How autism and therapy can work

National Autism Awareness April 2026

I decided to write this brief article in support of April 2026 National Autism Awareness.  In moving towards both awareness and acceptance of the unique autistic characteristics, we create a better place for people with autism.

Working therapeutically with autism, I have seen the benefits of therapy - on both practical and emotional levels - as highlighted below…

Autistic people can experience the world differently. They may … 

·       Find some social interactions and communication difficult.

·       Get confused as I don’t understand these unwritten rules about the world. 

·       Need additional time to process information and answer questions.

·       Desire time alone as I get overloaded by people 

·       Find forming friendships difficult (sometimes I may appear to be behave ‘strangely’ or a bit ‘socially off’.)

·       Struggle to ‘read’ people - their feelings and intentions.  (I prefer a more literal communication style.)

·       Appear insensitive as I struggle to grasp social conventions. 

·       Prefer routine and structure and struggle with unplanned situations.

General Information

Autism is both a disability and a neurodivergence. 

Autism is understood as a spectrum.  Meaning each person has a unique combination of characteristics. 

At its most severe, individuals can experience distressed behaviour (physically aggressive), learning difficulties and mutism.

It is often unrecognised or under / late diagnosed, particularly in girls and women.  One reason is that girls can camouflage their behaviour in order to ‘fit in’.

According to the National Autistic Society more than one third of people with autism have poor mental health. 

Given that the social world is not generally geared to autistic individuals, it’s not surprising that they experience a sense of feeling misrepresented and misunderstood. 

 What do neurotypical people need to know?

·       Being aware of the needs of autistic people - such as their preferred communication style and sensory environments, can help them to feel supported and accepted. 

·       In finding it difficult to recognise and regulate emotions, they can experience serious mental health issues.

·       Anxiety is a real challenge for many autistic people, particularly when in social situations or when facing change. They can experience difficulties in understanding and managing emotions.  When they can’t recognise their triggers and find ways to cope, their anxiety increases. 

Trauma and Autism

The likelihood of autistic people experiencing trauma increases as a result of their experiences including;

1.    Low self- esteem (being different to peers)

2.    bullying 

3.    masking 

4.    autistic burnout (exhaustion from masking true self)

5.    sensory sensitivity (e.g. pain, touch, taste, smell)

Therapy - How it can help make a difference

With the right therapy, autistic clients can feel safe enough to remove their ‘mask’ and feel accepted for who they are rather than trying to ‘fit in’. 

Therapy offers unconditional acceptance in relation to how they feel and behaviours. 

In becoming more informed of their neuro development, through psychological - education, they are better able to understand themselves.

Pragmatic approaches to help navigate situations, such as helping them to identify when they feel stressed, overwhelmed or anxious and how to cope to reduce intensity.

Clients can learn the ways to explain their needs to the non- autistic world. For example - I may need to repeat what people say to help process information. 

It can help them to navigate situations both personally and professionally.

Explore the anxieties they are facing and help to identify triggers and root causes. 

Crucially, therapy offers those living with autism - education, understanding and acceptance. 

My experience of working with autism in therapy

One client described it as …’an invisible wall…it feels like I am on the outside of.  Easier to walk away from it than towards it.’ Client SG

Through therapy, we were able to move more towards the wall and sometimes through it.  Being able to tolerate and share their experiences in the safety of the therapeutic relationship.

‘Our therapy had offered the time to reflect on what I had experienced in my life, before a diagnosis.  The sessions then also helped to work through the feelings post diagnosis. Client LT

In my practice I have the privilege of working with many people who are neurodiverse. Hearing their experiences whilst learning from them enhances my therapeutic practices.  Rather than emphasising neurotypical behaviours, I adapt my practices to suit their lens.  In doing so we can slowly build trust and respect, culminating in an effective therapeutic relationship.

Elaine Benardout

www.counsellingtherapies.co.uk

April 2026