Expert Autism Therapist Is Not So Expert

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Joined: 14 Nov 2009
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03 Jan 2011, 5:54 am

I have a new therapist following my diagnosis. I went to see her for the first time last week. Silly me got the day wrong and turned up a day late for my appointment. She didn't mind and made another appointment for me for next week. Then she said goodbye but before she walked off she smiled and STROKED MY FACE!! !

How can someone specialise in autism and not know that sudden, unexpected physical contact is a big mistake. I was so stunned I just froze to the spot but I know that my daughter would have screamed blue murder and hit her.

Dalton_Man321
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03 Jan 2011, 6:03 am

MotherKnowsBest wrote:

Maybe you just didn't let her know you don't like being touched? I have ASD but I don't mind people touching me in a friendly manner.

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Aimless
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03 Jan 2011, 6:08 am

I think that's inappropriate for any therapist to do to anybody.

shibashaba
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03 Jan 2011, 6:48 am

she may have been doing that to guage your state. i like being touched when i'm comfortable with someone, but when I'm not very comfortable I feel like my heart jumps.

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schleppenheimer
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03 Jan 2011, 6:56 am

I think that this was inappropriate no matter what -- autism expert or not. Just hearing about it truly creeped me out, and I'm not even on the spectrum (I'm a parent of a child on the spectrum).

Marcia
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03 Jan 2011, 8:24 am

schleppenheimer wrote:

I think that this was inappropriate no matter what -- autism expert or not. Just hearing about it truly creeped me out, and I'm not even on the spectrum (I'm a parent of a child on the spectrum).

This!

kruger4
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03 Jan 2011, 11:11 am

She realized that you were someone without much girlfriends and wanted to give you some love.(I'm actually serious)

bee33
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03 Jan 2011, 12:57 pm

I would find that terribly intrusive, and I think I would even if I didn't have AS. I would guess it's true she was trying to be caring and show support, but it still seems like the wrong thing to do coming from someone who has only just met the person, autistic or not.

wavefreak58
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03 Jan 2011, 1:02 pm

Seems very strange to me. Why would ANY mental health professional touch a client? If she had done this do me I would have reacted very negatively. I would have pulled back, trying to avoid the contact. I may have even aggressively blocked her hand.

If you see her again (I doubt I would go back), I would ask her about it and tell her not to do it again.

Makes my skin crawl just thinking about it.

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Wallourdes
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03 Jan 2011, 2:50 pm

MotherKnowsBest wrote:

For ANY health care worker this is unacceptable behaviour, unless it is done in (written) consent or done with professional intent (a.k.a. part of the standard treatment).

Ask her to explain her actions thouroughly or get a other therapist.
I really don't hope your therapist got interests in you going further then her professional terrain...

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Last edited by Wallourdes on 03 Jan 2011, 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Laz
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03 Jan 2011, 2:51 pm

If this is the USA can't near enough anyone register as a "Therapist" over there?

Moog
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03 Jan 2011, 3:03 pm

Stroked your face? How bizarre.

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liveandletdie
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03 Jan 2011, 3:36 pm

next time grab her hand and bite her, then she wont do it again

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03 Jan 2011, 4:15 pm

MotherKnowsBest wrote:

Then she said goodbye but before she walked off she smiled and STROKED MY FACE!! !

That's a terrible thing for any professional to do to any client, no matter what it's all about.
But for an Autism specialist to have done this - and on the first meeting??

Wow. I'm shocked.

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buryuntime
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03 Jan 2011, 4:38 pm

MotherKnowsBest wrote:

I would not go back to her. I'm the type of person who would have reacted very, very badly and I'm sure there are many others who would have.

Does she really work with autistic people or is the type of person who claims to be an autism expert after working with one person who has it?

wavefreak58
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03 Jan 2011, 4:45 pm

buryuntime wrote:

Does she really work with autistic people or is the type of person who claims to be an autism expert after working with one person who has it?

Or worse, one that has some strange "cure".

Watch your engrams. They may be in danger of being corrupted ...

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