Hi MandyH,
its Interesting as I’m under the community learning disability team which deals with mental health difficulties differently.
i have been to see the CLDT psychologist several times, he tried to use exposure therapy on me several times for my severe sensory issues which cause a lot of behaviors in busy supermarkets as he believed I was doing the behaviors on purpose to get taken out of the supermarket quickly in order to escape panic and anxiety,in fact he diagnosed panic disorder,he only gave me three things every time that needed working on,they were always manipulated to be around panic and what I had asked for every time I was referred back to him was counselling,which I had never had In my life at any point because of my lack of speech and interaction,it was modified CBT,which has never worked for me. I can’t just go to a standard MH counsellor because of my complex autism,Speech/communication difficulties and LD,they always forward me back to him.
in a different area and different CLDT,I had known the consultant psychologist from 18 to 30,and he had always known how to work and communicate with me,I would recommend him to any Autist if only he freelanced outside of his boroughs social Care-I’ve checked as I wanted to book him privately.
because I had known him for so long,on our last ever visit together he revealed he was Autistic himself,I knew there was a reason I felt able to connect to him.
when I was 28 I had my severe depression,severe paranoid pyschosis and extreme anxiety labelled as challenging behavior by a learning disability hospital,they had no understanding of LD with mental illness,as we are supposed to not have the capacity to think and process what’s in our heads.


mine was caused by several years worth of being severely bullied online.
I think what we need is staff who have worked in multiple areas, like for example, pyschologists to be trained and experienced in both ASD with dual mental health difficulties, Instead of each area not understanding Or accepting the other side.
there is a service in Manchester called Counselling for all, It’s for adults with LD and/or ASD just in case any of you live here,you can get it free if you can prove you have tried and failed with other therapists (I think that’s the criteria) ,you have to wait the usual length of time I think,I was told even if I pay privately I don’t get a quicker waiting time.i think it’s around £900 For a block of sessions,privately.