A Clinician’s Guide to Supporting Autistic Clients

How can I best support the needs of my neurodivergent clients in therapy?

Creating a more supportive environment for autistic clients can be a confusing process. With so much information, and so many different perspectives, it can be difficult to know where to start. Further, the mental health field has only recently begun moving away from “treating autism” to working with autistic and neurodivergent individuals in a more affirming way.

That’s why Dr. Amy Marschall created A Clinician’s Guide to Supporting Autistic Clients. As an expert psychologist and a member of the autism community herself, she recognized the need to move away from treatments that pathologize differences and toward a neurodiversity-affirming approach that meets clients where they are.

Inside this new and invaluable resource, you’ll find over 100 affirming tips, tools, and interventions that will allow you to:

• Honour the language preferences, goals, and priorities of the autistic community
• Create a foundation for assessment and treatment that best supports autistic clients
• Correct unintentional harms caused by historical “best practices” in autism treatment
• Address sensory stimulation and food-based sensitivities in session
• Facilitate communication among semispeaking or nonspeaking clients
• Request accommodations when appropriate
• And more!

You’ll also find a bonus list of resources about autism written by and for autistic individuals.

Neurodiversity-affirming care is not a set of specific behaviours or interventions but an underlying philosophy of honouring each client’s needs today and every day. Let this resource be your guide!