Christian Counseling for Autism Spectrum

Christian Counseling for Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism is a very serious medical condition that manifests itself as a brain disorder, effecting the normal development of the social and communication skills. Autism usually showing up in the first two or three years of a child's life. According to Google Health pages, the cause of autism has yet to be pinpointed, but "genetic factors seem to be important" because, for example, identical twins "are much more likely than fraternal twins or siblings to both have autism" (https://health.google/health/ref/autism).

Research on Christian Counseling for Autism One of the frequently used interventions for autism is called Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas, a behaviorist who practices in the B.F. Skinner genre, developed it. The ABA intervention involves a series of "drills," according to Dr. Laura Hendrickson, writing in the Christian Counseling Web site. The drills used in ABA basically take complex skills and break them down into "smaller pieces that are easier to learn," Hendrickson explains.

And when the autistic child has learned all the steps of the skill, the process is put together, all the little steps practiced as one drill. When spirited praise is given to the child -- who is often "preverbal" and says very little -- that child then is "motivated to participate enthusiastically" and the process continues. What does ABA have to do with Christian counseling -- is there a connection? In Hendrickson's essay she explains that her son Eric was diagnosed with autism at the age of two.

He was "mute" and he did not understand the language others were speaking. Before the autism was diagnosed Hendrickson was told Eric was "retarded" but the family was eager to learn about this problem and because she was living in Southern California, she took Eric to the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) to visit Dr. Lovaas' clinic. At this time (1990) the ABA intervention was regarded as about the only treatment that was "proven" to be effective with autistic children. But wait, Hendrickson was skeptical because B.F.

Skinner -- whose behaviorist theories Lovaas followed -- was an atheist. This was an important decision to make because, as Hendrickson writes, many Christian parents do not enroll their autistic children in ABA since it does have "behavioral roots." However, Hendrickson's pastor told her that ABA was effective not because of any connection with Skinner's atheism, but rather because "…the technique is consistent with biblical principals." God created man and some animals with the ability to be "trained to perform tasks on command by using rewards and punishments," Hendrickson writes.

In the Bible God uses his "blessings and sanctions to train His people to obey Him," the author continues. For example, in the New Testament the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira -- and the "sanctions applied to those misusing the Lord's Table -- make it clear that rewards and punishments are part of God's plan, Hendrickson asserts.

She believes that God intends for parents to train children to obey, to show obedience when leaders (parents) demand it, and to back up her assertions she references Proverbs 22:15: "Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him" (King James Version).

She also references Ephesians 6: 1-3: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right; 'Honor your father and mother' (which is the first commandment with a promise) so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." (New International Version). Hence, Hendrickson believes that ABA is a good source of potential therapy for autistic children, since it echoes the pronouncements in the Bible.

It may be difficult at first, and not all autistic children will respond to ABA, but belief in God's Word can help the parents summon up the patience and faith they need to help the child overcome the disability. How can counselors and pastors help? A Christian counselor must be prepared to "…help bewildered parents whose faith is severely shaken grapple with the question of why God permitted autism to touch their family" (Hendricks).

It must be shown to the parents that "autism spectrum children aren't outside of God's grace," Hendricks continues. She references Romans 3: 23, 24: "…(23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (New International Version).

Ultimately, Hendricks informs, the comfort and safety of parents with autistic children must be revealed through "their faith that a sovereign God designed their child and planned all the days of his life before any had yet occurred"; to understand that, she references the words of the Old Testament, Psalm 139: 16: "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book, before one of them came to be…" (New International Version).

In the Web site Finding Noah a Christian mother explains that if you are a Christian and you are told your child has autism, remember what Jesus said (John 16: 33): "In the world you will have tribulation…be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (http://findingnoah.org).

The story of this Christian mother continues with her admission that the reality of her autistic child's condition took her to that "…lonely, barren valley of hurt, anger and deep sadness." And there were times when it felt like "a switch turned off in my soul," but even with prayer ("oh how I prayed") it seemed "the Lord did not hear." But in time, through a "marathon of prayer, reading and applying God's Word in my life and in my marriage, and most importantly, learning to trust in the sovereignty and goodness of God," this mother sees the child in her life as a "blessing…" (http://findingnoah.org).

In her book, Finding Your Child's Way on the Autism Spectrum: Discovering Unique Strengths, Mastering Behavior Challenges, Hendrickson explains that her understanding of God's will for Eric, her son, helped her cope with the disability. She admits on page 18 that she does not have "a foolproof solution to offer," but she helped her son because she helped her self by learning to rely on God's word.

For example she mentions Jeremiah 29: 11: "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Hendrickson, 2009, p. 18). As Eric grew, "God proved the truth of this [Jeremiah] Bible promise," and the angry teenager "grew to understand that God designed his body the way He did for a reason" (p. 18). Of course dealing with an autistic child isn't just a.