Cracking the Code for

Teens and Young Adults with ASD

Are you a parent of a teenager or young adult with autism?

What’s the next step?

You know your child will soon age out of the school system. And you’re likely asking yourself …

Now what?

No parent wants their child to spend a lifetime in struggle, unable to feel fulfilled, missing out on happiness, and never feeling successful or becoming independent.

But for too many teens and young adults on the spectrum, if something doesn’t change … and soon … that’s exactly what is happening!

Most teens and young adults aren’t given the chance to really grow into their own independence. They’re not able to make it on their own, find meaningful work, build relationships of substance or find something that motivates them (other than playing video games).

That’s hard to hear.

Harder yet is watching your child age out and seeing their confidence dwindle, their spirit shrink, and their chances for a successful life getting whisked away.

It can seem like you have no options

And regrettably … there aren’t a lot of options.

As parents of a child with autism (ASD) we simply aren’t shown – not by the system, not by the schools, and not by the trusted medical and therapeutic professions – how to help our kids get ready for when that ‘aging out’ moment comes.

We have lived through the unfortunate reality that most school systems and therapy protocols focus on how to help get your child through school, not how to help prepare for what happens once school ends.

Functional life skills are not taught in the schools, nor are they the focus of most therapy!

And that means that too many teens and young adults – and their parents – struggle trying to figure out what to do. Tragically, many never find the answer.

The Truth Is ASD Fights Back!

The very nature of ASD prohibits the kind of thinking required for an individual to find their own solutions.

Doomed to never figuring out – much less activating – their functional and independence potential, they stop trying. Settle. Give up.

No wonder so many of our kids end up depressed, discouraged, anxious and withdrawing from the life they could have.

Yet even the rare parent who moves forward … desperate to figure out a way … knowing their child’s future rests in their hands … looking for a way to crack this seemingly un-crack-able code … often isn’t able to figure out exactly what to do. Or even where to start.

It can be overwhelming.

That’s because with ASD, there is a cold, hard truth:

  • ASD doesn’t respond to “quick fix” techniques
  • Finding the right therapy for teens and young adults is nearly impossible
  • A therapist can’t teach the needed functional skills in the time remaining
  • And you haven’t been given the right training to really help your child become independent

So you may be wondering … and worrying …

What are you going to do?

Because you know that if you don’t figure it out, there isn’t a teacher or therapist or friend or family member equipped to help you and your child.

And without getting help, you know that the next biggest question is …

What will happen to your child?

If that’s where you’re hanging out – staying up at night worried about to do now, or what will happen when that ‘aging out’ moment happens – I get it.

I was once there too. My kids were aging out of the school system and there was no help in sight.

And that is unfortunately the same experience for many of the parents who have come to me for help.

Desperate to do something to help their child – backed into a corner with no way out … they found themselves making choices that weren’t good for anyone (not for them or for their child) simply because they didn’t know what else to do.

The Answer Is Often Counter-Intuitive

Because the truth is … it takes more than simply staying involved, caring a ton and being consistent to help your child become more independent.

It requires having a plan with strategies that work THROUGH the autism, not against it or around it.

The problem is …

Without knowing how to leverage what works and steer clear of what doesn’t, creating a plan that leverages the autism (instead of working against it) is nearly impossible.

It’s a really, really hard code to crack.

What’s more … with time running out and your child’s future at stake, there isn’t time to waste with trial and error to figure out each of the steps.

And even if you could figure out all the steps to help your child gain greater independence … trying to go it alone risks missteps, mis-direction and missed opportunity.

Things like:

The Path to ASD Growth

There is a ‘right’ way and a ‘wrong way’ to leverage the greatest resource your child has – YOU! – to move your child from where they currently are to where they need to be in order to increase their independence without going crazy in the process.

The Path To Increased Confidence

Without confidence, momentum stalls or stops. There are tools to help you shore up your belief and confidence that you and your child CAN achieve the goals you have for your child’s best life and by using them, you model this for them too.

The Path to Reduced Resistance

There is a method to honing in on the exact skills your child needs to develop while diminishing their natural resistance to change.

The Path to Sustainable Progress

As parents of a child with ASD, we often forget to carve out the time and energy to be able to effectively implement the strategies that create change once you know them. There are methods to use to keep you … and your child … moving forward consistently, and with ease.

The Path to Transferable Understanding

Most kids with ASD don’t transfer understanding from one situation to another easily. Having frameworks for them to lean into can boost their confidence while providing real solutions to functional success!

It Might Feel Overwhelming.

While that might sound like a very tall order, especially for parents with other kids, careers, and homes to manage …

It’s just one reason many parents reach a point of desperation and despair in furthering their child’s path to more independence.

But knowing what to do when … and having a plan and a framework to make it work … is a life changer.

It can transform your child’s life and your life! Imagine what a relief it would be to watch your child’s ability to manage life begin to unfold before your eyes!

Let’s face it … neither you nor your child have time to waste.

That’s why we put together these trainings.

We didn’t want parents to be trapped.

And we didn’t want kids with ASD to be robbed of a better future simply because the system hadn’t planned for their needs.

Learn a Recipe for Success from the National Autism Academy!

These trainings not only provide real steps that result in increasing functionality in life, independence, and life satisfaction for your teen or young adult, but they make it fit into your life easily.

They give you the tried-and-true steps to create lasting change, and provide the support to help you use them consistently!

These steps, which are based on thousands of hours of research, study and practice, are proven to work.

Most importantly, this series of trainings finally creates the opportunity to work with your teen or young adult meaningfully, successfully, and efficiently!

The framework and structure provided by the Cracking the Code series not only makes change much easier, but makes it inevitable!

Stress for everyone is typically reduced immediately as new understanding grows, and is replaced with hope, encouragement, and greater success for your child.

And, of course, more success for your child means life is better for you too!

Check all that apply:

If you’ve checked one or more of these boxes, this training is for you!

The Cracking the Code Program

The full Cracking the Code for Teens and Young Adults with ASD Program consists of 3 courses, (plus Q&A opportunities and recommendation to ongoing online groups for the teen or young adult) and are listed in order of prerequisites.

Each training builds upon the previous training, and previous trainings are pre-requisites for the next class. Together, these steps will guide you powerfully toward the life answers you desire for your teen or young adult with ASD, your other family members, and yourself!

1. Cracking the Code:

Independence Readiness

(no prerequisite)

2. Cracking the Code:

How to Leverage Your Parental Power For Lasting Change

(no prerequisite)

3. Cracking the Code:

Solutions Made Simple

(Prerequisites: Independence Readiness and How to Leverage Your Parental Power for Lasting Change)