Autism Therapy
Does Living With Autism Frequently Make You Feel Misunderstood?
Has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ever prevented you or your child from feeling comfortable in your own skin?
For example, does the desire to follow a routine or difficulty in shifting focus from an interesting task ever create friction at work or school?
Do sensitivities to sensory input, such as noise, touch, or taste, lead to intense reactions that feel uncomfortable or overwhelming?
Navigating a world that’s not designed for a neurodivergent brain can present challenges that disrupt your sense of balance. You may experience heightened sensitivity to certain stimuli—such as loud noises, specific food textures, or the sensation of clothing labels rubbing against your skin—while being less aware of others, like temperature changes or pain. Additionally, self-soothing behaviors, like hand-flapping or fidgeting, might seem unusual to others, making you feel self-conscious or misunderstood.
Social Interactions May Be Challenging And Confusing
When you have ASD, social interactions can feel like a game you’re expected to play without the benefit of knowing the rules. Picking up on nonverbal communication, reading social cues, or following the back-and-forth flow of conversation may be elusive, making it more difficult to form friendships and connect with peers. This isolation could make you more prone to anxiety and low self-esteem.
Perhaps you’re an adult coming to terms with your diagnosis later in life or the parent of a child who struggles to navigate their neurodiversity at a mainstream school. If you or your child could use support in gaining a better understanding of autism, therapy can help. In counseling for autism spectrum disorders, we can help you learn how to work with your brain rather than against it, finding ways to bring more ease and comfort into your daily routine.
Reach out today!
Our Definition Of Autism Has Evolved
Over the past 20 years, the diagnostic criteria for ASD have seen drastic changes. Since the introduction of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses (DSM-5) in 2013, a far broader spectrum of neurodivergence has been identified amongst children and adults.
In 2020, the U.S. autism rate in 8-year-olds was 1 in 36, and it is estimated that 1 in 45 adults ages 18–84 years are living with ASD. [1] [2] However, public perception of ASD is often based on outdated media representations from the past, such as Rain Man and The Good Doctor, that don’t reflect its broader, present-day diagnosis.
We May Be Resistant To Recognizing Our Need For Support
In addition to combating the stigma around mental health, many with autism believe their unique experience of ASD is not valid when compared to others. They may minimize their challenges, believing they don’t need autism therapy since they’re seemingly “high functioning,” based on societal norms of having a job, friends, or a partner.
But just because you’re good at masking your symptoms doesn’t mean you have to struggle with ASD alone. The good news is that in counseling for adults with autism, you can acknowledge your challenges in a supportive environment and develop personalized solutions for them. Autism therapy tailored for children can help nurture self-acceptance so they can embrace neurodiversity with more positivity and confidence.
Autism Therapy Can Help You Navigate The World With More Confidence
If your autism diagnosis feels othering or “wrong,” you may worry that in therapy you’ll be expected to conform to neurotypical norms by changing how you think and behave. However, at Theory & Method, we will never ask you to change what makes you who you are.
Rather, our goal is to help you understand and accept all the ways your unique brain operates differently than others. With this insight, you can identify tangible strategies and accommodations that make life for you or your child easier to navigate.
What To Expect In Sessions
Our first priority is to build rapport and trust with you, creating a safe space to learn and explore what autism means to you. This might include incorporating fidget toys and stress balls, physical movement, or vocalization into sessions to ensure you feel comfortable and at ease.
Long-term goals often center on finding out what your innate talents and abilities are and capitalizing on them to find workable solutions for day-to-day functioning. Learning how to establish both emotional and physical safety may also be explored in sessions. While symptoms of ASD must be present in some form in the early developmental period to receive a diagnosis, our clients often experience “aha” moments during treatment as they engage in life reviews and discover many autistic traits that were either misjudged or masked long ago to protect themselves.
The Modalities We Incorporate Into Autism Treatment
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help those with autism increase flexibility and promote behavioral change. With a greater sense of identity and self-acceptance, you can form deeper and more meaningful connections with others and take a more active role in cultivating your best life.
We use mindfulness-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for autism to recognize thought patterns, identify negative core beliefs associated with yourself or others, and evaluate the purpose they’ve served up to this point. Through these practices, we can determine whether these core beliefs still serve a purpose that aligns with your wants, needs, and values.
Because you or your child may find comfort and familiarity in sameness, any disruption to routine can cause great emotional upset. Elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for autism can help address this, particularly by promoting distress tolerance skills related to switching from one task to another and grounding skills to help regulate emotions more effectively. For example, we often establish safe spaces, people, foods, and activities to provide comfort which can reduce distress.
While some aspects of autism can be frustrating to live with, you also possess gifts and talents that make you unique and positively enrich your life. By providing personalized help and support, counseling can help you accept autism as part of your experience, embracing the best things about neurodiversity while building skills to help navigate your day-to-day routine with more confidence and resilience.
But Maybe You’re Not Sure If Autism Therapy Is Right For You…
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It can be difficult to take the leap and receive autism treatment, especially if parts of your experience are painful. Our therapists are diligent in exploring how your experience of autism impacts your life, along with creating goals for treatment that also align with your wants and needs. Many clients benefit greatly from processing their emotions and experiences to live a more fulfilling life.
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At Theory and Method, we take time to build rapport and establish a safe space with our clients. If you or your child has autism, this may mean adjusting the environment to best meet your sensory needs, establishing a structure that encourages meeting treatment goals, and providing any other accommodations you might need to ensure you’re comfortable in sessions. We are invested in learning about your unique experience and how we can help you meet your goals.
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Our practice is dedicated to supporting individuals with ASD. Many of our counselors have lived experiences with neurodiversity that inform their practice. Furthermore, every therapist on our team has undergone training in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, and is engaged in ongoing education.
Above all, we emphasize that living with neurodiversity comes with numerous strengths and unique advantages, contributing to what makes you truly remarkable. Our mission is to help you identify your talents and expand upon them.
You Deserve To Feel Comfortable In Your Own Skin
We are eager to support you on your journey of self-awareness. If you would like to find out more about autism therapy for you or your child, please click here to schedule a free 15-minute call.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/why-are-autism-rates-rising-2025-01-14/
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9128411/
[3] https://www.healthline.com/health-news/autism-rates-in-children-reach-new-highs-experts-explain-why
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