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Just because you had difficulty making friends as a kid and feel that you were held back by your autism does not mean that it has to stay that way forever. Developing social skills and learning how to make friends is something that can still happen for you as an adult. All Friends Network (AFN)…

When it comes to people who have developmental disabilities, there are no two who are exactly alike. We all have different interests, needs, and goals for our lives. While some people find it easy to make friends and can become close with someone after just a few minutes, not everyone is built that way. This…

Even seemingly simple social gatherings and interactions might seem complicated for someone that has autism. It can be very frustrating to try and make friends but even more challenging to maintain long-term friendships. Anxiety can be a determining factor in making friends with autism, but the good news is that there are lots of resources,…

Learning how to make and keep friendships can be scary, especially if you don’t have a lot of practice. One way to overcome your fears is to find a safe space where talking with others who have similar disabilities and concerns about making friends can be found. Young adult friendships can be harder to forge…

The experts agree: learning how to make and maintain friendships is essential to young adults, especially those who have a developmental disability. It can be a challenge to get out and learn about making friends with cerebral palsy or autism, but it can pay off big time in ways that you might not expect. Teaching…

During the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new social support network for individuals with cerebral palsy, autism, and other developmental disabilities was born. Created by Trevor Kelliher, who has cerebral palsy, this free app and social network was designed for individuals with developmental disabilities who want to make friends. Countless studies have been done…

There are some things in life that make us more alike than others. The psychological benefits of having long-term friendships is definitely one of them. It doesn’t matter if you have friends with cerebral palsy, autism, or no developmental disabilities at all. A common interest can create a lifelong bond that will help you in…

While it seems as though making friends as a kid is just easy-peasy, there are still some basic skills that children must learn in order to make a real friendship. Being friends is more than just sitting next to each other in school, at lunch, or playing on the same piece of equipment at the…

Friendships can really make life worth living. Even when bad things happen, emotions are all over the place, and disappointments occur, friends can help make you feel better about yourself and your situation. Studies have been done concerning friendship and depression. It proved that encouraging friendships and building lifelong relationships is the real key to…

Social networking, online discussion boards, apps, and other technology-driven platforms often provide people with the opportunity to make what are known as virtual friendships. But what if you want your virtual friends to become real-life friends? How do you go about making the transition? It can be even more challenging for individuals who have difficulties…