Published on 12, July, 2020
In therapy the counsellor use to reply to emails but now won't. I asked about it yesterday and he said not to encourage dependency. But I was left guessing why he wasn't replying. Is it me or is the ASD making it hard to understand the situation? Not knowing what is going on has made me anxious. Would you find it hard to understand because of your autism?
See my previous counsellor allowed emails about whatever and whenever so this practice is really different to me. Its strange that I am given some 'homework' and I'm left with it on my own with it and my problem for an entire week. But I actually think I prefer it this way it's just taking time to get use to it.
I think it's been unfortunate that your previous counsellor was possibly too relaxed about such things as it hasn't given you experience of what would normally be expected. It is definitely the "norm" to not have much, if any contact outside of sessions besides arranging appointment times or in exceptional circumstances.
I've seen a few psychologists (never a counsellor) and my experience is as such:
Psychologist 1: No direct contact outside of sessions except if she occasionally called for a telephone appointment in exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances being I was life threateningly ill and couldn't travel to my appointments. I couldn't contact her directly, she contacted me.
Psychologist 2: No direct contact outside of sessions.
Psychologist 3: No direct contact outside of sessions. I had permission to could contact her secretary if I needed to speak to her before the next session but again this was only possible in exceptional circumstances and definitely not a regular thing. Exceptional circumstances here being less severe than life threateningly ill but things like being very distressed after a session with her or if there were long waits between appointments like many weeks then I was given the option to phone her secretary and ask to speak to her but this would usually be a call back at a time that was convenient to her and never guaranteed.
It's not personal. It's actually what would be expected from any counsellor or professional working with any client.
Yes, being autistic would make it hard to understand if you haven't experienced this before.