I know more than my therapist ...

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about autism.

Or so it is beginning to appear.

He didn't seem very familiar with the Sally Ann test. Maybe it isn't used much anymore but it is sort of iconic. He didn't seem aware that aspies can have atypical reactions to psychoactive medications.

At least he seems to agree that autism is the primary issue.

Careful not to offend his ego. Primarily, you want the right help, not to be right... I assume. And if he agrees on autism, then that's not bad going.

Wishing you the best.

So far it's not a problem. But now I'm feeling a little more inhibited in letting things flow. I have no desire to contend with him.

edit:
I think what's bothering me is that I have been studying autism for a few months, part time. It's not right for me to be so quickly outstripping his knowledge.

Ha! You might have to take it easy on him.

Sometimes I wonder if we should be the therapists...

I dont get why folks have to pamper a doctor's ego. Agreeing is a good start, but it would not hurt to ask him to study up on it more for you. My mom has a very rare illness, and 99 percent of the time she knows more about it than her doctors do, but she does ask them to educate themselves on the subject...and they usually do

Pampering is one thing, Needlessly taking him to task is another. Nobody likes to have their ego smacked about.As long as I feel it is productive, it's not a big thing for me. And maybe what I've learned about autism in my short obsession with it is full of holes that he has filled through experience. I just find it curious that a few things that seem relatively important in my thinking aren't on his radar.

What would those be?

Therapy is a big rip off.

I agree with the above.

Maybe, but I'm trying to get an official diagnosis. Mostly it doesn't matter, but I have a few practical matters that may be helped by a piece of paper from a psychologist. Technically, I'm not in therapy, I'm just being evaluated.

I was waiting to hear this post from you. LOL! We are SOOOO much alike. (you speak my thoughts in your posts so many times) I get this vibe from most professionals I deal with too.

The "Sally Ann" test is not necessarily something that a shrink will know about. It is more an "internet" standard I think than an accepted tool for American Drs to use. ADOS module 1 and 2 for kids and 4 for adults is more common I think here in the US.

How did you come upon this shrink? Does he actually advertise as having worked with Adults on the Spectrum?

Unfortunately, the majority of Psychiatrists, psychologists and doctors are only taught very basic facts about autism in medical school. That is why you have to see a specialist to get a diagnosis. Not easy to do though. It took 6 years before someone ACTUALLY referred me. I'm going through the same poop again now to see a Tourettes specialist... Although (thankfully) the doctors know it isn't just a swearing disease, they don't have any professional ideas on how to treat the condition. Same with ASDs.

I was referred to this practice by Autistic Services, so I'm not to worried.


The Sally Ann test seems to be an important result, even if not a part of the diagnostic process. It motivated a great deal of research into Theory of Mind. That's what really surprised me. Though I suppose it shouldn't. I run into similar things all the time with computer professionals. The seem to have very little awareness of the history of their profession. They are standing on the shoulders of giants, even if they don't know the giants exist.

I think I may have a different idea of what constitutes an expert. Because of my predilection for total immersion, I may have an idea that expertise means that one knows 'everything' about a subject. It may be more accurate that expertise is a functional description. In other words, an expert needs to know enough to function within a field at a high level. Total immersion is not necessary. Total immersion is something autistics do, whether it is productive or not.

The Sally Ann test is only useful to very young children and is more a part of history than it is a used part of tests today... So yeah... Not too surprising that he doesn't know specifically about it. I too get into this immersive state and then am disappointed all the time by people who claim they are professionals.

Again your response is exactly how I would respond. We would do well to NEVER actually hang out together IRL I think. LOL! I am actually surprised whenever I meet someone who I can actually "respect' from a passion and knowledge perspective...

Good lord that would be dangerous. We would either explode in an matter-antimatter conflagration of a shared interest or descend into a black hole of divergent silence.