Ascent Psychological Services

We are excited to announce four new therapy groups! These groups are scheduled to begin in September, with the exception of Preschool Playdates. This group can begin as soon as we have enough registrants. For more information or to register, email us at [email protected].

More is not always better. Children, especially autistic children, need plenty of unstructured play time, outdoor play, and rest. We work carefully with parents to balance supports while not overwhelming children and families with lots of appointments.

New Study Suggests Higher Amounts of Intervention May Not Be More Helpful for Children on the Autism Spectrum | Newsroom After a thorough systematic analysis, Micheal Sandbank, PhD, at the UNC School of Medicine and other researchers across the United States found that evidence was lacking that higher intensity interventions provided increased benefits for young autistic children.

Had a great time working with Shorelight this morning training managers on supporting neurodivergent employees!

“Connection-seeking”.

Fight like a Mother ❤

Looking for something for your child to do over the summer? This summer we are offering group therapy for children entering grades K-3 on Wednesdays at Fairfax Ziegler Park. Please email [email protected] to register. ☀️

What do you know about CBT & Autistic People? It's important for therapists to recognize that what works in theory 🧐💭 doesn't always translate into practice, especially when it comes to therapies for Autistic folks. 🌟🌟🌟
💡Did you know that recent findings reveal that Autistic adults often find common therapeutic strategies like cognitive strategies, exposure and guided imagery not only less helpful but also more challenging to implement? Yikes! 😬
📌This study highlights a crucial gap between “expert” knowledge and lived Autistic experiences. But, when we know better, we can do better! 😊 – Julie, AuSLP 💛

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Congratulations Keys to Success on your spring showcase! So much talent and enthusiasm!

🤩 The Therapy is Working! (Is it really, though?) 🤔
When it comes to reducing anxiety, the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) often receives high marks from therapists 👏 👏 👏. But what do Autistic people think about CBT outcomes ❓
➡️Research indicates that while clinicians might see a significant improvement, many Autistic children and young people report experiencing little or no reduction 👎🏽 👎🏽 👎🏽 in their anxiety levels after undergoing CBT. 🫨

➡️ The takeaway? It's essential for therapists to understand that Autistic perspectives about what’s helpful to them may significantly differ from clinical observations 🌟 🌟 🌟. We need to listen. – Julie, AuSLP💛 , ,

We are hosting three summer therapy groups for children ages 7-14. For more information please email [email protected].

Happy Autism Acceptance Month! ♾️

This resonates.

Your thoughts?

Thank you to Professor Arthur Costa and to "minds of kids." Also thank you to Free Range Learning for sharing 💞

New magnetic building set, so excited to add this to the play room!

Sneak peek of the new office space! Can’t wait for you to come check it out!

Almost time for our big move!

Misdiagnosismonday Venn diagrams for Autistic burnout | Megan Anna Neff posted on the topic | LinkedIn Currently updating the Venn diagrams – revisiting some of the earliest ones to reflect our deepening understanding of Autistic…

So many of us could use this reminder right about now…

Welcome 2024. 2023 has been such a hard year for so many of us. We so appreciate all of you who trusted us with your care. It is an honor to hear your stories and bear witness to your pain. We are looking forward to continuing to walk beside you through this next year of challenges, growth, pain and joy.

This next year is going to be bringing some exciting changes to Ascent, including an expansion, move to a new location, and adding group therapy services. Keep an eye out for our soon to be launched newsletter!

And on a personal note, thank you to all of you who join me on this journey of unmasking. Looking forward to all of us spending more time together as our authentic selves.

Love to you all, Lauren