• Replies 14 replies
  • Subscribers 5 subscribers
  • Views 202 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

My autism assessment psychologist laughed at me

KittyMetal

After a few years of realising I'm autistic, my GP's referral for formal testing ended up with me being assessed and then diagnosed as autistic in May 2026. The specialised autism service did a great job in my assessment and with my diagnostic report - I clearly saw a lot of autistic traits I wasn't even aware of, which was helpful.

However, at age 67 I had a lot of issues with this very late diagnosis. Especially regarding my self-identity and 60 years of masking (I found school report cards clearly reporting autistic traits that then "disappeared" the next term - actually when I discovered copying others and doing what teachers expected. That set up a lifetime of masking). At 67 I now don't know who I really am after masking for 60 years.

I was supposed to get three post-diagnostic follow-up support sessions with a psychologist over the phone. In the first session she laughed at me twice: when I described a traumatic childhood issue and when I told her I am distressed about the negative impact that my auditory processing disorder is having on my life. The effect of her laughing at me during my upsetting life experiences caused me to go into shutdown and end the session 10 minutes early. Nearly one month later, I'm still thinking of this awful experience every day and I get sudden anxiety attacks when remembering what she did. 

I wrote her an email about her unprofessional behaviour and impact on me. Her reply didn't have an apology nor did she take responsibility for her appalling behaviour, instead she shifted the responsibility to me, saying I "misunderstood" what happened and that she "uses humour in counselling sessions". However, the fact is that she laughed while I disclosed traumatic and distressing experiences. There was nothing humorous in either experience. I cancelled the two remaining "support" sessions.

I have contacted complaint sites, a clinical neuropsychologist (PhD level) I know, and my MP to get some consultation/advice for my distressing experience.  Everyone has been disgusted (and upset on my behalf) by her behaviour and they all urged me to make an official complaint, which I intend to do.

I'm writing this to ask if anyone experienced something like this (I hope not!) or if anyone has feedback or advice for me. I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts, comments, suggestions. Thank you for reading this. 

Parents

  • I've not had anyone laugh, but I have had counsellors and therapists ask me why some things happened, why others treated me in the way they did, I don't want to go into details, I know some of the things that I grew up with were odd, and often very wrong, but how am I supposed to explain the actions of someone else, when thats part of the reason I'm there.

    I think some people use humour inappropriately in the hope that you'll feel better about whats happened or in a very poor attempt to get you to reframe something, often reframing feels like gaslighting and often it is. 

    Does this psychologist belong to a professional body who you could complain too? If you saw them as part of the NHS then patient groups and the health trust may be able to provide some redress.

    What you suffered from this person is appalling and totally unprofessional and it's unsurprising you feel so upset.

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    Hi TheCatWoman,

    Thank you for your helpful reply and sharing your experience with therapists who need to think about what they ask.

    When I wrote the psychologist about her "use of humour" excuse I reminded her that she laughed at my trauma, which is not something humorous. I said she laughed AT me, not with me. Two of the professionals I consulted mentioned gaslighting, as you wrote.

    I'm in the process of a formal complaint to professional bodies, like you advised. While figuring out where to go and contacting sites, I went as high as the General Medical Council. She suggested the Health and Care Profession Council for psychologist complaints. She was appalled to hear my experience and got rather upset! My MP has been helpful too in directing this valid complaint.

    Thank you for your time, help and support. All the best Smiley cat

     

  • in reply to KittyMetal

    You're welcome, I wish you a successful outcome

Reply Children
No Data