Step Into My Sessions: Let’s follow a student as they use SocialScales

It's all about movement!

Last month in Hana, Hawaii, my son, his wonderful girlfriend and I went into the Hana Lava Tube. Yes, the lava tube I braved several years ago, that I wrote about in this very newsletter! There is a new maze under construction at the site, and, between the two of them, the race was ON! 🏁

Lots of movement. Not staying in one spot – it’s hard to win a race if you are standing still. That sort of fluidity is what SocialScales is all about. It’s rare that we stay with one thought, one feeling, in one experience. Every moment is different in so many ways. Like Heraclitus reminds us, “You can’t step in the same river twice.” 🌊

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​SocialScales in Action

Two weeks ago, I wrote about an autistic young adult, and the SocialScale we put together about his Social Battery, and taking breaks 🔋:

Well, he and his family have been working with the screenshot I sent home. Let’s look at the work that’s been happening…

I asked him to write about how he had been using his SocialScale. I gave some prompts to narrow our discussion. We meet on Zoom, and he is very adept at putting his thoughts down in a document. He prefaced this writing by telling me that he and his mom had reviewed his SocialScale before dinner. 🍽️

Fabulous work!!! 🎉 We looked at options that young adults and adults can use so they don’t need so much to ASK permission, but to TELL what is right for them using indirect language:

I would still like this young man to keep building his interoceptive skills. 🔍

Since he was going to be home for the long weekend, we decided that he would practice moving a sticky note (or the mouse on the computer if he’d prefer) to track where he is on the scale – in a way that feels comfortable for him (perhaps with just his family, not when other relatives and friends are around). Here is the visual I sent them:

Later that day, I received an email from his mom 📧:

Bravo Anna. It was so heartening to see X put this guidance into practice on Sunday.

Many thanks as always.

A reminder to all of us that learning is a lifelong process. 😌

Important to Keep in Mind

While SocialScales is an appropriate, collaboratively-developed visual tool for THIS autistic young adult, SocialScales is not appropriate for everyone. The complexities of social engagement reflect dynamic and often shifting aspects of human interaction. Social interaction offers opportunities for learning and personal growth over the lifespan, as defined by each individual. A strength-based approach, as well the integration of self-determined goals - for which progress is measured via individual change rather than forced to meet a pre-determined level based in neurotypical standards - must be part of our clinical process. SocialScales are meant to present options and possibilities, NOT requirements. Using SocialScales in a way that expresses prejudices based on disability (ableism) or judgmentally demands masking (explicitly or implicitly) is in opposition to its intent.
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Summer is creeping up on us ☀️ – I hope you have some restful and fun plans in store for you and those you love!

Summer is also a good time to peacefully prepare for the return of our students. Grab your SocialScales now, and take time to explore how it can benefit you and your students.