The Myth of Rigidity, A Barrier for Autistics in Therapy

The myth of autistics being rigid arises from the allistic (non-autistic's) gaze of the autistic.

The Center of Autism & Neurodivergence,

And Ecologies of Autism

Illuminate Harmful Myths

& Forward Healing Truths

First, this gaze notices that the autistic performs ritualistic behaviors such as eating the same foods, doing the same few activities, repeating songs, and rocking or other calming physical movements.

Second, the allistic gaze notices that when patterned behaviors are disrupted or when unexpected changes occur that disrupt a pattern known to the autistic, the autistic has a big response. This response could be a melt down, a shut down or an emotional response. This response is often misunderstood, which can create a myriad of mental health issues for the autistic. Here the Myth of Rigidity in Autism is born.

Historically, what autism is and who autistics are has be defined and then collectively known from how autistics APPEAR to allistics. This means, what autistic's BODIES ARE DOING (FLAPPING HANDS, NOT TALKING, NOT SHOWING ENOUGH EYE CONTACT, RESTRICTED INTERESTS), AND NOT WHAT AUTISTICS ARE EXPERIENCING FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE.

The allistic gaze and the myth are reproduced by both non-autistics and autistics through conditioning and messaging from sources such as the DSM-5, and it happens in the therapeutic space. Seeing an autistic client as rigid or an autistic seeing themselves as rigid is a barrier to effective therapy and to creating desired changes because it misses what the autistic client is experiencing.

BEYOND THE ALLISTIC'S GAZE OF "RIGID" for AUTISTICS AND THERAPISTS

1. Pattern Processing (See image and research below) Autistic's brains are often wired for processing in patterns. This could involve thinking, movements, knowing the world around them and what is expected to occur. REMEMBER: IT IS NATURAL TO THE AUTISTIC BRAIN AND TO THE AUTISTIC, AND IT EVEN BRINGS JOY AND ENJOYMENT because it satisfies the brain's organic ways of functioning. For most humans, taking away joy, happiness, enjoyment and what feels like natural ways of functioning will produce great difficulties. Compassion, understanding and non-pathologizing support are important.

2. Grief and loss may be elements to acknowledge and validate when the pattern changes. Throwing coping skills at an autistic who has experienced great loss may cause the autistic to suppress and repress their grief and loss at the pattern changing. This contributes to masking, and autistic burnout. It takes as long as it takes to process grief and/or loss.

3. Anger may also be present. Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. told me once when I was training in DBT that "Anger is present when a goal has been blocked". Invite expression of anger, get it out body verbally and through physical movements. Anger it fiery, it has energy and needs to get out or it can wreck havoc on the body and emotions.

4. Threat, Fight-or Flight occurs when a pattern is shattered, a biological threat response is initiated due to natural ways of processing being compromised. Autistics could benefit from practices that both acknowledge this aspect of their expereince and help soothe the brain and nervous system. DBT's modules of mindfulness and distress tolerance can help.

4. Transition into a New Pattern when one pattern breaks, such as a routine, someone not doing what they said/say, holidays, having emotions that disrupt, for example, and difficulties arise, there is a transition time that is like being in a tornado where everything has been fragmented, in pieces. A new pattern will emerge with time, with knowledgeable support and compassion. It takes patience, and recognition of the previous pattern being lost and slowly allowing (not my force) another one to develop. Remember that it's not a personal preference for patterns or "sameness" (collective discourse), it's how the brain is wired, it is sensical.

I hope this is a helpful for therapists, autistics, and anyone else interested in changing the myths of autism from the allistic gaze. See research below for further reading on this topic, it's a huge issue to comb though, this is only the beginning. See The Poetics of Autism HERE

Contact me at kristina-bravo@outlook.com or 737-825-5005

See the Ecologies of Autism YouTube Channel HERE

_What does it take to be Rigid_ Petrolini, V. (2023).pdf

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