Carl (aged 26) was referred for counselling at York Mind by his autism support worker. Carl was in supported living and had practical help in place, however he felt that he would like a space to talk about how he was feeling. Carl had 16 sessions of face-to-face counselling, to help him manage his emotions. The counsellor spent time getting to know Carl, to ensure he was supported in the right way. To make the sessions as accessible as possible, they used visual aids, doodling and music as a way to help him give voice to his feelings.

Carl described his autism as, ‘a gift with drawbacks’ and he worked with the counsellor to explore what this meant to him and how his diagnosis had impacted those around him – especially the neurotypical members of his family. They looked at his identity more broadly, and the role that his autism had played in other areas of his life, such as his experiences of bullying at school and sometimes being misunderstood as an adult.

During the course of counselling Carl also had a bereavement and the counsellor was able to support him through this, helping him to understand the grieving process. At the end of the work he said he was ‘happier and more confident’ and had really valued having, ‘a safe space to talk about things that were bothering me.’    

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