I have worked for many years with clients on the Autistic spectrum; firstly as a creative artist and then as a counsellor. I Currently work part-time with a Manchester based charity called Respect for all which provides free or low cost counselling for people on the spectrum and also for their siblings, carers, parents and partners.
It was through working as an artist with adults with learning disabilities that I realised that I wanted to train as a psychotherapist, thereby turning an aptitude into a qualified skill.
Many people, especially young people are receiving diagnoses of ASC with little or no understanding of how it might affect them. For some, the diagnosis helps to explain some things, but for many it can be a confusing or wounding experience. Counselling can be a good way of exploring these issues and gaining confidence and self-understanding.
My approach is not diagnostic. I engage clients in a non-judgemental exploration of there personality, focussing on aspects that might be causing problems as well as how they might utilise their strengths. For example, clients often come to me having researched ADHD or Autism and found several traits they can relate to. Rather than working through a list, I prefer to start with one or two traits suggested by the client’s own experience. We look at when that trait occurs, how it changes from situation to situation and how it’s opposite might show up too. I find this to be a kinder way of examining ourselves, and more likely to lead to integration.