Children with Asperger's and other autism spectrum disorders often reveal more about bodily manifestations of upset feelings using this simple visual method.
Helping children with ASD to understand and correct their bodies’ response to stress
We counselors, therapists, special ed teachers and SLP’s spend time every day helping children with ASD to deal with their upset feelings. In other posts (see links below), I have presented various visual methods to help kids on the autism spectrum to deal with ”poison thoughts” and painful feelings. People’s upset feelings are also manifested in their bodies in a variety of ways. When we help children to cope with sadness, anger and anxiety, we also need to help them to understand and modify their bodies’ response to stress.
A simple visual — A body outline
When I am working with an upset child on the autism spectrum, I tend to miss out on good information if I confine my process of discovery to a verbal exchange. I often pull out a body outline worksheet to use while we are talking together. This usually helps the child express more than if we were merely exchanging words together. With groups of children, we have sometimes enjoyed making full-size body outlines on big pieces of paper.
How to make the worksheet:
Click on the image. Wait a few seconds for the picture to open in another window. Print.
How to introduce and use the worksheet:
I have provided a separate sheet with a brief explanation and suggested words to use when you are working with children.
Links to my other posts with free cognitive behavioral therapy downloads for helping children with ASD:
Intro to CBT with children on the autism spectrum
Downloadable CBT thought bubbles
“Minting New Thoughts” CBT method
“Help the upset person” – CBT Game for kids with ASD
“Worry Cards” –Helping children with ASD who have anxiety
Rigid Thinking Cards — Helping children with ASD understand and cope with rigid thinking
Good luck with your hard work.
Joel Shaul, LCSW
To print this worksheet: Click on it, let it open in another window, and press Print.
