Spectrum Transition Coaching Blog
Stories, lessons and tips from my coaching practice
College Choices: How to Make First Year Decisions That Actually Work for Your Student
There’s something uniquely exciting and totally overwhelming about the start of college. For autistic students, that “blank slate” feeling can be both a relief and a stressor. Suddenly, students are expected to make decisions that will shape their entire first year...

The Unseen Cost of Failing Out of College — And How to Avoid It
When you dream about college, you picture smiling move-in day photos, inspiring professors, newfound independence for your student and a path towards a fulfilling future. What you don’t picture (but what too many families face) is the pain of a student coming home...

Freshman Summer Preview: What to Expect after High School Graduation
Your autistic high school student has crossed a major milestone - high school graduation! Now as you prepare to turn the page to summer, you may be feeling a little different than summers past. Typically, this was a time to recharge and relax with camp, relaxed...

Navigating Family Gatherings: Practical Tips for Parents of Autistic Teens
With Passover and Easter just around the corner, the spring can be full of family gatherings. These are special times to celebrate and share family traditions. But they can also be overwhelming for autistic teenagers and young adults. From noisy environments to...

Loneliness and Autism: What are we learning and what can we do about it?
We are hearing a lot of talk about loneliness these days. The Surgeon General's 2023 report (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation) opened the conversation about the current state of loneliness. What shocked me the most was this simple stat. From 2003 to 2020,...
Past Blog Posts
College Choices: How to Make First Year Decisions That Actually Work for Your Student
There’s something...
The Unseen Cost of Failing Out of College — And How to Avoid It
When you dream about...
Freshman Summer Preview: What to Expect after High School Graduation
Your autistic high...
Navigating Family Gatherings: Practical Tips for Parents of Autistic Teens
With Passover and...
Loneliness and Autism: What are we learning and what can we do about it?
We are hearing a lot of...
The 3 Common Mistakes Parents Make When Preparing Autistic Teens for College (Plus Practical Ways to Avoid Them)
As parent of autistic...
College Semester Support: Updated for Spring 2025!
The spring semester...
The best gifts for autistic young adults – 2024 Edition
With the holidays just...
Ace Your Interviews with STAR
Job interviews are...
Announcing our first course!
After hearing parent...
Short Term Stress Reduction Techniques
Our internal life can...
Hot Topics for College Students by Year
College students often...
Everything you want to know about College Semester Support
The lazy days of summer...
Career Exploration and How It Can Help Your Autistic Young Adult
No matter how old your...
Summer Reading Recommendations
Looking for a great...
Featured Resources
- thearcofnova.org/programs/transition The ARC of NOVA
- fairfaxcounty.gov/community-services-board/ Fairfax County
- aane.org Aspergers / Autism Network
- asnv.org The Autism Society of Northern Virginia
- ds.gmu.edu/mason-autism-support-initiative George Mason Autism Support Initiative
- collegesteps.org College Steps