Boundaries help us build trust, safety, and respect in relationships. How do you set and communicate boundaries with others around you? Clear communication yields the best results when establishing boundaries. If I need to communicate boundaries, I must ensure that my delivery is tactful and kind. I articulate my needs using the same methods as…
What does being autistic mean to you? Most of the time I don’t think about it. I’m Ben the entertainer. I’m Ben the Iowa Hawkeye student. I’m Ben the Carroll Tiger Alumni. Son, brother and friend. I don’t think I’m Ben the autistic person. That’s not how I identify myself. But it can cause challenges…
The holiday season can be a fun, but sometimes stressful, time for autistic people. On one hand, the season may include quality time spent with family and friends. However, it can also be a deviation from one’s routine which may include heightened sensory sensitivities and stimuli that can make the experience uncomfortable. In this interview,…
OAR interviewed Nyla Cooper, a 2022 Synchrony Family Scholarship winner, and member of OAR’s Scholars’ Society, about the impact of mental health on her college experience. Nyla is a junior in the ARTs Foundation, majoring in Communication Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, who is passionate about the arts. Art has aided her through her struggles…
