COMING SOON
Parenting for Independence
The step-by-step program for activating your autistic young adult’s motivation, unlocking their potential, and guiding them toward a more meaningful and productive life
Through This Progam...
You will go from feeling chronically frustrated, shut out, and disempowered as a parent to having the relationship, confidence, and skills needed to help your autistic young adult gain momentum – even if they struggle with demand avoidance.
Learning alongside other parents, you will also discover that you are very much not alone.
Before I tell you all about this program, let's make sure you're a good fit.
Do you resonate with any of these descriptions?
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You’re the parent, caregiver, or guardian of a neurodivergent teen or young adult.
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You are feeling chronically frustrated, shut out, and disempowered as a parent.
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You may worry that they don't have the skills to maneuver social settings, manage daily living necessities, gain and keep a job, or create friendships and other meaningful relationships.
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You may struggle to have meaningful conversations about your (very valid) concerns before they become defensive, shut down, or melt down.
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Your child may be demand-avoidant and not moving forward in school or career.
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You may feel hopeless because your child seems unmotivated, stays locked in their room, and struggles to interact with the people living in your house.
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Your child may have been recently identified as autistic and now you want to learn how to best support them.👍🏼
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You're sick and tired of walking on eggshells.
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You’re ready to ditch what doesn’t work and start doing more of what does.
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You’re prepared to uncover who your child actually is (rather than who you think they are or want them to be) so you can apply the strategies that work for them.
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You're willing to give up some of the control to gain your freedom in the process.
If you resonate with this, you're in the right place!
I have been there. I have prevailed. And I have been teaching other parents like you exactly how to transform their situations step-by-step.
Parenting for Independence will give you the tools, skills, encouragement, and unparalleled support needed to create a better life not only for your young adult – but also for you!
By the End of This Program You Will Have Learned...
1
Their Autism Profile
What your child's autism profile is (so you can do more of what works)
2
Communication
How to communicate so they engage – and everyone stays emotionally regulated
3
Support
How to best provide them support, which deepens your relationship with them
4
Boundaries
When and where to set boundaries that improve your own quality of life
5
Nudges
When and where to nudge them outside their comfort zone so they can grow
6
Motivation
How to unlock their motivation so they get in the driver's seat of their life!
About Parenting for Independence
Parenting for Independence is the first group coaching and training program for parents of neurodivergent teens and adults who are looking to improve their child's self-sufficiency.
Whether you already have a great relationship with your teen or adult child – or they have not come out of their bedroom since the pandemic started – this program is for you.
During the eight-week program, you will receive:
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Access to the entire program for up to two parents/caregivers
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Weekly 60-minute group coaching calls for Q&A, sharing successes, and spot coaching with Patty on Tuesdays starting at 5 p.m. Mountain Time (MST GMT-7)
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A private, safe, moderated online community where you can share successes and ask for help with challenges 24/7
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Access to a support pod of other parents who are working through the same program at the same time that you can lean on for support who meet in between group coaching calls
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A digital course and PDF handouts with lifetime access
Through this program, you will:
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Develop an understanding of your teen or adult child’s autism profile
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Learn how to talk so they actually engage with you (and stay regulated)
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Learn when to Support them, set Boundaries, and give Nudges so they can grow (the SBN Parenting Framework™)
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Implement advanced communication skills to overcome demand avoidance
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Activate their motivation and get them in the driver's seat of their life
Optionally, you can add on 1:1 coaching for your teen/adult child (if they choose to participate):
Eight individualized 1:1 coaching sessions from a highly skilled autism life skills coach from our team in sync with their goals for their life.
Dedicated to your success,
Patty
Welcome to the Next Phase of Your Parenting Journey
You have questions. I have answers.👇🏽
How do I know if the program is a good fit for me?
The program is geared toward parents of neurodivergent teens and adults ages 16+ who are concerned about their child's ability to attain self-sufficiency and are willing to take their parenting to the next level with real solutions. It's for parents who can see their child's brilliance and want the world to see what they are capable of.
If any of the following describe your situation, join the waitlist to be notified when the next cohort's registration is open.
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They are not making meaningful progress in their education or career
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They are distressed about not having friends their own age
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They won't come out of their bedroom
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They struggle to create a plan and follow through on it
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They struggle to begin tasks they don't want to do and important stuff never seems to get done
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You are providing a level of support that is not sustainable
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Anxiety and lack of confidence are getting in the way of their progress
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Conversations with them tend to result in them shutting down, getting defensive, or melting down
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The PDA (pathological demand avoidance) profile seems to fit them
Who is the program NOT for?
In order to effect changes in your child, you will be making changes to the way you interact with them based on a deep understanding of their autism profile and new skills you will learn.
If you are only looking for support because you are not in a place where you can make these types of changes yourself, this program may not be for you (yet). We have a free moderated Facebook group for parents of neurodivergent adults where you can find some of the support you need among other parents. This might be your next best step.
If you or your child are in crisis, and your child is not in mental health or substance use treatment, the timing is not right for this program. There is no substitute for licensed, autism-informed and -affirming care, and this needs to be your priority right now. If you don't know where to find qualified help, please try contacting your local Autism Society and asking for recommendations.
How do I know if this will work with my PDA child?
I designed every little detail of this step-by-step program around my son's PDA profile. He taught me almost everything I know as a parent, so what works for those with PDA permeates the entire program. It also generally works great with human beings because it's extremely respectful in its approach. I won’t be teaching you anything tricky or manipulative. The focus is on understanding their individual profile, affirming their neurodivergence, and working WITH their profile rather than forcing them into a box they’ve never been able to fit into, even if they convinced you (and themselves!) through masking that they could – at least until they couldn’t. The only caveat is that if your child is actively struggling with major mental illness or substance use challenges, the focus of your engagement with them needs to be on getting the appropriate professional help. This needs to be the first step on their path to a more meaningful and productive life.
How long is the program?
The program is eight weeks of education and group coaching. After eight weeks, you will have the option of joining the Autism Independence Allies community membership for ongoing support and group coaching to help you continue the momentum created during the Parenting for Independence program. You will have lifetime access to the digital course and handouts.
What does the schedule look like?
The next cohort begins March 5. The group coaching calls, which you don't want to miss, are Tuesdays at 5 p.m. Mountain Time during the eight weeks of the program. Parent support pods are self-organized and meet when the groups are able to meet. The online community is available 24/7.
What if my parenting partner is not in sync with me on this?
Obviously, the optimal situation is for all parents to be in sync and provide consistency in their approach. In the real world though, this rarely happens (though it's amazing when it does)! You can absolutely start the program on your own. What often happens is that when the other parent starts seeing that you're getting results, they become more curious and interested in learning what you are doing. And remember the digital course and handouts are yours for life. Your partner can do the course at any time. There is no rush other than your own sense of urgency.
What if my adult child doesn't live with me?
The changes you will see in your teen or young adult are based on the changes you will make to the way you show up in your relationship with them and the skills you implement that encourage their forward momentum. The more opportunities for interaction the better, but many families come to this program with teens and young adults who live in the same house but barely interact. The bottom line is that the more opportunities you have to interact with your child, the more influence you can have, and these changes can happen even if they live in another state.
How does the teen and young adult 1:1 coaching work?
If your teen or young adult child is ready to begin making progress toward their goals, it's really powerful when both the parent(s) and young adults are working on making progress at the same time. It's a situation that can feel like 1 + 1 = 3. Once you are enrolled in the program, you will have the option of adding a package of eight individualized 1:1 coaching sessions from a highly skilled autism life skills coach who has worked with other autistic individuals on similar goals. Your child will meet with us to discuss what they are hoping to get out of coaching, and we will pair them with the best-fit coach from our team. Your child and the coach will set a SMART goal at the beginning and measure progress toward that goal as the sessions progress. Sessions will happen over Zoom, and are scheduled at a time that works for your child and the coach.
What if my child likes their coach and wants to continue beyond eight sessions?
This is absolutely fine. They will have the option to continue beyond the eight sessions if they like. The rates are always transparently published on the FAQ page of our website.
Will I get updates on what my teen or adult child is working on with their coach?
If your child is 18+, this will be completely up to your child. Many times the young adults prefer that their parent(s) are copied on the coaching summaries. Sometimes they will prefer to keep this information private, and we honor their preferences. If your child is under 18, we encourage you to have a conversation with them about this before meeting with us to make sure you are on the same page about this.
Is there a 1:1 coaching option for the parents?
Yes, if you would like to also work 1:1 with a parent coach before, during, or after the program, we can pair you with someone who is trained in the SBN Parenting Framework™ that Patty created and the course is based on. There will also be limited availability to work privately with Patty as well during the eight-week program. If you would like to explore beginning 1:1 parent coaching now with a certified coach to get optimally prepared for success once the program begins, please schedule a complimentary consultation using the link on the contact page of this website.
What does the program cost?
The cost of the program will be a fraction of the cost if you were to invest in 1:1 parent training and coaching with Head Coach Patty Laushman, plus you get access for two parents/caregivers. You also both get access to a community of others who "get" you and your situation, who are working on similar challenges, and who can provide support and encouragement during both your support pod meetings and in the online community. Stay tuned for more details.
I'm already overwhelmed. Are you sure I can do this?
I can only speak to this from personal experience. At the moment our situation began to turn around, I was exhausted, burned out, and even traumatized beyond anything I'd experienced before. What helped me dig out of that (and ultimately help my son thrive) was starting to do things that actually worked. There was not an overnight turnaround, but each success I had with him generated the energy I needed to do it again and to try the next things that would work. Slowly but surely, we dug our way out. I didn't get all the tools and skills at once like you will. You will have the benefit of lots of things that work in a very short period of time, but only you can decide if the timing is right for you.
How can I find out more information?
To get the earliest updates about the next cohort, please join the waitlist to be notified when the next cohort's registration is open and any other important information, or fill out the contact form to send an email with your specific questions.