Connect With an ASD Relationship Psychologist Near You
Our team at The Marriage Restoration Project understands how important it is for couples to celebrate and honor what makes each partner unique. We also understand that innate differences can lead to challenging moments and a sense of disconnection between partners, especially when one or both partners are on the spectrum or identify as neurodiverse. Whether one or both partners are on the spectrum, if you are in love and committed to one another we can help you learn to make your differences strengths. Email us or book a complimentary 30-minute clarity call with our marriage therapists to gain insight into what’s going on.
The thing is, neurodiverse individuals who want to overcome relationship challenges and reconnect with their spouses don’t need to change who they are—their partner needs tools and skills that will help them understand their partner’s true feelings. They also need to learn how to express their desires and expectations clearly and effectively.
If you are both committed to improving the relationship, you and your spouse have the potential to develop an unimaginably strong connection. ASD Couples who master communication in their relationships understand their partners in a deeper, more intimate way that gives their relationship commitment superpowers. That’s because the bond between people who are completely surrendered to one another and stubbornly committed to making each other happy have a bond unlike any other.
If you and your loved one are in a neurodiverse relationship and would like to strengthen your marriage, we invite you to collaborate with one of our autism spectrum disorder (ASD) psychologists. Discover how this specialized style of couples therapy and coaching can help you transform your relationship!
Understanding Neurodiverse Couples & Their Unique ChallengesÂ
What is a Neurodiverse couple?
A neurodiverse couple is one in which one or both partners fall on the autism spectrum. Importantly, neurodiverse couples face all the same challenges that people in neurotypical relationships do. But these challenges are often heightened or feel more intense because of the different perspectives, communication styles, sensory processing skills, and social preferences that people on the ASD spectrum may have.
This is because the changes in the brain associated with autism spectrum conditions can make it more difficult for someone in a relationship to:
- Communicate
- Co-habitat
- Co-parent
- Handle conflict
- Pick up on their partner’s cues (especially non-verbal cues)
- Recognize their partner’s emotional, physical, and/or spiritual needs
- Express their own emotional, physical, and/or spiritual needs
- Give emotional support at times their partner expects them to
Neurodiverse people may also face unfortunate and unwarranted stigma or judgment from other people or even society at large. Like every other person on the planet, they may have experienced trauma in their childhood or past and carry unaddressed pain that can drive a wedge between themselves and their partner.
Couples therapy specifically tailored to the unique needs and challenges of neurodiverse partners can help.
How Can Neurodiverse Couples Benefit from Coaching & Relationship Therapy?
Whether you’re a neurodiverse individual, you suspect your partner is, or you’re in love with someone who was given a diagnosis, couples counseling and coaching can help you both step into your roles as committed and understanding partners. If you are both committed to one another and attending counseling, you have a unique opportunity to master communication with your spouse on a level most will never come close to. We take a unique approach when counseling couples with one or both partners on the spectrum.
In relationships where one partner has Asperger or another ASD condition, the neurotypical partner usual falls in love with their partner because of their steadfastness, Instead of some marriage coaching programs that try to make the ASD partner less autistic, we focus on teaching the non-autism spectrum person how to express their unique emotional and physical needs, expectations, and affection in a way that their partner understands it.
At The Marriage Restoration Project, neurodiverse couples working with our ASD psychologist staff report:
- Increased ability to understand their partner’s needs
- More effective communication—even while discussing more challenging topics and issues
- Greater appreciation for each other’s unique characteristics
- Improved awareness and understanding of when to apologize, and how to do so effectively
How the Imago Dialogue Helps Couples with Autism
People who work with our ASD therapists get the opportunity to develop their communication skills using an evidence-based theory of communication known as Imago dialogue, which falls under a branch of psychotherapy known as Imago relationship therapy.
Imago dialogue is ideal for neurodiverse couples because it:
- Features clear, basic ground rules (e.g., mirroring, validation, and empathy)Â that help pave the way toward healthier and more satisfying conversations
- Offers a degree of order and consistency to the somewhat nebulous topic of communication
- It helps partners understand and validate the other person’s unique perspectives
Related reading…
- Couples Communication Video Course Online
- Imago Therapy Worksheets, Books & Resources
- Intensive 2-Day Marriage Counseling Retreats
- Affordable Marriage Workshops in a Group Setting
- Tropical Couples Retreat Vacation in Costa Rica
- Empathy Counseling for Couples
- Communication Coaching for Couples
Interested in ASD Marriage Counseling?Â
If you’re in a neurodiverse relationship and would like to experience non-judgmental and individually tailored couples therapy or coaching, contact The Marriage Restoration Project today.