Post Diagnosis Counselling

I found the think that helped me was Peer Counselling, not professional counselling in the end. I even went as far as a Peer Counselling course to learn how to listen, as I wasn't great at it (obviously) and it improved my relationships with people and thus my own lot in life.

just remember that the right person to Counsel you may be another sufferer, or a good friend or someone you have time for not a person in an office salaried to do it.

Hi, 

Just wanted to share (and confirm those feelings that our content is too hard to find!) our short article just introducing some of the basics around counselling and some of those key questions you might want to ask when approaching your first sessions - 

http://www.autism.org.uk/living-with-autism/strategies-and-approaches/counsellors-and-psychotherapists-guide.aspx

Hope that helps a bit :)

Sadly in the North East. Between the Tyne and Tees.

It would be jolly good fun to get some cans and rob someone of their stick of eternal happiness. 

Hopefully you're in a part of the country where they've got their act together already.

(sadly Cambridge isn't one of those (but if you happen to been in this neck of the woods, let me know, and maybe we can go find a couple of cans of larger and a stick or two to have fun with... ))

Scorpion0x17 said:

[quote]I wonder if mind or the likes offer anything like this?[/quote]

They might.

However, one thing you may come across is what I'll call the "Asperger's gap" - because Autism is not a a 'mental health disorder', and because, by definition, if you're at the Higher-Functioning, or Asperger's, end of said spectrum you have an above-average IQ, it also doesn't fall under 'learning disability', so you find both sets of support networks, mental health and learning disability, just turn round and say "you don't meet our criteria" (or, in other words, "we don't get funded to help people like you, so go away").

I can imagine this scenario 

Goatworshiper said:

I wonder if mind or the likes offer anything like this?

They might.

However, one thing you may come across is what I'll call the "Asperger's gap" - because Autism is not a a 'mental health disorder', and because, by definition, if you're at the Higher-Functioning, or Asperger's, end of said spectrum you have an above-average IQ, it also doesn't fall under 'learning disability', so you find both sets of support networks, mental health and learning disability, just turn round and say "you don't meet our criteria" (or, in other words, "we don't get funded to help people like you, so go away").

I was allowed some post-diagnosis counselling....amounted to about six sessions. They wrote to my GP asking if I needed more and without consulting me (I found out a year later) he'd told them I didn't need any more. I've never ever been able to discuss the diagnosis with him. The one time I tried he cracked the old joke "Is that a new kind of vegetable?" then acted as if the matter was closed. I've never tried since.

The counselling sessions I had were useful. I was able to sound things out with someone experienced in helping other people on the spectrum. The only problem was she kept showing me her social stories portfolio, not to help me directly, but because I think she thought I'd be impressed.

My diagnosis was qualified as having good coping strategies, though most of that was "baggage" and I quickly replaced the complex of avoidances and rituals and "balancing acts" for want of a better description, by reading up on the subject. I found it useful to discuss these ideas with the counsellor.

One meeting was an attempt at a social group with four of five others recently diagnosed. It was in a pub, we could only sit near the games machines, which were distracting, as was the loud music, and as social events go I was glad to get away.

I also went with her to a lecture and met other people on the spectrum and other support staff.

I'm very glad I had the counselling sessions.

My MH services did tell me that they wouldnt offer any support following a diagnosis. Ironically my MH services won the Pyhsciatry (SP? sorry) best region award. 

I wonder if mind or the likes offer anything like this?

My GF has BiPolar and they were hell bent on not diagnosing her as it meant they have to support her. 

As an adult, Goatworshipper, it's much harder to get post-diagnosis support of any kind, than when one is a juvenile or adolescent.

What is available is very much dependent on where you live.

I'm currently trying (but coming up against brickwalls) to get counselling myself, for much the same reasons as yourself, when, and if, I get it, I'll try to remember to let you know how helpful I find it.

I got diagnosed at 17, just a few months before I turned 18. After my diagnosis, I went to CAMHs every week or so up until the last month or so, when they started spreading out the appointments so I could get used to not going anymore.

Generally, we just talked about how I was coping with the diagnosis, the things I struggle with, how I could find ways of calming down or relaxing, how I can improve on certain social interactions I've always struggled with, but more importantly, she helped me to understand that many of the things 'normal' people do are confusing or ineffective, and that while I struggle with socialising, I'm much better equipped for other situations in different areas i.e. attention to detail regarding the things I enjoy, such as animals.

Since then, I've become far more relaxed, a LOT more outgoing, I talk to people more, I don't worry so much about what they think of me in certain respects and generally happier at coping with situations by myself rather than running to hide in my room for days on end. I've even gained the confidence to sign up to a uni course that involves a lot of teamwork and interaction because now I know I can get along with people over subjects I like.

I think the counselling comes with getting a positive diagnosis, because thats what happened to me, and to my autistic cousin when my aunt got him diagnosed (I've got Aspergers, hes further down the spectrum than me).