Career Woman ( Part 1) : Lessons from Autism

By Megan Cynaumon

Dear Avery,

When I was growing up, I thought I was going to be a professional basketball player. I had big dreams to play for Stanford as a point guard and then go on to the L.A Sparks…

…Up until high school, that is. In high school, I was a little too into my social life to pay close attention to my grades…so Stanford didn’t happen. 😉 But I did figure out that I liked listening to people, helping with problems, and giving advice. Psychology seemed like the perfect path for me!

Out of college, I worked as a Behavorial Therapist. I had two clients who battled with Autism. Avery, Autism is growing at such a fast rate, that when you get to school…you will know a great deal of kids who fight this disorder everyday.

I want to tell you about my clients. First, there was Derek. Derek was a small 7 year old who wasn’t afraid to be violent. He couldn’t walk down the street without making unusual sounds and movements. He liked watching airplanes in the sky and pointing out every cat in the neighborhood. He was simply a child who needed help with his social cues. But who doesn’t need help?!

To strangers, he looked “weird” and “odd”… but let me tell you…he is just like you and me. He likes to laugh, play games, and loves to be outside. So when you see someone who suffers from something that looks “weird”, be sure to smile at them anyway…show them love and know that they more like you than you realize.

Then there was Jimmy. Not only did Jimmy battle Autism, but he was born with Downs. He had the heart of a saint, but could snap into a tantrum in seconds. When I found out that he loved soccer, our relationship changed. We played everyday, but he had a hard time asking others to play. I had to teach how to ring a doorbell, wait for someone to answer the door, and ask a friend to play ball. This type of thing will come natural to you, but to someone like Jimmy, we had to go step by step.

The day I left that job, I saw Jimmy…on his own. Ring his neighbor’s doorbell, wait until the door opened, and asked if he wanted to play soccer… on his own.  And they played. It may have taken 6 months, but he did it — without me. My heart was so overjoyed that I cried when I left.

Lessons learned from Autism:

1. Be patient with everyone, but especially those with special needs.

2. Life moves really fast, but take the time watch the airplanes fly above you… they are pretty magnificent. 

3. Undertand that we all are different. We make different sounds and movements, but in the end, we are all people with feelings.

4. When a child asks you to play soccer with them… be sure to play. You just might make their day. 

That job was hard, rewarding and very special to me. I hope you find a job like that along your journey.

With love,

Aunt Megs*