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Counselling - Looking for some advice

random

Hi,

In another discussed with Rob3d, he mentioned that his autism team gave him the option of some counsueling. I was surprised, as my autism team have told me they don't provide any counsueling.

I have been trying to get some for nearly a year, and just seem to be pushed between different people. I have a brief session of counsueling last year which was extremely helpful. Have been trying to access that again, but they have given me two messages. One stating they do not want to work with me because my needs are too complex. The other one stating they wanted to wait until my diagnosis until considering future work. Recent contact attempts have resulted in no response.

I don't understand why my autism team does not provide counsueling when other's teams seem to offer it. 

I would appreciate any advise. I have been back to my GP, twice, who keep referring me back to either my autism team, or the other team who have said they dont want to work with me

The diagnosis was very hard on me, and I mentioned in the interviews I would need some counsuelling to help me get through. I am just finding life getting increasingly difficult, I cant cope. I have told work, who said they would provide support, but nothing has materialised. I just feel totally lost

Random

  • I cannot advise either, just say that counselling dont work for me. What helped me was Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.  But then I can't do that at home on my own as such. It worked when I was seeing a psychologist and she was very good and didn't judge me for bringing issues that were upsetting me. I had CBT before I was assessed for Autism and in fact the CBT file they had of me was used to help in making a referal for diagnosis.

    The person who actaully gave my Diagnosis is a specialist Pyschologist on the spectrum. I had to wait for him because he can give tips if the diagnosis turns out not to be Autism/ASD Spectrum.  I was told at the diagnosis session he will see people if they ask for that extra help as in counselling. 

    I don't think an ordinary counsellor would help much because they may think we are waisting their time because I know I for one would bring in the same issue almost over and over again having gone through it, it be resolved but the next time it happened it like at though I won't have learned from it - in their eyes as such. It needs to be a counsellor who works with Autism to understand that the issue as such as in my case never really goes away because I don't have that piece of the jigsaw to help me to work through it myself.  Luckily I have a few understanding people around who I commicate with the best way I find to communicate. It more about offloading and when I do need to talk it through as such, resolve it I still off load it but have that time to talk about seemingly the tiniest issue if comparing things to the bigger scheme of life.

    It may be different for you. But perhaps you be willing look for counsellors elsewhere. Can the GP recommend any? Be it do they have a list? Or google a search online here and put in Counsellor works with Autism.  Have you the Charity - MIND in your area? It can be a waiting list like anywhere else but they may be a good first step as you explore what out there. The first counsellor you may meet might not be the one anyway. Like other things sometimes we have to shop around. And take note of ourselves for what works best for you. 

    Counselling in itself don't work for me. CBT did. Now I offload to someone in a format I can do and sometimes follow it up.  Hope that provides some insight.

  • Hi

    I cannot give advice but wanted to say that I find myself in the same position. I would find some counselling or mentoring very useful but none is available,

    Even if go private there is no one with experience and training in counselling autistic people in my area.To go to a counsellor with no experience in this would be like sending a diesel car to a garage that only knew about petrol engines. My workplace funds an external counselling scheme but because I said I was autistic they referred me to a mental health nurse instead.

    Like you I struggled to come to terms with a late diagnosis but I found help in the form of a local group which supports HFA adults. What really helped was meeting other people like myself and finding that with them there are no communication issues and no need to explain or conceal bit of myself.

    My situation at work is difficult and I have sought help from Access to Work. They are funding a worksplace assessment by the NAS but my attempts to get any mentoring or counselling have failed. The man assigned to my case said he could do it. I was sceptical but all faith in him flew out the window when I asked about handling a difficult situation and he told me just to be diplomatic. Like asking a dog to juggle.