When Your Client Tells You They Are Autistic

How would it change your coaching practice if you felt more comfortable and confident working with your Autistic clients?

I mean, are you confident you’re responding in a supportive, affirming way, when a client discloses they're Autistic or neurodivergent? How has it changed your relationship with your clients after they have disclosed in the past? Have things gotten better between you two, or awkward, tense, or sticky? Do you fumble for what to say, and know you’re losing them, but are not sure why, or what to do about it?

Would it be useful to understand why your autistic clients are struggling with the particular things that they keep complaining about? And why your techniques that work for everyone else aren't working for them? Why they so often respond with "that won't work for me," before even trying? Do you want to be a better ally and support your Autistic clients more effectively?

And what if you had practical ways to do that?

THE PROBLEM

Hi, I’m Heather of Autism Chrysalis, and here's the thing. You probably already have Autistic clients—whether you know it or not. And when a client discloses to you that they're Autistic, that takes courage. They're taking a risk, trusting you with something vulnerable.

But maybe you're not sure how to respond. Maybe you're worried about saying the wrong thing, or making assumptions based on outdated stereotypes. Maybe you want to be supportive but you don't quite know what that looks like in practice.

Or maybe you think you know about autism, but most of what you learned was focused on children, or was from a deficit-based perspective, or doesn't match what you're actually seeing with your adult clients.

And the thing is, if you don't understand how autism affects your clients' lives—the sensory issues, the social exhaustion, the masking, the executive function challenges, the way their nervous system works—you might unintentionally be working against them instead of with them.

THE WORKSHOP

That's why I created When Your Client Tells You They’re Autistic. This is a one-and-a-half hour recorded workshop, available to you right now, on demand.

This workshop is designed to help you better support adult Autistic clients. It's geared toward coaches, but the principles can be easily applied to therapists, SLPs, PTs, educators, healthcare workers, and other helping professionals. It’s about how to be a good ally when your client discloses they are Autistic, and to give you practical, and often simple, ways to adapt your approach to be more effective.

This is an insider's perspective from an Autistic, ADHD, and multiply-neurodivergent coach, through a trauma-sensitive lens. Not theory. Not what the supposed experts say should work—though they aren’t autistic, and regularly make disparaging comments about trying to get autistics to be like "normal people." But what actually works, from someone who lives this, and works with Autistic clients every day. I’ve been coaching full time for more than 6 years, I’m a certified master coach, and I’ve consulted with many other experienced neurodivergent coaches and therapists. This isn't a few anecdotes and idealism, this is based on thousands of hours of experience and lived insight.

WHAT'S IN THE WORKSHOP?

Okay, so what is actually covered in this workshop?

1.  How autism actually shows up in adult lives. Not the stereotypes, not the childhood-focused diagnostic criteria, but the real, lived experience of Autistic adults—including some things that might not be obvious at first.

2.  What's involved when a client discloses their autism to you. The vulnerability, the risk, the trust. And what they need from you in response.

3.  Common misconceptions and misperceptions about autism that might be getting in the way of effective coaching or other professional relationships. The myths we need to let go of.

4.  How to be a good ally to your Autistic clients. What that looks like in practice, not just in theory.

5.  Practical ways to support them. How to work with their nervous system, not against it. Communication strategies. Executive function supports. Ways to reduce unnecessary barriers.

6.  Real examples and scenarios to help you apply what you're learning to your actual client relationships.

HONEST EXPECTATIONS

Now, I want to be honest with you.

Will this workshop teach you everything about the Autistic experience? No. And I wouldn't trust any short workshop that makes that promise.

It would be impossible to share the entire Autistic experience within an hour and a half, and everything that it takes to effectively and compassionately work with someone who is Autistic or AuDHD. That's not realistic.

But this will give you a solid introduction. And if you already have a strong foundation, this is deep enough to expand your learning and fill in gaps you might not have known were there.

What I'm offering is a way to think about autism, the relationship pressures involved, and the competing needs, that clarifies common misconceptions. Because I want to support you so you can partner with your Autistic clients more effectively and be even better at what you do. 

THE DETAILS

Here's the details:

This is the recorded version of a live workshop I gave in May of 2025, so you get the video recording, an audio-only version, a complete transcript with slides included, the slides separately, and all workshop materials and bonuses.

Because it's recorded, you have the freedom to follow along at your own pace. Rewind and rewatch and take notes as needed. Engage on your own time, as your energy allows. With no pressure to show up on someone else’s schedule or participate in a live meeting. And you can come back months later for a refresher when you need it.

You'll have access for at least a full year, guaranteed, and probably several years. I don't want to promise "lifetime access"—whose lifetime, yours or mine?—but I intend to keep this available for the foreseeable future.

This is an inclusive, trauma-sensitive, and BS-free zone. All are welcome, including LGBTQIA+ humans and all gender identities.

And while this workshop is designed primarily for coaches, the information and recommendations aren't exclusive to coaching. This is also a good fit for counselors, therapists, OTs, SLPs, educators, healthcare workers, and other professionals working with Autistic clients.

INVITATION

So, here's my invitation.

If you want to better support your Autistic clients. If you want to feel more confident when a client discloses they're Autistic. If you want practical, and often simple, ways to adapt your approach to be more effective with neurodivergent clients, this workshop might be a fit for you.

For more info, or to sign up, go to www.AutismChrysalis.com/your-client-autistic.

Because your Autistic clients deserve professionals who understand them. You deserve to feel confident in your work with neurodivergent clients. And it is possible to learn how to be a better ally and supporter.

If this sounds like what you're looking for, I'd love to share with you what I've learned.

Okay, wishing you a neurowonderful day.