Therapy can be an important part of the learning experience for young people with Asperger Syndrome. All students are offered personalised social skills profiles and are encouraged to achieve the goals they set in therapy.
A combination of evidence based therapies will be offered to help students if it is assessed as necessary as part of their ongoing development.
Art therapy
Art therapy offers students the means to communicate and express feelings through the use of a range of art materials. Through unconscious imagery, exploration of past, present and future, issues can be acknowledged and worked through with a therapist who acts as a witness and support to the student.
Art therapy can also act as a record of the therapeutic process as it offers opportunities for reflection in the future. More general art sessions are also offered to involve as many students as possible, for example graffiti art and photography exhibitions.
Therapy referrals
Therapy referrals are usually from students themselves. However, parents, guardians and support workers can also make referrals but only with the consent and co-operation of the individual.
Speech and language therapy
Our Speech and Language Therapist takes a consultative role as well as working directly with students to assess their needs and plan and implement intervention.
Many of the students have a varied communicative profile, often presenting as very able verbally, but failing to detect and/or understand more subtle verbal and non-verbal cues.
Students have access to individual sessions but development focus is on group sessions where a higher level of communicative competence and a more reflective stance of real-life situations is supported.
This integrated programme of therapy promotes a consistent approach to social communication and helps students to raise awareness of their individual difficulties, the effect on others and provides clear information and useful strategies for communication in adulthood.