Ensuring Neurodivergent Children Can Make Friends

But what if they don’t like me…

As we get older, it seems like when we look back, we have made friends every step of the way. Whether it be in school, sports, camp, or other kids around the neighborhood, we as people tend to make connections even without realizing it, but for those with neurodivergent traits, making friends can be difficult. Between the anxiety of not knowing if they will like what you like and having to talk and open-up to a stranger, making friends can be difficult for many. Yet, if they don’t, their lives can be filled with isolation, anxiety, depression, and so much more. Without friends, children, teens, and young adults may find going to school, events, and even just daily life to be difficult to manage. Friends help us feel comfortable in situations we may not be used to, and they are there to talk to us and help us get through things, but if we cannot make, nurture and maintain these friendships, life can quickly become lonely.

Without the effective social skills, making friends can seem impossible. Knowing what they like and dislike, how to talk to certain people in specific situations, reading body language, emotional regulation, listening, and so much more are ways we make and keep friends. These skills help us understand what our friends are thinking so we can be there for them and vice versa, which can make school and general life a much better experience. Friends are there to experience life with us and to help us through tough times, which is why having them is so important, yet neurodivergent individuals may find it more difficult to know when to use these skills than their neurotypical peers, but the Support for Students Growth Center can give them the tools they need to do so.

At SSGC, we provide the social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills children, teens, young adults, and their families need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to make friends to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening- $150 value

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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Ensuring Neurodivergent Students Know When to Listen, and When to Speak

Shhhh…
For one neurodivergent young boy, trying to adapt back to a school environment after summer was proving to be very difficult for him. He hadn’t seen most of his friends all summer, so he wanted to tell them all about his experiences, yet, when he tried, he would often get in trouble. Since he would be story telling while his teacher was speaking or giving instructions, he would not only disrupt the class but miss important information as well. This would then cause him to struggle to complete assignments, know how to solve whatever worksheet was given, and overall begin to already fall behind because he was always talking when he was supposed to be listening.

Not being an active listener also made socializing hard for the young boy. Since he was constantly doing the talking rather than listening what others had to say, it made the other kids not want to interact with him since they could never get a word out. This then caused the young boy to become isolated alongside his academic struggles, and as time went on, he began not wanting to attend school at all. He would avoid it by pretending to be sick, “forgetting” things at home like his projects, homework, and backpack, and even having meltdowns, which caused his parents to reach out to the Support for Students Growth Center for help.

There, he learned tools such as how to identify when it is and is not appropriate to be speaking, how to focus and be attentive to what others are saying, writing down his thoughts on a piece of paper so he won’t forget what he wanted to say when the proper time comes, how to control and regulate his emotions to prevent him from having an outburst and speaking anyway, patience, breathing techniques, and so much more. These tips then helped prevent him from simply blurting things and speaking when it is inappropriate to do so, making school a much more enjoyable experience for him.

If children, teen, and young adults do not have the ability to differentiate between when to speak and when to listen, they will find not only school, but overall life to become difficult to manage. They may be unable to follow directions, be a good friend, complete assignments whether it be for school, chores, or a job, and so much more, all of which will set them back in life. Being able to know when to listen and when to speak can also prevent them from being emotionally overwhelmed with the stress of not being sure when it is appropriate to talk, alongside giving them the confidence, they need to succeed, which the Students Growth Center can help them achieve.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide the social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families, who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how know when it is time to listen versus when to speak to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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Ensuring Neurodivergent Students Have Well Developed Organizational Skills

Eh, I’ll find it later…

As children, teens, and young adults go through life, it is important that they are able to be properly organized. Organization helps ensure that they are not stressed out due to their inability to find something, or their environment being cluttered, but this skill helps with more than just cleaning up after themselves. Being able to properly organize allows for them to plan out their weeks, make sure there is enough time to get everything done, as well as ensures they have time for both alone time and socialization. Without it, they may begin to procrastinate, not finish tasks and/or assignments, not have items they need for both school and life, as well as keep their environment clean.

If they are not actively using this skill, then their rooms and other areas may become messy, causing extra stress and anxiety because they cannot find anything. This can then lead them to not starting or completing a task at all because they find it too stressful, only adding to the stress they feel. However, if they are prepared and have everything organized, they can feel confident in their ability to handle tasks such as finishing a school project or making time for socializing on their own, encouraging independence. Yet, this can be hard for some, especially those who have neurodivergent traits, but the Support for Students Growth Center can help them learn how to incorporate and utilize these necessary skills in their everyday lives.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide Summer Intensive Programs. We additionally offer social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families, who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to remain organized to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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Ensuring Neurodivergent Students Have Well Developed Organizational Skills

Eh, I’ll find it later…

As children, teens, and young adults go through life, it is important that they are able to be properly organized. Organization helps ensure that they are not stressed out due to their inability to find something, or their environment being cluttered, but this skill helps with more than just cleaning up after themselves. Being able to properly organize allows for them to plan out their weeks, make sure there is enough time to get everything done, as well as ensures they have time for both alone time and socialization. Without it, they may begin to procrastinate, not finish tasks and/or assignments, not have items they need for both school and life, as well as keep their environment clean.

If they are not actively using this skill, then their rooms and other areas may become messy, causing extra stress and anxiety because they cannot find anything. This can then lead them to not starting or completing a task at all because they find it too stressful, only adding to the stress they feel. However, if they are prepared and have everything organized, they can feel confident in their ability to handle tasks such as finishing a school project or making time for socializing on their own, encouraging independence. Yet, this can be hard for some, especially those who have neurodivergent traits, but the Support for Students Growth Center can help them learn how to incorporate and utilize these necessary skills in their everyday lives.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide Summer Intensive Programs. We additionally offer social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families, who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to remain organized to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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Ensuring Neurodivergent Students are Actively Setting Goals

I don’t know what I want to accomplish…

As we go through life, children, teens, and young adults are typically always setting goals for themselves. Whether it be wanting to become a doctor, get into that sport you’ve been putting off, or simply passing a test coming up, goal setting is important for us. It helps keep us motivated, and if they are not actively setting goals, then they may lose motivation to strive for better all together. They may begin to lack the motivation to do better in school, at home, in sports, and eventually may lack the motivation to become independent in life because they do not have a goal that pushes them to do so.

Without goals, life can just pass them by. They may not care to go to college, get a “real-world” job, move out, or become a functioning adult. This can then be worrying for parents, fearing that their child may then struggle with “Failure to Launch” all because they do not set goals for themselves. Not setting goals can also affect many aspects of their lives, such as school, socializing, work, etc., because they lack the motivation to do better. However, at the Support for Students Growth Center, we help teach them the skills they need to be actively setting and achieving goals, so parents do not have to worry.

At SSGC, we provide the social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills children, teens, young adults, and their families need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how be actively setting goals to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a wonderful life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the experience and tools to help.


Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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Ensuring Neurodivergent Students Have Time Management Skills

Wait, what needs to get done today?

As children, teens, and young adults go through life, time management is one of the most important skills they can have. Between school, extracurriculars, socializing, and down time, there is a lot of things that need to get done in a day, and making sure you have enough time to do it all helps keep other issues from arising. If they do not have proper time management skills, they may become anxious about all the things that they have to do, causing them to not want to complete tasks at all. They may then begin to procrastinate, pushing everything onto one day because they think that they have enough time when in reality they don’t, causing them to fall behind.

Successful time management allows for us to have a set plan for our days and ensures we have enough time to get everything we want to complete done. Without it, other executive functioning skills can be made more difficult to handle, such as planning and organizing, task initiation, and more. This is because if we do not have enough time to clean, plan, and start tasks, then nothing will get done, which is why it is so important for them to have these skills well developed.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide the social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills children, teens, young adults, and their families who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to manage their time to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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Balancing Both School and Life

But it all feels like it’s too much…

As children, teens, and young adults go through life, balancing both school, socialization, relaxation, and overall life can become difficult. As they join clubs, sports, debate teams, and whatever else, making sure to also make time for academics and alone time can be difficult. They may feel as if there is not enough time in the day to complete everything that needs to get done, and they may even begin to prioritize one thing over another. They may not do their homework because they have plans with friends or not go to a game because they have a project they need to do. This can then cause them to miss out on certain opportunities because they are unable to balance their school and life to make enough time for everything they need/want to do.

As these progresses, children, teens, and young adults, may struggle with certain aspects of their life. They may find socializing difficult as they get older because they were too focused on their schoolwork, or they may start falling behind academically because they are prioritizing one thing over another. They may also not have enough time to relax on their own, causing them to become burnt out and tired. Finding this balance can be difficult, especially for those with neurodivergent traits. They may not be able to utilize their executive functioning skills to help them achieve this balance, which is why the Support for Students Growth Center helps teach them these skills and how to utilize them.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide the social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills children, teens, young adults, and their families who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to balance school and life to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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How Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Can Effect Emotional Regulation

It’s just too much…

For neurodivergent individuals, emotional regulation can already be difficult, and if they have characteristics of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) it can be made that much harder. RSD can make situations that are already inducing a lot of emotions for children, teens, and young adults harder to manage. This is because they can feel “significantly heightened intense negative feelings, and severe emotional pain that is difficult to control.” (Bhandari, 2023). Being unable to control such intense emotions can then cause them to become violent both physically and verbally and begin exhibiting avoidance behaviors, whether it be from socializing or completing tasks, because they fear they cannot control the feelings that come with rejection.

If students are unable to regulate the emotions that come with RSD, then school, home, and overall life can become isolated and lonely. They may not want to attempt to make friends because they cannot control their anxiety or may struggle to nurture their friendships because they cannot regulate the anger that comes with RSD if they feel rejected by that specific peer. The inability to regulate emotions can also affect their school life as well. Avoiding doing homework because they are too stressed out about the idea of it being wrong can cause them to fall behind, which is why it is so important that they learn skills needed for emotional regulation so they can manage their RSD, and The Support for Students Growth Center can help them develop those skills.

At SSGC, we provide the social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills children, teens, young adults, and their families need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to manage characteristics of RSD to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a wonderful life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the experience and tools to help.


Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

WebMD. (n.d.). Rejection sensitive dysphoria: Causes and treatment. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria 

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Parent Workshop

Parent Workshop

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How Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Can Affect Students Executive Functioning Skills

Why should I even try…

When it comes to growing up, children, teens, and young adults can feel as if they are constantly being told to do things better. Whether it is not keeping your room as clean as you should, not showing enough work on an assignment, or even that your chores aren’t being done properly, they can sometimes feel as if they can’t do anything right. However, for those with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), and especially those who are neurodivergent with RSD, they can take this much harder than those without these traits.

When being told that their assignments, chores, or overall daily tasks weren’t up to par, they can feel discouraged to do them at all in fear of being criticized once again. They may feel as if they would rather give up all together because of how much that feeling of rejection hurt them, and despite it sometimes just being constructive criticism, they can take it much more personally than those without RSD. One source explains how “It is very common for students with ADHD to already be experiencing the following in school: Many missing assignments, Teachers who think they are “lazy” and/or “unmotivated”… [and] When rejection sensitive dysphoria is added to this mix, the extreme emotional sensitivity can cause mental health conditions to worsen.” (McCormick, 2022). This intense fear of being rejected by their teachers, parents, or peers in a school or home environment can lead them to procrastinate or not complete tasks all together, as well as avoid anything that may trigger their RSD. This then causes them to fall behind, yet, if they can identify, regulate, and manage their RSD, they can avoid this, and the Support for Students Growth Center can help them learn how to do so.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide the social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills children, teens, young adults, and their families who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to manage RSD to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

 

McCormick, S. (2023, September 6). 6 signs your child has rejection-sensitive dysphoria. EF Specialists. https://www.efspecialists.com/post/6-signs-your-child-has-rejection-sensitive-dysphoria#:~:text=RSD%20is%20the%20inability%20or,Self%2Dawareness

 

 

 

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