Groups/Clubs, Social Opportunities for Autistic Non Binary Teen
I have a sweet, 15-year old, non-binary kiddo who was diagnosed with autism last year. They are socially anxious, which became much worse since starting high school last year, and now tends to avoid social interaction outside of school. They've attended a social group for teens on the spectrum (through Kaiser) and have recently re-started individual therapy. My kid is anxious, feeling low and lonely. Would love any recommendations on social groups or clubs for autistic and/or nonbinary teens or resources that might be helpful.
Sep 30, 2023
Parent Replies
I have a non-binary child who's also on the autism spectrum, and I can totally relate to where you are right now because we've been through a similar situation when they were 15. (They are now almost 18). Here are some things that made a big difference for us in supporting our teen:
Individual Therapy: You are already doing this, but we decided to get our teen into individual therapy, and it really helped them with their mental and emotional well-being.
Executive Functioning Coach: We were fortunate to find an executive functioning coach who worked wonders with our child. These coaches specialize in improving organizational and time-management skills, which can be super beneficial for teens on the autism spectrum.
Psychiatric Care and Medication: Our teen started seeing a psychiatrist and received medication to help with their depression. This intervention had a significant positive impact on their overall mental health. I didn't expect it would make such a difference and I wish we had done this earlier.
We've also found a couple of fantastic groups that have been incredibly helpful:
Kate Elkman's Confidence Group: Our teen loved being a part of this group. It's a group for kids with anxiety. My teen really connected with the other teens in the group. https://www.confidenceclubca.com/
UCLA PEERS On-line Social Skills Group: Currently, we're enrolled in this 16-week online program. Both my teen and I attend different groups. It focuses on improving social skills, and it's been fantastic to see them interacting with their peers every week to work on these skills. I feel this program is really making a difference in my teen's social skills. https://www.semel.ucla.edu/peers/teens
If you have any questions or want to chat, feel free to reach out! 😊