Autistic Professionals Peer Group
Professionals in the counselling and psychotherapy space have dedicated themselves to the healing and support of humanity. Through our varied and creative modalities and theories, we aim to ‘bandage the soul’ and empower the individual to continue on their journey in new and positive ways that enhance their quality of life.
Being Autistic in this profession to me has had a mixture of responses, with the negative primarily due to lack of knowledge or old sterotypical understandings. I believe being Autistic makes me a better counsellor. I have ‘studied people’ for years wondering what makes them tick, predicting, revising and predicting all over again.
I know that many spaces in our profession are not yet safe for disclosure and that many of us do not want to ‘shoot ourselves in the foot’ by revealing our neurodivergence. Hence, this confidential space – a safe little clutch where you can come as you are cameras off, pseudonym, chat only or as seen as you wish to be.
Our goal is to create a supportive community of shared experience and understanding-a place to ask fellow neurokin about their Autistic experience in any area of their life as well as particular challenges in our practice and field. This is not peer supervision but a very deliberate attempt to nurture community and mutual support for our fellow Autistic helpers.
We are so needed in this space, our unique perspectives, our divergent understanding and our capacity to attune are such strengths to support neurodivergent and neurotypical alike. But helpers need a safe space too. A space to be supported and to unmask, to see and hear their experience reflected in others-I hope you’ll join us.