How I Plan to Use this Blog

I plan to use this blog and the website I’ve created in a number of ways.

• I will document the steps I take in this process of becoming a certified ABA therapist (or whatever I end up being.)
• I will list the resources I find and try to make the website and this blog into a gateway for others who might seek to follow the same path I am.
• I will ask for advice and suggestions from all who follow me in this journey.  I’m taking a wild guess that the community advocating for people with autism is very much alive and kicking online.  This will be my touch point in that community.
• Eventually, once I get my bearings, I hope to use these sites to further the causes of autism awareness and advocacy.  I’m not positive what that will look like, but that’s the plan.

So there you have it.  That’s why I’m doing all of this.  Probably for now, many coming entries may be pretty short while I document the baby steps I take.  An entire entry might consist of “Attended volunteer training for two hours today.  Completed homework for Intro to Psychology class.”  Then again, I’ve never been known for being concise ;-)

Something else I’d like to do before I leave this entry is outline my current expectations of a time line for all this.  This is what I imagine I'll be doing over the next few years.

Oct. – Dec. 2010: Research and answer as many questions about what it takes to move in this life direction as possible.  Look into various online schools and try to find volunteer opportunities in order to get some hands-on experience

Jan. – Aug., 2011: File FAFSA in January.  Continue researching questions and checking into schools.  File for admission to and financial aid from a short list of online schools.  Continue to volunteer and try to get as much varied, hands-on experience as possible.

Sept. 2011 – May 2013: Complete a master’s degree online.  Continue to research, volunteer and connect with the autism advocacy community.  (Likely lose my mind trying to be a parent, student, employee and volunteer all at once ;-P)

201?: Gain certification as an ABA therapist (or whatever I decide to end up being.  This could change.  I imagine a LOT will change over the next few years.)

My next entry is one that will probably be revised 100 times over, and that is the questions I have that I need to research.  Please feel free to add to these.  If I like what I see in the comments, I’ll edit it into the entry itself.

Until next time…