Autism coaching vs normal psychological sessions

I am glad you had a great session! Coaching is obviously right for you then.

Fen said:

I found it personally so my better that psychological sessions I’ve had in the past.

That’s great! Would you recommend coaching to other autistics?

so I have my first appointment with my autism coach and I have to say it was great! I found it personally so my better that psychological sessions I’ve had in the past. The coaching is a more directpproach that is aimed to help you more with day to day life. For me it seems more practical

Interesting - obviously coming from an Irish Catholic cultural background, I’m more inclined to look for a Catholic Priest or Nun (religious sister) who is trained in autistic issues, as my central focus is my traditional Catholic faith that helps me through this - the most important spiritual practice is having the discipline to pray at least one decade of the Rosary in Latin every day, going to Confession and attending the Traditional Mass in Latin every Sunday - listening to Sisters or Friars chanting the Divine Office is also another spiritually uplifting way to connect with the Divine, especially the “Veni Creator Spiritus” - I also have a special Devotion to Our Lady which is also very helpful, especially as we Catholics recently had the Feast of the Assumption on the 15th of August last - at my age, I find that my Catholic faith is ever more important to me as I get older 

You are so welcome! I am glad I could help you.

My suggestions about what a coach for autistics should offer are ideas, but a lot of autistic coaches/therapists specialise in supporting newly identified members of our community understand their profile.

For example a lot of the autistic therapists from the Association of Neurodivergent Therapists focus on supporting late identified autistics.

Just a thought , but it would probably be a good idea to try and find a coach who is also autistic as they will be able to understand your autistic lived experience much better than a non autistic.

This website Association of Neurodivergent Therapists may be a good place to start to find a coach:

https://neurodivergenttherapists.com/

Another website which may be of use:

https://neurodivergentpractitioners.org/

I hope you find the right coach for you!

Ohh this was such a great reply, I am going to look into this now. My work provides some money for coaching and I was thinking about finding someone who is autism centred. 

Thanks so much! 

You are very welcome! I hope coaching is right for you.

thank you so much, that is very helpful. i think i will definitely look in to it and give it a go. i really appreciate you giving me your time 

Hello Fen. I hope these sessions have been helpful for you.

 I think the main difference between coaching for autistics and vs psychologist visits is that the coach may be autistic and may also be able to support you with things that are specific to your autistic experience. I think this could include:

• processing your autistic discovery/formal identification 
• understanding your own autistic profile and advocating for your own needs
• fostering a positive autistic identity and finding community 
• understanding overwhelm as an autistic person and how to prevent experiences such as burnout 
• managing your mental health as an autistic person 
• supporting sensory needs and managing energy- spoon theory (maybe)

I hope this is helpful. I am not sure that what I have listed is correct, I suppose it depends on your individual coach. I apologise if my suggestions are incorrect, but I think this is what a coach for autistics should offer in an ideal world.

In contrast a trained psychologist is there to help you process and understand your emotions, thoughts and feelings regardless of your specific neurotype.

Here is an example of an autistic coach who can provide support with many different areas of your life:

https://www.theautisticcoach.com/autistic-life-coaching