Mastering Echolalia: Improve Your Repetitive Language Skills

When my son was 18 months old he was diagnosed with leukemia. I did not know if he would live to see his second birthday, so I posted a picture he had painted on the hospital wall to remind me that I needed to make the most of our time together instead of getting caught up in worries that would prevent me from enjoying the time we had. There is a happy ending. He is a healthy busy 7 year old and I finally caught up on my sleep for the most part. I relied heavily on repetitive statements to stay focused and grounded during that time.

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Choosing Healthy Friendships in the New Year

Toni’s Story: One of my recently diagnosed autistic clients told me the other day how he became addicted to cocaine as a teenager. He had trusted his “friend” who told him, “don’t worry, we’ll just use a little and then quit. It’s no big deal.” Six years and a serious addiction later, he is now learning that he can’t trust people based solely on their word.

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Putting a Stop to Sleep Deprivation

Kate’s Story: I usually make it through December by sheer force of will and then crash in January. Now all I want to do is sleep but I can’t because I’m so caught up worrying about what I potentially did wrong. So I end up in a vicious cycle of feeling exhausted but not being about to do anything about it. Did I say something offensive without realizing it? Did people hate their gifts and not tell me? Did I eat too much chocolate and ham?

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