The Power of Resilience for Autistic Adults

This book is a comprehensive guide designed to empower autistic adults by fostering resilience in their daily lives. It details autistic adults’ encounters with unique social, emotional, and professional challenges and details strategies for developing and maintaining resilience to ensure personal growth and fulfillment. The book takes a strengths-based approach, focusing on practical strategies to navigate stress, anxiety, communication difficulties, and the fear of failure, all issues commonly faced by adults on the spectrum. It offers tools for rewriting negative self-perceptions, building emotional and social resilience, and forming meaningful connections through the use of psychological insights, real-life examples, and actionable techniques. In addition, the book emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance, individual strengths, and embracing authenticity. Each chapter addresses specific aspects of resilience, from managing anxiety to celebrating success and maintaining a resilient lifestyle over time.

Key areas of coverage include:

• Understanding and overcoming negative scripts.
• Emotional regulation and stress management.
• Empathy and social cognition.
• Practical communication skills for the neurotypical world.
• Adopting a growth mindset for life's challenges.
• Building and maintaining meaningful relationships.

The Power of Resilience for Autistic Adults is a vital resource for adults with ASD, their families, therapists, and professionals. It provides a roadmap for thriving and a powerful reminder that resilience is a lifelong journey of growth, self-discovery, and empowerment.

Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist with areas of study in school psychology, child development, and neuropsychology. He is licensed as a psychologist and certified as a Developmental Disabilities evaluator in the State of Utah. Dr. Goldstein is a board certified Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Fellow of the National Academy of Neuropsychology and American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine. Dr. Goldstein is an Assistant Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry. Since 1980, Dr. Goldstein has worked in a private practice setting as the Director of a multidisciplinary team, providing evaluation, case management, and treatment services for children and adults with histories of neurological disease and trauma, learning disability, adjustment difficulties, and attention deficit disorder. Dr. Goldstein is on staff at the University Neuropsychiatric Institute. He has served as a member of the Children’s Hospital Craniofacial Team. He has also been a member of the Developmental Disabilities Clinic in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Utah Medical School.

Dr. Goldstein has authored, co-authored or edited more than 50 clinical and trade publications, including 21 textbooks dealing with managing children's behavior in the classroom, genetics, attention disorder and adult learning disabilities. In 2023. he will have 2 new books on the professional market. With Barbara Ingersoll he has co-authored texts dealing with controversial treatments for children’s learning and attention problems and childhood depression. With Anne Teeter Ellison, he has authored Clinician’s Guide to Adult ADHD: Assessment and Intervention. With Nancy Mather, he has completed three texts for teachers and parents concerning behavioral and educational issues. With Michael Goldstein he has completed two texts on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He has edited three texts with Cecil Reynolds on neurodevelopmental and genetic disorders in children. With Robert Brooks, he has authored 15 texts including, Tenacity in Children, Handbook of Resilience in Children (First, Second, and Third Editions), Understanding and Managing Children’s Classroom Behavior, Second Edition, Raising Resilient Children, Nurturing Resilience in Our Children, Seven Steps to Help Children Worry Less, Seven Steps to Anger Management, The Power of Resilience, Raising a Self-Disciplined Child, and Raising Resilient Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. He has co-authored several texts on autism, assessment of intelligence and executive functioning. He has co-authored a parent training program and is currently completing several additional texts on resilience, ADHD, and genetics.

Robert Brooks, Ph.D., Dr. Robert Brooks is a clinical psychologist who has served on the faculty) of Harvard Medical School and is the former Director of the Department of Psychology at McLean Hospital, a private psychiatric hospital in the Boston area. He has lectured nationally and internationally and written extensively about such themes as resilience across the lifespan, education, children and adults with special needs, psychotherapy, parenting, family relationships, and creating positive school and work environments. He authorizes is the author or co-author of 23 books, 36 book chapters, and 36 peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Brooks has received many awards for his work, including Hall of Fame Awards from both the Connecticut Association of Children with LD, and CHADD. In addition, he has received a Special Recognition and Media Award from the Massachusetts Psychological Association and the Outstanding Educator Award for Mental Health Education from the New England Educational Institute in MA. Most recently, he was given The Mental Health Humanitarian Award from William James College for his contributions as a clinician, educator, and author, and the 2023 Trailblazer Award from Worldmaker International in recognition of his contributions “to the field of human resilience and his innovation in creating new pathways for many.” He has also served as a consultant to Sesame Street Parents Magazine. For additional information, visit Dr. Brooks’ website www.drrobertbrooks.com.