Post Diagnosis Counselling

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.

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.