Who here works in the helping professions?

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And how do your communication skills, empathy, other ASD related issues impact you on the job?

I did, for about five years. Loved the job (advising college students). Apparently, they thought I did well as I got an award from them (the student body) one year. The admin wasn't too pleased with me, though, as I was more concerned about the students and getting them educated and out of there than following the rules to the letter. Empathy issues - It wasn't so bad - I went to University at age 30 so I hadn't been out that long myself and could remember what it was like. Most of the scenarios/questions I encountered were the same, so once I'd dealt with one I had a script for he rest (the questions and situations really - really - were pretty much the same for almost all of the students over those years). Since the answers were going to be pretty much the same, I could allow the students to do most of the talking. They liked that, it filled up the appointment time, I'd give the needed response, and everyone was happy. (Except the policy Nazis.)

Sorry I left that job for a "better" one (more $$$$$), but it was necessary. I still, many years later, get an email now and then from one of "my" students.

I work with people that have disabilities in a group-home setting. The biggest challenge that I've faced is getting my work-day into a routine where I do this task at such-and-such time so they overlap as little as possible.

Sometimes when my co-workers come in stressed, it's hard for me to tell whether they are stressed because something I did or because of their day. Usually I'll just ask to clarify in the context of if they needed help. I also trained with a guy that I noticed didn't do some things properly and it was hard for the manager to get it out of me that he was indeed not doing stuff. Thankfully she understood that I was hesitant because I didn't want to get him in trouble

As far as empathy, I do have a decent degree of empathy for being on the spectrum One thing that I can really relate to is my non-verbal clients. I can sometimes cry or act on a feeling before I can express it in words, so I can be more patient with my clients if they start crying & screaming. Talking to them and trying to calm them down before just sending them off to their room seems to help.

I kind-of did/do, as I'm a social work student and part of our studies involves being on field work practice, taking on a small client load, etc. Basically for four months I acted as a social worker at a child development centre [under supervision, of course] and did some counselling of parents, psychosocial assessments, offering advice regarding a child's emotional and behavioural development and issues, and the like. I had some clients under my wing and would go and see them independent of my supervisor.

My communication skills were okay for most part - written being the strongest. My supervisor was generally very happy with my reports. I had a lot to learn on the verbal side, because apparently I kept being too blunt when addressing clients, although I generally tried to keep sessions as informal as possible so clients didn't seem to mind my occasional blunders. Empathy was the biggest issue for me, and also self-reflection. I can fake it to an extent, partly from mimicry and partly from leaning onto my classroom training [as we'd done training on counselling techniques] but it was hard all the same.

I work as an attendant for special needs children in their home, and I do find it difficult to talk to the parents and let them know how their child is doing/what they did that day. I find it easier to empathize with the child because I can easily relate to them. Plus the parents that I have worked with know me and are willing to help me understand things better.

I work supervising nurses aide/attendant staff in a large residence for mentally ret*d adults-there are about 65 in my building, and another 75 total in the other three buildings. Its constantly threatened with budget cuts.
We provide a high level of service as a government agency. Unfortunately, we get undercut by non-profit agencies that pay $10-11 an hour, and few benefits. We pay $12.49 an hour, as a starting salary, plus offer a pension. In this business, the low bidder rules.

I work at a group home for the developmentally disabled in MN, I enjoy the work but find it boring because there really isn't enough to keep my attention going. My coworkers frequently tell me I need to sit down because I am basically keeping an eye on everything there. Due to the low function of my clients the majority of my work is routinized easily when I work independently. It is hard for me to figure out what my coworkers want from me though, sometimes I need to stop and ask them if they need something done. I really haven't told anyone I work with about my Asperger's diagnosis since I never am much for chit chat except talking about what the clients have done so that we can keep an accurate report at the end of the night. Currently I am trying to get into a supervisory position at my work, however with a sluggish economy it has been difficulty. I however have only been trying for four months but every time I get a rejection letter I start to freak out in my personal life.

I guess you could say that I try to approach my job in this field as if I am two different people, one part of me wants to be the ideal role model caring for the individuals in a non-judgemental and guiding counselor The other part of me wants to get ahead, freaks out about the little details and lets everything wear me down. To them I want to be the person they can confide in, trust and respect regardless of the situation at hand and for them I do my best to stay in control of my emotions. I think.

I'm always glad to see there are other aspies working in the helping or mental health professions. The first time I read about an aspie therapist in Women from Another Planet I could have cried. Learning that it's possible helped me through a difficult semester trying to appease third year evaluators during "check outs" (simulated therapy sessions in which the "therapist" passes or fails).

For two years and three months I've worked at a PRTF group home for teenage girls while working on my Master's in Clinical Psychology. I've learned more from working at the group home than I have anywhere else about social skills and being able to have some type of interface with the world. My co-worker ladies (women, all of them) tend to be educated, confident, fiesty, kind-hearted and in some cases territorial and of the "alpha" variety. I have had many ups and downs with these women but in my heart of hearts I adore them all. As far as the kids I have excellent rapport with the "broken cookies" (surprise surprise) and do my best to give them a sense that it's fine to be different and that they deserve respect. I have the most trouble working with the loud, hyperactive, "cool" girls who dominate the living units and make everyone's life hell. Nonetheless I have gotten better at working with them and not letting my personal experiences and feelings influence how I approach them, even if there are other staff who are still more adept than I at managing the "king pin" children.

This semester I'm starting my internship at an outpatient behavioral health center where I will mostly be doing intakes and testing, both of which require fewer interpersonal skills than therapy. I may be more well-suited for this type of work although I am open-minded about what could work out.