socially and emotionally much more than children whose parents are not involved at all.

In a nutshell, ADHD is not just in children, it’s in families. When one child has ADHD, parents and siblings are affected, and any child with ADHD is influenced by their reactions. It’s a system. No part is separate from the others.

The same is true of treating ADHD. Children can’t be treated in isolation. Parents and family members have to be involved in the treatment in order to successfully cope with the challenges of ADHD.

What is parent participation? What is involved and how does it work to help everyone?

The answer to these questions is parent training. In what follows, I present a seven-step parent-training program that provides the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure the best success for children with ADHD.

In this program, parents meet regularly with a professional, such as an ADHD psychologist, who is also treating their child. Parents and the clinician work together through as many sessions as necessary to progress through the steps. Care is taken to ensure that parents are able to implement the concepts and skills involved in each step before moving to the next step. Success in the program depends greatly on parents having confidence in their ability to manage ADHD each step along the way.

Information

The goal of this step is to teach parents about the causes of ADHD, the main symptoms, how it is diagnosed and effective and ineffective treatments. I try to make this presentation as relevant as possible to the particulars of their child.

The Parent-Child Relationship

This step involves informing parents about what causes and perpetuates behavior problems. Included are effective and ineffective parenting practices and how those practices can aid or complicate the management of ADHD.

Also important is explaining principles of positive reinforcement and the use of ignoring and consequences and the role these play in shaping children’s behavior.

Positive Attending Skills

Because children with ADHD frequently behave inappropriately, parents often come to assume they will act that way, and parents themselves adopt a parenting style that is overly directive, corrective or coercive. This, in turn, reinforces children’s negative behavior.

This step teaches parents how to focus on their child in a positive way, and in doing so, rebuild positive parent-child relations.

Behavioral Assistance

This step encourages parents to implement a reward-oriented system that encourages children to behave more positively. Children with ADHD need such rewards because changing their behavior often has little appeal to them. Although my background as an ADHD psychologist emphasizes helping children talk through their difficulties, I also know that simple rewards can accomplish what other techniques cannot.

Parents learn how to develop a reward system that is interesting and motivates their child. The barriers, if they exist, to using such a system can also be addressed.

Time-outs

This section of the program is an opportunity to teach the procedures for implementing time-outs, which are necessary for seriously inappropriate behavior.

Parents are instructed in the three necessary conditions for successful time-outs:

1. Children must serve a minimum amount of time.
2. Children must be attentive and cooperative before the time-out is ended.
3. Finally, children must comply with their parents’ request that led to time-out in the first place.

Transition

This step is geared towards extending the concepts and skills of effective ADHD management to areas outside the home, particularly in school. Placement, accommodations, special education resources, and parent-teacher collaboration are examined and potential modification discussed.

Conclusion

This final step is an opportunity to look at what might come up in the future that could be problematic for parents and how they can handle those situations. Special concerns are addressed. A follow-up session is arranged for several weeks in the future to find out what has worked and what may not have worked.

In this final phase, as in each session, my priority as an ADHD psychologist is to provide support and appreciation to parents for their hard work and dedication in helping their children create success out of the challenges of ADHD.

Dr. Kenneth Roberson is an ADHD psychologist in San Francisco with over 25 years of experience. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 415-922-1122. 

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Finding the right child psychologist among so many requires a plan. Here are some suggestions for finding an appropriate and qualified therapist for your child’s particular needs.

Think About What Your Child Needs Help With, and Then Ask Around

You probably have an idea about what is bothering your child. If you suspect there is a learning problem, you want to look for a child psychologist who assesses and treats learning disabilities. Make a list of specific problems that your child is having; for example inattention, excessive video gaming, defiance, persistent sadness, and poor social relationships. You’ll want to refer to this list when you interview potential therapists.

The best referrals come from other parents, friends, doctors, clergy and other people you trust. They’ve had experiences with therapists, directly or indirectly, and know who is qualified and does good work. They also know you and can recommend a therapist who will work well with your child.

Search Online Directories

These days, many therapists advertise in directories, which are similar to the Yellow Pages. Directories often provide a wealth of information about each therapist, including specialties, education, biographical information, therapeutic approach, fees, contact information and website address.

Here is a list of recommended online directories for San Francisco child psychologists:

• Psychology Today provides listings for child psychologists, child psychiatrists, therapists and counselors who have been credentialed by the state of California.
• San Francisco Psychological Association allows you to search for local child psychologists by problem, type of service (testing, parent coaching, individual therapy, school consultation), language and age group.
• NetworkTherapy is a searchable database of child psychologists, child psychiatrists, social workers and marriage and family therapists.
• GoodTherapists features a list of local psychotherapists, mostly psychologists and psychiatrists who see children and practice psychodynamic therapy.

Conduct an Online Search

While directories can be useful tools for finding therapists, an online search will render more results and give you more choices. If you include details about your problem, you will get even more specific results.

For example, you might suspect that your child has ADHD and want to work with an ADHD psychologist who does testing and can provide a professional diagnosis. Rather than looking for someone who includes ADHD in a list of services, you’d like to find a therapist who focuses mainly on ADHD. A targeted search for a therapist with the expertise that your child needs will help you find a professional who has the specific background and experience you want.

Get Help from Your Insurance Company

Your insurance company is obligated to help you find a therapist in their network of providers. You will probably receive a long list of in-network therapists with instructions to choose from the list. Working through such a list might prove to be difficult. You can also contact a representative from the insurance company and ask for help locating a child psychologist. They will work with you to find someone. This way you can get personalized assistance.

Screen and Interview Potential Therapists

Locating a therapist is one thing but deciding on the right therapist is another. You’ll do better if you ask questions of a potential therapist. Inquire about the therapist’s experience, treatment approach, training, fee structure, office policies, even success rate! A clear understanding of the therapist’s services, skills and expectations, as well as the goals you have for your child will go a long way towards ensuring a successful collaboration.

Choosing a child psychologist can be challenging. By taking time to search carefully and select a good match for your child’s needs and personality, success in therapy will be greatly enhanced.

Dr. Kenneth Roberson is a San Francisco child psychologist with over 25 years of experience. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 415-922-1122.

Tips for Finding a San Francisco Child Psychologist is a post from: Kenneth Roberson Ph. D

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Tips for Employment Success for Adults with Aspergers

What do Mozart, Einstein and Bill Gates have in common? Each are suspected of having Asperger’s Syndrome. (Wiki Answers)

Many people with Aspergers have excelled in their vocations due to their intelligence, creativity, perseverance and attention to detail. In spite of this, steady employment is often a challenge for adults with Aspergers.

It is a challenge that can be met and won.

Here are five recommendations for overcoming the difficulties of Aspergers and achieving success in the workplace.

1. Assess Your Skills and Limitations

If you want an employer to hire you, you need to show that your productivity will outweigh the obstacles of having Aspergers. This starts with a careful assessment of your aptitude, knowledge, skills and interests. If you don’t know what you can and like to do, how can you convince someone to hire you?

The same is true for your limitations. If you don’t have a skill, say so in an interview. Employers want to know whether you can actually do the work and they will appreciate it when you are honest about your actual skills.

Look for a job that maximizes your strengths. If socializing is not what you do best, a position in sales may not work whereas software design, engineering, accounting, and mechanical work, all positions that depend less on social skills, might be a better fit.

As an adult Aspergers psychologist, I often tell people that the first key to job success is finding the right match between one’s skills and employment opportunities.

2. Ask for Help

Many people with adult Aspergers have difficulty asking for support and guidance from their employers regarding their job performance and expectations. Whether it’s due to fear of rejection, worry about being unable to perform adequately or another reason, it can be hard to reach out for help.

Getting help and support is one of the biggest factors in successful employment for adults with Aspergers.

You may need to ask for specific instructions in the interpersonal skills necessary to work effectively and cooperatively in a team. It may help to solicit advice regarding the organizational skills required for your job, especially work priorities and time management. You may want to get regular feedback confirming your job success, areas where you need make improvements and specific guidelines on how to strengthen your performance.

3. Learn to Compensate

You can offset the challenges of Aspergers by practicing behaviors that make your working interactions more comfortable.

For example, instead of interrupting your coworkers and bosses with questions, email them so they can respond when they are ready.

Try to have one-on-one conversations rather than risk being overwhelmed with group interactions.

Embrace routines, schedules, order and organization, typical strengths of adults with Aspergers.

Practice making eye contact and small talk.

Ask for a mentor who can teach you the rules and social culture of the company and who will introduce you to people who can assist you in your work.

Adapting to unfamiliar situations may not be your strength, but when it comes to job success, whatever adjustments you can make to accommodate your challenges will only increase your chances of succeeding.

4. Ask for Reasonable Accommodations

It’s okay to expect your employer and co-workers to make adjustments for the challenges of Aspergers.

Ask them to signal you when they see you behave in a way that interferes with your work.

Request a schedule and checklist of what needs to be done during the workday to keep you from getting distracted with unnecessary details.

Suggest to your employer the kind of workspace that works best for you, one that accommodates your sensitivity to fluorescent lighting and certain sounds and smells, for example. My work as an adult Aspergers psychologist has convinced me that the sensory sensitivities of those with adult Aspergers must be addressed if they are to be at all effective in their work.

5. Consider Being Open About Who You Are

It’s a personal decision whether or not to tell an employer or fellow employees about your adult Aspergers. Some people come right out during a job interview that they have Aspergers and explain that they might see the world a little differently but it will not affect their job performance.

Some choose to keep it a secret, fearing they might not be accepted equally.

Asperger’s Syndrome is a medical condition, and according to the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with Aspergers cannot be discriminated against.

Dinah Murry in her book on disclosing Aspergers describes the pros and cons of letting people know your condition. As you might expect, there is no one right way to decide this matter. You have to decide what it best for you.

All things aside, my rule of thumb as an adult Aspergers psychologist who has studied workplace effectiveness is to be open with your employer about who you are. Honesty usually pays off.

Dr. Kenneth Roberson is an adult Aspergers psychologist in San Francisco with over 25 years of experience. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 415-922-1122. 

Five Secrets to Workplace Success for Adults with Aspergers is a post from: Kenneth Roberson Ph. D

The post Five Secrets to Workplace Success for Adults with Aspergers appeared first on Kenneth Roberson Ph. D.