Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects social communication, flexibility of thinking, and behavior. While each individual with ASD is unique, common challenges often include difficulty understanding social cues, interpreting others' perspectives, managing changes to routine, and processing sensory input. Children with ASD may also display intense interests in specific topics, engage in repetitive behaviors, or struggle with emotional regulation.

Families are often aware from an early age that their child seems to view the world differently. Some children with ASD may be highly verbal but struggle to interpret nonverbal cues like body language or sarcasm, while others may speak minimally and rely on alternative forms of communication. Regardless of the specific presentation, the core challenge often revolves around understanding and navigating social interactions.

Our Treatment Approach At Moroz Child Psychology Group, we approach ASD treatment with respect for each child's individuality and a commitment to helping them thrive in their environment. We understand that children with ASD learn differently, and our interventions emphasize building real-world social and adaptive skills while supporting the child’s strengths.

Key Areas of Focus in Treatment:

Understanding Perspective-Taking: Many children with ASD experience difficulty understanding that others may think, feel, or interpret situations differently than they do. We work on developing “theory of mind” skills, helping children recognize others’ points of view and improve their ability to anticipate how their actions may impact others. We also recognize that rigid thinking patterns often lead children to revert to their original interpretation of events, even after initially understanding a new perspective. We help children build mental flexibility and develop plans that allow for adaptability, teaching them that not every situation requires a perfect or precise outcome.
Emotional Regulation & Flexibility: Children with ASD often experience heightened emotional reactions and difficulty adapting to change. We teach practical coping strategies for managing frustration, anxiety, and sensory overload, while also building tolerance for flexibility and unexpected changes.
Concrete Social Understanding: While our Social Skills Groups are a dedicated service, we also integrate individual social coaching into ASD treatment. We help children understand the unspoken rules of social interaction, interpret body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice, and navigate common social situations like playdates, group work, and resolving disagreements. We also utilize video modeling and video feedback to help children visualize how others perceive their actions in real-life scenarios, reinforcing the link between behavior and others' reactions.
Visual Poker Chip System & Social Rule Guide: At Moroz Child Psychology Group, we have developed a unique visual system using red and white poker chips to help children understand how their actions shape others' thoughts over time. This system teaches that others’ reactions are not random but are based on a mental “ledger” of past social experiences. Importantly, we emphasize that not all social impressions carry the same weight—some interactions result in a small gain or offense, while others can create a lasting positive or negative impression. Children learn to recognize that behaviors exist on a scale, from minor social missteps to larger breaches of social expectations, and how these moments influence others’ willingness to engage with them in the future. We also guide children in constructing a personalized framework—a “Social Rule Guide”—to help them better predict and understand how their behavior is likely to be interpreted in a variety of everyday situations. While this guide is sometimes a tangible book (e.g., in our social skills groups), it is always designed to equip the child with practical, internalized social knowledge that can be carried into daily interactions.
Communication Skills: For children who are verbal, we focus on improving conversational flow, turn-taking, and recognizing when others are losing interest. For minimally verbal children, we collaborate with speech-language pathologists and support families in using augmentative communication tools when necessary.
Reducing Rigid Thinking: Children with ASD may struggle when things do not go exactly as expected. We use structured exercises and real-life scenarios to help children shift gears when plans change, accept imperfections, and develop problem-solving skills when things go off course.
In-Home and School Collaboration: We understand that children with ASD thrive on consistency across settings. When helpful, our team collaborates with teachers and other caregivers to support the child’s success in school. We visit homes and schools to provide hands-on support, helping families establish routines, visual schedules, and behavioral strategies tailored to their child’s needs.
Parental Support: Parenting a child with ASD can be both deeply rewarding and incredibly demanding. We coach parents on how to support their child’s development, manage challenging behaviors, and navigate the emotional ups and downs that often accompany raising a neurodivergent child.
Strengths-Based Focus: We believe that every child with ASD possesses unique gifts and talents. Our goal is to help children and their families identify and nurture those strengths, fostering confidence and self-acceptance alongside the development of social and adaptive skills.

Our goal is to empower children with ASD to better understand their world and feel confident in their ability to connect with others, adapt to changes, and achieve their full potential. Through individualized interventions and family collaboration, we equip children and their families with the tools to thrive—at home, at school, and in the community.