From the author: The inner world of an autistic person is a chest of jewels, the key to which is lost. But you can make a universal master key for any lock... Maybe a portrait has a chance to become one? The full article (WITH PHOTOS OF SESSIONS) can be viewed in the publication in the Psychological Newspaper: http://www.psy.su/club/uspeh/90/Helping an autistic child “...stretches for many years, during which the effects of days , weeks and months can seem depressingly small or non-existent. But every step of progress, even the smallest one, is precious: from these, awkward at first, steps and steps, a common path of improvement and adaptation to life develops. Yes, not every child will have this path as long as they would like. But what the child acquires along this path will remain with him and will help him live more independently and confidently” (V.E. Kagan) [1]. Early detection of the disease and timely work with the sick child can sometimes reduce the symptoms of autism and facilitate communication with others people. Each case of autism is unique in its causes and clinical manifestations. For example, in films we see different degrees of autism - from Lyubov Arkus’s student in the film “Anton Is Right Here” (you can work with the hero Anton) to the severe form of Raymond in Barry Levinson’s drama “Rain Man”. There is no clear scientific data explaining the origin of autism . The most optimal version is a combination of several reasons that led to the disorder, combining internal and external prerequisites in each specific case. Sometimes the disease has pronounced physical manifestations (then a neurological diagnosis is made), sometimes the emotional and cognitive spheres are impaired (a mental diagnosis is made). But always - a violation of the communicative function, contact with people around, a lack of desire to share one’s feelings and impressions with loved ones. Working with children in various situations, I realized how drawing a sketch or a portrait surprisingly quickly allows you to concentrate the child’s attention, focus it on the drawing. And then translate the process into a visual dialogue format. It is equally effective with typically developing children, children with ADHD, autistic children, and children with Asperger's syndrome. So, my success story. Igor’s mother contacted him about his autistic behavior - he is uncommunicative, reserved, doesn’t look straight into the eyes, teachers at school complain that he sits in a shrunken position in class. He is irritated by sounds and cannot stand the singing of his younger sister. He attends art school, but doesn’t communicate there either, he draws in silence. I will describe in detail the work with Igor step by step.1. I offered the boy’s mother a specific plan for working with portrait therapy. Articles on this method: http://www.psy.su/club/uspeh/47/http://www.psy.su/interview/2549/http://www.psy.su/psyche/projects/652 /https://www.b17.ru/article/volshebstvo_portreta/.2. My mother had a consultation with me, as a systemic family psychologist. A sociogram of the family was made and its subsequent discussion was carried out; the conversation “melted the ice.” Mom was impressed because... admitted that the resulting diagram very accurately reflects the system of interpersonal relationships and the nature of communications in their family. I asked the whole family to come to family counseling.3. When she came with the boy (3 hours later), an interested look flashed for a moment in his averted eyes. The mother’s mood and mental tone are the child’s main resource. Mom’s condition has changed – and this is the first impetus for changes in the child. After our conversation with her, my mother’s interest and hope were instantly transmitted to my son.4. I managed to capture the child’s attention and establish contact with him. He said that he likes to draw mainly cars and computer game characters. I showed the first portrait of the boy to my mother: “Yes, this is how he behaves at school, all the teachers complain - he shrinks, his head is on his shoulders, his eyes are downcast.”5. The "trick": in the third session, I switched from white portrait paper to cream paper so that I could usewhite chalk. Guess why. What can we color with white on beige when drawing a face? – of course, eyeballs. This means that he will have to raise his eyes higher so that they are visible to me. Curiosity helped, Igor “let” me draw his eyes from life - he looked into my eyes for some time.6. After the 4th session, he allowed me to show his test drawings to my mother and listened to the interpretation. But he didn’t allow her to show his portraits.7. At the 5th session he said that recently he began to draw still lifes. She asked me to draw him a drawing of a non-existent animal. He didn't refuse, but he couldn't think of anything. He was silent, thought, took a pencil, but after 25 minutes he didn’t come up with anything, the sheet remained blank. We moved on to the portrait. After presenting the portrait to him - a sparkle in his eyes, he immediately grabbed a pencil and drew a non-existent animal.8. Before the last session, a mini-vernissage was organized, at which (allegedly) there were not enough drawings with portraits of other children for the exhibition. I asked Igor for permission to use his portraits to fill the exhibition. And then he agreed. At first I was embarrassed by my mother, she left the office. But when I attached everything, he went to get it. And he allowed (!) to show her all the other unattached portraits of him. Portrait therapy sessions, detailed description Session Behavior Second hand (non-working) Communication Glance Reaction to his portrait. 1 Tense pose. Under the table, pressed to the body. The sheet kept crawling on the table, but the other hand never joined in the process. He froze when asked questions and stopped drawing. Lowered: He only glanced at the drawing a little, refused to take it for himself, said goodbye neutrally. 2 He cowered only for a few seconds, but then immediately went limp. On the table, but very tense. The sheet crawled, but the hand remained motionless, did not participate in the process. He froze when asked questions, stopped drawing. Periodically, sometimes he looked into the eyes. He looked at the process of drawing, at the paper. 3 Freely chose other crayons (not wax, but pastel). Both hands were immediately relaxed. B during the drawing process he answered minor related questions. The look appeared! And even a hint of a smile (at the corner of his lips). He eagerly looked at the portrait. But he quickly lowered his eyes.4 Freely, Both hands were immediately relaxed. He told a complex episode about himself. He looked straight. He followed the process of drawing a portrait.5 Freely, even spinning. Both hands were immediately relaxed. Conversation in dialogue mode. He looked straight. An instant spark in the eyes and the decision to draw the task , which previously caused difficulties. 1 session 2 session 3 session 4 session 5 session Changes in the drawing “House, tree, person” BEFORE and AFTER portrait therapy: Location of the house - was far away (feeling of rejection), became closer (openness, accessibility). Door - became larger and moved in the center of the wall. Windows - their number on the lower floor became greater than on the upper (evidence of approaching real life). The pipe - was absent (a feeling of lack of psychological warmth at home) then appeared. The placement of the picture - shifted from the center to the right edge (desire for the future ).Legs - were unequal in size (ambivalence in the desire for independence), became the same. Face and hands - at first were not painted (rejection, non-recognition of the person as a whole), then everything was painted. Use of a sheet - with 1/2 (interiorization, hopes , compensatory dreams) moved to 5/8 (intense spiritual life). Man - face in profile turned to full face (eyes appeared on the face). The roof and wall of the house - at first consisted of very small tiles and bricks, then - are not depicted in fractions, a single array. G. Nazloyan calls autism pathological loneliness. And he assumes that “if you take a person out of loneliness, then everything else should also pass. ...If you find a way to reconstruct the lost image of “I,” then the patient will come out of his loneliness, his dialogue with himself will improve, and thereby with the world around him. Then the disease syndrome should be reduced” [3]. They say that the inner world of an autistic person is a chest of jewels, the key to which