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Exploring Autism Therapy: Resources, Insights, and Support
Autism therapy is a vital part of empowering individuals on the spectrum to grow, develop essential skills, overcome challenges, and thrive in their unique ways. This page provides a curated collection of autism therapy resources designed to help you explore available options, understand their benefits, and navigate the path toward personalized care. Whether you’re a loved one seeking guidance or an individual looking for support, these tools and insights are here to help you every step of the way.
Recent Articles
How to Find the Right Therapist: A Guide For Autistic Adults
Finding the right therapist can be life-changing, especially for autistic adults, who often face unique challenges that many mental health professionals aren't fully equipped to understand. The therapeutic relationship is a deeply personal one.
For neurodivergent individuals, it's essential that the therapist not only has clinical expertise but also a respectful, affirming approach to autism itself. Too often, autistic adults encounter professionals who pathologize their experiences or prioritize masking over authentic self-expression, which can lead to harm rather than healing.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to find a therapist who truly sees and supports you on your terms, so that you can be partners on your journey toward better mental health.
How to Regulate Your Nervous System: A Guide for Autistic Adults
It’s likely that you’ve heard of the fight, flight or freeze response, but have you heard about its balancing counterpart, rest-and-digest? Understanding the balance between these two processes in the body is crucial for improving nervous system regulation and stress management in autistic adults.
Autistic people often experience heightened or dysregulated nervous systems, especially in overwhelming environments. This can lead to chronic stress, shutdowns, meltdowns and sensory overwhelm. Addressing nervous system dysregulation can significantly improve quality of life, physical health, emotion regulation, sensory processing and mental health.
Mind-body practices are effective tools for nervous system regulation, helping shift the body out of the fight, flight or freeze response to a state of safety and calm (rest-and-digest). It is important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new therapeutic techniques.
Mastering DBT Skill DEAR MAN: A Guide for Autistic Adults
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a structured, skills-based therapeutic approach originally developed to support individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Over time, it’s been adapted to help people manage anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation and more.
DBT focuses on four key skill areas: emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness and mindfulness. These tools offer practical strategies to manage emotions, reduce stress and foster healthier relationships.
For autistic adults, DBT is especially helpful for managing sensory overload, intense emotions, difficulty with self-advocacy and challenges in social communication. One of DBT’s strengths is its use of practical step-by-step tools that break complex experiences into manageable parts.
This article focuses on one of DBT’s core skills: DEAR MAN––a technique that supports assertive communication and self-advocacy. DEAR MAN can help autistic adults express their needs clearly, reduce anxiety in difficult conversations and build healthier personal and professional relationships.
