Autism Independence Academy
Gain the Strategies and Tools Necessary for Your Young Adult or Teen to Become Successfully Independent
Delivering Results and Changing Lives
Education and coaching for both parents and their adult children/teens simultaneously is the secret formula for success!
You’re the parent, caregiver, or guardian of a teen or young adult with autism…
​…and one of your greatest fears is that your child won’t be self-independent and there will be no one to care for them when you’re gone. You may also worry that your teen or young adult won’t have the skills to maneuver social settings, gain and keep a job, or create friendships and other meaningful relationships.
You’re feeling burned out, stressed, and somewhat hopeless as your son or daughter seems unmotivated and stays locked in their room. You’re also frustrated because you struggle to have meaningful exchanges or to engage them in conversation without them being defensive.
Without proven strategies and tools combined with simultaneous education and coaching for both you and your young adult or teen, you could be in for a long uphill battle to independence.
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We can help
Most strategies have little impact or just plain don’t work. They often focus only on one aspect of the equation when it takes a 360-degree style approach to be truly transformational.
Focusing on one aspect generally provides you hope in the short term because you gain success temporarily, only to find yourself back in the same situation months later. Permanent success at becoming independent takes a more comprehensive, focused approach, and that's what we give you in Autism Independence Academy.
The Autism Independence Academy is Different
We teach our students cutting-edge strategies that really do work. Simultaneously, we give both you and your adult child the knowledge, skills, AND mindset support needed to transform your adult child into a more independent adult.
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The Autism Independence Academy is a first-of-its-kind program that focuses on the following key pillars to help you and your child become independent:
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Parent-Specific Training:
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Engaging your adult child in a way that produces meaningful (and productive) conversations
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Dealing with demand avoidance
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Understanding masking, burnout, and mental health
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Supporting your adult child as they build executive functioning skills
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Helping them build a social life
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Creating an environment of success for your young adult while reclaiming your own life
Adult Child-Specific Training:
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Creating unshakeable confidence
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Sharpening executive functioning skills, e.g., time management, decision-making, and problem-solving
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Mastering social, communication, and relationship skills
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Creating friendships and meaningful relationships
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Gaining employment and navigating the workplace
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Welcome to the Autism Independence Academy!
Patty Laushman & Blake Baumann
Your Head Coaches
Patty Laushman is a coach, educator, author, and speaker on the topic of neurodiversity. She understands the impact of being neurodivergent in a world built for neurotypicals. She comes from the neurodiversity perspective and also acknowledges the challenges brain-based differences can pose to daily living. In her coaching practice, she helps autistic teens and adults and their parents develop understanding, set and achieve goals, acquire skills, and ultimately live their best lives.
She is a Certified Autism Coach through Asperger/Autism Network (AANE), a 14-year program that has coached 3,000+ teens and adults on the autism spectrum through their LifeMAP (Life Management Assistance) program. She is a Certified Autism Specialist and Board Certified Cognitive Specialist through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). She is ACRE-certified in employment services for people with disabilities (basic level). She is also a member of the Asperger/Autism Professional Coaching Association (AAPCA), a professional development resource and support for professionals who coach, guide, and advise older teens and adults with Asperger's/autism and similar neurodivergent profiles.
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Before life coaching, she started and ran a technology services company, which she grew for nine years and sold in 2012. She also worked as a solo sales development consultant for eight years. Coaching is the fourth business she's started, and for neurodivergent clients who are looking to start their own businesses, she is uniquely qualified to be their business coach. Her business background is detailed in her LinkedIn profile.
She is also a home educator to an amazing, profoundly gifted, multi-exceptional, neurodivergent teen who is completely on track for independence.
Blake Baumann is a life and success coach who specializes in working with teens and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, level 1, formerly known as Asperger's and high-functioning autism. He has personally spent over 10,000 hours studying autism, social communication, executive functioning, psychology, cognitive behavior therapy, neuro-linguistic programming, and all the new cutting-edge tools and strategies.
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What makes Blake unique is that he himself has Asperger's, and he is the parent of three neurodiverse young adults: a 24-year-old son with ASD, a 22-year-old daughter with ASD/social anxiety disorder, and an 18-year-old son with ADHD/dyslexia. Blake has used his tools and strategies not only on himself to become a successful executive leader, an entrepreneur, happily married for 15+ years and counting, and now a life and success coach, but also on ensuring that each of his children launches successfully in life. They are all now living on their own, working in successful careers, driving, in successful dating relationships, involved with groups of friends, and moving toward future goals to continue motivating themselves to even greater achievements.
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Blake also went through in-depth training at the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching where he received his Certified Professional Coach certification. He also went on to receive his Professional Certified Coach certification from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) making him one of the few with this distinct honor. In 2022, Blake was awarded the Most Inspiring Neurodiversity Coach award from the CEO Today magazine and has been nominated for other top coaching honors already in 2023.
FAQs
What does the Autism Independence Academy cover exactly?
While there is no magic bullet to help our children become 100 percent independent overnight, the Autism Independence Academy is designed to help both parents and young adults or teens learn proven skills and strategies that result in their children growing further faster toward gaining independence. These skills include executive functioning, social, communication, relationship, goal achievement, career, and mindset. At the same time, parents learn how to understand their neurodivergent child better, connect with them without triggering defensiveness, and support their child’s growth toward independence.
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What ages is the program geared toward?
There are no current age restrictions, however, the intention of the program is to help prepare young adults and teens to become self-sufficient and independent. Typically, our clients fall into the 17-26 age range.
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Is the program a good fit for me and/or my child?
If you are asking yourself any of the following questions, please join the waitlist to be notified when the next cohort is beginning. When the next cohort is enrolling, you will have an opportunity to schedule a call to talk about your individual situation, and we will determine together if the program is a good fit.
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Am I feeling lost with how to help my young adult or teen get to the next step of becoming independent?
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Am I worried about how they will support themselves when I am no longer able to?
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Do I feel unsuccessful because what I've tried has not yet worked?
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Is my child employed and handling the workplace environment successfully?
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Does my child have healthy friendships?
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Are anxiety and lack of confidence getting in the way of my child’s progress toward independence?
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Are executive functioning or social skills holding my child back?
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How long is the program?
The program is eight weeks of intensive group coaching and education as well as other one-on-one support with our head coaches for both you and your adult child. After eight weeks, you will have access to continued resources that will help to keep the momentum going for your adult child to gain independence. You will have lifetime access to the training and community.
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What does the schedule look like?
The schedule includes a Monday evening parent group coaching call, four afternoon teen/young adult coaching calls (Monday through Thursday), and a Friday celebration call for both parents and their children to discuss their successes.
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What does it cost?
The investment in the Autism Independence Academy program is an all-inclusive investment for both the parent and the young adult/teen. It’s a fraction of the cost if you were to invest in training, coaching, and education for yourself or your young adult/teen. We are currently reviewing our pricing, and will have more information when the next cohort is announced.
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How can I find out more information about the Autism Independence Academy?
To learn more about the program or affiliate opportunities, or to book us for a podcast, webinar, or speaking engagement at your event, please join the waitlist to hear when the next cohort is beginning or fill out the contact form to send an email with your specific questions.