February 2023 Newsletter

To our Advance LA Community,

It is often said that February is the border between winter and spring. This can make February a challenging month for many of us due to cold weather and darkness descending in the late afternoon. We need to keep reminding ourselves that warmth and light are just around the corner!

For many, February is brightened up a bit by Valentine’s Day. In this month’s blogpost, we discuss the challenges that some neurodivergent young adults experience when navigating romantic relationships. We offer suggestions for overcoming the obstacles in the journey to finding love.

Advance LA’s mission is to help our clients advance to independent adulthood. Our Life Skills Coaches meet with their clients remotely, or in person, to provide support and guidance in areas including academics, executive functioning, time management, organization, social/dating skills, job/internship obtainment and maintenance, and independent living skills.

Please contact us at advancela@thehelpgroup.org for more information.

Wishing you all the best,
Jeri Rochman, JD, MS
Program Coordinator
Advance LA

Romantic relationships are complex and confusing for everybody! But, for some neurodivergent people, romantic relationships are even more challenging. Many neurodivergent young adults crave intimacy and love, but they may be unsure how to achieve it in a romantic relationship. They may not understand the everyday subtle social cues from their partner. This can cause conflict and hurt feelings.

We know that neurodivergent young adults try very hard to be good partners, but they can feel overwhelmed by what they view as confusing signals being given to them by their partners. So what to do?

Upcoming Events & More

Parent-to-Parent Support Group

Thurs., February 2nd & 16th | 6-7 pm PT

Free online sessions for parents to connect, share stories & learn from one another. Parents will select topics and group leaders will facilitate discussions and offer guidance. Meetings take place the first and third Thursday of each month.

club l.a. RV Arcade! – Save the Date!

Wednesday, February 22nd | 6-8pm

Save the date for our annual club l.a. Winter Party! Join old friends and new friends for a celebratory evening of holiday cheer. We will have dinner and dessert, play games and sing karaoke. Don’t miss out on the fun – save the date on Dec. 14th. For neurodiverse young adults ages 18-29.

Dating & Relationship Coaching

Available now!

Advance LA now offers dating and relationship coaching for neuro-divergent young adults who are interested in learning the social skills involved in dating, as well as the communication skills required to maintain a romantic relationship. To learn more, contact Jeri

Life Skills Coaching

Virtual coaching available for academic, vocational, social, and independent living skills support (individual or group sessions). Contact us to learn more.

Other Programs at The Help Group for K-12 & Transition Students

Upcoming Webcast

My Child Was Diagnosed with Autism. Now What?

Learn more about what an ASD diagnosis means, strength-based approaches to your child’s needs, and available services and resources for you and your child. Free to attend, via Zoom.

DATE: March 8th
TIME: 10 – 11 am

In Case You Missed Our Webcast:

Absent Again: Strategies to Improve School Attendance

ABOUT ADVANCE LA:

At Advance LA, we offer the answer to one of the most frequently asked questions by parents of teens and young adults with special needs, “What happens next?” Our personalized program provides clients with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, executive functioning difficulties and learning differences the experiences and opportunities necessary to lead a fulfilling adult life. We offer coaching services and support groups, as well as workshops and conferences for young adults, parents, and industry professionals.

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