New Coke and the Autism Diagnosis
Maybe at one point the definition of autism was too narrow but in 2026, it feels like it’s losing its ability to discriminate between who has autism and who doesn’t have autism.
» Read moreAuthor: bsabian
The Power of Play: How Theatricality Strengthens Social Skills Counseling
Lately I’ve been giving some thought to the roles that theatricality and self-expression play in our work running social skills groups at Academy MetroWest. When you think about the field of counseling and the counselors who practice it, theatricality and expressiveness aren’t usually the first personality traits that come to mind. Most people think of counselors as being […]
» Read moreChallenging Longstanding Generalizations About Dads
I’ve been a professional counselor for more than 30 years and, for 17 of those years, I’ve also been a dad. During that time, I’ve become familiar with more than one cliché about dads and our purported attitudes about our kids. If you were to hear an unattributed quote along the lines of “There’s nothing wrong with my kid that […]
» Read moreA heartfelt expression of gratitude and a plea for patience
From left: Coastie (Appalachian Trail Thru Hikers go by trail names. We didn’t learn Coastie’s real name until the very end of our hike. He is, incidentally, as fine a human as walks the earth,) my daughter Lucy, and me. Here, we’re up at the top of Mt, Greylock, near the end of our hike. by Bruce Sabian, M.A., LMHC Approaching […]
» Read moreIt’s Not Supposed to Happen This Way
Ben KesselFor the past couple of years, I’ve been facilitating a monthly father’s support group for the Asperger Autism Network or AANE. The group is one of the high points of every month for me. Not only does the group put the lie to a fairly common view of dads as clueless troglodytes, at least as it pertains to their […]
» Read moreOne Year Later, A Message of Gratitude
A year into the pandemic, I’m happy to report that we’re not going away anytime soon. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
» Read morePreventing Social Atrophy
Now that we’re well into our 9th month of the pandemic, I’ve been noticing a growing phenomenon among many of the kids I know. I’ve seen an emerging reluctance among children to reach out to their friends and an even greater reluctance to reach out to make new connections. Particularly as the weather gets colder and COVID numbers keep going […]
» Read morePreparing to Go Back Inside
Since July, Academy MetroWest has been running outdoor, in-person groups at St. Benedict Classical Academy. Having access to their athletic field has enabled us to stay in business and provide the services we’ve always been known for. We are very grateful to the staff at St. Benedict’s for being such welcoming and accommodating hosts. As we get closer to November, we’re […]
» Read moreDon’t Starve – or Miss Social Cues – Together
When the quarantine started back in March, I never thought “Oh good. Think of all the opportunities we’re going to have to improve our skill sets!” That never happened and I want to be clear about that. But, now with 4 months of this brave new world under our belts, many of us, by necessity, have found ourselves happy to […]
» Read moreCOVID-19 and the Termination Blues
I’ve been working with kids for a long time. When I started running group therapy sessions, Ronald Reagan was winding down his second term. I was a 25 year-old graduate student, living with roommates in a crummy apartment. A few weeks ago, I turned 57. I live with my wife and teenage daughter in a house in the suburbs. Almost […]
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