Category: Blog Posts

Inc. Magazine decided it was time to dig deeper into family business
issues. Author, Christine Lagorio recently posted the article entitled, How to Run a
Family Business, which discusses how to run your family business the
right way. She interviewed experts on this topic asking them to share their
advice and lessons learned. Since I’m a Family Business Coach and the author
of, Entrepreneurial
Couples – Making it Work at Work and at Home, I was able to share some practical tips for family businesses.
I discussed the value of determining what your family style is and working that
into your business, as well as the importance of writing a formal
business-partnership agreement. Click here to
read the article in its entirety.

If you would like to learn more about family business or being an
entrepreneurial couple, please visit the
Entrepreneurial Life section of my website.

Our group also consists of extremely talented people with a wealth of
information to share. The next Meetup is scheduled for March 20, 2010 at
the Old Wives Tales Restaurant in Portland, Oregon at 1 p.m. It is very
heartwarming for me to see that members are willing to give of themselves to
each other. Even though the Meetup lasts but two hours, many members choose to
stay for another hour or two because the friendships are growing. If you are
interested in attending, please click
here for more information.

Another amazing experience is that members that live in different states, even
different continents, join in. Through our message boards members from afar can
reach out and be touched. For instance, we have had over 350 posts to the
message board on the subject “Patients Not Believed About The Difficulty Of
Their Lives” written by Bronwyn Wilson.

Please visit our message boards to read the discussions on a whole host of subjects
from increased meltdowns on the weekends, to learning patience and acceptance,
to the latest science and genetic research, to fatigue and self-care, and more.
Sharing is what it is all about.

I was particularly impressed about how supportive it was of NT’s living in
these types of relationships. For example, Shatyermman writes,  “The
author reveals in a sensitive and emotional manner, the encounters and endeavors
women (and few men) are faced with while living in a world where spontaneity,
empathy and social cues rarely appear.”

The book review concludes with this statement, “This is an exceptional
book which sheds light on a population often left out of the focus of treatment
and in need of further exploration vis-a-vis issues they encounter as well as
the possible ways to deal with those.”

Please click here to view the book review in its entirety.

The study was centered around a virtual ball toss with 13 adults with HF-ASD or
Asperger Syndrome between the ages 17-39. The patients were randomly given
either the Oxytocin nasal spray or a placebo spray. Those who inhaled Oxytocin
improved in their ability to differentiate “good” players versus
“bad” players by responding to more social cues. They also saw an
improvement in gazing at the other players in the face and eyes.

This study is still in the beginning stages of research. There is much to be
discovered in how much Oxytocin should be given and how often. Long-term
effects of this hormone are also unknown at this time. For a complete look at
this recent study, I recommend reading – Oxytocin Improves Social Interaction in High-Functioning Adults With
Autism.

Entrepreneurs are usually labeled workaholics. They are known for working long hours, nights and weekends, and are addicted to checking their email on their I-Phone or Blackberry. So you may like the idea of owning your own business but shy away from it because of the image it conjures up. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. Being an entrepreneur can actually help you to work less and lead a healthier happier life. A perfect example of this is Brett Schklar.

Owning your own business can be extremely challenging and some allow it to take control over their lives. The key is to set definite boundaries about what you will and will not do and stick to them. Make sure you set aside personal time for yourself and for your family. One way to do this is to schedule it in your calendar ahead of time. Being a happy and healthy person is not only going to affect your personal life, but also your business. Remember that you are the boss and have control over your life!

What is good about the revisions is that the new DSM will view Autism disorders on a spectrum from mild to severe, rather than specific and distinct disorders such as Asperger Syndrome.  AS doesn’t go away.  It is just refined as an Autism disorder on the milder end of the continuum.

Many Aspies and their loved ones are worried by this adjustment. Since they do not view themselves as autistic, they feel like it would label them as something different than they are. This revision has the potential to impact their future especially since Asperger’s has recently been accepted and understood on a greater level. The rather controversial question is, will changing the diagnosis change the way someone with Asperger’s is viewed?

The American Psychiatric Association is open to hear the public opinion of their proposed revisions. This window of opportunity will be open through April 20, 2010. Updates to the 2013 DSM-V will be based off of these comments and field trials. So now’s your chance to do the research on these proposed changes and make your opinions known! I would love to hear what your thoughts are on this matter as well. Please feel free to leave me a comment.

Click here to read the DSM-V proposed revisions. If you would like to participate in giving your comment to the American Psychiatric Association, click here. For more information, CNN Health posted a great article on this topic – Revised psychiatry manual targets autism, substance disorders.