Career Strategies

About Barbara

Barbara Bissonnette is a certified coach and the Principal of Forward Motion Coaching. She specializes in career development coaching and advocacy services for individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disorder. She also consults with employers so that they can utilize the skills of individuals with social, communication and executive function challenges.

Prior to coaching Barbara spent more than 20 in business, most recently as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for an information services firm. In addition to first-hand experience hiring and managing people at all levels, she understands the challenges of Asperger’s and NLD and focuses on practical strategies for employment success.

Barbara is the author of The Employer’s Guide Asperger’s Syndrome; Workplace Disclosure, Strategies for Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome and NLD; Asperger’s, NLD and Employment: 10 Strategies for Success and publishes the monthly Asperger’s & NLD Career Letter.

She earned a graduate certificate in Executive Coaching from the Massachusetts School Professional Psychology and is certified by Institute for Professional Empowerment Coaching.

A popular speaker on the topic of Asperger’s and employment, Barbara has presented at Antioch University, Asperger’s Association of New England (AANE), Bentley College, Central Massachusetts Employer’s Association, Community Resources for People with Autism, Emerson Hospital, Katherine Greer Associates, Margolis & Bloom, Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, New England Human Resources Association, Rhode Island Psychological Association, Shriver Job Corp, and The Wellness Corporation. Her articles have been published in Insights magazine, Austim-Asperger’s Digest Magazine, Autism Family Online, Buzz, The Business Magazine for Central Massachusetts and the AANE Journal. Continuing education includes both the Training and Advanced Training for Group Instruction in Social Communication workshops by Elsa Abele, The Neuropsychology of Asperger Syndrome workshop by Gail M. Grodzinsky, Ph.D., AANE Conferences, Autism Spectrum Disorders conference (Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education), and other educational events about learning disorders as well as business management topics.