In this course, Dr. Tony Attwood, clinical psychologist in private practice and adjunct professor at Griffith University, outlines the characteristics of depression and anxiety associated with autism. Dr. Attwood also explores how mental health helpers need to work differently with clients on the autism spectrum in order to be maximally helpful, especially in light of the frequent alexithymia and overwhelm of the senses that they experience.
About this course
In this course, Dr. Tony Attwood (clinical psychologist in private practice and adjunct professor at Griffith University) notes how, with one in three autistic adolescents and adults experiencing intense episodic depression and the vast majority having anxiety issues, a different toolkit – both for the clinician and client – is needed for this population. From the “This is Who I Am” book through Energy Accounting to more traditional strategies for combating depression and anxiety, suggestions to fill the autistic client’s “toolbox” abound in this lively talk infused with deep understanding of and respect for those on the spectrum.