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Would you prefer to see a therapist who was also AS?

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VeggieGirl
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29 Mar 2013, 10:08 am

nessa238 wrote:
VeggieGirl wrote:
nessa238 wrote:

So you don't advertise yourself as a therapist with Asperger's Syndrome, you jsut say you have a good understanding of Asperger issues?

In which case, the OP wouldn't be able to choose yourself as the 'Asperger Therapist' anyway as you aren't making your Asperger's Syndrome known to anyone



Yeah, I know the OP couldn't choose me as a therapist with Asperger's. I have talked to one of my professors about my AS (well a few of them), and she said that it could be a niche for me, working with kids on the spectrum when I am on it as well. But for now, I am not open about it to clients. That might change in the future though, I am not sure.


You're probably doing the best thing in not disclosing it.



I think so too... There is some stigma around ASDs, and I am trying to retain clients AND not burden them with my own "stuff." They don't need to worry about me having AS.



nessa238
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29 Mar 2013, 10:08 am

shubunkin wrote:
nessa238 wrote:

I offer support to people on this forum

Just because a person with Aspergers sets themself up as a therapist does not mean I am duty-bound as another person with Aspergers to see them

Is it yourself who is a therapist or thinking of becoming one?


I'm glad that you support people on this forum - a lot of them are tired and disillusioned with life, live without diagnoses or understanding and need some empowerment and friendly guidance.

I would never suggest that this effort is substandard because it is offered by other aspies - I suppose I feel that good therapy and counselling is very similar in a lot of ways, to the practical and insightful advice given freely on WP.

I'm one of those recently diagnosed aspies - at times I have felt very uplifted by the comments of people on this board, and encouraged with the efforts they make to reach out to other anonymous aspies.


Giving advice on a discussion forum is not the same as being a therapist though

I know for a fact that my Asperger's Syndrome makes me a very intolerant person. I would want to keep advising a person and get very frustrated if they didn't take my advice. This is not how therapy works. You have to generally like people and like all their differences to do therapy; you have to be able to encourage people to make changes in their life of their own volition, not enforce change on them. I am far too controlling and egotistical to be a therapist. I can offer practical advice but I am not good at modifying advice to personality type.



nessa238
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29 Mar 2013, 10:10 am

VeggieGirl wrote:
nessa238 wrote:
VeggieGirl wrote:
nessa238 wrote:

So you don't advertise yourself as a therapist with Asperger's Syndrome, you jsut say you have a good understanding of Asperger issues?

In which case, the OP wouldn't be able to choose yourself as the 'Asperger Therapist' anyway as you aren't making your Asperger's Syndrome known to anyone



Yeah, I know the OP couldn't choose me as a therapist with Asperger's. I have talked to one of my professors about my AS (well a few of them), and she said that it could be a niche for me, working with kids on the spectrum when I am on it as well. But for now, I am not open about it to clients. That might change in the future though, I am not sure.


You're probably doing the best thing in not disclosing it.



I think so too... There is some stigma around ASDs, and I am trying to retain clients AND not burden them with my own "stuff." They don't need to worry about me having AS.


I totally agree. No matter how understanding and intelligent a person appears to be, they will always make a judgement when you tell them you have Asperger's Syndrome. If you are a good therapist, the fact you have Asperger's Syndrome should be irrelevant.



Nonperson
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29 Mar 2013, 1:49 pm

Ideal would be just on the edge of the spectrum: enough like me to understand where I'm coming from, but normal enough to be able to know where everyone else was coming from and coach me on interacting with them.

I don't think an intellectual understanding of what autism is is really a substitute. NTs talking about autism remind me of men talking about childbirth.



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29 Mar 2013, 2:08 pm

That doesnt really matter as long as the person genuinely understands me. Doesnt matter if there aspie or not. However it would be nice to have someone in my life who I'm close to that has a similar disability, not nessary to be aspie or on the spectrum. Just like anyone else, not anyone is gonna do it. Just because me and that person are both aspie, doesnt mean we'll get along great. If we do it would be great.



Panddora
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29 Mar 2013, 2:19 pm

As a therapist, I would want someone who treats me with respect and listens, so it wouldn't matter whether they were on the spectrum or not. If I was part of a support group, I would want all aspies.



shubunkin
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29 Mar 2013, 3:04 pm

Panddora wrote:
As a therapist, I would want someone who treats me with respect and listens, so it wouldn't matter whether they were on the spectrum or not. If I was part of a support group, I would want all aspies.


I agree. Where I have disagreed earlier with posters on this thread, is that they did not believe that someone on the spectrum could be a therapist ---

thanks for your input on this ! I believe both people on the spectrum and not can make good therapists....