Looking at Autism Now

🧠 Looking at Autism Now

Author: Sue Gregory (2020)

Published in: British Gestalt Journal, 29(2), 27–32

Read the full article

🔍 Rethinking Autism in Therapy

Gregory invites therapists to shift from a medicalised view of autism to one that:

• Embraces neurodivergent experience as valid and whole

• Moves away from “normalising” or fixing behaviour

• Focuses on building trust and genuine relationship

🌿 Sensory and Relational Experience

Autistic people often experience the world in intensely sensory and relational ways:

• Their way of processing can differ greatly from neurotypical patterns

• Sensory overwhelm, shutdowns, and nonlinear expression are often misunderstood

• These are not dysfunctions, but different ways of engaging with the world

🧘‍♀️ The Role of the Therapist

Therapists are encouraged to:

• Slow down and attune to the client’s rhythm

• Honour silence, pacing, and sensory needs

• Avoid pushing for verbal or behavioural responses that conform to neurotypical norms

• Stay present and co-regulate rather than interpret or fix

🤝 Gestalt Principles in Practice

Gregory draws on key Gestalt therapy principles to support neurodivergent clients:

• Phenomenological attitude – meet the client without preconception

• Present-moment contact – explore what is emerging in the now

• Relational field – acknowledge the co-created dynamic between therapist and client

• Support over change – change happens when we become more of who we are, not less

💬 Key Message

Therapists must create space for authenticity, not adaptation.

Autistic people deserve support that:

• Validates their lived experience

• Respects their sensory and relational world

• Meets them where they are, not where society expects them to be

📌 Why It Matters

This article is a valuable read for any therapist or support professional who:

• Works with autistic or neurodivergent clients

• Wants to move beyond behavioural models

• Believes in inclusive, respectful, and embodied therapeutic practice