Autism and Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a relatively new therapy that can help people with autism to actively create a more peaceful mind.
Regular mindfulness interventions are usually ‘too vague’ for people with autism. This motivated us about six years ago to develop a mindfulness intervention specifically intended for adults with ASD, which takes into account their cognitive strengths and weaknesses. This resulted in a therapy which can be easily used, not only by clinicians but also by people with autism themselves.
In the mindfulness intervention, 14 different meditations are taught. People with autism can practice the meditations in their everyday life, in order to reduce rumination and symptoms of distress. Our experience is that mindfulness can help people with autism to ponder less, to fall asleep more easily and to better cope with distress.
Mindfulness is one of the first therapies that is scientifically proven effective for adults with autism spectrum disorders. A clear merit of the adjusted mindfulness therapy for people with autism, is that is requires few theory of mind and communication skills, since thoughts and emotions are not analyzed.