Autism Burnout

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I have worked with a severely autistic man for 2 years, he lives at a group home I worked at and now I work with him at his day program. He and I have become great friends, he is non verbal but will do facilitated writing with me to communicate with other people. When I met him his Mother had passed away and he told everyone he was on an island and he stopped communicating for years altogether but he came off his island about 8 months ago. He has been expanding his social skills, exploring more with math and physics, raising money for autism research. He has been very stressed out about a couple situations and has now stopped communicating and says that he is on his island because there are no emotions there good or bad.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can help him...

People still do facilitated communication!

Respect his island; It could be something like a safe space within/state of being where he goes to heal, regroup, process things, or seek solace. Alternatively, it could be a sort of shut down state -- a sort of protective mechanism built into his nervous system that he can't control.

Either way, it sounds like the problem is that the stress he's experiencing is overwhelming him. See if you can figure out more about the specific stresses in his life and do what you can to help him with reducing and managing those stresses....focus on whatever sends him to the island, rather than focusing on trying to get him to leave the island (sounds like he'll do that all on his own -- either when he's able or when he feels ready to do so, as the case may be). Maybe try writing him a note to let him know you're there for him and would like to help if he's stressed out -- like an offer without pressuring him for a response or for direct interaction.