Episode 8-Put Your Autistic Young Adult In Charge with Patty Laushman

Your autistic teen can be smart, capable, and still feel completely stuck and that reality confuses a lot of families. We sit down with parent coach Patty Laushman of Thrive Autism Coaching to talk about what’s really happening when autistic emerging adults struggle to launch, and how parents can support independence without turning every day into a power struggle.

We unpack why “success” has to be defined by quality of life, not by a standard timeline. Patty shares how education changes everything when challenges are invisible, including masking, autistic burnout, and autistic inertia. We also get concrete about life skills: why money can be painfully abstract, how to make finances visual and experiential, and a simple debit card strategy that helps emerging adults practice responsibility using what families already spend.

Then we zoom in on college readiness and the common straight-A to dropout story. We talk executive function skills like time management and breaking projects into smaller steps, plus the reality that IEPs and 504 accommodations don’t just carry over, students have to learn to ask for help and work with the accessibility office. Patty also shares a practical “slower path” option: community college with a lighter load paired with part-time work, building job skills alongside academics.

If you want a calmer home and a more motivated young adult, this conversation will help you shift toward self-determination so they’re in the driver’s seat and you’re the navigator. Subscribe for more, share this with a parent who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway: what would “independence” look like in your house?