A Single Minded Fashion Designer

     One of my clients is a boy with autism.  He is not a savant, but he has a particular knack for drawing comics and reciting movies and video games very accurately.  Every session I have with him is a challenge to my creativity to somehow weave his physical goals in to his story plot for the day.  This summer he was a character from Indiana Jones and we raced, and jumped for artifacts.  He loved the challenges and walked across "invisible," but very balance beam-like, bridges to the Temple of Doom.  Here lately he has been doing very ninja-like tasks.  Yesterday he was not a super hero.  To my surprise he somehow got the notion that he was portraying his "twin sister" and was a fashion designer out to save France.  He spoke with a very lovely accent and insisted that the only way to save France was to put beads in my hair.  I was really reluctant at first.  I asked him if I looked like the type that enjoys fashion design, and he held a mirror up and said, "Just look at you now!  You could become this!"  He pointed to the 11-year-old girl on the bead box with her hair full of glistening beads (Interesting how even children with limited abilities pick up on the emphasis that society puts on our outward appearance.  That is a blog for another day).  Seeing that I would have to work through his story to accomplish my goals for the day, I told him that he could put one bead in my hair for every task he completed.  He was thrilled and worked diligently to earn 10 beads.  

     Most therapists would never let specific children touch their hair, much less allow a child to put beads in their hair that other children had touched.  I really want to make a difference in the lives of the children that I work with.  If I have to use a few more squirts of shampoo for the night, so be it.  I think it is vital for the therapist to meet the child where they are.  If we cannot validate them (even in their craziest story plots) then I think we are missing the point.  I have a special appreciation for this particular child.  His single mindedness is something I believe a lot of folks could learn from.  Charlie Hall sings a song called One Thing.  Here are the lyrics:

Single Minded, whole hearted
One thing I ask (repeat)

That I may gaze upon your beauty oh Lord
That I may seek your holy face
That I may know you in an intimate way
And follow after you all of my days
And follow after you all of my days

All of life it comes down to just one thing
And that's to know you, oh Jesus
And make you known (repeat)

That I may know You, oh Jesus and make You known.  :)