Honored as an "Award-Winning Finalist in the "Psychology/Mental Health" category of the 2016 Best Book Awards."
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective for treating mental health problems such as anxiety and depression in individuals both with and without autism spectrum disorders. This book bridges the gap between research and practice and shows adults on the higher end of the spectrum practical ways to manage their emotions. It is written for individuals in the early and middle years of adulthood, with and without a formal diagnosis, who share features associated with autism spectrum conditions. It is also appropriate for adults who recognize their autistic traits, even though they may not have experienced major social difficulties and clinical impairment, but who want to improve their emotional well-being.
Many adults on the autism spectrum experience isolation, interpersonal difficulties, anxiety, depressed mood, and coping problems. By applying theory and concepts from autism research, this book will help adults on the higher end of the spectrum to understand their challenges. The author takes the best of CBT self-help strategies, to encourage self-analysis, and to help adults on the spectrum make better decisions in activities such as employment or relationships.
Accessible and easy-to-read, this self-help guide provides evidence-based tools that can be used to learn new self-fulfilling ways of thinking, feeling, and doing. It includes questionnaires, forms, worksheets, and exercises to help the reader:
- Evaluate his or her autistic traits and discover their cognitive style.
- Identify and modify the thoughts and beliefs that underlie and maintain the cycles of anxiety, depression, and anger
- Apply therapeutic techniques such as mindfulness, positive self-talk, guided imagery, and problem-solving.
- Accept the past and achieve unconditional self-acceptance.
- Deal effectively with perfectionism and low frustration tolerance.
- Avoid procrastination and learn to maintain the positive changes to their progress.
This is an essential self-help guide for adults on the higher end of the spectrum looking for ways to cope with emotional challenges, and will also be a useful resource for clinicians, psychologists, therapists, and counselors working with them. Family members, friends, and others touched by autism will also find this self-help book a valuable resource.