The Therapist Thrival Guide 30. We Don't Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder
We want to be clear -- as therapists we don't seek to treat the ASD as much as we treat the SYMPTOMS of neurodivergence that create DISTRESS for the kids. In this episode kid therapist Kelly Pieper, LICSW and child psychiatrist Dr. Claire Garber are discussing symptoms of ASD in kids, therapeutic treatments for distressing symptoms, and common medications prescribed for this population. We also talk about how therapists and prescribers can work together to serve clients, professionals can best support family members of clients, and tips for how families can be supporting their autistic loved ones.Please note that you might be used to hearing about “person-first language,” which is typically the best practice when referring to others. (For example, this means saying “person with epilepsy” instead of “epileptic person.”) However, some of our autism experts and therapists discussed that “identity-first” language is typically what autistic folks prefer. You'll hear us using both in this episode.According to Raising Children, “Many autistic people and autism experts and advocates prefer identity-first language because it indicates that being autistic is an inherent part of a person’s identity, not an addition to it.” Sources: https://raisingchildren.net.au/autism/learning-about-autism/about-autism/autism-language-on-raisingchildren.net.au "How To Support Your Autistic Loved One" blog: https://elliementalhealth.com/how-to-support-your-autistic-loved-one/OUR HOSTS:
Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for several years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, case manager, and the Director of Brand Content at Ellie Mental Health. Follow her on LinkedIn.
Dr. Lucas Volini, LMFT, has been practicing as a marriage and family therapist for over ten years. He has worked as a couple's therapist, a graduate and undergraduate professor, researcher, author, and the Senior Director of Innovation at Ellie Mental Health...But he mostly sees himself as a professional recreational golfer.
The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.
Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and has expanded to an explosive number of locations across the country.