Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective for treating mental health problems such as anxiety and depression in individuals both with and without autism spectrum disorders. This book bridges the gap between research and practice and shows adults on the higher end of the spectrum practical ways to manage their emotions.
Many adults on the autism spectrum experience isolation, interpersonal difficulties, anxiety, depressed mood, and coping problems. By applying theory and concepts from autism research, this book will help adults on the higher end of the spectrum to understand their challenges. The author takes the best of CBT self-help strategies, to encourage self-analysis, and to help adults on the spectrum make better decisions in activities such as employment or relationships. This self-help guide is written for individuals in the early and middle years of adulthood, with and without a formal diagnosis, who share features associated with autism spectrum conditions. It is also appropriate for adults who recognize their autistic traits, even though they may not have experienced major social difficulties and clinical impairment, but who want to improve their emotional well-being.
This is an essential self-help guide for adults on the higher end of the spectrum looking for ways to cope with emotional challenges, and will also be a useful resource for clinicians, psychologists, therapists, and counselors working with them. Family members, friends, and others touched by autism will find this self-help book a valuable resource as well.
Lee A. Wilkinson, PhD, is a nationally certified and licensed school psychologist, chartered psychologist, registered psychologist, and certified cognitive-behavioral therapist. He is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Dr. Wilkinson provides consultation services and best practice guidance to school systems, agencies, advocacy groups, and professionals on a wide variety of topics related to children and youth with autism spectrum disorder. He is also a university educator and school psychology trainer. His research and professional writing has focused primarily on behavioral consultation and therapy, and evidence-based practice in assessment and intervention for autism spectrum disorder. He has published numerous journal articles on these subjects both in the US and internationally, and has been invited as an ad hoc reviewer for peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Remedial and Special Education, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Learning and Individual Differences and Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice. Dr. Wilkinson’s books include "A Best Practice Guide to Assessment and Intervention for Autism and Asperger Syndrome in Schools" and "Overcoming Anxiety and Depression on the Autism Spectrum: A Self-Help Guide Using CBT," both published by Jessica Kingsley. He is also the editor of a text in the American Psychological Association (APA) School Psychology Book series, "Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Evidence-Based Assessment and Intervention in Schools."
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review:
From my experience, there are not as many books out there geared towards helping adults with autism, there are tons of books out there helping parents deal with children, significant others deal with their autistic loves, managers dealing with autistic employees...it goes on and on, and that is immensely helpful, but people who want to read a book geared for self help as an adult tend to get the short end of the stick. Imagine my joy when I saw this title pop up for review on Netgalley!
According to the tests provided in this book, the Adult Autism Quotient, Empathy Quotient, and Systemizing Quotient, I fall very much so in the Autism spectrum (and no one who knows me, including me, was surprised) but having the data (being in the Extreme Type S) allows me to find ways to deal with things. Even though I pretty much already knew the results, having specialized ways to deal with the way my brain works is pretty awesome!
And let me say something about CBT as a whole, it blends philosophy (specifically it has roots in Stoicism) with therapy, and I find that both useful and fascinating. On a personal note, I have been using a form of CBT taught to me by my mother for years, and it has been one of the most useful forms of self therapy that I have found.
I am so pleased this book exists, I found the exercises, charts, and organization of the book very easy to follow and expect that I will be applying it to my life. This book was clearly very well written and researched, I recommend it to anyone who wants a different approach to dealing with anxiety or depression if you are one of the ones who falls in this spectrum.
This is a well written book for adults. It clearly explains cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) and how it can be used to manage anxiety and depression. The questionnaire (Adult Autism Spectrum Quotient Test) in chapter 2 can be used to evaluate a person's autistic traits and find out where they might fall on the spectrum. I especially appreciate the chapter sections on overcoming the past and self-acceptance, and the idea that autism should be viewed as a condition, and not a disorder or disability. The focus on changing unhelpful thinking habits, rather than trying to change the uniqueness of the individual or their autistic traits is a positive aspect of the book. The worksheets and forms in the appendix are helpful in practicing the CBT techniques described in the book. I would recommend this book to anyone struggling with anxiety and depression, or others with an interest in understanding and helping adults cope with these issues.
Spring has sprung, the grass has riz and everywhere the birdies is. That was my Dad’s way of letting us know, it was Spring. On this beautiful Spring-like day, I’m settling for the sin of cleaning. Cleaning, sinful? For someone with Asperger’s, who like things a certain way and don’t like changes, it’s a terrible transgression. It’s all how we see things – making things fresh and clean or adding lots of weird smells and moving things, possibly moving them out of order? I clean less than Martha Stewart, but my son, the Aspie thinks I clean way too much. Which got me thinking about balance.
Overcoming Anxiety and Depression on the Autism Spectrum by Lee A, Wilkinson, PhD (Jessica Kingsley Publishers), was a timely book to read today when I borrowed the digital copy from Netgalley.com for an honest review.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy can help people restore balance, whether they’re on the Autism Spectrum or not. It’s about changing your way of thinking. Taking a bad, sad, mad, or scary thought and changing how you look at it. It’s like taking a old, clean sock, soaking it in equal parts water and vinegar and using it to clean your blinds and windows so you can see more clearly. Don’t forget to use the other sock to dry them.
There’s nothing wrong with being sad, mad, or scared, but how we handle those thoughts can be like washing a cast iron pan with soap and water instead of coarse salt and water. We want it to last and reach its full potential, so don’t forget TLC (for the pan, some oil). CBT helps manage and overcome difficulties, in a straightforward way, making a complicated situation less so. Like when you use your blender, helpful, but now it’s messy. Instead of taking it apart to clean, or trying to clean around the blades, potentially causing more harm, pour in hot water and dish soap, lid on, then blend. Just rinse, dry and store.
Wilkinson is excellent at explaining the anxiety, depression, and isolation caused by social skills deficits and cognitive issues, and how they can be alleviated and managed through CBT. Too often people with anxiety or depression are told to: just stop, grow up, smarten up, man up, or they’re defective or attention-seeking, etc. Trying to clean a cutting board used for cutting raw chicken with only soap and water or bleach. Think that fixes the problem? No, but a lemon cut in half with salt on it would do the trick.
So there are worse things I can do than Spring cleaning…if we find the right balance, there’s little or no anxiety for my son and our home is sparkling. For now.
This text is painfully inadequate. It aims to be a self-help guide... and yet it is extremely jargon heavy, thus inaccessible to the layperson.
Terms are often too loosely defined to be useful to an academic, and the text has an extreme bias toward a 'typical male*' presentation of autism; that is, the outdated understanding of autism that has left large swathes of the autistic population undiagnosed for decades.
The text is condescending in a number of places, choosing to invalidate emotions, victim blame, and draw into question the autistic person's ability to legitimately identify negative situations. This is generally unhelpful for anyone suffering anxiety and depression. Autism does not make this more helpful.
The author has some trouble identifying and correctly attributing cause and effect in certain places - this may simply be due to the lackluster and inconsistent writing style, though it remains concerning in a text written by an 'expert'.
I struggle not to laugh at the lack of nuance in the author's work, when they describe 'black and white thinking' as a maladaptive trait common in autistic people.
Though my review thus far has been extremely negative, I did find a handful of tables and appendices that may be potentially useful. This information is available in better books, and in a number of free self-help apps, so I would still steer clear of this book.
*disputed term, however at this time the literature doesn't have a better one - 'atypical presentation' implies the 'female' presentation is uncommon, though it is actually quite common, even among males.
2.5 stars; while there were several helpful aspects of this book, I wished the author went into more detail on why there is such a huge connection between autism and anxiety and depression.
Reading this book also cemented the fact that I don’t like CBT as a sole solution for mental wellness. I think it can be helpful in conjunction with things like mindfulness and Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. But on its own, it feels too much like gaslighting yourself lol
I found this book to be a valuable resource. It offers a clear and direct examination of how cognitive patterns can affect behavior and overall well-being. The book serves as an accessible introduction to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), presenting the concepts in a straightforward and easy-to-understand manner that allows for self-practice and could be a helpful precursor to seeking therapy from a mental health professional.
The book’s blunt tone effectively makes the content concise and to the point. However, one notable drawback is its approach to recounting painful experiences. The author encourages readers to revisit unpleasant memories to reframe their perceptions and beliefs about these experiences. While this can be a useful technique, the book lacks sensitivity in handling such exercises, which might be challenging for some readers. A more mindful approach to these exercises could have helped readers engage with their memories in a safer and more supportive way.
Additionally, the book sometimes conveys a tone that may seem accusatory, framing cognitive patterns as personal faults rather than as natural responses to past experiences. This could be discouraging for readers, especially those dealing with neurodiversity. The language used tends to echo traditional self-help rhetoric, focusing heavily on individual responsibility for change rather than offering a balanced understanding of how unhelpful cognitive patterns can develop.
The book provides a practical introduction to CBT, it may not be the best choice for those seeking an in-depth exploration of CBT and neurodiversity. It may be more suitable as a supplementary resource rather than a primary text for understanding these concepts.
Despite the title, this book has precious little to say about how CBT can be used to address ASD issues. Indeed, the author’s notion that “we’re all a little autistic” indicates a misunderstanding of how the spectrum works. Instead of dealing with the challenges of Autism, this is a more general guide to using CBT to combat depression and anxiety. And as such, it has some of the problems common to this particular form of therapy. Though I don’t think it’s the author’s intent, a lot of the language comes across as extremely judgmental. It also sticks to the false narrative of the Protestant work ethic, maintaining that if you’re depressed it’s your own fault because you’re irrational and you haven’t put enough work in to cure yourself. The appendices are actually good, as they include some tests you can take to help identify ASD conditions and some forms that may focus your attention on useful points. But the text itself isn’t all that great.
I started on this book, haven't read it thru all the way, but I have a bit to say about the start of the book.
First of all, being that this is a book for people on the autism spectrum, this should be structured better. All the references and sources in the parenthesis at the end of scentences cuts the reading flow completely. It makes it difficult to read. And to be honest I got exhausted reading the 3 first chapters. Being that this book is from 2015(I think), it is definitely not up to date and it feeled very stereotype-y. It made me all in all irritated.
I wish I started from chapter 4. I'm gonna try read the rest of the book, at least skim through it and see if some of it (mainly the cbt part) could be of help. I was very hopeful about this book and looked forward to read it, but the start of it made me disappointed. But I might as well just watch some videos about it on youtube or do my own research on google.
I highly recommend this book regardless of whether you are neurodivergent or not. This book walks you through the diagnosis of autism and autistic traits but that is only one chapter. The rest of the chapters focus on CBT therapy and its uses in helping depression, anxiety, anger etc. This is not a book that is full of jargon. It explains the CBT tools/practices in a very accessible way and gives examples (and worksheets) to help with each type of CBT tool/practice. I highly recommend this book and will be buying a print version of it to refer to (and re-read) in the future.
A short and straight forward book. Although my aspie will never pick up this book on his own, it's nice for me to know the info as a reference. Very fundamental info on CBT for people not trained professionally in clinical work.
A very useful guide to managing mental health with CBT, refraiming negative thought patterns , and especially for those on the autistic spectrum. Well worth a read.
After my husband was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and suffering from depressive feelings, I decided to pick up a book to see if I could find some information on how to help a person with ASD to overcome these feelings of depression and anxiety, while we're waiting for further treatment at a psychologist.
This book covers - as the title already states - a self-help guide using CBT to overcome anxiety, depression and anger when suffering from ASD. First of all, it is important to know that this book focuses mainly on feelings of anxiety, depression and anger. There is no introduction on what ASD is, and how it is treated generally. Nor how this treatment differs from other treatments. The book focuses on the differences and similarities between people with and people without ASD, what CBT is, how CBT can be used in treating depression, anxiety and anger in individuals on the Autism Spectrum, and what other components can be helpful while overcoming these feelings (mindfulness, self-management, imagery, etc.). The last chapter focuses on how to maintain the changes you've made, but it pretty much repeats everything already stated in the preceding chapters. The appendices are a great source for your own experiences, and to practice the information given in the chapters. Also, they're very insightful to track patterns, pitfalls and progress.
The book does cover CBT very well and states some helpful information on how to overcome depressing feelings when you're suffering from ASD. However, I do think the book is not that in-depth when it comes to the theories that are used and the explanations of helpful strategies to overcome your negative feelings. Besides that, a lot of information is given twice, three times, or even four times throughout the book. That is a bit annoying, but maybe that is just me because I read the book in four days. If you're working through the book for over a few weeks, it might be refreshing to read what you've already read a few weeks ago.
Would I really recommend this book? That depends. If you're looking for a treatment that focuses mainly on changing your thought patterns and you want to increase your self-acceptance, then this book is worth a try. But if you're looking for a self-help guide that will help you accept your feelings, your past, yourself, and come to terms with what you've been going through, I'd recommend another book. I thought this book to be a little judgmental and sometimes too much "pointing to the self". This book mainly focuses on changing your thoughts and not on accepting who you are, your qualities and flaws, what you're dealing with, nor it helps you accepting your diagnosis.
'From his many years as an autism professional and cognitive-behavioural therapist, Dr Wilkinson shows an excellent understanding of perceptions and thought processes of people on the autism spectrum, which he explains so clearly in a way people on the autism spectrum can relate to. This book will not only help people on the autism spectrum to gain a stronger understanding of who they are, but also offers a way to overcome anxiety and depression by working with their thought processes rather than attempting to 'banish' or 'cure' them. An important resource for a group of people whose needs are not static.' - Chris Mitchell, author of Mindful Living with Asperger’s Syndrome and Asperger’s Syndrome and Mindfulness
'Overcoming Anxiety and Depression on the Autism Spectrum will be of great value to people with autism spectrum conditions who experience anxiety and depression. It is a self-help guide which provides practical advice on living well, tailored to individuals on the autism spectrum. Using strategies based around Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, it offers a positive approach to managing anxiety and depression.' - Jeanette Purkis, autism and mental health self-advocate, author of Finding a Different Kind of Normal: Misadventures with Asperger Syndrome, and The Wonderful World of Work: A Workbook for Asperteens
'When people ask me if there is anything I'd change about my Asperger syndrome, I offer this firm reply: I'd like to shackle and disable my anxiety and depression. They work together as twin dragons bent on disabling confident and reliable thinking. Wilkinson's accurate analysis and applicable supports give me hope and more reason to keep working on defeating these nasties.' - Liane Holliday Willey, author of Pretending to be Normal and Safety Skills for Asperger Women
'From his many years as an autism professional and cognitive-behavioural therapist, Dr Wilkinson shows an excellent understanding of perceptions and thought processes of people on the autism spectrum, which he explains so clearly in a way people on the autism spectrum can relate to. This book will not only help people on the autism spectrum to gain a stronger understanding of who they are, but also offers a way to overcome anxiety and depression by working with their thought processes rather than attempting to 'banish' or 'cure' them. An important resource for a group of people whose needs are not static.' - Chris Mitchell, author of Mindful Living with Asperger’s Syndrome and Asperger’s Syndrome and Mindfulness
'Overcoming Anxiety and Depression on the Autism Spectrum will be of great value to people with autism spectrum conditions who experience anxiety and depression. It is a self-help guide which provides practical advice on living well, tailored to individuals on the autism spectrum. Using strategies based around Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, it offers a positive approach to managing anxiety and depression.' - Jeanette Purkis, autism and mental health self-advocate, author of Finding a Different Kind of Normal: Misadventures with Asperger Syndrome, and The Wonderful World of Work: A Workbook for Asperteens
'When people ask me if there is anything I'd change about my Asperger syndrome, I offer this firm reply: I'd like to shackle and disable my anxiety and depression. They work together as twin dragons bent on disabling confident and reliable thinking. Wilkinson's accurate analysis and applicable supports give me hope and more reason to keep working on defeating these nasties.' - Liane Holliday Willey, author of Pretending to be Normal and Safety Skills for Asperger Women