Applied improv with autism

[Nathan Keates]

Dear all,

I would like to find people who have used improv for children with autistic tendencies.

It would be great to speak about improv for autism, as it's where I am heading towards.

Thanks.
Nathan

[Hanneke Jasper]

Hi Nathan,

have you heard of Artists meet Autism? http://www.artistsmeetautism.org/English/Eluka.html
It's an improv inititiative from Deniz Dohler and his wife, two improv-artists in Berlin. It is inspired on the Son-Rise Method of the Option Institute. http://www.option.org/option-for-life-challenges

Option / Son-Rise holds the filosofy that every person is his best expert and a mentor ("therapist", "player") only has to create a safe and accepting environment for selfemployment.

Autistic children have brain dysfunctioning and poor social skills.THey feel very unsafe in our world and are used to being critisized and punished, which is only making their poor social skills worse.
So according to the Son Rise method, you start with letting them bond with you using the Option Attitude: don't judge, don't expect. don't demand things from the child, but follow his lead.
When the child trusts you, you can try to make him follow your lead (never force, invite) and start to do games that will help him become more social or overcome other brain dysfunctioning.

Deniz Dohler recognised some improv-techniques in the option attitude: following/joining and inviting the other to join you. And ofcourse a positive attitude: don't judge, don't expect. don't demand

Other therapeutic play techniques can be found in Growing Minds and Floortime.

Is that helpful information? I really recommand the book Son Rise of Barry Neil Kaufman. It tells all about Option and is also a good piece of literature.

I have only just started out on an improv training (basic course) and have done my first course to become a professional "player" with autistic children, now looking to find parents who will let me play with their child. I'm very curious how well I can use improv in a playroom!

If you know more about the subject, please let me know, because I'm a newbee myself.


Regards,

Hanneke Jasper