The Peace Corps slogan in the late ’80s was “The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love”. While I never served in the Peace Corps, the goal of helping the disenfranchised definitely appeals to my sensibilities. This is common for many autistic people, probably because our needs often go unmet in mainstream society.
Back then, very little was known about autism, especially how it presents in girls, women, and non-binary people. Those with lower support needs, like myself, often got missed. Neuro-affirming professionals in all fields are still difficult to find, and autism can be confounding even for autistic people, just due to its myriad of presentations.
So what is my personal autistic presentation?
- High empathy.
- Hyperfocusing on whatever subject I’m interested in. (Especially music!)
- Perseverating on things I feel are not resolved.
- Being prone to sensory overload (especially bright lights, extreme temperatures, routines being thrown off, loud noises, and certain types of touch).
- Past difficulties with time management; though I’m much better at it these days.
- Preference for direct and clear communication.
For most of my working life, I didn’t love (or even like) most of my jobs. That changed almost 6 years ago, when I became a life coach specializing in working with neurodivergent people. Not knowing I was autistic for most of my life, I lived with a nervous system that was completely dysregulated by overstimulation due to trying to live up to neurotypical expectations. Once I learned that I was autistic, I was given the gift of learning how my individual brain and nervous system worked along with ways I could help regulate the stimuli around me. With this knowledge, I have been able to make changes in my life to suit my unique traits, and in so doing, create a life that works for me. My goal is to help others like me do the same.
This work is not without its challenges. While I mainly work with clients on planning and organizing their time, they sometimes share some painful experiences they’ve gone through–such as suicidal ideation or attempt, or having experienced sexual assault, often at the hands of someone they know. Such painful revelations are heartbreaking. Yet despite this, I feel extremely honored that my clients trust me enough to be this vulnerable.
I have a strong network of therapists and other professionals I trust and can refer to when topics outside of my area of focus come up in sessions. This way, I can continue working with the client on executive functioning and skill building, while they concurrently work with the right professional on trauma recovery.
I wish mine, and many others’ early years had not been as difficult as they were. But I have hope that our society is starting to see the value in neurodiversity, and realizing that the world needs all kinds of minds. All my experiences led me to my calling, and I now have the toughest job I’ll ever love.
Anne Sabagh is a Certified Life, Executive Function, and Cognitive Coach at MySpectrum Counseling & Coaching specializing in working with neurodivergent individuals in high school through adulthood and their families; including those on the Autism Spectrum, with ADHD, and other related traits. Anne is Nationally Certified and can provide Telehealth Coaching for anyone in the United States. The cost per 1 hour session is $120. To get started with Anne, complete the new client form here.