Counseling Adults with Autism
A Comprehensive Toolkit

Counseling Adults with Autism is a practical guide for counselors, psychologists, and other mental health professionals looking to improve their confidence and competence in counseling adults diagnosed with mild to moderate autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Organized into 11 chapters based on key areas for guiding assessment and treatment planning for this population, this book highlights evidence-based practices and therapeutic interventions through case examples to demonstrate how assessment and treatment can be applied. Replete with insights from a variety of disciplinary approaches, this is a comprehensive and accessible resource for practitioners looking to support and empower clients struggling with social and behavioral challenges.

Introduction 1. Presuming Competence and Capability 2. Understanding Family Dynamics, Alison Bourdeau and Ali Cunningham Abbott 3. Increasing Optimism 4. Assessing Clients and Treatment Planning, Ali Cunningham Abbott and Ryan Seidman 5. Treating Social Communication Impairments 6. Understanding Social Motivation 7. Enhancing Social Awareness 8. Building Social Cognition Skills, Alison Bourdeau and Ali Cunningham Abbott 9. Working with Behavior Challenges, Elisa Cruz-Torres and Ali Cunningham Abbott 10. Promoting Independence Index

Ali Cunningham Abbott, PhD, LMHC, QS, is a licensed mental health counselor in private practice and assistant professor at Lynn University. She has over 10 years of experience counseling clients with autism and their family members, and previously served as the Assistant Director of Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities.