– ASD Parent: Autism Intervention –

– Neuro-Sibs Support Group –

– NEW: Parent & Professional Autism Intervention Workshops –

ASD Parent: Autism Intervention “Got the diagnosis, now what?”

What happens when a parent receives an Autism Spectrum Diagnosis (ASD) for their child?

Nothing or no one can really prepare a parent for the shock and grief of receiving an ASD diagnosis for their child. A parent may feel numb, unable to breathe or even cry. Even those who experience a sense of relief about finally knowing what they are up against, feel like the world has just stopped. Then, there is a sense of urgency to do everything and to do it quickly.

What dilemmas parents face following an ASD diagnosis?

What does this mean for the future of my child? Will she or he ever learn to speak, read or live independently? How do I share the news with my family and friends? Should I tell others? Will I be able to answer their questions or am I ready to hear their comments or deal with their emotional reactions. I don’t understand my child’s behavior, how can I support him or her?

How can a parent workshop series help?
Parents do not need to enter the journey of parenting a child with special needs alone. Parents deserve a safe space to gather information, exchange ideas with other parents, and an opportunity to learn about community resources and tools for improving the quality of life of their family.

What will I get out of this workshop series?
This is an opportunity to receive information and explore how the information applies to your child and family. You will leave with relevant materials and resources. You may also establish a new network of support through new friendships established in group.

What about if someone needs more support than a group can offer?
Talking about our children, their struggles and our own can be very emotional. However, strong emotions that deserve more attention will be appropriately referred to private therapy, either with AnaMaria Guevara, LCSW, or another professional.

Does the workshop series have anything to offer parents further in their journey of parenting an ASD child?
The topics covered from week 6-week 10 are of relevance at every facet of the parenting journey. Plus, this is an interactive and therapist-led group. Participants have an opportunity to exchange ideas and explore new ways of looking at an “old” problem.

Can I drop in to check it out?
Participants must pre-register. We need to know what you hope to get out of each session in order to prepare appropriate resources and information. You can register for individual sessions to see if it’s a good match for you and to get a sense of the group dynamics.

What are the specifics about the workshops?
A workshop will be offered to a minimum of 4 parents. The cost is $25 pp and $40 for the couple. The workshops take place in Los Gatos and in Sunnyvale. A morning and an evening session is offered to accommodate the time demands of parents: Mondays, 10-11:30 am, and Thursdays, 6:30-8 pm. (see details below)

How do I register for the winter session?
Contact AnaMaria Guevara, LCSW, at (408) 399-5128 or email: mailto:anamaria.guevara@comcast.net   I will contact you to answer your questions and forward a registration form along with the group guidelines and agreements.

Facilitators: AnaMaria Guevara, ASD Parent/Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Tracey Gatheral, ASD Resource Specialist

Mondays, 10-11:30 am (Nov. 9, 16, Dec. 7, 14, Jan. 11, 18, 25, Feb. 1, 8, 15)

Thursdays, 6:30-8:00 pm (Nov. 12, 19, Dec. 10, 17, Jan. 14, 21, 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18)

• Week 1: The ASD Parent Part I: Validation (cycle of grief), Parent roles and identifying a service path for your child (private, public, both).
• Week 2: The ASD Parent Part II: Validation (cycle of grief), Parent roles and identifying a service path for your child (private, public, both).
• Week 3: How to Cope with the Demands of Caring for a Special Needs Child.
• Week 4: Overview of Different Service Treatment Models; This session will help you identify the best program for your child.
• Week 5: Schools: Finding the right environment for your child and Navigating the Special Education Maze.
• Week 6: Family Metamorphosis: Redefining your family, success, roles andresponsibilities, your child’s needs, learning to nurture those adaptive skills, and more.
• Week 7: Successful Parent-Child Interactions: How to initiate and sustain meaningful interactions with your child during daily activities.
• Week 8: Tips for Successful Outings: Planning, packing, and adjusting for successful trips to restaurants, birthday parties, doctor’s visits, theme parks, etc. (Includes parent panel).
• Week 9: Neurotypical Siblings: How to support siblings, explain Diagnosis and tap into the HUGE benefits of having a sibling.
• Week 10: Marriage as a Partnership: Exploring issues of communication, fatigue, new roles and redefining expectations.

To register or for more information, please contact AnaMaria Guevara, LCSW, at (408) 399-5128 or email anamaria.guevara@comcast.net

Neuro-Sibs Support Groups: What about the typical brothers and sisters?

Wednesdays and Thursdays: (ages 7-10) (ages 11-14)

Location: 101 Church St, Suite 2
Los Gatos, CA 95030

Facilitators: AnaMaria Guevara, ASD Parent/Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Leina Ramos, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Siblings of children with special needs, especially siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, are impacted in many ways. Along with their parents, they spend the most time with their siblings. They may feel anxious and worried about their sibling and their own future. Sibs often feel lonely, resentful, angry, sad, confused and frustrated. They may not share their feelings because they don’t want to burden their already stressed parents. They may also experience academic decline, social isolation, low self-esteem, issues of depression and/or anxiety.

This group will provide the following to your child:

• Safe and confidential therapeutic environment to share his/her experience with other peers.
• Opportunity to explore his /her feelings.
• Normalize his/her experience and create a sense of community.
• Information about diagnosis to help him/her better understand his/her sibling and to build empathy.
• Tools for interaction with his/her sibling to build a sense of competence in their interactions.
• Guided exercises to explore alternatives to problematic situations at home (role plays, journaling/narratives, matching with peer for peer support, etc).

For availability, fees and other inquiries about this program, please contact AnaMaria Guevara, LCSW, at (408) 399-5128 or
email anamaria.guevara@comcast.net.

Download Neuro-Sibs Support Group Flyer PDF.

NEW – Parent & Professional: Autism Intervention Workshops

Who Should Attend?
These workshops are open to professionals and parents and delivered in a more formal presentation manner.

Professionals who are seeking ideas of how to better understand and support their Autism Spectrum Disordered (ASD) clients and their families would benefit from these workshops. Parents seeking information and ideas of how to address these challenging topics in their own families would enjoy these workshops.

Information will be presented from both the parent and professional perspective with the goal of bridging the communication and promoting collaboration for the benefit of the child.

Parents seeking a more supportive and interactive experience, as well as hands on information, should consider attending the Parent Workshop Series.

Facilitators: AnaMaria Guevara, Licensed Clinical Social Worker & ASD Parent
Tracey Gatheral, ASD Resource Specialist and ASD Parent

Mondays, 6:30-8 pm Location: 101 Church Street, Suite 2; Los Gatos, CA 95030

November 9, 2009
Family Metamorphosis: Redefining your family, success, roles and responsibilities, your child’s needs, learning to nurture those adaptive skills, and more. Intervention strategies to consider in order to support the whole
family.

November 16, 2009
Successful Parent-Child Interactions: How to initiate and sustain meaningful interactions with your child during daily activities. How to build-in those language, social, and adaptive skills into daily living. Basic knowledge of language and social cognition to teach parents regardless of their educational level to empower them in their interactions. Many parents just don’t know what to do or ask the professionals working with their children. You can help.

December 7, 2009
Tips for Successful Outings: Planning, rehearsing, packing, and adjusting for successful trips to restaurants, birthday parties, doctor’s visits, theme parks, etc.
Practical assessment tools for parents about how to assess the child’s readiness, the appropriateness of the environment and the parent’s own emotional readiness for the task. Isolation is real and detrimental for children and families. (Includes seasoned parent panel)

December 14, 2009
Neurotypical Siblings: How to support siblings, explain diagnosis, tap into the HUGE benefits of having a sibling, and identify trouble in your typical child. Siblings often get dragged to their brother’s or sister’s therapies, and spend hours in waiting rooms along with their parents. Why not include them in the treatment goals. Appropriate involvement of the siblings benefits the whole family.

January 11, 2009
Marriage as a Partnership: Exploring issues of communication, fatigue (emotional and physical), new roles and redefining relationship/family expectations. Insights about how to help couples preserve their relationship or how to co-parent their special needs child. Parenting a child with special needs presents challenges that exhaust couples, putting incredible stress on marriages. Divorce rates have soared to 85% during the first five years after diagnosis.

Download About Curing Autism - Help, Hope and Support - E-Newsletter January 2008 #1.

Why should I attend?
One in every 91 children in the US has autism (American Academy Pediatrics Report)
A new child is diagnosed with autism every 20 minutes (Autism Speaks)
These children and families are at your school, church, neighborhood, and clinics.

How to register:
Cost is $25 per person per workshop. Price includes materials and refreshments. To register or for more information, please contact AnaMaria Guevara, LCSW, at (408) 399-5128 or "mailto:anamaria.guevara@comcast.net" anamaria.guevara@comcast.net.   Advanced registration is required.