Anyone had counselling for anything?
As a person with ASD did you encounter any difficulties in the counselling process?
Anyone had counselling for anything?
As a person with ASD did you encounter any difficulties in the counselling process?
I find therapist condescending. I struggle to find one that can see through my bulls*t.
Just to continue on the contradictions in any counselling process:-
Treated as a normal person - do as you are told, you change and it will be better.
Treated by someone with some knowledge - they will change with the Permanent Restriction (But it is not recognised until I am diagnosed).
Treated with someone fully experienced in Autism/Asperger's - You have tried every coping mechanism under the sun, how the hell have you took it for so long? Counsellor also saw the Mental Health Week displays in work - fully understands that is talking the talk with some damagers unable to walk the walk.
That was one of my main barriers with asking for an assessment. I also found it hard to tell people something unless they ask a direct question. But if you want to ask for a diagnosis and find it hard to say it, it's possible to write down your thoughts on why you think you might have ASD and bring it with you to the assessment. It could be a 2-3 page report or personal history along with your thoughts. Since you can have as much time as you want to write it before the assessment, you can more easily include in things you might find hard saying.
Omg, just reading through this and I totally get you on the thinking it but not being able to say it thing! I'm so glad I'm not the only one... the relief!
Seriously that's one of my biggest worries with the diagnosis process, I'm undiagnosed currently and still don't know if I should go for it or not, but that whole not being able to tell them something unless they ask me a direct question about it ... jeez! The pain that causes me almost daily! When I want to say something but nothing comes out, mainly based around one specific topic, my mental health, yet in other situations I know I need to shut up but just don't and 100% over share then dwell on my idiocy for days after :/
Idk. I'm not glad it causes a problem for you too, but I am glad I'm not alone in having such a huge problem with it :) x
Glad it helped! I found it very insightful as well. The original author did an excellent job in capturing the difference between regular counselling and ASD counselling.
I identify as being in the spectrum but no official diagnosis. I had group CBT last year which made me worse. I was led to believe that my thoughts were irrational or "wrong". I felt like "how dare this be suggested to me. Why should I undermine myself in this way?! Does no one else care about the things I do? I think I'm the sane one and it's everyone else who has the problem." I didn't say any of this during CBT but it became more apparent at the last session. I hadn't mentioned possible AS. I was also told I had some social anxiety and at break times at my adult evening class to "talk to one person one week, then try two the next week and build it up." This was completely missing the point as I have confidence to speak to strangers I just don't know how to go about it a lot of the time in unstructured social situations.
I'm doing telephone counselling and CBT at the moment. I mentioned possible AS during the initial assessment but this wasn't touched upon in my first appointment last week. He went over what i had discussed with the initial assessor but he didn't give me option to clarify or add anything else. I think a non-AS person might have just interrupted and added any extra info but as usual I thought in my head but didn't open my mouth. I felt like I couldn't explain some of my problems correctly too. I feel like unless I'm asked a direct question I can miss important info.
I don't know how CBT will help with my reptitive thought patterns but this is something I will discuss with him.
That's my two penneth.
I wonder if this explains why I quit my last round of counselling - I just felt I was getting nowhere, more and more frustrated because it wasn't getting to the root of my issues. This seems to make sense now, and that link really helped.
Hi, yes I do, to the point I have said no more.
Tired of people with a cognitive mind, trying to teach my autistic mind how to think.
Especially as I seem to be the only person who actually gets up and does anything, rather than just talking about it and socializing.
Here's a post that might be helpful!
https://community.autism.org.uk/f/health-and-wellbeing/13494/that-s-the-kind-of-cbt-for-me
It seems regular counselling versus ASD counselling might be differently effective for autistic people, and in some cases regular counselling could make things more challenging.
In some ways yes as the counsellor may not have knowledge of Mental Health and/or Neuro Diverse conditions.
Plus they may not be able to get the impact of others addressed when THOSE OTHERS are the triggers
It would be worth trying to get a counsellor with knowledge/experience of your condition
