Autism

A lot of research and treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has focused on "fixing" or "curing" the person who has the diagnosis. At Heart of Therapy, we believe that people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (or Social Communication Disorder, or Alexithymia) don't need someone to try and fix or cure them. You aren't a puzzle piece that needs to find its place. You already belong. You were never missing. You aren't broken. You are equal.

You may need someone to come alongside and help you figure out how to navigate the expectations and rules of the world and relationships, to learn how to cope when your body floods with sensation and emotion, and to help separate out depression, anxiety, trauma or mood disorders that exist that might need intervention.

Everyone has a right to be authentic to who they are, even in their differences. So many of our clients tell us they feel like aliens on a foreign planet. They've repeatedly been told that they don't belong, that they are weird, and that something is wrong with them. They spend most of their day masking and then end up exhausted from the energy it takes to participate in relationships with others. We believe that it's the society that needs to change. 

Acceptance, education, appropriate support, and understanding are critical to healing from the pain others have caused Autistic individuals. We do not use structured CBT or ABA with our clients. You will never be forced to make eye contact or told that you need to sit still or stop moving. Our therapists have their own neurodivergence and within that their own unique quirkiness. Your time here will never be met with judgement.

We utilize attachment theory, aspects of Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and, when needed, Life Skills and Relationship education.

Services for Autistic teens and adults are often challenging to find. Because of this, our practice focuses solely on providing affirming therapy services to these age groups. If you have been diagnosed with Autism, love someone who has or wonder if this could be why your brain processes information the way it does - please reach out to see if we can support you.

You can be you here. 

For some people, finding out they are Autistic is a relief. It's not always easy though to get a formal diagnosis. And there are still discrepancies in the rate of diagnosis related to gender, race and socioeconomic status. You could make it to adulthood before you ever even considered Autism.

At its core Autism is a difference in the way the brain processes information. Autistic individuals are impacted in ways that may require different levels of support. Autism is not a cognitive deficit, and being non-verbal is not a sign of cognitive issues.

It's important to understand that a diagnosis of Autism does not mean you will never be able to have a romantic partner, have a great job or start a family if these are things you want. It's also important to know there is absolutely nothing wrong with you if you don't want any of these things. A diagnosis doesn't define you. 

Below you will find the diagnostic criteria for Autism followed by educational videos created by people who have lived experiences of being Autistic.

What is the criteria for Autism according to the CDC?

To meet diagnostic criteria for Autism according to DSM-5, a person must have persistent deficits in each of three areas of social communication and interaction (see A.1. through A.3. below) plus at least two of four types of restricted, repetitive behaviors (see B.1. through B.4. below).

1. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
   1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
   2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
   3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understand relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.

Specify current severity:

Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior.

1. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
   1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple motor stereotypes, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).
   2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat same food every day).
   3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g., strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests).
   4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g. apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement).

Specify current severity:

Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior.

1. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may be masked by learned strategies in later life).
2. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
3. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level.

Note about the DSM and Autism: It is well understood that the DSM is not inclusive of all of the ways in which Autism can impact a person. The DSM is not an affirming resource. Autism and ADHD often overlap. Autism and giftedness often overlap. Caution should be used when only using the DSM to diagnose and understand a persons neurodivergence or experience of Autism.