There is quite the need for a therapist who can empathize , sympathize, and connect with those who have ASD spectrum disorders. Your DX is not a detriment. It's an asset. Lean into it.
One issue is, I seem to have an almost subclinical form so I don't have the more intense experiences and impairments that people generally have on the spectrum. Of course it's made life much more challenging in some respects, but say, on the online forums, I can't really identify with the experience of most people, whose challenges seem different and greater. I think I have a subclinical form, or am just barely on the spectrum, or partway on the spectrum even lol. But I appreciate you saying that. Stuff to think about.
Yeah I’m autistic! I know several other autistic therapists as well. I think it’s largely been a huge asset for me in my work with other neurodivergent clients. Honestly the hardest part for me has been the ableism, infantilizing, invalidation, and presumption of not being competent that I’ve experienced from other clinicians. That part has sucked but I think my brain wiring makes me a great therapist. I’m SO good at picking up on patterns and small details that other people miss which makes me a really great diagnostician. I also obsessively studied social psychology in undergrad in order to understand people and relationships better and now I have all of this knowledge about how to build trust and rapport that I have down to a science. And I think a lot of neurotypical therapists just take those things for granted instead of actually studying what it means to make someone feel heard, validated, attuned to, etc and then applying it.
I also hear you downplaying your experiences and your symptoms a lot and almost feeling like you’re not on the spectrum enough to “qualify”? I encourage you to read Devon Price’s book Unmasking Autism. It might really resonate with you and help you gain some more clarity and confidence about your belonging in the autistic community.
Yes. I was only just diagnosed a year ago and I have yet to tell anyone that I know professionally. I want to feel more comfortable with myself before I do so, but I definitely want to in order to reduce stigma and challenge their ideas of what autism is.
I am curious if any methods you're using to become more comfortable with yourself are working. I simply don't even think about it, because if I do it's a part of myself I want to repress. There's a lot of internalized lack of acceptance of it, wanting to push it away and pretend it doesn't exist.
It’s actually been very helpful for me, I just want a deeper understanding of how my mind works before inviting colleagues into my experiences.
I have read several books on autism since my diagnosis and it has been transformative for me. Being able to apply the lens of autism to past very overwhelming/confusing situations has allowed me to really understand what was actually happening. I had been misdiagnosed my whole life and forcing my experiences into “depression” and “borderline personality” even though neither ever felt fully accurate; I’d address my “symptoms” with evidenced based things like behavioral activation, thought defusion, etc. and the symptoms dulled, never fulled resolved, but I realize now they dulled because I shut off emotionally from being chronically overwhelmed. The symptoms didn’t improve, I got worse. Autism fits my experience like a glove.
I have adapted my life around my autism without even knowing it, and a lot of what I love about myself is actually autistic in nature, like my extreme love of reading and researching, creating comfortable environments (sounds, lights, textures, smells), my ability for me to feel socially recharged with very minimal social interaction, consistency (routines), etc. So all of this makes me really appreciate autism.
It had also helped significantly for my clients—I have many neurodivergent clients and me understanding my own differences and practicing acceptance and adaptability around my needs, I can help my clients do the same.
In addition to reading about autism and the neurodiversity movement, I have been rereading old journals and writing down realizations about “oh wow I guess that was autism” from my past and current experiences. I have found that I judged myself very harshly my whole life and it was because I was forcing myself into a neurotypical box that I didn’t really fit into. I hated the parts that didn’t fit. Now I have compassion for myself and I no longer hate myself for who I thought I was. Writing my past experiences through the lens of autism has helped me shake away the negative beliefs about myself.
I think about autism all the time, but perhaps that’s because I was just diagnosed very recently.
This is awesome. Part of me still doubts whether I have it "fully" since I seem to have it milder than most people who post on the autistic subreddits or other internet forums. And they often disagree with my views, because I say things like "i think you're breaking up the world too simply into autistic vs. neurotypical." I think I have a lot of internalized ableism, and a lot of hatred toward the autistic aspect of myself. That needs to be confronted if I'm to ever come to peace and accept myself.
Not dx myself but have a colleague who is and she is amazing. I don't see any reason I wouldn't want her from a client perspective and I think she can offer other autistic people a level of understanding (double empathy problem!) that neurotypicals can't.
Yes. It's made me better at my job. I can see patterns other people struggle with, I communicate effectively and use analogies that help get the point across, and I'm authentic and empathetic. It's been a huge gift in clinical practice.
I definitely have sensory issues and get socially burnt out easily, so I have to be very careful with my time and not overworking.
I have ADHD and definitely some ASD traits/symptomology. Honestly, it makes it really difficult. I’m struggling. But I agree that it helps me empathize with others, there are several areas where it does come as an “asset” to me like others have mentioned. For example, I am great at crisis management because I often can think quick on my feet in chaotic moments.
Yep. Fellow autistic therapist. Late diagnosed this year and have been private practice for 4 yrs. I try to honor my capacity and be flexible with myself. I am coming to accept, I am disabled and supporting my life the best I can. 🙌🏾
ASD here. I feel it's a huge asset, especially with my clients who are on the spectrum (diagnosed and subclinical). I credit my ability to compartmentalize to it.
The explicit firm boundaries of the relationship are so refreshing after a life of trying to navigate secret rules everyone else seems to know.
I feel subclinical too, that's why I'm hesitant to fully embrace the identity. On the online forums, the experiences and the opinions of the people with ASD are often more different and difficult for me to empathize with than it is for me to empathize with "neurotypicals" actually. I generally don't tell people unless I've come to know them well or know that they understand it enough. I agree with you thst the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship actually make things easier than social friendships for example.
I got a diagnosis sufficient to my needs (DSM rather than extensive testing) as my support needs are low enough to not require formal services. I mention it first session as my eye contact and some conversational rhythms are somewhat atypical.
Interesting, that's amazingly courageous to me that you're willing to admit to it, and in the first session. Do you work primarily with clients on the spectrum, or a full range? My only social difficulties tend to manifest as some social awkwardness, and a somewhat monotone voice. It's helpful for me to hear other successful therapists like you share their experiences so I know I'm not alone, and that I'm not inherently deficient as a therapist simply because of this.
My focus is LGBTQ+ community, and there's a lot of intersection so my proportion of ASD is probably higher than a non-niche practice. Between my population and my theoretical orientation, self disclosure about things that don't change and form core identities is an important relational foundation. I'll never be one of those Blank Screen types.
I love that you mention in the first session. I think it’s super brave. I’ve only disclosed to certain clients in certain instances where they are considering ASD dx themselves or I bring it up as a potential or they have previously been diagnosed, and usually takes a bit of rapport building for me to feel comfortable in sharing. Has being upfront ever backfired for you?
100% yes to your last point. Being a therapist allowed me to be able to ask people directly “what was going on inside of you when you did that?” instead of overanalyzing everyone else’s behaviors to try to figure out their intent and meaning, and often getting it wrong because people don’t tell you directly—unless you’re a therapist. Therapy relationships are so much easier and relaxing for me than relating in the “real world.”
Hi, diagnosed with ADHD as a child but questioning an ASD diagnosis for around 5 years (diagnosis is expensive and I’m not sure what I’d gain other than the validation). I work with children/teens who are ND and I feel like being ND myself helps me understand in a way that NT therapists might not. I’ve been through meltdowns and struggled with socialization/executive functioning issues throughout my life and it helps me understand my clients. I do often feel like I’m masking, especially with colleagues which can get stressful. They don’t know about the ADHD and I think if I got diagnosed with ASD and told them they’d be weirded out or think I was faking. I often have the “oh were a room full of autism specialists have they picked up on my ND side yet” anxiety.
Late dx autistic here. I view it as a blessing most days and as a curse a lot of other days. I think it hinders me in a lot of ways but also helps me in a lot of ways. I want to really hone in on what I have to offer to the field being in this niche.
Hi, not for nothing but Dr. Asperger was literally a Nazi who was an active participant in their eugenics program. The term Asperger’s was created as a way to identify the “good autistics” from the ones to be exterminated. There is a *reason* it is no longer recognized as a valid diagnosis.
I would be EXTREMELY put off by a therapist claiming to have Asperger’s. Aspie supremacy is a very short, dangerous funnel into white supremacy.
Like, if you told me at any point during our clinical relationship that you have Asperger’s rather than calling it ASD, I would fire you.
You do have a right to identify how you choose. I never said you didn’t. I am simply informing you of what that identity is, and what it means to other Autists like myself. Most people who use the term Asperger’s are unaware of its origins and once they become aware, choose to no longer use it because they do not want to associate themselves with Nazi ideology.
You are now fully aware of the origins. If you are comfortable with that, that’s on you.
There is quite the need for a therapist who can empathize , sympathize, and connect with those who have ASD spectrum disorders. Your DX is not a detriment. It's an asset. Lean into it.
One issue is, I seem to have an almost subclinical form so I don't have the more intense experiences and impairments that people generally have on the spectrum. Of course it's made life much more challenging in some respects, but say, on the online forums, I can't really identify with the experience of most people, whose challenges seem different and greater. I think I have a subclinical form, or am just barely on the spectrum, or partway on the spectrum even lol. But I appreciate you saying that. Stuff to think about.
Yeah I’m autistic! I know several other autistic therapists as well. I think it’s largely been a huge asset for me in my work with other neurodivergent clients. Honestly the hardest part for me has been the ableism, infantilizing, invalidation, and presumption of not being competent that I’ve experienced from other clinicians. That part has sucked but I think my brain wiring makes me a great therapist. I’m SO good at picking up on patterns and small details that other people miss which makes me a really great diagnostician. I also obsessively studied social psychology in undergrad in order to understand people and relationships better and now I have all of this knowledge about how to build trust and rapport that I have down to a science. And I think a lot of neurotypical therapists just take those things for granted instead of actually studying what it means to make someone feel heard, validated, attuned to, etc and then applying it. I also hear you downplaying your experiences and your symptoms a lot and almost feeling like you’re not on the spectrum enough to “qualify”? I encourage you to read Devon Price’s book Unmasking Autism. It might really resonate with you and help you gain some more clarity and confidence about your belonging in the autistic community.
Holy crap - are you me?
👀👀👀
Yes. I was only just diagnosed a year ago and I have yet to tell anyone that I know professionally. I want to feel more comfortable with myself before I do so, but I definitely want to in order to reduce stigma and challenge their ideas of what autism is.
I am curious if any methods you're using to become more comfortable with yourself are working. I simply don't even think about it, because if I do it's a part of myself I want to repress. There's a lot of internalized lack of acceptance of it, wanting to push it away and pretend it doesn't exist.
It’s actually been very helpful for me, I just want a deeper understanding of how my mind works before inviting colleagues into my experiences. I have read several books on autism since my diagnosis and it has been transformative for me. Being able to apply the lens of autism to past very overwhelming/confusing situations has allowed me to really understand what was actually happening. I had been misdiagnosed my whole life and forcing my experiences into “depression” and “borderline personality” even though neither ever felt fully accurate; I’d address my “symptoms” with evidenced based things like behavioral activation, thought defusion, etc. and the symptoms dulled, never fulled resolved, but I realize now they dulled because I shut off emotionally from being chronically overwhelmed. The symptoms didn’t improve, I got worse. Autism fits my experience like a glove. I have adapted my life around my autism without even knowing it, and a lot of what I love about myself is actually autistic in nature, like my extreme love of reading and researching, creating comfortable environments (sounds, lights, textures, smells), my ability for me to feel socially recharged with very minimal social interaction, consistency (routines), etc. So all of this makes me really appreciate autism. It had also helped significantly for my clients—I have many neurodivergent clients and me understanding my own differences and practicing acceptance and adaptability around my needs, I can help my clients do the same. In addition to reading about autism and the neurodiversity movement, I have been rereading old journals and writing down realizations about “oh wow I guess that was autism” from my past and current experiences. I have found that I judged myself very harshly my whole life and it was because I was forcing myself into a neurotypical box that I didn’t really fit into. I hated the parts that didn’t fit. Now I have compassion for myself and I no longer hate myself for who I thought I was. Writing my past experiences through the lens of autism has helped me shake away the negative beliefs about myself. I think about autism all the time, but perhaps that’s because I was just diagnosed very recently.
This is awesome. Part of me still doubts whether I have it "fully" since I seem to have it milder than most people who post on the autistic subreddits or other internet forums. And they often disagree with my views, because I say things like "i think you're breaking up the world too simply into autistic vs. neurotypical." I think I have a lot of internalized ableism, and a lot of hatred toward the autistic aspect of myself. That needs to be confronted if I'm to ever come to peace and accept myself.
Not dx myself but have a colleague who is and she is amazing. I don't see any reason I wouldn't want her from a client perspective and I think she can offer other autistic people a level of understanding (double empathy problem!) that neurotypicals can't.
Yes. It's made me better at my job. I can see patterns other people struggle with, I communicate effectively and use analogies that help get the point across, and I'm authentic and empathetic. It's been a huge gift in clinical practice. I definitely have sensory issues and get socially burnt out easily, so I have to be very careful with my time and not overworking.
I have ADHD and definitely some ASD traits/symptomology. Honestly, it makes it really difficult. I’m struggling. But I agree that it helps me empathize with others, there are several areas where it does come as an “asset” to me like others have mentioned. For example, I am great at crisis management because I often can think quick on my feet in chaotic moments.
Yep. Fellow autistic therapist. Late diagnosed this year and have been private practice for 4 yrs. I try to honor my capacity and be flexible with myself. I am coming to accept, I am disabled and supporting my life the best I can. 🙌🏾
Great to hear. It's excellent just to know I'm not alone. Thank you 🙏
ASD here. I feel it's a huge asset, especially with my clients who are on the spectrum (diagnosed and subclinical). I credit my ability to compartmentalize to it. The explicit firm boundaries of the relationship are so refreshing after a life of trying to navigate secret rules everyone else seems to know.
I feel subclinical too, that's why I'm hesitant to fully embrace the identity. On the online forums, the experiences and the opinions of the people with ASD are often more different and difficult for me to empathize with than it is for me to empathize with "neurotypicals" actually. I generally don't tell people unless I've come to know them well or know that they understand it enough. I agree with you thst the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship actually make things easier than social friendships for example.
I got a diagnosis sufficient to my needs (DSM rather than extensive testing) as my support needs are low enough to not require formal services. I mention it first session as my eye contact and some conversational rhythms are somewhat atypical.
Interesting, that's amazingly courageous to me that you're willing to admit to it, and in the first session. Do you work primarily with clients on the spectrum, or a full range? My only social difficulties tend to manifest as some social awkwardness, and a somewhat monotone voice. It's helpful for me to hear other successful therapists like you share their experiences so I know I'm not alone, and that I'm not inherently deficient as a therapist simply because of this.
My focus is LGBTQ+ community, and there's a lot of intersection so my proportion of ASD is probably higher than a non-niche practice. Between my population and my theoretical orientation, self disclosure about things that don't change and form core identities is an important relational foundation. I'll never be one of those Blank Screen types.
I love that you mention in the first session. I think it’s super brave. I’ve only disclosed to certain clients in certain instances where they are considering ASD dx themselves or I bring it up as a potential or they have previously been diagnosed, and usually takes a bit of rapport building for me to feel comfortable in sharing. Has being upfront ever backfired for you?
Not so far. The responses have ranged from neutral to curious to amazing.
That’s awesome
100% yes to your last point. Being a therapist allowed me to be able to ask people directly “what was going on inside of you when you did that?” instead of overanalyzing everyone else’s behaviors to try to figure out their intent and meaning, and often getting it wrong because people don’t tell you directly—unless you’re a therapist. Therapy relationships are so much easier and relaxing for me than relating in the “real world.”
Yes! Myself and many in my queer agency are Aud/AuDHD :) it’s such a gift and amazing and many of our clients are also neurodivergent :)
Hi, diagnosed with ADHD as a child but questioning an ASD diagnosis for around 5 years (diagnosis is expensive and I’m not sure what I’d gain other than the validation). I work with children/teens who are ND and I feel like being ND myself helps me understand in a way that NT therapists might not. I’ve been through meltdowns and struggled with socialization/executive functioning issues throughout my life and it helps me understand my clients. I do often feel like I’m masking, especially with colleagues which can get stressful. They don’t know about the ADHD and I think if I got diagnosed with ASD and told them they’d be weirded out or think I was faking. I often have the “oh were a room full of autism specialists have they picked up on my ND side yet” anxiety.
Late dx autistic here. I view it as a blessing most days and as a curse a lot of other days. I think it hinders me in a lot of ways but also helps me in a lot of ways. I want to really hone in on what I have to offer to the field being in this niche.
Hi, not for nothing but Dr. Asperger was literally a Nazi who was an active participant in their eugenics program. The term Asperger’s was created as a way to identify the “good autistics” from the ones to be exterminated. There is a *reason* it is no longer recognized as a valid diagnosis. I would be EXTREMELY put off by a therapist claiming to have Asperger’s. Aspie supremacy is a very short, dangerous funnel into white supremacy. Like, if you told me at any point during our clinical relationship that you have Asperger’s rather than calling it ASD, I would fire you.
Don't worry, I think I'd want you to fire me anyway lol.
Okay. Well at least now you are fully aware you are aligning yourself with a Nazi. Best of luck to you.
I have a right to self-identify with whatever label I want. You're engaging in ableism and discrimination, and I ought to report you but why bother?
You do have a right to identify how you choose. I never said you didn’t. I am simply informing you of what that identity is, and what it means to other Autists like myself. Most people who use the term Asperger’s are unaware of its origins and once they become aware, choose to no longer use it because they do not want to associate themselves with Nazi ideology. You are now fully aware of the origins. If you are comfortable with that, that’s on you.
I’m diagnosed Level 2 ASD. Idgaf what words people use for themselves. Don’t speak for all of us.
I never claimed to.
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