#Autism hyperfocus how to#

#Autism hyperfocus how to#

It is imperative in couples work where one or both partners have or may have autism, that the counsellor has a good understanding of how this is likely to affect the relationship, and how to support each partner with their different needs and ways of communicating. For others however, it may be less useful, and perhaps an incredibly difficult and uncomfortable activity to engage in. Counselling is a relational activity, the message we regularly receive is that talking things through helps, and for many (autistic and non-autistic) this is true, and important.

Clients have reported to me feeling completely confused by a counsellor inviting them to reflect on situations or feelings, which can often be an abstract concept to them, particularly if they are affected by alexithymia, which simply described means it may be difficult for an individual to either recognise or put a name to feelings. Whilst we are invariably affected by our previous experiences, this approach may be less helpful for someone with autism. Furthermore, the very difficulty he went for support with was replayed in the therapy, how frustrating!Īnother common story I hear is counsellors or therapists being insistent in linking current difficulties to past life experiences. Whilst part of the client’s difficulty included fearing being judged by others, (if he said the wrong thing or could not speak) the client was left frustrated when the treatment did nothing to address what was the more significant issue for him. Without correctly understanding and identifying this, the counsellor formulated an unsuitable treatment path. The reality was that the client had difficulty in formulating his responses clearly in social situations, and his fear was more about saying the wrong thing, or not being able to respond at all. His explanation of the difficulties led the counsellor to understand he had low self esteem, and was worried about being ‘judged’ by others, leading the whole treatment path to changing his thought process about what others might be thinking. (See blog Autism in adults – verbal communication) One client reported to me that CBT for social anxiety was not successful for him because he struggled to verbalise clearly to the counsellor what his difficulties in social situations were.

Clients with autism may have difficulty with verbal conversation to varying degrees. Whilst I acknowledge the difficulty for counsellors working with clients who may be masking their true difficulties, and the well-meaning intentions to offer support, we need to be aware that not all counselling theories are suitable for clients with autism, or these may need to be adapted, and if we approach all of our clients with the assumption of their neurological functioning being the same as our own, we may well make the challenges they are facing more difficult.ĬBT is a well used, and often successful technique for those with social anxiety.

When the counselling experience for these clients is unsuccessful, it may only add another layer to the challenge they may have faced all their lives, to be understood. Many clients have spent a lifetime ‘masking’ their true selves, aware of some difference, but recognising the need to fit in. Some of my clients have reported feeling patronised, frustrated and confused by previous counsellors they have worked with. More and more adults are being recognised as autistic, but if an individual has yet to be diagnosed with autism, or the counsellor does not have a good understanding of autism, traditional talking therapies may be destined to fail, potentially leaving both client and counsellor frustrated. For varying reasons, people with autism have the increased likelihood of experiencing mental health conditions such as depression, OCD, and social anxiety, and are likely to be referred to, or seek support from a counsellor or therapist.