Fwd: Autism and RDI: What is Dranxiety?

[Guest guest]

Issue 19

February 15, 2012

B r a i n B y t e s

Brain games

Asperger brains similar across sexes

Different bodies, different minds

In Their Own Words

Click on these links to see what RDI consultants are doing!

Amy Cameron

Breathing Underwater Podcast

Kathy Darrow

Kathy discusses RDI in an interview on Autism One Radio

Elissa Ferriggi

RDI in the UK Newsletter

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Hudkins

Blog

Isaac

Understanding Autism Podcast - Broadcast live on the 2nd Monday and 2nd

Sue

Equinox Newsletter (pdf)

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"I have met with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of Walking, that is, of taking walks-who had a genius so to speak for SAUNTERING." - Henry Thoreau

It is spring in Houston, which has come early this year. Already the fragrance from lime trees hangs heavy in the humid evening air. Take each other on a blindfolded walk tonight. The quiet evening air will surprise you with unexpected scents. Can you guess what they are?

The Lighter Side by Philips

Q: Which February holiday do you think is more... important Valentine's Day or Presidents Day?

A: Difficult question, though government facilities close on President's Day and stay open for Valentines Day, which may suggest something. Rumors of political bias are under investigation.

The RDI Book is now available in Spanish!

Purchase either copy on Amazon or the RDIconnect Online Store!

Dear ,

Valentine's Day may be over for another year, but wouldn't it be lovely if we could keep it alive in our hearts everyday? In the busyness and trials of your day, be sure to express some love to those closest to you.

Today, we continue the adventures of Ellen and learn from RDI consultant, Reiner, how to deal with our 'Dranxiety'.

-le Sheely, Ph.D.

Sink or Swim

The Further Adventures of Ellen

by le Sheely, Ph.D.

Parents with a child on the spectrum report a whole variety of early experiences. Some observe that their baby seemed very easy, while others remember infants who could not be soothed. Ellen's parents found their lives quite difficult from the very beginning. It was hard to get her into a routine and once they did it was even tougher to change it. She could be explosive and controlling. They began RDI believing in their strength as a couple and with a strong commitment to support each other.

It can be painful to remember early times such as these, but it can also be encouraging to document this ability to pull together, and to see, as a couple, the benefit of resilience and hard work.

Read more...

Dranxiety

by Reiner

RDI Consultant, Reiner

Dranxiety /draeng 'zaieti/ n. 1 a mixture of dread and anxiety. 2 great fear and apprehension combined with concern and excessive unease.

A friend of mine who has five children (the eldest of which is diagnosed with Autism), just invented this fabulous new word to aptly describe the feeling that she and her husband wake up with each morning. Dranxiety. Always, of course, immediately lessened by anyone's advice to, "...just calm down," or to, "...relax."

Now, we all know that it's impossible to 'get' someone to no longer feel whatever level of dranxiety that they may be feeling at any given time. Any attempt to impose the imperative, 'to calm', or 'to relax', is about as effective on parents as it is on their children, that is to say, not at all.

While I was pregnant with my third child, I often dealt with bouts of dranxiety, myself. Periodically, thoughts would creep in and leave me feeling very stressed out about how I was going to successfully juggle the demands of having three children under the age of 5.

Upon giving birth to our third son, I was given no choice but to slow way down. I have been known to take as long as 45 minutes to get everyone out of our minivan. But, often, I have carved out that amount of time and more in order to cushion the blow of the blessed circus that is having three children.

I have learned that by taking my time, and building in that breathing room, I afford myself an opportunity to release some of that pressure cooker of life that may build up throughout each day. This isn't to say that there aren't plenty of times when we have to hustle and be somewhere sooner than later. There may not always be the luxury of time.

It's not always realistic to take all the time in the world to accomplish the simplest of tasks, but if I am at all able to create even the smallest amount of slowed pacing in my life, it turns out that my life is better. My children and I all find ourselves, then, to be much more relaxed and filled with calm. The opposite of dranxiety.

Read more....

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Beginning Seminar - June 19-22, 2012

Intermediate Seminar - June 25-28, 2012

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