Being A psychotherapist and psychologist

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Missworry
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12 Jul 2017, 1:04 pm

Hi

I have a question.
Can people with Asperger be a psychologist or psychotherapist?

Thanks in advance.



will@rd
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12 Jul 2017, 1:14 pm

My therapist told me she's pretty sure one of her colleagues is an undiagnosed Aspie.

Actually, in college, I toyed with both Psych and Secondary Ed, but dropped out to go back to broadcasting.


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Missworry
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12 Jul 2017, 1:19 pm

Thanks A lot for replying. I am recently being diagnosed for asperger (HFA). I am still in the process. But I am a psychologist and I want to be a psychotherapist. But people tell me that it's impossible to be asperger and be someone who helps people with psychological problems. But looking around here on the forum I see that a lot of aspergers study psychology .



Kiriae
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12 Jul 2017, 2:12 pm

I am not sure if it is possible to be a psychologist/psychotherapist when you have Asperger but a girl I am helping by talking with her through the internet told me I would be a good psychoterapist and I should try getting a job like this.

She has a lot of problems (I suppose HFA+paranoia or an early schizophrenia) and I made her visit a psychiatrist and tell them what she told me because she clearly needs medical help and she was getting dangerous to herself(but she would hide it from the doctors so she wasn't getting proper treatment). Now she is attending the treatment and asks me questions about her therapy, medicine, experiences and stuff. I hope I am helping her but sometimes I am worried if I don't accidentally make things worse. But I guess even just making her seek treatment and take the medicine properly was a success.



Campin_Cat
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12 Jul 2017, 6:23 pm

Missworry wrote:
Can people with Asperger be a psychologist or psychotherapist?

Missworry wrote:
I am a psychologist and I want to be a psychotherapist. But people tell me that it's impossible to be asperger and be someone who helps people with psychological problems. But looking around here on the forum I see that a lot of aspergers study psychology .

Yes, I feel a person with Asperger's CAN be a psychotherapist----and, I think it's RIDICULOUS for people to tell you otherwise (and, if any of them are in the psychology field, and can't reason / analyze further, than what they've read in books, then it's PATHETIC)! ! In fact, I'm thinking someone with Asperger's could be even MORE beneficial to others with psychological issues / disorders, IF, for instance, they remember what it was like to experience what the other person is talking about (IF they've experienced it); and, if they're able to handle the social aspect, of it, obviously. I've been "counseling" people, all of my adult life, basically----and, LOTS of people have told me, I should've been a psychologist (or psychotherapist).

Also, studying psychology (like you've said you've seen that other people on here, do) is nowhere NEAR being like the act of applying it, to a PERSON (especially, someone other than themselves)----and, I really feel that someone has to be the open-minded type, and the type who can put themselves in someone else's shoes, and know that there's more to life / people, than what can be read in psych books (I've often said that life ain't IN a book----and, if all books, were all facts, all-the-time, man would not have had to invent the term "revised edition" [ie, Asperger's no longer being a disorder unto itself, in the DSM]). Not ALL Aspies can describe themselves as open-minded, and being the type who are able to put themselves in someone else's shoes----but, certainly, SOME can; and, if YOU can, I say "Go for it!!".





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kraftiekortie
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12 Jul 2017, 6:26 pm

There are people with Asperger's in all walks of life----including many occupations which require socialization.



shortfatbalduglyman
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12 Jul 2017, 9:32 pm

"Can people with Asperger be a psychologist or psychotherapist?"

it is difficult to imagine, that the entire world contains zero autistic psychologists. given that plenty of people major in psychology. and plenty of people are psychologists.

however, "can", "should" and "will" are three different things.

autism is a spectrum. some autistics function higher than others.



JustJim
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12 Jul 2017, 11:32 pm

Missworry wrote:
Thanks A lot for replying. I am recently being diagnosed for asperger (HFA). I am still in the process. But I am a psychologist and I want to be a psychotherapist. But people tell me that it's impossible to be asperger and be someone who helps people with psychological problems. But looking around here on the forum I see that a lot of aspergers study psychology .


I know a couple of psychologists and therapists who have ASD. They don't make a big deal of it (I'm reasonably certain their patients don't know), and are accepted professionals in the community. They work in areas of practice that suit their interests, rather than having a general practice.