Beyond the Stereotypes: The Truth About Autism

Blog | Mental disorder

Dispelling myths opens the door to seeing autism for what it truly is—unique and diverse. It's crucial to spread accurate information to combat stereotypes.

Autism can be 'cured' or 'outgrown'

No, because autism is an incurable disorder by nature. It cannot be cured. Autism is not a disease but a condition that arises due to developmental abnormalities in the brain's cortex. Some individuals with severe forms of autism can lead independent lives in adulthood without external assistance. However, there are cases where children considered high-functioning have not adapted to independent adult life.

Autism is related to vaccinations

Autism is not related to vaccination since the damage to the brain's cortex occurs during the fetal development stage. Autism has a certain genetic basis.

All people with autism are geniuses or have intellectual disabilities

People with autism are diverse. Among them are those who can solve mathematical problems and possess phenomenal memory, and there are people with average abilities.

People with autism do not feel emotions

No, this is not true. Children with autism can experience emotions of joy, anger, sadness, fear, and others. Sometimes they have difficulty accepting and expressing emotions, but this does not mean they do not feel them at all.

People with autism cannot freely participate in society

Certainly not, they just need certain conditions. Almost all individuals with autism have sensory peculiarities related to the reception and processing of information. This can be hyper- or hypo-sensitivity to vision, smell, hearing. Visual schedules for work tasks, daily routines, and body exercises that teach how to alleviate sensory deficiencies can be created.

Autism is just a brain disorder

Research has shown that many people with autism also have comorbid conditions—increased sensitivity to food, epilepsy, gastrointestinal disorders, and allergies. This important observation emphasizes that autism is not always limited to a brain disorder. Considering this helps create a more individualized approach to supporting people on the autism spectrum.

We live during an autism epidemic

No, this is not the case. Such statements usually arise when pointing to changes in statistics. Not long ago, it was believed that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in 160 children has autism. Some other studies suggest that every 88th child has autism. But this statistic is simply a result of improved understanding of autism, awareness about it, and the quality of diagnosis in recent years.

Author: Mark Lisevych

08 May 2024

What are the benefits of a free consultation?

Getting to know the psychologist: You can talk to the psychologist to see if they are a good fit for you in terms of their work style, personality, and specialization.

Defining the problem: You can describe your problem in detail and get qualified advice from the psychologist, which will help you better understand the nature of your problem.

Developing a plan of action: You can get recommendations on how to solve your problem, which methods and approaches may be the most effective.

Feeling supported: You can get emotional support and feel that you are not alone, because the psychologist will listen to you attentively.

Who is a free consultation suitable for?

Those looking for a psychologist: A free consultation can help you make the right choice, as you can talk to several psychologists before making a final decision.

Those who are unsure whether they need psychotherapy: A free consultation can help you understand whether psychotherapy can help you solve your problem and whether it is right for you.

Those who have a limited budget: A free consultation is an opportunity to get qualified help from a psychologist for free, to see if you need further psychotherapy.

Those who may be nervous or hesitant to start psychotherapy: A free consultation gives you the opportunity to overcome your fear of the first meeting with a psychologist, get answers to your questions, and feel more confident.

Important:

A free consultation is not a substitute for psychotherapy.

In a free consultation, the psychologist cannot give you a final diagnosis or prescribe treatment.

The purpose of a free consultation is to help you determine if a psychologist and psychotherapy are right for you, and to give you the first steps to solving your problem.

Potential benefits of a free initial consultation

During this first session: potential clients have the chance to learn more about you and your approach before agreeing to work together.

Offering a free consultation will help you build trust with the client. It shows them that you want to give them a chance to make sure you are the right person to help them before they move forward. Additionally, you should also be confident that you can support your clients and that the client has problems that you can help them cope with. Also, you can avoid any ethical difficult situations about charging a client for a session in which you choose not to proceed based on fit.

We've found that people are more likely to proceed with therapy after a free consultation, as it lowers the barrier to starting the process. Many people starting therapy are apprehensive about the unknown, even if they've had sessions before. Our culture associates a "risk-free" mindset with free offers, helping people feel more comfortable during the initial conversation with a specialist.

It's important to note that the initial consultation differs from a typical therapy session:

It can last from 15 to 30 minutes, with the specialist determining the appropriate length for this introductory meeting.

The free initial consultation is not intended to be a full therapy session. It is an opportunity for the client to learn more about the specialist and their approach to therapy, and to decide whether they want to work together.

The specialist should set clear boundaries for the free initial consultation, including the length of the session and the topics that can be discussed.

The specialist should be prepared to answer questions from the client about their experience, training, and qualifications.

The specialist should not give specific advice or recommendations during the free initial consultation. This should be done during a paid session.