Find a therapist to help with autism

What you see on TV isn't always reality. Dating for people with autism requires more support and preparation.

Physical and emotional boundaries are priority for everyone, but must be reinforced for people with autism.

Dating takes time, especially for people with autism. Always keep your adult child informed and protected.

Recently, one of my colleagues asked me if I'd ever watched the popular television show, "Love on the Spectrum." The acclaimed series documents young adults with autism as they navigate dating and relationships. I told her I wasn't interested and, honestly, was hesitant to watch the show. I imagine it's the same as an FBI agent watching "The Night Agent" or a doctor watching "The Pitt." You immerse yourself in something all day long, so it's not a show you watch for leisure purposes. As an expert in a space, you can also expect to nitpick, overanalyze, and likely find fault with the details—it's only natural! After a bit more of my colleague gently nudging me, I finally caved and spent two weeks binge-watching all four seasons. As expected, I have many opinions.

First, I believe that everyone has the right to friendship, companionship, and love—and this includes people with disabilities across the autism spectrum and other intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD) conditions. However, not everyone needs to get married, nor does everyone need to be intimate. Anyone who wants a friend, companion, or spouse should have one, but the concept of love is nuanced depending on the person.

As I began watching the series from season one, most of the young adults with autism (I’ll........

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