Book Review: Autism and Solution-Focused Practice

Autism and Solution Focused Practice

101 pages … and a helpful gem on every one of them! This book can be read cover-to-cover in only a couple of hours. DON’T! Savour it; explore it; let it sink in; begin to apply it to your practice. This book is short and concise; however, it is in no way simplistic.

The authors work at a centre in West Flanders, Belgium, a centre for Solution-Focused work with clients with autism. They note that DSM-5 has comprehensive diagnostic criteria for A.S.D. (Autism Spectrum Disorder). The person with autism has a disorder, manifested in —

“persistent deficits in social communication” (Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviours used for social interaction, and Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understand relationships); and

“restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities” (Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized … behaviour, Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus, Hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input).

Without ignoring the realities and difficulties associated with autism, the authors prefer not to talk in terms of “disorder”, “deficit”, “inflexibility” and so on. Rather, the most helpful label they find is that of D.I.F.F.E.R.E.N.T. They propose that we think about autistic thinking as being akin to being from another culture. The person may look the same as us; however, she or he brings a completely different framework to making meaning out of experiences. “If you take the time to learn how people with autism give meaning to experiences, it turns out that their actions aren’t illogical at all. They are just different. (p. 20). Further, they suggest that the Solution-Focused approach is a perfect match for autistic people.

They offer some “rules” for having a fruitful conversation with someone with autism. Even if you are not coming from a Solution-Focused perspective, these rules will be helpful to people seeking to have meaningful conversations with people with autism.

The rest of the book elaborates the acronym they propose to lend a meaningful structure to their work. They say that this acronym “embraces the core of what we want to emphasise.” They also emphasise that, while the acronym refers to a sequence of techniques, it is primarily about fostering a particular attitude.

“If you adopt this attitude … it means you approach [clients] with respect and curiosity about their strengths, talents and solutions” (p.58).

D.ealing with

I.ncreasing competencies

F.inding goals

F.ollowing your client

E.xploring/explaining communication

R.esources and respect

E.xplaining communication

N.ormalising

T.aking a first step.

They go on from here to take each step of their framework and explain and amplify it in real and practical ways, grounded in familiar Solution-Focused tools (such as scaling) and embedded in real clinical examples.

Working with clients with autism often appears daunting. Els and Hannelore have made it accessible and provided a structured way of thinking about our work that may make it less daunting.

Reviewed by Michael Durrant, Australia's leading trainer of Solution Focused Brief Therapy.

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