Published on 12, July, 2020
For about maybe seven months now, I've been using BetterHelp for private therapy. I can't say I've found there to be any progress, though I'm not sure I'm going in with the right expectations. My therapist tries to get me to reframe my thoughts. Use less negative language, try to imagine more positive outcomes to situations, that sort of thing. "What would it be like..." is her common language for this. To which my response is often along the lines of "Well that would be unrealistic because xyz". She also tends to point out my "yets" as hopeful, despite my assurance that it's just to avoid an absolute statement. I can't tell if I'm being too rigid and set in my ways, if her approach is ill effective for autism, or a bit of both.
For anyone that uses a therapist, how do you find your engagements with them?
I've had mixed experiences: pre-diagnosis, I didn't find CBT at all helpful. Post-diagnosis, I was much better informed about what to look for from therapy or counselling, thanks to the book below - and I'm now benefiting from ongoing sessions with a counsellor who is also neurodivergent themselves.
You might also find it helpful to borrow or buy this book, too. It includes discussion of various types of therapy and counselling, together with advice on choosing the right therapist or counsellor - all from an autistic person's viewpoint. Several others here have found it very helpful, too:
The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy