Who Do We Work With?

Our intervention approach best meets the needs of individuals with near average to above average verbal intelligence.  Although we use a visually based methodology, it is critical for our clients to be able to discuss language and thinking, which requires some self-awareness and language skills.  We work with many different people with and without diagnoses to further develop social cognitive, executive function and pragmatic language skills. Some of the clients we treat can carry one or a combination of diagnoses and labels listed below:

  • High Functioning Autism (HFA)
  • Asperger Syndrome (AS)
  • Non-verbal Learning Disorder (NLD)
  • Social Anxiety
  • Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyperactivity (ADD, ADHD)
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Twice exceptionality (e.g., high Verbal I.Q. and below average visual processing skills)
  • Persons without any diagnostic label who are having trouble with fluid social interactions, working successfully in a group, managing academic load due to organizational issues, getting and keeping a job and developing meaningful connections with others.

What are some of the characteristics a person with social executive function deficits might have?

  • Few friends/appears to be a loner
  • Difficulty taking perspective and showing empathy
  • Socially awkward
  • Does not get the big picture or “gist” of the conversation or overall theme of movies or literature
  • Is unable to “read” and act on non-verbal cues (i.e. body language, facial expressions, context, etc.)
  • Cannot understand the main topic and has difficulty summarizing literature
  • Difficulty with time management
  • Difficulty initiating, planning and organizing school assignments as well as social outings
  • Difficulty taking notes in class
  • Difficulty with cooperation and negotiation
  • Difficulty with figurative language, including multiple-meaning words and indirect requests
  • Difficulty using language to initiate and maintain social relationships
  • Difficulty with quantity, quality, relevance, and clarity of discourse
  • Difficulty finding and keeping a job due to subtle social challenges and executive function weaknesses (e.g., in time sense, processing speed, verbal and nonverbal working memory)