Relationships with Families

Relationships with Families

Characteristics a Professional in the Counseling Field Will Need

Counselors play an integral role in enabling children with autism spectrum disorder and their parents to lead a regular life. One of the characteristics needed in the counseling field so as to be effective when working with children with ASD is empathy. It is important for the professional to be able to thoroughly comprehend and connect with the child to know how best to help them and enable them to overcome some of the shortcomings that they might have. Autistic children face unique challenges and problems daily, and the first step to helping them is acknowledging and recognizing these struggles. They need to be understood and seen holistically, with their strengths and limits (Bennett et al., 2018). Patience is another characteristic needed when working with children with autism. Children with autism tend to have trouble learning and accomplishing even the basic things, and communication is among their greatest challenges. Special attention is needed to help such children; this will require patience on the side of the counselor before results can be seen. Lastly, creativity is also an essential part of working with children with autism as it helps one devise the best solution for the unique challenges of the child. Effective counseling is hard without ingenuity and awareness, and therefore, the counselor needs to be firm and flexible while being intriguing at the same time.

Supporting Family Members of the Children With ASD

Professionals need to be non-judgmental and inclusive when working with parents of children with autism. Family life for such parents tends to be harder, particularly with the judgment received by onlookers who might attribute certain behaviors portrayed by the child to poor parenting (Shelton, 2016). Professionals can,, therefore, help by being non-judgmental and offering the required support. For instance, the professional can play the role of an advocate to create awareness and understanding of ASD and the specific challenges that families with children with ASD face and help prevent stigmatization.

What Parents Should Know

I would love for parents to know that I lay great emphasis on the uniqueness of every person. I know that no two children with ASD might behave the same way; therefore, applying an individualistic approach when dealing with these children will be important. I believe that emphasis on the strengths of the child will be important, and I would love to work collaboratively with the parents to help support the child and the parents. Lastly, I constantly strive to improve my knowledge about ASD, as Cooper et al. (2018) claim that changes tend to occur over time. This will allow me to remain updated on how best to help parents and children with ASD.

How to Conduct Oneself in Situations Where Parents May Be Upset or Angry

When parents are angry or upset, I will let them know that their feelings are validated and that I understand why they feel the way they do. I will not be dismissive of their feelings, as this could cause further anger. Through empathy, I will be able to help them calm down and find a way around the issue together.

Ensuring Positive Relationships

Constant communication and mutual respect will be needed to ensure that relationships with families are positive. Two-way communication and collaboration with parents will be critical when dealing with children with ASD. This would mean communicating the accomplishments made, recognizing problems, and coming up with proper solutions together to ensure that the parents are able to understand better how best to help their child and also have good mental health. A respectful relationship is also important as it will help everyone feel supported and valued.

References

Bennett, E. D., Butler, M., Hunsaker, E., Cook, O., & Leland, B. (2018). Autism spectrum disorder: What counselors need to know. Ideas and research you can use. American Counseling Association Conference.

Cooper, K., Loades, M. E., & Russell, A. (2018). Adapting psychological therapies for autism. Research in autism spectrum disorders, 45, 43-50.

Shelton, T. (2016). Practical strategies for supporting young learners with autism spectrum disorder. Gryphon House.

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340 ASSIGNMENT

Relationships with Families

Purpose:

Having positive and professional relationships with parents and family members is an essential part of the process when working with young children with ASD. Positive environments tend to provide better results for children, parents, and educators.

Relationships with Families

Directions:

For this assignment, you will complete a 1–2-page reflection paper that will discuss the importance of having professional and positive relationships with families for children with ASD.

Please include the following information:

Discuss at least three characteristics a professional in your field would need in order to be effective when working with children with ASD.
How can professionals support family members of children with ASD?
What would you want parents to know about you as a professional?
How will you conduct yourself professionally in a situation where parents may be upset or angry?
What can professionals do to make sure relationships are positive with families?
As a reflective paper, your work does not need to be in APA format. However, if you cite any sources in your work, please be sure to use current APA citations.