Autism & Trauma: How Somatic Therapy Can Help
As a neurodivergent affirming trauma therapist, I often work with individuals who are both autistic and have a trauma history. It can be hard when you are autistic and have a trauma history to find adequate care.
In this blog, I’m going to talk about how trauma impacts autistic people, why trauma goes undiagnosed in autistic individuals, and how somatic therapy can help you heal from trauma as an autistic person.
How Trauma Impacts Autistic People
There are actually higher rates of trauma in autistic people than neurotypical people, for a number of reasons. Autistic people have a heightened vulnerability to trauma due to:
Being more vulnerable to victimization, like social humiliation, exclusion, and invalidation from peers
Exposure to overwhelming stimulus, resulting in sensory trauma
Destabilization resulting from a loss of routine or disconnection from attachment figures, including pet loss
Misdiagnosis or undiagnosis, which means your needs are consistently going unmet or are treated with the wrong approaches
Parents who are underresourced economically or emotionally to support autistic children, which can also include being punished for behavior instead of receiving the coregulation you need
And more
Why Trauma Goes Undiagnosed in Autistic Individuals
It’s common for autistic people to have their trauma symptoms overlooked, for several reasons, including:
Autistic people can have communication differences that providers may not be skilled at identifying
Trauma symptoms can be overshadowed and attributed to autism
There are few instruments that are designed to assess trauma in autistic people
Some of the things that are traumatic for autistic people aren’t viewed as “counting,” whether by a provider or by the autistic person themself (e.g. sensory trauma)
Similarly, caregivers may not recognize events as traumatic or witness them, if they happen at school for instance
When autistic people experience trauma, it often exacerbates sensory sensitivities and social communication difficulties. One of the best ways to assess for trauma is to track when certain challenging emotions or behaviors started. If the emotions or behaviors have been present since early development, they are likely related to autism. If they come on suddenly after a certain event, they may indicate trauma.
It’s also common for those diagnosed with PTSD or Complex PTSD to have their autistic profiles overlooked and misdiagnosed, or undiagnosed as well. A good starting point can be tracking what patterns have been consistent throughout your life, versus which changed more recently or suddenly. Of course, this can be challenging to assess, because the trauma may have occurred very early in life.
How Somatic Therapy Can Help Autistic Individuals Heal from Trauma
As a trauma therapist, I work collaboratively with providers who specialize in diagnosing and supporting autistic individuals. I also use a collaborative approach in sessions with clients, to openly discuss what you’re struggling with, what you want to change in your life, and how we can adequately address the impact of both autism and trauma on your brain, relationships, and life.
In somatic therapy, we can work on addressing the impact of trauma and autism on your nervous system and build skills that will help you navigate your relationships with more ease. This can look like managing rejection sensitivity, improving your communication skills, and advocating for your needs in your relationships.
If you are autistic – or think you might be – and have a trauma history, I welcome you to book a free 20-minute consultation with me where we can discuss how somatic therapy can help you and if we’re a good fit to work together. If I think you would be better served elsewhere, I will be honest with you and help you find a better match. I look forward to meeting with you!
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