After the first 2020 lockdown began, I decided to offer my services to followers and readers via Zoom, Skype, and Messenger. To this day, I am very happy to continue to offer Skype consultations on a wide range of topics.
What are consultations? My consultations are hour-long appointments where the discussion is entirely on your terms. They are safe spaces to discuss autism-related issues affecting you and/or those you love, in a supportive and non-judgemental environment – to someone with both personal and professional experience with autism.
What can they be about? Within reason, whatever you like. For reference, previous clients have sought my insights about:
- Autism in education;
- Finding/coping with employment as an autistic person;
- Parenting autistic young people;
- Discovering oneself as a recently diagnosed autistic person;
- Mathematics tuition, creative writing advice and chess lessons;
- “Geek-out sessions” about Rubik’s cubes!
Honestly, I meet my clients where they are and run the sessions on their terms. The anxiety of talking about vulnerable topics can be challenging, and I recognise how an accommodating approach can help enormously.
What is your experience/expertise? I always make clear what I am and what I am not. So with this in mind…
I am:
- An autistic adult;
- A special needs tutor in a school for autistic students;
- Formerly a mainstream primary school teacher;
- An award-winning speaker and writer on autism-related topics;
- A published novelist and creative writing tutor;
- A range of other things, largely described on my about page.
I am not:
- A therapist. (I do have a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Concepts, which isn’t quite as impressive as it sounds.)
What are your rates? About half the rate of my monthly supervision and therapy, which I think is fair. For an hour’s session: £30, $40USD, $50CAD, $60AUD, or €30.
How do I set up an appointment? You can either message me via Autistic Not Weird’s Facebook page, or you can email autisticnotweird [at] hotmail [dot] com (obviously place the @ and . accordingly- just making my email address unreadable to spambots). I take appointments from all over the world, so any time zone issues can be easily worked around.
Whether you feel that a one-off session can help you, or whether you even want multiple appointments, feel free to get in touch.
Chris Bonnello