From Isolation to Intimacy examines the key role of non-verbal methods in communicating with people with severe learning disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Phoebe Caldwell puts forward a practical approach called Intensive Interaction, first introduced in her previous book, Finding You Finding Me. This non-aggressive method involves using the other person's body language and other non-verbal means of communication to establish contact and build a relationship with them. Using case studies of a variety of people with severe disabilities, From Isolation to Intimacy stresses the importance of investigating and understanding why there might be a lack or different form of communication. Although the main focus is on those with ASD, the author also addresses multiple disabilities, severe disability and distressed behaviour, and explains how Intensive Interaction can best be applied in each case.This insightful and practical text is key reading for anyone working with people with severe learning disabilities and communication difficulties.
Contents: Introduction. Part One: Learning the Skills of Interaction. 1. First Encounters. 2. Attention. 3. Stress. 4. Body Language. 5. What Are We Trying to Do? 6. Theory of Mind. 7. How Well Does Using a Person's Body Language Work? Part Two: Meeting People. 8. Three Children on the Autistic Spectrum. 9. Cerebral Palsy. 10. Does age matter? 11. Changing Rooms. 12. Lost Voices, Learned Language. 13. Rub It Better. 14. What Next? References. Subject Index. Author Index.
This book is about how we get in touch with people who, in the words of the author, ""are separated from us because they cannot tell us what they want, or perhaps more importantly, how they feel"". It is a beautifully written endorsement of the universal importance of emotional needs such as intimacy and social connection, irrespective of an individual's ability to communicate with others. It introduces communication as a prerequisite to all intimacy, and makes the point that communication at ""deeper"" levels is not verbal but physical, tactile or visual: a look, a nod, a smile - a feeling of safety with another person. In this respect, this book has applicability and value beyond those for whom it was written this book's strength is its emphasis on improving the quality of life - identifying and meeting needs - of people who are in one way or another isolated by their disability.
