Dr. Valerie Gaus-Strategies and Tools to Make "Any" Love Relationship Successful

7 snips

Feb 23, 2022

Dr. Valerie Gaus, a clinical psychologist and author known for her work with autistic adults, shares insights on navigating love in neurodiverse relationships. She emphasizes the importance of communication, suggesting couples create a 'third language' for better understanding. Valerie discusses how mutual changes and addressing shame can enhance connection. She highlights findings from a study that identifies key predictors of successful romantic relationships, urging partners to embrace discomfort for growth and thriving together.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Unexpected Path

Dr. Gaus's career path to working with autistic adults was unplanned.
It began with a job at a group home, where she discovered coexisting mental health issues in residents.

INSIGHT

Social Challenges for Autistic Adults

Many autistic adults, despite excelling in rational thinking, struggle with social aspects of life, particularly relationships.
This can lead to multiple failed relationships, even in individuals considered geniuses.

ADVICE

Seeking Therapy

If a relationship is significantly troubled, couples therapy is recommended.
Seek a therapist specializing in autism or a behavioral marital therapist.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Dr. Valerie Gaus is a clinical psychologist whose focus is on treating mental health issues in adults with autism spectrum disorder, including depression, anxiety, stress and trauma. She is also the author of "Living Well on the Spectrum. How to Use Your Strengths to Meet the Challenges of Asperger Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism" and "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Second Edition"

During this episode, Valerie talks about the circuitous route her career took to put her on the path to begin working with autistic adults. She also focuses on how communication is the key to "any" successful relationship and how many neurodiverse couples may need to create a "third language" so that they can communicate effectively and understand each other. She also discusses the results of an important study that highlighted the most critical factor to predicting that romantic relationships will be successful.

Dr. Gaus also talks about how important it is for both partners to make "some changes" and be willing to do "uncomfortable things" to move from "struggling to thriving". She also shares how destructive shame can be in a love relationship. She addresses how a partner may feel when they are repeatedly told they are not meeting their loved ones expectations, and why dealing with that shame is a critical step to move forward to create a healthy relationship

For more information on the counseling and coaching services Dr. Gaus offers, you can contact her through her website at: http://www.drvaleriegaus.com/

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you like this podcast, please follow us or subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Please also take a minute to rate the podcast.

For more information on Neurodiverse Love relationships, please check our our website at: www.neurodiverselove.com or follow us on Instagram @neurodiverse_love

If you would like to join one of our free online Neurodiverse Love peer support groups, please DM us on IG, or send us an email at: neurodiverselove4u@gmail.com

Also, if you would like to share your Neurodiverse Love story, or you work with neurodiverse couples and would like to be a guest on the podcast, please send us a DM or an e-mail.

Thanks for being part of the Neurodiverse Love community!