Should I become an autism therapist?

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I studied clinical psychology in the 1990s but did not practice professionally because a chronic pain disorder disabled me. What I did not know during that time period was that I was also autistic.

Currently I am principal caregiver to a spouse who is declining in his faculties due to advancing age, and many days I feel it is all the challenge I can handle. Yet I also feel like I desperately need to get out of my house sometimes! I have given some thought to getting back into the therapy or counseling field on a part-time basis. Since I haven't done that in a quarter century, I would probably start (and maybe continue) just as a volunteer therapist at a community mental health center.

I guess what gives me pause is that I'm not sure if an autistic person would make a good therapist. Any thoughts?

That's an interesting question.

I've thought about doing this myself.

I do have problems with "getting out of myself," and attending to the client. I noticed this when I had my speech pathology practicum.

For you, though, it might be different.

The only answer to that question, unfortunately, is that you'll just have to try. I can't see why it wouldn't work though.

Please do try. We need all the therapist who understand autism we can get.

I would like to become an autism therapist.

My problem is patience, really. I tend to like to see tangible progress quicker than what is possible with a person. I have to learn that therapy is a "process," and that sometimes the "process" can involve needing lots of patience, waiting for a client to "come around."

I would also have to take the heaps of abuse which will be dispensed to me by angry people. I have to know that this anger could be part of the catharsis---a catharsis which leads to eventual healing.

The good thing about being in the therapeutic community----is that there IS a community. Mentors are always mentoring people. Feedback is gladly given.

Me too. Down the line.

I would ideally like to work with academically gifted people with mental health challenges (in particular ASC) in an educational environment.

Maybe I would also like to set up a camp focusing on building confidence though hands on skills amongst children and teens with ASC.

So I think YES do it. And please come back and report how you get on. You do have a lot of hard and challenging work going on on the domestic front but this will be entirely different kind of work and might stimulate you and be rewarding for you in other ways.

Of course, I believe 100% you would be excellent at this. It is really just a question of not over burdening yourself too much at this point.

I got my Bachelor's in it, and in English (double-majored). I haven't gone for my Master's in it because Speech Pathology takes a certain amount of physical agility. Especially when swallowing disorders (dysphagia), motor speech disturbances (dysarthria), and more subtle disorders of "motor planning" (apraxia of speech) are involved.

It took me 8 years to get the degree.

I'm thinking of going the "counseling" route for my Master's. I've taken three Social Work courses on the Master's level. More theory than practice.

Are you! I'm surprised. You have the energy? Would you go at night while keeping your current job?

I have certainly noticed you being patient with many of our troubled members, and offering kindness and support. I think it is one reason you are appreciated here.

Thank you for the compliment.

I am hoping, actually, to be able to go mostly the "online" route.

I am fortunate, however, in there being many colleges near where I work, so if I had to take classes in the colleges themselves, I'd be able to do that.

I work in a college library as a part-time job. It's possible I can get tuition assistance at this college. They have counseling programs there.

I would always do well academically----never had a problem with that. It's the practica that might give me trouble. When I did my practicum in speech pathology in 2005, I only got a C, but an A in the academic portion, for an overall B in the course.

It was also mentioned by somebody recently that I can go into "peer-to-peer" counseling. I'll have to research this further.

I firmly believe that all three of you, Bea, Kraftie and Elsa, would be good at helping people with counseling or therapy.

And you too, Neilson.

Not me, sir. I used to be a professional sailor working for sailing training trusts, most of the clients were kids with behavioural issues. I would like to get back to something like this with a practical element. I don't have the conversational skills, academic aptitude or mental flexibility to be more focused, but thank you.

Don’t you feel that what you did was a form of therapy for kids with behavioral issues—sort of like being a shrink without all the formal psychological methodology?

I feel that it is, and that many others feel the same way.