AUTISM SERVICES
MORE THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT!
AUTISM-FRIENDLY?
These days, many people and organisations like to refer to themselves as “autism-friendly.” In fact, I have been using this term myself for a number of years now. However, it has come to my attention recently that it is not a sufficient description to express the appreciation and enthusiasm I have when working with autistic people. I would much rather state that I was autism-celebratory!
What Do I Do?
I offer autism specific therapy, often using a mixture of hypnosis and solution-focused therapy, for adults, young people and children facing all kinds of challenges in life. Typically, this often involves finding ways to live with anxiety, but not always.
I Do Not FIX!
I will not do any kind of work to ‘cure’ or ‘fix’ anyone’s autism. This is because autism is not something that can or should be fixed. It is a way of being human that can often feel difficult in a non-autistic world, but for which there are all kinds of supports and solutions.
Non-Diagnostic
I do not offer diagnostic assessments, but have found that many clients benefit from working with someone before seeking a diagnosis. You might also have just received your diagnosis and feel the need to address some of what that has brought up for you.
You Are Valid
You do not need a formal diagnosis to work with us, as we consider self-diagnosis to be valid. I am autistic and know first-hand how challenging it can be to walk around in a world that feels like it was not designed with you in mind. I also know how confusing it can be to discover you are autistic and not know how to process that or what to do next.
How Can I Help?
I have been working with autistic clients for over 15 years, whether that is for issues related to their autism (e.g. social anxiety, self-esteem following a diagnosis, etc.) or simply for tackling life and the various obstacles it can throw up at us. You may not even want to talk about your autism, but simply find comfort in working with a professional who gets you.
Who Else?
I love working with all kinds of neurodivergent people. However, I like to be upfront about the fact that although I am experienced in doing so, my only personal diagnosis is autism. I also work with family members of autistic people who are looking for ways to support their loved one. This will always be with their child’s knowledge and appropriate involvement.
I DO NOT PROVIDE ABA
(Applied behaviour analysis)
and do not recommend it.
At Hypnosis Northampton, we are positive about autism and autistic people, whilst recognising the additional challenges they may face. It can be hard work thriving in a world that feels like it was not designed with you in mind!
We like to celebrate the unique way our autistic minds work and would never aim to make someone act or appear “normal.” You are so much more than normal and should never feel the need to hide that simply to make others more comfortable.
TELL US HOW WE CAN HELP
As the saying goes, “If you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person.” So, even though I have worked with hundreds of autistic people, I would not presume to know how I can help you before I’ve even met you. However, here are some examples of the sort of issues that might cause someone to contact me:
Relax
Relaxation is an incredibly powerful, yet so often neglected tool. Some autistic people might feel like they don’t know how to relax, or be unclear what relaxation entails. We can help you experience deep satisfying relaxation and even find unique ways to relax that work for you.
Social Interactions
Are you sick of people telling you how to behave around other people, yet still keen to improve your social life and interactions? We can support you to find ways to be more comfortable around others, without having to fit into anyone else’s mould or expectations.
Sleep Issues
Insomnia, nightmares and other sleep issues can impact autistic people in ways that others might not appreciate. Hypnosis and other tools we employ can offer some relief here.
Overcome Blushing
If social situations prove difficult, you may have found yourself blushing more often than you would like. You might also find that other people fail to take this seriously, or think it is amusing. However, we know how uncomfortable and debilitating blushing can be. We have developed a number of techniques and approaches that can help.
Relationship Advice
It is not uncommon for autistic people to face additional challenges when it comes to maintaining friendships, or romantic and/or sexual relationships. Additionally, some people find it difficult to cope when a relationship comes to an end. If this feels familiar to you, it might help to discuss the ways in which you are struggling and learn tips and strategies to thrive in this area.
Anxiety Relief
Anxiety is a common complaint amongst autistic people. And then there are those of us who are so used to being anxious that we do not realise we are!
In truth, the sort of anxiety experienced by some autistic people may not share the same features as neurotypical anxiety and can require a unique approach. We will work with you to understand what anxiety means to you, how it impacts you and how to find relief.
Get it Done
Some autistic people can struggle with what the professionals call “inertia.” This refers to the difficulties faced starting a new task, or pausing an ongoing one. There are strategies you can employ that might prove helpful. Let us teach them to you.
Let's Play!
We can incorporate elements of various Play therapy models, in a solution-focused way to enable parents to improve their interactions with their autistic child.
Sensory Support
Sensory issues, from sensory overload to interoception difficulties are a widespread issue for autistic people. Depending on how this affects you, we may be able to provide advice, support and tools to assist you to use your unqiue sensory abilities for you good.
Perfectionism
As positive as I am about autistic people, none of us is perfect! If perfectionism or frustration are issues that frequently crop-up for you, we may very likely have ways to help you enjoy being imperfect!