Photo Paul Johns
I discovered I am autistic as a result of reading a random article after a difficult session with my supervisor.
Previously even when my life looked good from the outside, it often did not feel so great from the inside. I sensed I was deeply different from other people but had no way of describing this – it was an insoluble mystery that ate away at me. I consulted various therapists, psychiatrists and mental health workers to try and address the resulting depression. No one suggested autism and nothing seemed to help. It might be a testament to the power of hope over experience that despite this I chose continue therapy and to train and qualify as an art psychotherapist.
My guess that I was autistic led me to connect with the autistic community and get an official diagnosis. This was an epiphany - it enables me to understand myself and transformed my life.
In the autistic community I meet many autistic adults with stories of misdiagnosis by professionals and disbelief of their self-identification of autism by counsellors and therapists. I meet gifted autistics who moulder away in bedrooms rather than contributing and sharing their skills. I met Toby who had been county chess and bridge champion and mended TV’s for a hobby, but hasn't worked since he was badly bullied in his last job as a cleaner of public toilets. I knew from my training in art psychotherapy that autism was not covered. I saw in my work as a consumer advisor in mental health services that autism was not considered as a possibility when clients with autistic traits were diagnosed with “personality disorder” or considered “treatment resistant” or “not motivated to change”.
These experiences have made me passionate about contributing to the culture change that is necessary to enable more autistic people to contribute and live meaningful and fulfilling lives. I started Autism Matters and AutAngel with the aim of helping both autistic people and those in helping professions to better understand autism. I see that a road block for many autistic people is the difficulty of finding someone able to help them understand themselves so they can to mitigate the challenges of autism and capitalise on their strengths. Currently few therapists and counsellors have the information that would help them to understand and support autistics. Through Autism Matters I offer training to therapists and counsellors as well as direct support to autistic people. I developed interactive exercises that give a taste of what autism feels like from the inside as I want those in the helping professions to have an emotional as well as a theoretical understanding of autism so they can help autistic people. As someone who has experience of therapy and mental health services from both sides and experience teaching adults I am well placed to deliver training about autism.
I designed and developed "Exploring Being Autistic" a peer support and education programme I would have liked when I first discovered I'm autistic. This is currently offered through AutAngel which exists to grow autistic community.
I share my thoughts about autism on my blog, and have also posted a selection of my writing that was published elsewhere.
Previously even when my life looked good from the outside, it often did not feel so great from the inside. I sensed I was deeply different from other people but had no way of describing this – it was an insoluble mystery that ate away at me. I consulted various therapists, psychiatrists and mental health workers to try and address the resulting depression. No one suggested autism and nothing seemed to help. It might be a testament to the power of hope over experience that despite this I chose continue therapy and to train and qualify as an art psychotherapist.
My guess that I was autistic led me to connect with the autistic community and get an official diagnosis. This was an epiphany - it enables me to understand myself and transformed my life.
In the autistic community I meet many autistic adults with stories of misdiagnosis by professionals and disbelief of their self-identification of autism by counsellors and therapists. I meet gifted autistics who moulder away in bedrooms rather than contributing and sharing their skills. I met Toby who had been county chess and bridge champion and mended TV’s for a hobby, but hasn't worked since he was badly bullied in his last job as a cleaner of public toilets. I knew from my training in art psychotherapy that autism was not covered. I saw in my work as a consumer advisor in mental health services that autism was not considered as a possibility when clients with autistic traits were diagnosed with “personality disorder” or considered “treatment resistant” or “not motivated to change”.
These experiences have made me passionate about contributing to the culture change that is necessary to enable more autistic people to contribute and live meaningful and fulfilling lives. I started Autism Matters and AutAngel with the aim of helping both autistic people and those in helping professions to better understand autism. I see that a road block for many autistic people is the difficulty of finding someone able to help them understand themselves so they can to mitigate the challenges of autism and capitalise on their strengths. Currently few therapists and counsellors have the information that would help them to understand and support autistics. Through Autism Matters I offer training to therapists and counsellors as well as direct support to autistic people. I developed interactive exercises that give a taste of what autism feels like from the inside as I want those in the helping professions to have an emotional as well as a theoretical understanding of autism so they can help autistic people. As someone who has experience of therapy and mental health services from both sides and experience teaching adults I am well placed to deliver training about autism.
I designed and developed "Exploring Being Autistic" a peer support and education programme I would have liked when I first discovered I'm autistic. This is currently offered through AutAngel which exists to grow autistic community.
I share my thoughts about autism on my blog, and have also posted a selection of my writing that was published elsewhere.
'Caroline has a way of very clearly explaining the sometimes subtle aspects of autism and it's diagnosis. I was very impressed with both her extensive knowledge and clear presentation style. Potentially life- changing information...'
‘Caroline’s training really brought the true issue of adult autism to light. She delivered the training from not only a position of clinical knowledge but of personal knowledge. This perspective is unique and added a dimension to the training that I have not found in many other training sessions I have attended. A must for any clinical professional working with people or for anyone who is in a helping profession. Delivered in a clear, simple yet effective way, I left feeling the training with added skills and different perspective. It really did make the case, Autism Matters!
