Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity (2022) by Devon Price, PhD
This was such a great book! I self-identify as Neurotypical and have not had a lot of training or experience working with Neurodivergent people. So this was extremely helpful to not only have this author collect and review extensive research, but to also integrate with firsthand anecdotes from the experience of NDs (identifying as a Neurodivergent themself). These perspectives really helped me to understand how the ND brain works, which helps me better understand how I can shift around to better connect with my clients and/or other ND people in my life. I was also surprised to see how vast the spectrum of ND is and I found some traits that I could resonate with. This book was engaging and interesting to read and has me excited to learn more about Autism and ADHD, which led me to this great training: Intro to Neurodivergence by Jessica Tewel, a Washington-based neurodivergent licensed mental health counselor.
How did I hear about this book: a fellow colleague
Would I recommend to colleagues: Absolutely
Would I recommend this to clients: I have and I do
How do I apply this content to my work: I do not specialize in working with ND clients. However, I feel like I got a lot out of reading this book and have since signed up for additional CEU trainings to learn more. I have processed my reflections from this book in both clinical supervision groups, as well as with clients in session who identify as ND. Additionally, one of my takeaways is how the experience of being a ND in a NT society can be traumatic in and of itself. The concept of masking as reflected in the title indicates to me an experience where someone feels they must repress or hide who they are to feel safe or otherwise adapt to the expectations of the society within which they live. And this seems consistent with a core belief that who they are is…not okay, …not good enough, …not worthy, …bad, etc. (which can be a common theme used with EMDR targets). Additionally, from a dance/movement therapy perspective, I’ve been curious about how this concept of masking is reflected in the body–whether in body language, muscle tension and/or pain, or any other chronic maladies or somatic distress. As part of the rapport-building process, I am trying to figure out how I can create a sense of safety by making adjustments/adaptations to myself/my therapeutic process to meet the needs of a ND client rather than asking them to adapt to an established therapeutic structure (which I am aware is inherent in making therapy services more accessible).
