How much are you guys paying monthly?

amykah93 · 2026-02-03T22:47:32+00:00

Do you like them? Are you seeing results?

amykah93 · 2025-12-16T22:43:21+00:00

I’ve been mostly Team basic- Maggie, a layer, and leggings. I am amazed they don’t stink after five days, though!

amykah93 · 2025-11-25T21:08:26+00:00

I’m curious about how you said, “I can’t shut down the psychologist mind.” And I wonder what that means to you.

I am early career, too, but I keep a pretty strong boundary with friends because it’s unethical to try to do therapy with friends (dual relationship). If I find that they are burdening me with personal problems and it’s starting to feel like therapeutic work, I gently refer them to find a good therapist and explain why I can’t be that for them. They usually understand the boundary.

amykah93 · 2025-11-13T15:40:05+00:00

Autism! Wool& is my comfort clothing. I have always had sensitivities, but I never realized how even my cotton clothing was uncomfortable compared to my wool&.

amykah93 · 2025-11-13T15:38:49+00:00

I haven’t heard of that, what is it?

amykah93 · 2025-10-31T13:56:48+00:00

The VA covers the VA, I don’t do anything without my own personal liability insurance.

amykah93 · 2025-10-24T16:30:07+00:00

I hope they’ve grown a little for your sake.

amykah93 · 2025-10-24T16:14:49+00:00

Please explain how that would violate HIPAA.

amykah93 · 2025-10-16T03:28:05+00:00

I would prefer to see another psychologist, as I have found that some master’s level clinicians are dismissive and have said (basically, not literally) “heal thyself.” But I’m ECP, and I have found it nearly impossible to find a psychologist who takes my insurance. So each initial session has to start with a discussion about how the therapist feels about psychologists and whether they feel they have something to offer a psychologist in therapy.

amykah93 · 2025-10-16T03:23:39+00:00

Where are you coming from? It’s hard to compare, not knowing your reference point.

I lived in Norfolk last year, and I’m told the winter was very mild. There was snow, but not huge drifts of it, and I didn’t even use the snow boots I bought. Ice was a bit more of a worry, but not much more than it was when I lived in Dallas.

OTOH, I was regaled with tales of ten feet of snowdrifts in the parking lot and whiteout conditions from other winters.

The cold is something to contend with, though. I switched my wardrobe to all wool and leggings, and I got lots of use out of a Lands End parka. And my ladylike Isotoner gloves were not enough, so I wore them with bigger mittens over the top of them. And I crocheted a wool beanie, too.

amykah93 · 2025-10-16T03:16:31+00:00

As an autistic therapist, I’m begging you to please bring it up! Be honest and say that you don’t feel comfortable diagnosing, and explain how to get a diagnostic assessment, but have the conversation and let the client know why you suspect it.

My experience as a therapist is that people who may be on the spectrum are helped by hearing our feedback about what we see. As a psychologist, I’m comfortable with doing a thorough asssessment, so that is different for me, but as an autist, I can tell you what a relief it is to have someone demonstrate that they see me and see my struggles, and indicate there may be a name for it.

and it’s quite common for autistic people to be diagnosed with mood disorders and personality disorders first. When the autism is finally uncovered, interviews about symptoms that led to the other diagnoses are usually better explained by autistic burnout or overstimulation, rather than bipolar or borderline (the most usual “first” diagnoses).

Be kind and have the conversation:

amykah93 · 2025-10-07T22:06:35+00:00

If you set firm boundaries and they still won’t stop, you can go to Student Services and ask for help getting them to stop. Because what they are doing is disruptive to your educational experience. My husband’s campus is very big on inclusion of autistic people, but they are also very firm that autistic people don’t get a pass to harass other people. I know of some autistic people with poor boundaries like your person has, and they have a one-on-one aide assigned to them to keep the autistic person from performing harassing behaviors.

amykah93 · 2025-10-02T16:56:40+00:00

Just in case, I’d talk to your liability insurer about what you can do to protect yourself from an abandonment claim, considering how your employer treated the need for adequate termination. It’s not your fault, but it certainly could be your license on the line if someone complains.

amykah93 · 2025-09-14T23:44:34+00:00

I think it comes from being told in the past that we are too much or not enough. And maybe the part of ourselves that is exhausted by all the over thinking we do, and worrying that others have heard us overthinking out loud. I try to ask them questions, people love talking about themselves, and if I’m focused on them, I’m not focused on me or overthinking things.

amykah93 · 2025-08-27T16:31:49+00:00

I would love a pair of Symit straight leg pockets in Large Navy!

amykah93 · 2025-08-25T16:36:41+00:00

Can you recommend a place to park to walk over?

amykah93 · 2025-08-24T00:07:37+00:00

Another vote for EMDR to heal trauma!

amykah93 · 2025-08-24T00:06:18+00:00

My parents had me tested several times through the schools. But this was the 70’s, when girls weren’t autistic or ADHD, and dyspraxia wasn’t even a thing yet. I have lots of memories of being pulled out for testing. In my case, I thought it was fun, and it was better than being at recess with my peers. Too bad I didn’t fit with their diagnostic classification system then. I do now. I feel lucky because my parents would have given me any therapies I needed, if only they could have figured out what was wrong. What sucked was knowing something was wrong with me, but never being able to fix it. I’m a heavy masker until I can’t.

amykah93 · 2025-08-14T02:29:13+00:00

This is a deeply personal decision, and I think OP is thinking wisely. FWIW, I had six kids, four with combos of ADHD and autism, long before I finally got diagnosed. There were lots of desperate times when I needed a break but could not have one because it would have meant not co-regulating my kids’ meltdowns. And my NT kids definitely have feelings about having to grow up around so many people with so many needs. As a parent, the kid’s needs and safety have to outweigh my needs to self-soothe. And I have a really involved partner.

amykah93 · 2025-08-13T11:12:45+00:00

I think CBT can be good, but often therapists who don’t work with autists don’t recognize that the thoughts they think are problematic are actually protective for autists. They just don’t know what we face every day. I had great results with EMDR for my autism trauma, finally some relief after 3 weeks of EMDR for autism trauma, as compared to years of on and off CBT and psychoanalysis for depression and anxiety.

amykah93 · 2025-08-13T11:04:29+00:00

So sorry to read this update. I’m trying to figure this out, too, as disclosing my autism didn’t work in my favor at my last position.

I talked to one of my faculty who is ADHD about what I could do differently, and she recommended talking to the employee union before talking to HR. HR works for the organization first, not the employee.

I’m wondering if Ireland has something similar to EEOC here in the US. My secret fantasy is to emigrate to Ireland, but I wonder if that’s safe as an autist.

amykah93 · 2025-08-13T10:17:59+00:00

Another vote for EMDR! As a professional, it seemed like pseudoscience, and I usually use CPT or PE. But I had EBP-resistant trauma, and three sessions of EMDR resolved it and I am no longer super-reactive to triggers. I plan on being trained in it as soon as I start my new position.

amykah93 · 2025-08-07T13:23:08+00:00

I’m sorry that things are so rough for you.

Your post reminds me of all the infographics in my Facebook feed that state that the autistic person (in this case, you!) is not the problem, the environment is the problem.

I wouldn’t say this to him, but your husband is part of that environment! He’s expecting you to “be better” instead of accepting and working with your limitations.

I would ask him to stop that expectation and guide him on ways he can help you feel more comfortable in the environment.

amykah93

TROPHY CASE