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Written by an autistic psychologist specializing in neurodivergent adult assessments, this pioneering book bridges the chasm between clinical practice and autistic experience via the author's unique and candid "insider-outsider" perspective.
Divided into three sections covering foundational knowledge, building connections, and clinical applications, this book integrates personal insights with extensive clinical experience, research, and perspectives from the autistic community, sharing both the author's own late discovery of autism and the parallel challenges high-masking autistic adults often face in receiving appropriate care. Readers will learn to look beyond a performance of "normalcy" to understand the internal worlds of their clients, addressing the sensory, social, and emotional experiences that are often missed and misunderstood. Chapters provide clinicians with foundational knowledge and practical strategies to address autistic burnout, complex trauma, social anxiety, co-occurring conditions, and differential diagnosis.
Ideal for healthcare professionals working with autistic adults, this book advocates for empathetic, informed, and compassionate healthcare practices and highlights the need for a nuanced appreciation of autistic adults' complex experiences.
List of contents
Part 1: Understanding Masking and Neurodiversity 1. Neurodiversity-Affirming Fundamentals of Autism
2. High-Masking Autism: When Signal is Mistaken for Noise
3. "Female Presentations" of Autism and Intersectionality
4. How Autism Can Go Unnoticed
5. Might You Be an Autistic Clinician?
6. Debunking Myths and Stereotypes about Autism
Part 2: From Theory to Alliance 7. Rebuilding the Therapeutic Frame for Autistic Minds
8. Exploring a New Autistic Identity: Grief and Integration
9. A World of Difference: A Practical Guide to Social and Sensory Experiences
Part 3: Clinical Adaptation for Neurodivergent Well-being 10. Alexithymia and Emotional Health for Autistic Adults
11. Autistic Burnout
12. Trauma and Autism
13. Anxiety and Autism
14. Substance Misuse and Autism
15. Sexual and Emotional Intimacy and Autism
16. Co-occurring Conditions in Autism
17. Advice for Collaborative Adult Autism Assessments
Conclusion: Self-Knowledge, Purpose, and Coming Home
About the author
Iain Dolan, MC, is an autistic psychologist. Drawing on his dual perspective, he specializes in providing compassionate, neurodiversity-affirming autism psychotherapy and assessments for adults.
