Trauma-Informed Autism Assessment for Adults
I'm guessing that all of us have met someone at some point who we had a negative impression of (they're rude, unfriendly, snobby, dangerous, weird) but then at some point that story gets spun around and you realize that the story was actually much different. Sort of like when you meet someone who seems to be unfriendly, but you later learn that they are just very awkward and uncomfortable when they first meet people.
Pretty straightforward, right? A negative narrative was converted into an empathetic narrative.
However, when we have a history of chronic traumatic experiences, certain self-defeating and/or fearful narratives can be hard to alter. Our interactions and our self-talk have reinforced messages like “No one will ever understand me,” “I won't ever accomplish my goals,” “I need to avoid scary things,” or “I just need to be better.” As a result, our mind is distracted by these self-judgments and avoidant strategies, leaving little room for self-empathy or self-compassion.
This is where a trauma-informed autism assessment for adults comes in.
You and I will give voice to that old narrative, understand its basis, and start to form an alternative and compassionate story that is supported by the evidence of test data. We will, of course, answer the question, “Am I autistic?” and identify other psychological diagnoses, but perhaps more importantly, we are going to collaboratively answer the deeper questions, like “What is going on with me?” “Why don't things ever change?”
One of the key features of any trauma-informed practice is the importance of self-empowerment. In contrast to traditional assessment, I will reduce the mystery so that you know what we're doing, why we're doing it, and preliminary hypotheses along the way. The assessment provides data, but you and I will together make meaning of that data.
The other important aspect of a trauma-informed assessment is that it will help you to define a future path. The assessment does not tell the future (I wish it did!), but it will give us clear ideas about next steps and how to move forward in order to move you closer to a values-driven life.
For those of you that are more visual, check out this chart comparing traditional and trauma-informed assessment.
Assessments Are Amazing
Psychological assessment is a dream for someone like me – curious and smart, with a systemic perspective.
As a testing psychologist, I consider multiple sources of data:
Your History
Including life events, family of origin, culture of origin, significant relationships
Your Perception
With the clinical interview and testing tools, we can develop a pretty comprehensive understanding of how you see yourself, others, the world, and you in relation to others and the world
Objective Data
The clinical interview and testing tools clue us in to your level and quality of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning – in your personal and work life, and in your larger community – compared to the majority of other people
Projective Data
Projective tests, such as the Rorschach inkblot test, provide a deeper look into your emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning, some of which may be outside of your conscious awareness
As you can imagine, by the end of all that, we have pages and pages of information.
Then the magic begins…!
When the psychologist analyzes the information, it's not a simple matter of 1 + 1 = 2, because humans are not simple. So, instead of just being able to add 1 + 1 in order to get to 2, it is more like (1 x b/cd – rf + (2b – c)/q) + (1 x rfp + (ad/qc – b)/c+d) = 2.
We take all that information and we determine how they relate to each other, how they influence each other, how to resolve conflicting information, and how to mold it all into one cohesive picture that makes sense.
I think that this process is truly amazing… but then when you add on the aspect of trauma-informed assessment, then this amazing process becomes a transformational journey.
I can't wait to join you on this adventure!
Trauma-Informed Assessment of Autism
In the early days, I used to conduct autism assessments that answered one question, "Am I autistic?" For some folks, that's exactly what they want and are satisfied to walk away with either a "Yes" or "No" response…
Can I see you in your state?
Dr. Dug holds PSYPACT authority, so she can work virtually with clients in 45+ participating states plus Hawaii.
Check whether your state participates
In-person appointments are available at the Mooresville, NC office.
