Approaches

Certain therapeutic approaches such as dance or performance therapies can develop a wider range of vocabulary, no longer limited to the purely verbal. For
children with autism, creative-type (art, music, movement etc.) therapy is very useful for cerebral integration, relaxation and anxiety control, relating to
other people and developing self expression. In the adult autist it can take on whole new dimensions of relevance and utility. Martial arts, creative dance,
movement and performance based therapy are concerned with the embodiment of knowledge. If, for example, an autist can be encouraged to explore their core-
interest through physical performance, it will immediately be tied to their sense of self.

If the autist is particularly adverse to physical activity other creative activities such as art or music can provide the same function. There are many sources to draw upon, such as western method acting or Kudiyattim, contemporary and creative dance, Tai chi, karate, aikido, baghua, yoga, capoeira, samba drumming, choir singing, guitar, piano, creative writing, fine art and storytelling to name a few.

For an autist, focused obsession occurs because it is peak experience. Creative activitiy can help because it is the field of peak experience. It allows us to get the key elements out and explore different possibilities of arrangement as though they were art material. These elements are all the strands of interest, mental and embodied, and all other relevant phenomena in the individuals’ range of experience. The optimum arrangement will tie all the diverse elements to one centre. The autist will learn to see what all these things have in common with their core interest. They will continue in neurosentient style, to see the same one thing in all things they see. Now they will simply see it in more things. Therefore, the autist may appear neurologicaly sapient to a neurosapient but in fact is only manifesting an expanded singular attention.

For a simple example of this process take the case of the autist who was obsessed with Star Trek. It was difficult to distract her from her favourite subject,
even to get her to eat or shower. It was considered that she would never lead an independant life. One day it was realised that she would shower if her
bathroom was designed as a "transporter room" with the unit as the "transporter". Gradually she became more "high functioning" and at some point somebody demonstrated to her the resemblance of the politics of Star Trek to the politics of the world. She went on to study international politics and
even met other fans who revered her for her phenomonal knowledge of the show.