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Social Odyssey Support Group
Social Odyssey is a newly forming group seeking to support and encourage individuals and families affected by developmental conditions that impair social and executive functioning. These conditions are commonly demonstrated by social awkwardness, problems with attention and focus, as well as learning difficulties. Social Odyssey's mission is to enhance the awareness and understanding of these conditions, offer fellowship and encouragement to those impacted and help individuals develop and share their God-given gifts in order to better navigate and engage the odyssey of life.
Affected individuals typically lack an understanding of social cues and have difficulty making friends and appropriately participating in social gatherings. They think and learn differently than persons without the conditions, can have an inflexible attachment to routines, and an all-absorbing interest in specific topics.
These impairments are typically included in the autistic spectrum of pervasive developmental disorders such as Asperger Syndrome (AS), High Functioning Autism (HFA), Non-verbal Learning Disorder (NLD), or Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Co-existing conditions can include attention deficit hyperactive disorder, tic disorders, depression, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Getting Employed and Staying Employed
Larry Moody is a registered professional engineer who has Aspergers Syndrome and ADD. He was married for 27 years and retired at age 50. His net worth puts him among the top 1% of individuals in the United States. He has produced and presented several skill shops for the Autism Society of Minnesota including "Getting Employed and Staying Employed" and "Finding the Gifts in Autism and Aspergers". A synopsis of his life story is featured in Temple Grandin and Kate Duffy's book titled "Developing Talents: Careers for Individuals With Asperger Syndrome and High-functioning Autism".
Larry will discuss how to identify appropriate types of employment and provide some tips for getting along with employers and coworkers. He will highlight what to do before filling out an employment application, give tips for the interview process, and cover issues such as wages and some seemingly unrelated pitfalls.
Thursday 15 April 2010
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Maninka Room
Autumn Ridge Church
The evening should be of interest to individuals from age 15 and older and their families.
For more information, refer to http://www.socialodyssey.webs.com/ or contact Danell at 206-4495 or Susan at 252-5790.
Prior meetings
18 March 2010 - An Evening of Audio Visual Thinking with Temple Grandin
18 February 2010 - Guardianships, Trusts, and Other Precautions
21 January 2010 - There’s a Case Manager in Your Village
Allison Akemann's Faith Story
As far back as I can remember I felt like I was not like other kids my age. I was different and in some ways “odd.” I didn’t socialize like my fellow classmates and I didn’t fit in. I’ve come to realize there is no need to fit in.
In the fifth grade I was diagnosed with A.D.D. I cried upon discovering that I had this. I thought that by having this disability I was cursed. But I’ve come to realize that it’s actually a gift. Without A.D.D. or Asperger Syndrome that I was later diagnosed with, I wouldn’t be the caring, and creative person that I am today.
I’m able to think with more of my brain then the average person. I believe this is because I have heightened sensory perception in emotions, sights and sounds. It’s through these heightened senses that I am able to feel God’s presence in my life and realize how valuable and important I am.
If you feel like you are “odd” or that you don’t ever “fit in”, know that only God has the right to judge you. He is the One outside of yourself whose opinion is important in explaining who you are.