AUTISM SOLUTIONS
How To Be The Hero
In Your Life
By Thomas W. ILAND, CPA, DTM
There are countless stories out there about youth with autism spectrum disorder
(ASD) struggling during the process of transition and other times of change. Whether
it’s moving out of Mom and Dad’s house, going to a new school, or finding work,
just to name a few scenarios, all of them have one thing in common: they have the
potential to make you a better person.
N
ew things can be especially hard if you do
not know about your diagnosis or how it
affects you both positively as well as con-
structively. Maybe you find it impossible to
accept yourself as a person, thinking you
might not be worthy or capable of love. Or
how about living the life that YOU want as
opposed to the life that others want for you?
These matters warrant the need for the critical “pre-
quel to transition” process of self-discovery for youth
with autism. Transition plans for a person with autism
and all the work associated with them will not have
meaning or importance if the person with autism
26 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 72
doesn’t fully understand himself or herself first and
foremost. The steps to self-discovery are summa-
rized by the mantra “Know Yourself. Love Yourself. Be
Yourself.” You can become your best self by knowing
about your diagnosis (parents can check out Tom’s
Tips for Telling) as well as the strengths and opportu-
nities for improvement that come along with it, by
realizing that your diagnosis doesn’t have to define
you, and by being open to the opinions, consider-
ations, and suggestions of others!
Speaking from experience, it can be difficult to foster
the courage to get out of your comfort zone or to do
the things that are needed for you to get answers to