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What groups do you go to?

Dane Duncan

Hi everyone my name is Dane 

I am a trainee clinical psychologist working in London. Reading the posts on this section is very powerful.

I am interested in making the world a better place when it comes to all kinds of thinkers out there. I have ran groups in the past for people with a diagnosis of ASD/Autism/Aspergers. 

I am now more interested in thinking about Autism as a form of Neurodiversity and how sometimes people can identify as being on 'The Spectrum' without an "official"  diagnosis. I hope to do some research to help make the lives of people on The Spectrum better for them by listening and valuing their words and voices!

Anyway to start, I hope to find out more about if there are groups in London for people on The Spectrum (and perhaps their friends and family). I am interested in if there are community or charity groups, rather than NHS groups. This is because I am interested in what groups would be like if designed by people on The Spectrum rather than 'professionals'. 

Particularly I want to find out about in groups which might meet regularly and if they would be intersted in me joining to do some sessions alongside the members in the future. This would be to empower group members and to listen to what their opinions and their own voices have to say! 

It might address thoughts around diagnosis and how people might aggree and disaagree with the way 'autism' is understood by everyone. Is there a better way to think of it? What does it mean to you and the group? What are the strengths of this group of people? How can we make them stronger? How can we share them and who would benefit from the sharing of these strengths? Perhaps other people with or without a diagnosis? Or someone else? In what ways can we make your lives better on a personal level, on a social level and even on a more social level? Laughing

I hope to start my exciting journey and make many contacts along the way.

Best wishes,

Dane

  • Hi Dale,

    As outlined in a previous post please follow the research procedure and don't share personal details such as names and email addresses.

    Take care,

    Avi

  • I agree. NT'S always come along and think they know better than us. Or they belittle Thinking that they 'experience' things like us and end up belittleing, in trying to 'relate' to us, de-valuing our opinions, or what we feel. Or even worse, NT.S become too opinionated, causing distress, when not everybody with aspergers/autism can cope with shirking off 'just opinions.'

  • The NAS ask that those seeking to do any sort of research or work with autistic people look at this page before posting on these fora:

    www.autism.org.uk/.../requests-for-research-and-participation.aspx

    We're coming over as terse and unfriendly because there are lots of people who come here with what they think are good intentions but are really not helpful to us.

    I'd guess you've been interested in autism for a few years. We've been autistic our whole lives and having NT people come along and announce that they've decided to help us and are just what we need does not sit well.

    If you want to help then perhaps you could start not with us but with the members of your own profession. Please ask them to focus their research on things that would benefit autistic people in their daily lives, such as drug-free solutions for getting better sleep or a wider definition of autism that recognises it as a whole-body phenotype.

  • HI, bit patronising re-different kinds of psychologists-my best friend is a clinical psychologist and i started a home study course in social psychology-but gave it up as it wasn't very good. and had alot of life experience. Anyway, now you are less excited, you are coming across better. i wish you well.

    P.S I'D appreciate it if any psychologist going on the forum, wouldn't reply to my posts or take over the society. it is nice to be with people that aren't trying to 'cure/change us' thank you.

  • Hi Yellow Sunflower,

    I 100% aggree with everything you said. I especially aggree with what you said about changing society, thanks for that I really hope there are groups out there doing this already which I could find out about.

    I would love to find out about the existing good work you mention, I'm learning more. I'm really sorry for sounding patronising, when I wrote the post I was really excited and wasn't thinking clearly. 

    By the way I am personally not a psychologist interested in the brain itself. There are many different kinds of psychologists. I am just a trainee but I am interested 'liberation and community psychology' which is critical of mainstream psychology. This kind of approach is about being community led, shifting resources for people already doing good work, listening to peoples own words and values to continue to make positive changes to the rest of society.

    Thank you for your well wishes and your comment! Laughing

  • Hi Electra, 

    Thank you for making me notice how badly worded my post is. I am sorry for implying that people can't be empowered without a psychologist. Ironicly that is the opposite of my intentions. 

    I ran a group for people on the spectrum for years and I would never want to invade on any groups that would not welcome someone who does not have a diagnosis. Over the years I've heard from so many people on the spectrum how they are frustrated with many aspects of society. I would like to help out with this if possible, rather than my own personal journey. The problem is so many people who are "neurotypical" especially most psychologist try to do it their way without helping to shift resources to people on the spectrum to do it themselves. I don't know if everyone on the broad spectrum and their families are always as empowered as they could be? I have had different experiences.

    Temple Grandin said the world needs all kinds of thinkers. I don't know... maybe we are all meant to work together to keep making positive changes.

    Thanks for the honesty I appreciate it. I hope I have answered your questions but if not please let me know. 

  • So many questions-such a psychologist a not my fave people.Just interested in the brain of it,rather than being bothered about people. It sounds like,their will be room for lots of opinions,that will upset some people.Good work has already been done,so some things bit patronising. I'd work on changing society and how they can fit in with us,after all,it is society,that causes more problems.I wish u well.

  • Are you saying that without you there, listening as a psychologist, nobody in a group would be or feel empowered?

    Can you explain why we should help you, a neurotypical person, use us and our experience for your personal journey?