therapy for adults with autism is an important way for adults with autism to deal with their symptoms and gain the skills they need to improve their quality of life. Therapies can include cognitive, behavioral, and social therapies. They also may include pharmacological, modalities, or other methods.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that is used to treat depression and anxiety, which can be very common in adults with autism. The approach works by changing a person’s beliefs and behaviors to reduce feelings of depression, anger, and fear.
CBT can be beneficial for many mental health concerns and it is a great addition to an adult client’s treatment plan. It is especially helpful when it focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns, such as overthinking or worrying too much about the future.
Depending on your individual needs, you might need to work with a therapist in a one-on-one setting or with a group of people. The therapist will be able to help you understand your specific symptoms and goals, which will allow them to develop a treatment plan that’s customized to your unique needs.
The therapist will ask you questions about your emotional, behavioral, and communication issues. You might also be asked to describe your interests and how you interact with others.
You might also be asked to tell the therapist about any experiences that you have had in the past, such as trauma or stress. This will allow the therapist to better understand your experience of autism and what it has meant for you.
Sensory Sensitivity – Sound, light, touch and other sensory input can be very challenging for adults with autism. This can make it difficult to engage in the normal social activities that we take for granted, such as talking with friends, eating, or even watching a movie.
This can be especially difficult for clients with autism who have hypersensitivity, which is a condition where their response to a stimulus is too strong. They might have problems with hearing or seeing things, but may also be sensitive to odors or other smells and sounds.
Occupational therapy and sensory integration therapy are two types of therapy that address this problem. This is often done by an occupational therapist and involves exploring how the client might alter their environment to reduce sensitivity, such as by using earplugs or noise cancelling headphones when listening to music.
A number of other coping strategies can also be useful for dealing with sensory sensitivities. These strategies are designed to be more adaptive than just avoiding certain environments, so they should be tailored to your client’s needs and preferences.
Learning new coping strategies can be very helpful for adult clients with autism and other neurodivergent clients. It can help them feel more in control of their life and to be more self-aware and flexible.
Burnout – The stress that can be a part of everyday life for autistic people is sometimes intense and difficult to deal with. This can lead to a feeling of exhaustion that can be hard to recognize, especially for a person who has never experienced this before.