I guess my field really isn't my field

[Ronin82]

I've been working as a case manager at a rural mental health clinic for about 8 months now. While I do ok with occasional crises, I can't seem to make myself actively reach out to clients, and my social functioning with my caseload is VERY sub-par. I've already turned in my resignation before they could fire me, and had a good chat with my top boss at the facility. Basically, what I found out is no matter what your diagnoses, if you can't perform, they won't keep you. This has made me question my prospects of ever finding gainful employment. Psychology is my field, I'm GOOD at this (one-on-one only), but it seems I function best as a consultant, not an actual therapist. I just don't have the social functioning skills to be able to establish a therapeutic relationship with that many people.

Now I have to move back in with my parents, try to find enough work to keep my bills paid and see my therapist, and deal with the knowledge that I really am disabled in a society that forces people to perform in certain ways. I may be able to do some freelance work as a Life Coach, but its risky without malpractice insurance (which costs a LOT!!). I guess I'm going to focus on taking care of myself, working on finding my own niche, but gee.....I thought I was going to be in this field for the rest of my life. Gotta say, work as a Pet Psychic is REALLY starting to look good!

 

[Chance]

Gotta say, work as a Pet Psychic is REALLY starting to look good!

I hope things do work out for you... I bet you will find something that fits your skills.

However, if you go with the Pet Psychic...
Well, my dog needs to re-learn some eating manners... She's more like feeding a T-rex lately, but other than that shes still the greatest dog in the world (by my very bias standards of course). : )

 

[Ronin82]

I hope things do work out for you... I bet you will find something that fits your skills.

However, if you go with the Pet Psychic...
Well, my dog needs to re-learn some eating manners... She's more like feeding a T-rex lately, but other than that shes still the greatest dog in the world (by my very bias standards of course). : )

Have her "sit" and "stay" when you put her food down. Dogs need to work for their food or they get possessive and greedy. She's not allowed to go near the bowl unless you say so. I assume she's taking your arm off getting into the food before you even put her bowl down all the way...making a dog sit calmly for food makes them appreciate it more, have better manners, cements your role as pack leader, and even if she gobbles her food, at least your arm isn't in the way....and as always, consistency and timing are key for this exercise. Don't reward screw-ups or false starts, and give the release command BEFORE she moves towards the bowl, not after she's made any movements that aren't commanded. Even something as small as stretching a nose towards the bowl without a command should not be tolerated, but be patient and treat it as a game instead of punishment.

Is that helpful?

 

[Crossbreed]

Would you still have the same shortcomings if the place you worked at had an emphasis in autism (or would your neurology be an asset)?

 

[Ronin82]

Pretty sure I still would not be able to interact therapeutically with others. I tend to have VERY intense sensory problems, especially with sound and repetitive verbal patterns, or people who just don't interact (I don't know what to do about that, since I feel the same way!). I get irritated really quickly. Its something I'm working on. It was really hard to stay out of the "client" role while working at this facility, pretty sure that would be a thing even if it was Austim-specific.

 

[Mary Anne]

I've been working as a case manager at a rural mental health clinic for about 8 months now. While I do ok with occasional crises, I can't seem to make myself actively reach out to clients, and my social functioning with my caseload is VERY sub-par. I've already turned in my resignation before they could fire me, and had a good chat with my top boss at the facility. Basically, what I found out is no matter what your diagnoses, if you can't perform, they won't keep you. This has made me question my prospects of ever finding gainful employment. Psychology is my field, I'm GOOD at this (one-on-one only), but it seems I function best as a consultant, not an actual therapist. I just don't have the social functioning skills to be able to establish a therapeutic relationship with that many people.

Now I have to move back in with my parents, try to find enough work to keep my bills paid and see my therapist, and deal with the knowledge that I really am disabled in a society that forces people to perform in certain ways. I may be able to do some freelance work as a Life Coach, but its risky without malpractice insurance (which costs a LOT!!). I guess I'm going to focus on taking care of myself, working on finding my own niche, but gee.....I thought I was going to be in this field for the rest of my life. Gotta say, work as a Pet Psychic is REALLY starting to look good!

Hi Ronin82. I too worked in the mental health field as Peer (Community Support Specialist.) Do you have a BA or a Madters Degree? (USA). Perhaps You could become a team leader? My team leaders only socialized part of the day. They let the support specialists do most of the member contact. Everyplace is different, but you could also work part-time as a counselor. Jobs are everywhere for degreed counselors part-time, in non-profits.

There are other capacities you could work in if Masters degreed. You could do intake assessments. I would spend 1.5 + hours doing new client assessments when I iinterned a few years back. It was very rewarding, extremely enlightening, and I just interviewed to get such extraordinary stories of our clients. The hard part was assessing via DSM 5. You could work anywhere if you have skills and degree.

I am not understanding how you are say you did “sub par” work, but yet you say you are “GOOD at this.” Where you worked did you have to facillatate groups as well as one on one? Or was you caseload just too large? That is really common in many places. I also did not understand what’s ou meant by “can’t reach out to clients,” if you say you are very good “”one-on-one.”

 

[Ronin82]

I'm only a Bachelor's level right now. Was thinking about Grad school, but I don't think I'd be accepted in to any programs with the problems I'm having. I only respond to people if they actually show up and give me a specific direction in which to work. I don't make phone calls, I don't check on people; and that's all this job was about. I also can't do groups bigger than about 3 without shutting down (probably some PTSD in that). I say I am good, because not only do my few friends come to me for their mental health emergencies, but when I'm pulled into the Emergency Response Team activities, the Lead says I do really well with one person during a crises. When I actually interact with people in the office, as long as their needs are articulated well enough, I do ok. But my numbers as far as people reached in a week just don't hit their marks for productivity, and several clients have mentioned they don't want to work with me because I'm "mean", "grouchy", and "cold".

There are a lot of overstretching and boundary issues with this company, not to mention some serious vagueness in job expectations, and constant changes. Yes, they overload us, and I lose track of people when there are more than about 10 on my list.

I don't know. I think my problem is I've never been allowed to fully express my own Autism. I've always had to pretend I knew what I was doing, and after faking it so long, I actually did acquire some skills. Certain disorders are part of my obsessive interests, but my knowledge doesn't mean jack if I can't share it in a helpful way, or get paid for my services. I'm discovering just how bad my social skills really are here, and feeling completely useless since my employers can't utilize my skills and specialized knowledge. I'll figure something out, I always do, but I'm TOTALLY understanding why suicide is so prevalent.

 

[Kirsty]

Oh I remember you being excited about starting this job and all the traveling that it involved.

 

[wight]

It sounds like this particular job wasn't a very good fit for you personally. That doesn't mean you should abandon the mental health field, it just means you shouldn't be a "case manager".

I have a similar thing, except my field is engineering. Some jobs require a huge amount of personal interaction, which I simply can't do. Fortunately, I now found a job that suits my skill set and requires much less social interaction on a daily basis. How long it lasts, I don't know.

 

[Pearly Shells]

I'm studying psychology and working in the field. My job couldn't be any more chaotic. I'm really good at working with my clients. It's colleugues I struggle with. Looking for a new job myself. Have you thought about workibg as an organizationial psychologist in Human Resources? I reckon the job would have a lot of structure and not much client contact.

 

[Progster]

I used to be a teacher in a state school, and also had jobs in private school too, but found the environment too difficult, so I became a private teacher and now work from home freelance, not a school. So you can take your skills and then apply them to a new environment which suits you.

 

[Mary Anne]

Pretty sure I still would not be able to interact therapeutically with others. I tend to have VERY intense sensory problems, especially with sound and repetitive verbal patterns, or people who just don't interact (I don't know what to do about that, since I feel the same way!). I get irritated really quickly. Its something I'm working on. It was really hard to stay out of the "client" role while working at this facility, pretty sure that would be a thing even if it was Austim-specific.

I was going to ask about that working as a support coach in an autism environment too. There are organizations where you work one on one in the home with only one person.

I had to quit my job too. Nit for those reasons you give, but because I worked at a drop in center. Too much noise, too much change all day, and driving 80 miles to work on a high speed tollway past O’Hare Airportnwas anxiety - producing. I also had to drive into dangerous areas to drop clients off, and drive an 14 person van, prepare group meals for up to 25 people...it was all for low pay, and I have an old car needing constant expensive repairs.

I wish I could be a counselor! I do not have any degrees that count whatsoever for this field...not even BA. I have been able to intern a d work in a variety of environments but without that piece of paper I am stck. I am desparete for another job, and even applied to another drop in center position near my home that pays extremely well, but...I think the aspie will raise up and ruin it for me.

If I was good in computers ( I am dyslexic so no data entry), and knew the entire Microsift suite , then maybe an office position. But I fully understand what difficulties jobs bring to us. I wish I could go to a job were I am left alone in a room for 8 hours and see no one.

I have always had “ brain stew” where switching tasks is extremely difficult. I can hyper focus for hours when its something I like to do. Working as a peer support, or on an ACT team, or within though client based roles means the work day is constant change. Talking to clients, coming up with and presenting daily groups where I teach recovery issues, then preparing and cleanng up group meals. Then driving groups to movies, or food pantries, or whatever. Transporting them home to very dangerous neighborhoods. Driving them to public aid or social security offices, or grocery stores is too much chaos in my head! Constant switching, constant change, constant onslaught of people! Heavy urban driving with lots of road rage folks. I could sit in a quiet office alone with one on ones, but that will never happen. Even if I had that degree, a busy mental health office is still sensory and mental overload. Phones, caseloads, pressure to document (that alone- there is never enough time given), constant stream of people, and self-monitoring tone of voice, mood, and vocabulary creates an utterly exhausting life. In my head I dream of running away to the woods and becoming a hermit!

I want to be a successful artist, and sit in my art studio 24/7 only to come out to do weekend shows and talk to my sales rep. LOL, I have had that dream for over 54 years, but am WAY too brain stewed to make it happen. Aspergers (and some other things) has truly messed up my life in some enourmous ways.

 

[Mary Anne]

Pretty sure I still would not be able to interact therapeutically with others. I tend to have VERY intense sensory problems, especially with sound and repetitive verbal patterns, or people who just don't interact (I don't know what to do about that, since I feel the same way!). I get irritated really quickly. Its something I'm working on. It was really hard to stay out of the "client" role while working at this facility, pretty sure that would be a thing even if it was Austim-specific.

Sound like its truly not for you, regardless of grad school unless you can ONLY do assessments all day. Even then, one must be able to bring out information from clients who are not used to communicating. You have to be able to talk in a way that allows clients to feel safe and share personal stuff. That is a skill that is challenging!

You are right though...in this field- its the staff that is the most challenging to deal with!

 

[Pearly Shells]

Mary Anne I can relate to so much of what you say. Challenging commutes, long hours on the road. Dangerous community work. It's all stuff that would be extremely challenging to someone that isn't on the spectrum. I too would want to be in my art studio 24/7 ... if I had one.

 

[Ronin82]

That's the funny thing...I was pretty ok with fellow staff members. Almost everyone likes me, and I am pretty good at getting stories/information out of people. I was so burned out from hearing strangers life-stories years ago, I guess I'm still shut down from that. i tend towards the hyper-sensitive side of the spectrum, can tell the energy of emotions just not the body language of them. Its exhausting. in any case, hermit in the woods sounds so GOOD to me right now! I often dream of having a self-sustainable farm where I raise my own food, out in the middle of nowhere, but close enough to the city where I can partake of its amenities.

When I get back home I'm going to be working intensely to find a job that I might be able to do without burning myself out. Thinking auto parts delivery again, since that may not require as much client contact. It just seems like employers just don't want to deal with Aspie-problems, so if I'm honest about the challenges I face with social things, no one hires me. Sad part is my parents can't support me financially or emotionally, so I never get a break from the struggle. Only my friends and therapist understand me and allow me to be myself, even if I am weird.

I'm really up on nutrition and wellness topics, and have great knowledge to share with others. I just can't seem to do it tactfully. I've been applying for "health and wellness coach" jobs at local doctor's offices back home, and have even considered working in a health food and supplement store, but retail is the bane of my existence, so pretty sure that won't work. I dunno....I just feel so.....useless and misunderstood, maybe even scorned for not being "good enough" by the NT world. Ready to isolate for a while.

 

[Mary Anne]

That's the funny thing...I was pretty ok with fellow staff members. Almost everyone likes me, and I am pretty good at getting stories/information out of people. I was so burned out from hearing strangers life-stories years ago, I guess I'm still shut down from that. i tend towards the hyper-sensitive side of the spectrum, can tell the energy of emotions just not the body language of them. Its exhausting. in any case, hermit in the woods sounds so GOOD to me right now! I often dream of having a self-sustainable farm where I raise my own food, out in the middle of nowhere, but close enough to the city where I can partake of its amenities.

When I get back home I'm going to be working intensely to find a job that I might be able to do without burning myself out. Thinking auto parts delivery again, since that may not require as much client contact. It just seems like employers just don't want to deal with Aspie-problems, so if I'm honest about the challenges I face with social things, no one hires me. Sad part is my parents can't support me financially or emotionally, so I never get a break from the struggle. Only my friends and therapist understand me and allow me to be myself, even if I am weird.

I'm really up on nutrition and wellness topics, and have great knowledge to share with others. I just can't seem to do it tactfully. I've been applying for "health and wellness coach" jobs at local doctor's offices back home, and have even considered working in a health food and supplement store, but retail is the bane of my existence, so pretty sure that won't work. I dunno....I just feel so.....useless and misunderstood, maybe even scorned for not being "good enough" by the NT world. Ready to isolate for a while.

I agree with everything you say! You might not want to work in a retail environment though if you have a hard time with people. If I didn’t.t have such bad spinal stenosis and arthritis, a warehouse assembly job way in the back where I don’t have to deal with anyone and wear noise canceling head phones sounds about perfect now.

 

[Mary Anne]

Have her "sit" and "stay" when you put her food down. Dogs need to work for their food or they get possessive and greedy. She's not allowed to go near the bowl unless you say so. I assume she's taking your arm off getting into the food before you even put her bowl down all the way...making a dog sit calmly for food makes them appreciate it more, have better manners, cements your role as pack leader, and even if she gobbles her food, at least your arm isn't in the way....and as always, consistency and timing are key for this exercise. Don't reward screw-ups or false starts, and give the release command BEFORE she moves towards the bowl, not after she's made any movements that aren't commanded. Even something as small as stretching a nose towards the bowl without a command should not be tolerated, but be patient and treat it as a game instead of punishment.

Is that helpful?

My co- worker quit our mental health field to go back to St. Louis and work as a professional dog trainer - a job he went to college for and had long time professional experience with. He opted to work in a shelter with the worst unadoptable cases and get them ready for possible adoption. He loves his job! Could you work in a shelter, or with animals at a zoo, farm, ranch, or stables?

 

[Judge]

Sad story, but I'm glad you posted it. It reflects a reality in the real world of employment. The weight of social interaction required in the case of so many jobs. Or where such a dynamic may evolve over time. Even ones which may or may not be deemed desirable for those of us on the spectrum.

I held a career for nearly two decades in insurance underwriting. However eventually I chose to leave having witnessed my job move ever closer to one of marketing than enforcement. Where social interactions with clients became ever more acute.

A dynamic that I could only tolerate so much. Just having to occasionally visit insurance agents made me a nervous wreck. Indeed, I can relate.

 

[Ronin82]

My co- worker quit our mental health field to go back to St. Louis and work as a professional dog trainer - a job he went to college for and had long time professional experience with. He opted to work in a shelter with the worst unadoptable cases and get them ready for possible adoption. He loves his job! Could you work in a shelter, or with animals at a zoo, farm, ranch, or stables?

I'm taking steps to be able to do that, although I think volunteering is the only way I'll be able to break into this field. But seriously, the atmosphere and noise levels at most kennels totally overwhelms me, so I don't know. I would LOVE to do something physical again, I love grounds keeping and gardening, and hate being chained to a desk all day, but I have some serious physical limitations and injuries now that prevent me from being able to work physical jobs. Even house cleaning would have to be a part-time gig. I wish I could get formal diagnoses for all my issues, but no money and no insurance, and no doctor who will actually listen to me and believe me!

I wish I could get a job scoring psych tests. I love doing that! Or counting and rolling coins. Maybe building furniture displays, I'm good at that now!

 

[Mary Anne]

Are you in the USA? At this time of year many big box stores like Home Depot, menards, etc are looking for “merchandisers,” what are trained to build the store displays. As I understand you do not deal with customers.

Even rural areas have merchandisers at Walmart’s. So do grocery stores- it’s a merchandising company that comes in and stocks the bread, the sodas, and other goods. Grocery stores use outside companies. Home Depot has staff specifically in that role and it’s full time work.

Some merchandisers travel within a district to other stores but it’s decent money. Even Hallmark cards uses merchandisers. Gone are the days when regular store staff stocked the shelves and counters!