In Search of Self Direction & Ultimate Goal in An Adult with Asperger.
Source: http://www.toonpool.com
AS* student B: I always forgot what I should be doing. I need directions. I was late for classes and assignment. In the morning, I should take shower before going out. But I don’t really like taking shower. It took a long while to decide if I wanted to take a shower. I was too busy to go to the morning class. It’s too much for me.
Counselor: What’s that?
AS* student B: It takes more than an hour to shower. There are many steps. Lots of decisions to make. Too consuming.
Counselor: What decisions?
AS* student B: Like choosing the right clothes, finding the right towel for my feet, hair and body, deciding the right temperature of water and…..
Counselor: And what?
AS* student B: I am able to focus in the class when I keep writing notes with pencil and paper. When taking shower, I don’t have a pen to write. My mind wanders and fails to focus. I am used to thinking about philosophical issues while I am taking a shower. It’s consuming. I can’t go to the morning class.
Counselor: Is that all you want to do?
AS* student: I don’t know what I want to do. My parents want me to be clear about my goal.
Counselor: Life goal?
AS* student B: Maybe prisoner.
Counselor: I appreciate your intuitive thought. Could you tell me more?
AS* student B: In prison, people will give me command and expect me to be efficient. They will decide when and what I should do. I know there are education opportunities for prisoners to do higher education.
Counselor: I see. You need the structure and routines as consistent as the prison. Well, the procedures it takes to get imprisoned are complex. Too much logistics. You won’t like it. I guess there’s an easier way to do it.
AS* student B: How?
Counselor: Tell your parents about it.
AS* student B: They are interior designers without special connections with any prison.
Counselor: They know how.
AS* student B: How?
Counselor: How to redesign your house and turn it into the thing you want.
AS* student B: Really? Then, they have to buy in more apartments of the building to expand our place to include other facilities and more inmates. Would you be….
Counselor: Be what?
AS* student B: Be the officer.
Counselor: Thank you.
AS* Asperger Syndrome