Parenting and Autism Spectrum Disorder

It’s understandable that after receiving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for their child, parents might feel a little out of their depth. Sometimes they might expect you, the therapist and expert, to be able to come in and “fix” the situation.

But we as family and systemic therapists know that the behaviours that are often caused by ASD are also affected by the family relationships surrounding the child, particularly the relationship between the two parents.

It can be a challenge for some parents to begin to discuss their most intimate relationship in a session, especially if they had expected to focus on their child. However, addressing any strain on the couple relationship can be the quickest route to managing some of the difficulties they may be experiencing as parents of a newly diagnosed child.