When Self-advocacy alone is'nt enough.

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Hello,

What are known as 'Pragmatic Speech & Language Therapists' are receptive to 'self-advocacy.'

Yet some speech-therapists also favor "a fallback of sorts" - should 'self-advocacy' not suffice; that is consultations with trustworthy professional services who understand clientele with Aspergers.

I'm currently in contact with a 'Pragmatic Speech & Language Therapist' who supports an AngiesList.com' like listings of professional services e.g., financial advisors who are both trustworthy, and experienced with clientele on the Autism Spectrum.

A good starting-point is to type positive comments (on already existing online professional listings) of those specific service providers who are trustworthy, affordable, and also understanding of Asperger clientele. This would boost interest to develop and maintain more detailed, localized online listings.

Thank-you

But I don't want the professionals running it. Or, I don't want the organization run by, with, and for professionals to be the only game in town. I want groups like ASAN to eventually have their own recommendations of Spectrum-friendly professionals. (Disclosure: I am an inactive member of ASAN, and to the best of my knowledge they do not current do this.)

PS In my mid to late 30s, I was helped by a speech therapist. She also gave me some general life advice, and she was better than a couple of psychologists and one psychiatrist I had seen before. I think because she didn't get entrenched where she was essentially married to her own advice, and plus she wasn't so theory-laden.

Hello,

Even neuro-typicals (NTs) cannot always depend on self-advocacy; hence those awesome financial professionals are necessary e.g., an awesome Wingman of sorts.

Neuro-typicals can be uncomfortable asking for assistance. Again, it's a wise choice to enlist the help of trusted professionals who empathize with their individual clientele's needs. Let's refrain for "throwing the baby out with the bathwater!"

If you live in proximity to a major metropolitan area (esp. regions with sizable technology industries employing Asperger personnel), and consult with trustworthy professional services understanding of Asperger clientle, WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW on these professionals!

In writing positive reviews on an "Angieslist.com like" listings of services, this increasingly brings concerns of clients on the Autism Spectrum to the attention of professional associations; hence listings of professionals receiving high-grades will increase.

Thank-you

Please understand me. I don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water. I am very much in favor of professionals like CPAs being open to help those of us on the Spectrum. And I want dentists to be Spectrum-friendly, too, including being aware that we might have sensory issues so something might hurt more or less than average and may not be a great guide to a tooth problem. And I do like your idea of people WRITING POSITIVE REVIEWS when they have good experiences, which also helps to include education about the Autism Spectrum in a straightforward and matter-of-fact way. I might just add, if people write reviews anyway, meaning I don't want it to be just one more task to add to busy weeks which already have a lot of tasks anyway.

When I say I don't want professionals running the show, I mean I don't want the majority of our Asperger-Autism Spectrum organizations to be run by psychologists or any other helping professionals, or even by parents for that matter. I want the majority of our Spectrum organizations to be run by persons who are themselves on the Spectrum.

ADDENDUM:

When self-advocacy alone is not an option, where do adults with Aspergers (AS) turn to for assistance?

This is a concern that has received way too little focus; this is unacceptable! The obvious and wise actions would be to locate professional service people e.g., Accountants who have (AS).

Yet, online listings of professional services favorable for (AS) clientele are absent! This is such a disservice that is in nobody's best interests-- including the very professional services experienced with (AS) who are not receiving important new clientele!

To consult with professional service people who balance both personal, and professional experience with both NT and AS clientele would "hit the nail on the head" regarding what to do if self advocacy is not an option.

What's really a surprise is that it's difficult to find professional service providers experienced with (AS) who are located in regions home to many technology workers with (AS); many of whom are accustomed to largely NT environments.

I'm located a few hours from the SF Bay Area/Silicon Valley; yet I have consulted with people in the Bay-Area who (you'd think) would make it their business to be at least "six degrees of separation" from AS/NT agendas; to no avail. At best, one consultant, and agency have proposed an online listing of professional services that assist (AS) clientele. Yet, again, such efforts have "gotten lost in the shuffle!"

Please follow-up these discussions with information listing specific professional service providers that are experienced with (AS).

Thank-you