Young autistic man
I offer 5 life-giving questions to assist your student, client, or young adult. The purpose of these questions is to increase a young person’s inner security and to see themselves valuable and worthy for a career.
Why are students disappointed and confused?
Within the past two years of the pandemic, life has been erratic and chaotic for teachers, staff, students, and their parents. The lockdown, the back and forth in-school and out-of school days, and lack of socialization and school experiences, students may suffer identity crisis. They may not have had the opportunities to explore or test out their identities on who they might become. Erikson referred to this as role confusion, which can lead to a young person being disappointed and confused about who they are and where they might fit into life and a career. Eric Erikson is best known for his famous theory of psychosocial development and the concept of the identify crisis.
What can you do?
As a teacher, counselor, or parent say to the student…
“Sometimes it is difficult to know the real you because of all the outside demands and expectations placed upon you. Your own answers to these questions are important. You are the director of your life and can make decisions about who you are and where you want to go. I can assist, if you ask me.”
Offer these questions.
1. Who are you? This question isn’t easy to answer. You might instead try to ask yourself this question, from an opposite view point. Who I am not? From your answer of who you are not, may reveal reveal more of who you are.
For example you might say, “I am not a loud fast talker”, i.e., you may be a soft spoken person.
“I am not an academic.” You may be a person who likes to work with your hands, if so, you may want to do a search to find careers in which you use your hands, to build, repair, or create.
“I don’t do well in the school environment.” You may be someone who performs best in settings where there is flexibility to get your work done. Some examples, may be a structured task, where you get to decide the process, just as long as the work gets done. This could be completing job assignment tasks on a computer, working remote for a company.
So understanding who you are is important.
2. What do you like?
This question is about what you enjoy doing. Or watch my last video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNICSGZVTc0&t=10s , look into yourself and notice what draws your attention. It could be a desire to learn to plan the guitar, engaging in a specific exercise such as, yoga, or creating beautiful images from nature in photography.
3. What’s important to you?
An example may be it is important to own a pet, a cat, or a dog whom you love and treat as a friend.
OR
To have someone to talk to about your worries and your dreams for your life.
Or
To have something to look forward each week to do that you enjoy, i.e., seeing a family member who lives apart from you, being with a friend, seeing a new movie, or enjoying all the rich experiences of a nature outing.
4. What are you good at doing?
This question relates to your strengths. Some examples include:
With a strength in organizing you can perform better in getting a class assignment done.
Thus, you have a strength in organizing your homework or project
tasks in chunks.
With a strength of curiosity and enjoyment of working with your hands, You use two strengths together, 1) curiosity guides you, and 2) you create a piece of art.
With a strength of reading well.
You have what it takes to go after a college degree and become the professional and have the career you want in life.
In essence,
Your combined strengths become a vehicle to help you drive through your life’s journey.
5. What do you want to do with your life?
If you know the answer, this great. Explore and learn more about it.
If you don’t know the answer to this question, that is alright.
Start by reflecting.
When you do reflect and answer this question, include your answers from questions 1 – 4.
Take your time in self-reflection. One of the best ways is to write in a daily journal to find your own answers.
Lastly, don’t believe me. Do your own experiment.
Try This: Answer the questions and afterwards tune into yourself and notice if you feel a bit more more inner security and self-value about your life.
Let me know if you use these 5 questions with students. I would love to hear from you and your experiences.
I am excited to announce my new business direction
Bright Spot Career Coaching
For Job Seekers to:
-choose a career and maintain capability on the job.
-use survival and self-advocacy skills for safety and capability.
-make workplace decisions for good standing, progress in your career and to sustain employment.
For Inclusive Leaders to
– Apply my new model to create inclusive environments for workplace productivity, employee belonging, and thriving.
Contact: drjackie@drjackiemarquette.com
Louisville, KY
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Wishing you clarity and joy in achieving your goals,
Jackie
Jackie’s bio
I write and make educational videos that shine a light, direction, and pathway on how to choose a career and maintain workplace satisfaction. My resources and videos are for everyone, especially for neurodivergent and autistic persons and inclusive leaders who provide a service or hire youth.
To receive the latest of my videos and to share them with your clients, students, or young adult. Subscribe to my channel: Jackie’s Youtube Channel
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Invite a Young Person To: take my career finder assessment to find their strengths, and careers that match them: go to: http://marquettestrengthsindex.com Get 50% off! Use code: NewYear2022
All of my resources are science-based and among my closest and truest tools to promote inner security for the student seeking a career and life adaptation. I invite youth who are autistic, Neurodiverse, or anyone who wants to be seen for their strengths, capabilities, and innovations, to try them.
I’m a lifelong educator and parent to three adult sons, Trent is my autistic son and I walked for decades (and still walking) through environments of attitudinal barriers to help prepare my students, clients, and my son for career success. Over the years, I learned how to pave pathways. I created tools for teens and young adults to use so they can see the value of their strengths, and practice skills that increase emotional adaptation and resiliency in daily and career life.
For all persons struggling emotionally and socially, and for supportive inclusive leaders, professionals and parents, these resources are like having a one-of-a-kind map in your pocket with a personal mentor all rolled into one. They have been for me and Trent.
Learn more about Jackie To learn more
Dr Jackie’s proprietary program the S.A.F.E.T.Y. Works© is engineered to be a catalyst for Inclusive Leaders, i.e., school personnel, counselors, company leaders on the behalf of the employment of youth with Autism Spectrum. When leaders understand how Neurodiverse persons have the incredible value to offer a business, they will get some of the best employees. Inclusive Leaders must also understand their challenges and strengths and how important adaptive environments are to the employee’s on-the-job success and satisfaction.