The message is gradually filtering down through the professional literature that AS people overwhelmingly respond very poorly to conventional forms of psychotherapy, most especially that old market staple, talk therapy. But because most professionals are loathe to take our perspective into account, there is very little discussion of why therapy fails so miserably with most of us.
But the big reason is just exactly what you touched upon: due to their training, they habitually try to relate to us by means of non-AS models of behavior, observation, inference, and perspective-taking (assuming they bother with any real perspective-taking at all). It is as if, upon dignosis, they instantly forget that they are dealing with a set of radical and pervasive neurodevelopmental differences, and instead, approach the AS person as they would any off-the-rack neurotypical who suffers from some collection of garden-variety neuroses
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Sacramento Area AS/Trans SpecialistjustisetpecatorMarch 13 2006, 01:55:23 UTC
Dr. Debra Moore in Sacramento http://www.psychpages.com/ specializes in adult autism-spectrum, and has practice experience and knowledgeable about trans stuff. She's about 1.5 hours from the Bay Area, but may be able to do phone or E-mail consultation
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Re: Sacramento Area AS/Trans SpecialistjustisetpecatorMarch 14 2006, 03:28:06 UTC
She might be able to provide ideas for referral in your area. Or, she may have some other ideas on how to make it work, like service via phone or E-mail.
Have you considered Cynthia Young (if she's still there)? I saw here briefly in Aug. 2004. I wasn't there for therapy, however - just to get a hormone letter. We had an hour-long interview and I paid her her money and she mailed me my letter. That is my only experience with therapists. All I can say is I found her easy to speak with and I know she is aware of aspergers + trans. (She knew I was on the autism spectrum and I know she is or has counseled at least one other AS/Trans person).
I haven't found any trace of her, but psychologists and such generally do a really bad job of advertising. Do you remember what town she was in - close enough for me to have an idea of which phone book(s) to try? (On-line phone directories found me a dentist by that name, and a "forensic psychologist" named Carlene Young, but nothing closer, but I'm not sure whether or not their listings are complete.) My guess is that she's moved, or is listed only under some business name.
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But the big reason is just exactly what you touched upon: due to their training, they habitually try to relate to us by means of non-AS models of behavior, observation, inference, and perspective-taking (assuming they bother with any real perspective-taking at all). It is as if, upon dignosis, they instantly forget that they are dealing with a set of radical and pervasive neurodevelopmental differences, and instead, approach the AS person as they would any off-the-rack neurotypical who suffers from some collection of garden-variety neuroses ( ... )
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taken seriously as trans if you
are an aspie?
Like your icon, snow leopards
are beautiful. :)
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I haven't found any trace of her, but psychologists and such generally do a really bad job of advertising. Do you remember what town she was in - close enough for me to have an idea of which phone book(s) to try? (On-line phone directories found me a dentist by that name, and a "forensic psychologist" named Carlene Young, but nothing closer, but I'm not sure whether or not their listings are complete.) My guess is that she's moved, or is listed only under some business name.
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Cynthia Young, MA, LMFT
2166 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
408.448.9809
Good luck finding someone...
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