HANDS in Autism Internship

During the 2020-2021 school year I have interned with HANDS in Autism and I have assisted in delivering Pre-employment Transition (Pre-ETS) services to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related disabilities. These services include large group, individual services, small groups, and internships. Each service focuses on assisting clients with a variety of skills in the areas of self-advocacy, independence, goal creation, and social skills. Each week I develop materials for individual services; I have learned to use programs like Nearpod to develop lesson plans to focus on social skill and independent living concepts. Throughout my internship, I have gained valuable hands-on experience in working with clients and their families while getting to know their needs and personal strengths. Through my role as an intern, I have met many goals. For example, I have further developed my leadership, communication, and collaboration skills through participating in various activities. I have also been able to relate the skills and information I learned through my internship and coursework to my future career path. I have also had the opportunity to work with a population comprised of individuals with disabilities. Ideally, I will work with the same population of individuals as an occupational therapist.

Supervisor: Dr. Naomi Swiezy and Dr. Tiffany Neal
Department: Psychiatry