Resilience course

It honestly drives me mad that people think autistic people aren't resilient. Personally think we're some of the most resilient people around. If NTs had any idea what we deal with on a daily basis to get through life.

A resilience course worries me. I've done training about resilience before and it was all about having to deal with the situation and it not being "fixed" in order to build resilience. I don't think this fits for autistic people at all. We need adaptations etc to cope. We need situations to be "fixed" or it can actually be traumatic. 

If the course has indeed been designed for autistic people I would want a clear layout of what the course involves and I would want those running the course to tell me how exactly it has been adapted for autistic people.

Expecto_Patronum said:

it was all about having to deal with the situation and it not being "fixed" in order to build resilience. I don't think this fits for autistic people at all.

There are a lot of situations where resiliance is necessary though.

If you are a factory worker in a loud, bright and smelly environment (eg assembling items from freshly painted components) then you can't tell the employer to turn the lights down, make the machines quieter or make it less smelly, you need to learn resilance if you want to work there.

This may include hearing protection but the rest is largely immutable.

Not every situation can be sorted with Reasonabe Adjustments which is why this sort of thing exists.

VLD said:

It is supposed to be for autistic poeple but the organisers don't seem to have any understanding of autism

I would go to whoever organised the course for you, clarify if this is supposed to be for autistic people.

Have you met the people runnin the course? I assume you have as you comment on their knowlege so I would write to them and ask them if they can explain how the course is designed to help autists in particular and what methodology it uses.

This should give a clear indication if there is a confusion about the autistic alignment or if they are just lying. Maybe it is actually designed well and it hasn't been communicated well so I would consider which of your autistic traits are most affected by it and ask them how it will help these when you are at the course introduction.

I've done all sorts of things in my life to develop resiliance whether working in a physically hostile environment, working with constant interruptions, interacting with lots of stressed people or in a role where I am constantly changing tasks to keep the "plates spinning" in order to maintain a service.

Maybe they have some of these techniques you can use to help yourself, maybe not but remember to ask for clarification when the course starts and give them feedback at the end where they have room for improvement. Be a part of making it better for the next autistic person.

They tell me they understand autism because they have been on a course!

I had a phone call with the organiser. 

See that statement "it is the same for everyone" rings absolute alarm bells for me.

I already asked them and they tell me it is the same course for everyone. I tried to explain that it may require adaptation to take into account our needs but they tell me the course cannot be changed. 

I think I have already decided not to attend but tell them why. 

Thanks for all your help guys. I was beginning to wonder if it was me that was wrong. Much appreciated  

VLD said:

No they don't understand.

Can you clarify how you know this please? Have you spoken in depth with the people who will present the material and/or reviewed the material?

I'm not having a go, just trying to understant the situation better

VLD said:

No they don't understand.

Can you clarify how you know this please? Have you spoken in depth with the people who will present the material and/or reviewed the material?

I'm not having a go, just trying to understant the situation better

I had a phone call with the organiser.