Vanguard Neurodiversity Training

Two neurodivergent psychotherapists engage in an in-depth exploration of Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD), examining the characteristics and impact on neurodivergent individuals. This professional dialogue brings together clinical expertise with informed perspective to unpack the complexities of rejection sensitivity and its relationship to broader psychological experiences. The discussion moves through several key areas, including identifying RSD, the distinction between RSD and self-rejection, the basis for rejection sensitivity, and its particular relevance for autistic people and ADHD-ers. The two speakers, Vauna Beauvais and Eoin Stephens, talk about the realms of life that rejection sensitivity occurs, such as in relationships and in professional situations. They discuss the triggers, and examine various coping mechanisms and compensatory strategies, while at the same time considering the work needed for useful therapeutic practice with clients. Throughout the conversation, practical insights are balanced with theoretical understanding, offering valuable perspectives for both professionals and individuals seeking to better understand these experiences and finding ways forward. Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria: Self-Concept, Relationships and Professional Experiences with 'RSD' https://lnkd.in/eusi__jt

In this compelling dialogue, experienced psychotherapists Vauna Beauvais and Eoin Stephens offer a nuanced exploration of internalized stigma and autophobia in autistic adults. Drawing from both their clinical expertise and lived experience as autistic practitioners, they examine the complex interplay between societal messaging, personal identity, and therapeutic practice. This discussion provides valuable insights for mental health professionals working with autistic clients, particularly those diagnosed in adulthood. Their analysis of shame, status dynamics, disclosure decisions, and the therapeutic process of addressing internalised stigma offers practical frameworks for clinical application while challenging conventional deficit-based narratives. This episode is particularly relevant for practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of neurodiversity-affirming therapeutic approaches and the subtle manifestations of internalised ableism in clinical work. Autistic Adults Overcoming Internalised Stigma and Autophobia https://lnkd.in/eSx7-G9g

Vauna Beauvais and Eoin Stephens, both autistic psychotherapists, taalk about their approach to understanding autistic mental health in this compelling video chat. They introduce the four-domain framework - encompassing personal, interpersonal, societal, and political spheres - as a tool for therapists to better comprehend the multifaceted lives of their autistic clients. This holistic perspective is a key component of their Vanguard Neurodiversity Training, aimed at enhancing neuroaffirming therapeutic practices for therapist working with autistic adults. The two speakers stress the interconnectedness of these domains, illustrating how factors like school experiences, community dynamics, and societal attitudes collectively shape an autistic person's mental wellbeing. By encouraging therapists to look beyond individual behaviors and consider the broader context, Vauna and Eoin offer a way forward to frame the understanding of autistic lives in a comprehensive way and inform thinking about an empathetic approach to supporting autistic clients as a therapist. https://lnkd.in/e9DCmyKn

The ‘autistic identity in late adulthood’ epiphany unleashes a maelstrom of emotions. Relief at finally fully understanding oneself, hightened irritation at years of being misunderstood, fury at clear recognition of times of exploitation or abuse across the lifespan, and some sadness for aspects of an the self that might have been. This journey of self-discovery resembles a turbulent roller coaster, careening through loops of self-reflection and societal reckoning. The realisation that some past difficulties, errors, or failures stemmed from being a person of a minoritised group liberating and distressing. Additionally, relationships, career choices, and life decisions are reevaluated through this new lens, often leading to a profound reassessment of one's life trajectory. Yet amidst this emotional and psychological upheaval, ones current life exists and must continue, at least for now. One must navigate this internal revolution while still meeting external obligations - life admin, social requirements, maintaining professional responsibilities. For those in helping professions, particularly therapists, this revelation can shake the very foundations of their practice, calling into question long-held beliefs about human psychology and therapeutic approaches. This late-life autism discovery is ultimately a journey of reconciliation - with oneself, with one's past, and with a world that often failed to recognise or accommodate neurodivergence, and with a new way of doing therapy. It's a path that demands courage and resilience while holding on tight for the promise of a more authentic, empowered existence that deeply knowing and relating to yourself brings.

One-day (Online) workshop for therapists: "Autistic Burnout: Deepening Our Understanding and Refining Our Therapeutic Approaches." NOVEMBER 23rd (Saturday). 10 am - 5 pm GMT. This training day workshop is designed for psychotherapists and counsellors who are working with autistic clients and seek to enhance their understanding and insights related to autistic burnout. The workshop is hosted by two autistic psychotherapists, Eoin Stephens and Vauna Beauvais who share insights from clinical work and research materials, and join with the training group in a collaborative learning environment where discussions include knowledge sharing and explorations of client work. The day involves exploration of autistic burnout, from the point of view of therapeutic work, examining the experiences clients have had, or are currently having, reasons for it repeatedly happening, and how clients can live with greater and more reliable wellbeing. The day will be structured into four key sections: deepening understanding, therapeutic implications, coping and recovery strategies, and individualised approaches to prevention. Through a combination of slideshow talks, case study examples, information from research materials and lived-experience publications, and peer discussions, attendees will gain valuable insights into distinguishing autistic burnout from other conditions and gaining clarity on key elements of therapy that are useful for autistic clients. Tickets are available now: https://lnkd.in/eHtHTXJU

How can therapists differentiate between OCD symptoms and autistic traits that may appear similar on the surface? What is the emotional experience of OCD for an individual, and how does this differ from the experience of autistic people? How can therapists support autistic clients in distinguishing between helpful autistic coping strategies and distressing OCD behaviors? What considerations should therapists keep in mind when working with autistic adults who may have been undiagnosed in childhood and might be confusing their autistic traits with OCD symptoms? In this 40-minute conversation, autistic psychotherapists Eoin Stephens and Vauna Beauvais explore OCD and autism. They begin by acknowledging the higher prevalence of OCD among autistic individuals, while emphasising the importance of distinguishing between OCD symptoms and autistic traits that may appear similar on the surface. The discussion focuses on the key differences in motivation, emotional experience, and function of behaviors that may look alike but have very different underlying causes. Throughout the discussion, Eoin and Vauna draw on their personal experiences as autistic individuals and their professional insights as psychotherapists. They explore therapeutic considerations, such as the potential pitfalls of reassurance-seeking in OCD treatment and the importance of recognising the value of certain autistic traits that might be mistaken for OCD symptoms. https://lnkd.in/e7j98QWZ

LAST FEW DAYS TO REGISTER: We are running this Neuroaffirming course again starting September: The ‘Certificate in Working Therapeutically With Autistic Adults’. With client-work based presentations, and research info, drawn together with our discussions as a training group. It’s not a ‘model’ of therapy, as such. But the training focused on being neuroaffirming, culturally attuned, trauma-informed, and social-justice minded, - focussing on the wellbeing of autistic clients. Quote from Vanguard Neurodiversity Training: "We take the positionality of the bio-psycho-social model, rather than the medical model, in all that we believe in. The course presentations are around big subjects, such as energy management, relationships, minority stress, knowing the self and meeting needs, workplace, trauma, burnout, being a human being, the history of autism as it relates to us therapists, and much more. We meet for training on Zoom and there’s a supervision group / safe space included in the course fees. You can see the course details here, which starts September 2024 - with a longer description of it. There are some video clips of training segments, of the actual course which ran last time back in February-May 2024: https://lnkd.in/exAVKqv7

Embracing Autistic Voices: A Paradigm Shift in Therapy As a psychotherapist who discovered later in life that I’m autistic, I've witnessed a remarkable transformation in how we understand and approach autism. The rise of social media and self-publishing has given autistic people unprecedented opportunities to share their lived experiences, fundamentally reshaping the autism narrative. You know, this shift from clinical observations to first-hand accounts has profound implications for therapy. We're moving away from outdated notions, such as the myth of autistic individuals lacking empathy, towards a more nuanced understanding of neurodiversity. The concept of the "double empathy problem," for instance, highlights that communication difficulties between autistic and non-autistic individuals are bidirectional, not just a deficit in autistic people. For therapists working with autistic adults, it's crucial to stay informed about these evolving perspectives. That's why my colleague and I, both of us autistic people and psychotherapists, freely share the recordings of our collegial conversations for any therapists looking to deepen their understanding of autistic adult clients. This video discusses neurodiversity in the digital age and shares how social media changed autism discourse. The new autism narrative is from the mouths of autistic people themselves. It is real and relatable, and includes joys, struggles, and very handy useable insights that, not only inform therapists such as you and I, but also positively impact autistic lives. Join us to find out in this free-to-view recording: “How Our Voices Changed Research, Policy, and Autistic Lives” https://lnkd.in/ej7sWmP4

A New Perspective on Autistic Adult Wellbeing When thinking about autistic adults, is our traditional understanding of "functioning" due for a significant overhaul? For sure, the binary labels of "high" and "low" functioning fail to capture the rich, complex, and often fluctuating experiences of autistic people. In my years of practice, I've observed how these simplistic categorisations can be not just inaccurate, but potentially harmful. They often lead to misunderstandings, inappropriate interventions, and missed opportunities for growth and support. The reality is that an autistic person's abilities can vary greatly depending on context, environment, and personal circumstances. Moreover, our societal expectations of what constitutes "good functioning" are often rooted in neurotypical norms and productivity standards. These expectations may not align with the unique strengths, challenges, and aspirations of an autistic individual person. A more nuanced, person-centered approach is about understanding the people that we are working with and avoiding generalisations. And questioning normative assumptions around what functioning means, could be part of that un-doing. I've found that as autistic clients get their head around being autistic they ultimately develop a personalised strategy for ‘functioning’ that is aligned with their own wellbeing. This might involve unconventional work arrangements, different approaches to daily tasks, or lifestyle choices that honor neurodivergent needs and strengths. As we know, therapy isn't to make autistic individuals conform to neurotypical standards, but to join them in their exploration and discovery of thriving on their own terms. If you would like to hear us talking abut his, you can see the recording here “Autistic Adult Wellbeing: Functioning Reconsidered” https://lnkd.in/e3VXMPpz #NeurodiversityAffirmingTherapy #AutisticAdultWellbeing #NeuroaffimingTherapy

As psychotherapists who discovered later in life that we are autistic, both of us trainers at Vanguard Neurodiversity Training have witnessed how the democratisation of information-sharing through the internet has led to a surge in first-hand accounts, personal blogs, and social media discussions led by autistic people themselves. This expanded understanding has profound implications for how autism is understood by medical professionals, therapists, and by the general public. The shift has moved us from a paradigm where autism was primarily written about in clinical materials and defined by observable behaviors, to one that is bursting with rich descriptions of internal experiences and authentic life issues, both large and small. Here’s a 40 minute chat between autistic psychotherapists Eoin Stephens and Vauna Beauvais “How Our Voices Changed Research, Policy, and Autistic Lives” https://lnkd.in/e6YFHXYk