Neurodiversity Week: Autism in DIT

About this training

This day-long training in the clinical application of DIT in therapeutic work with autistic clients will allow DIT practitioners to learn and reflect on the conceptualisation of autism and challenges experienced in engaging autistic clients, as well as consider therapy adaptations to the therapeutic stance and techniques for autistic clients.

During the morning sessions, participants will be introduced to the neuro-affirming approach and some contemporary ideas in conceptualizing autism. In the afternoon sessions, participants will be invited to collectively reflect on the challenges they experience in their attempts to engage autistic clients. This will be followed by a presentation of some considerations for conducting DIT suitability assessments, and for possible adaptations to the therapeutic stance and technique.

Participants will be invited to think about:

• autistic IPAFs and attachment style

• the challenges of creating the 'we' mode, epistemic injustice, and epistemic mistrust in the engagement of autist clients

• adjusting the technique for autistic clients’ engagement and mentalization of their relational patterns

• adjusting the technique for autistic clients' needs to increase psychological resilience, reduce alienation and autistic burnout, and increase joy in relating with the world and others.

Aims of this training

• learn about contemporary conceptualizations of autism

• reflect on challenges experienced in offering DIT to autistic clients and clients who self-identify as autistic

• consider adaptations to DIT suitability assessments, the therapeutic stance and technique

• reflect on our professional counter-transference to autistic clients and the neuro-affirming paradigm

Who is this training for?

DIT practitioners and trainees.