The Breakaway: A Parent's Guide to Transitioning the Autistic and Twice Exceptional Adolescent Into Young Adulthood

By Thomas W. Welch

Your child is getting older.
But readiness doesn't always develop on the timeline we expect.

As graduation approaches, parents often hear the same advice:

Encourage independence. Step back. Increase responsibility. Prepare for college or work.

You follow the guidance.

And yet something doesn't fit.

Your teen may be intelligent, insightful, and full of potential-but still struggle to initiate tasks, manage daily responsibilities, advocate for themselves, or consistently move forward. Progress comes in bursts. Confidence rises and falls. Readiness develops unevenly.

The Breakaway offers a different way of understanding this transition.

Drawing on decades of experience working with neurodivergent adolescents - including autistic, ADHD, and Twice Exceptional (2e) young people - and their families, child and family psychologist Thomas W. Welch, PsyD provides a compassionate framework for helping young people move toward adulthood without confusing age with readiness or pressure with growth.

Rather than asking,

"Why aren't they more independent?"

this book invites parents to ask a different question:

"What support will help independence emerge?"

Inside, you'll discover how to:

Match expectations to developmental readiness rather than chronological age.Build executive functioning, self-advocacy, and daily living skills in practical, sustainable ways.Support autistic, ADHD, and Twice Exceptional (2e) young people as they prepare for college, work, and adult life.Foster confidence, resilience, and meaningful participation without creating unnecessary overwhelm.Develop individualized pathways that reflect strengths, challenges, and long-term goals.Encourage increasing independence while recognizing that growth is rarely linear.

Filled with practical strategies, relatable examples, and decades of clinical insight, The Breakaway helps families navigate one of life's most important transitions with greater clarity and confidence.

Because independence is rarely achieved all at once.

It develops through understanding, the right support, and opportunities that match a young person's readiness to grow.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B091G9HB8R
• ISBN13: 9798656424431
• Release Date: April 2021
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 172 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"