| Through the lens of an "Incomplete Attachment" I have | | | | say this is an example of dissociation in that the |
| previiously described that the child (teen or adult) with | | | | emotions are split off from the intellect of the person, |
| autism is experiencing dissociated states. What does | | | | 3) Cannot shift thinking from one subject to another |
| this mean? From my perspective, the child has many | | | | – this is an example of not being able to go from |
| parts of himself that have not become integrated as a | | | | one part of the self to another. The individual is |
| whole. These aspects of the self have not been | | | | demonstrating on the outside of himself what is |
| validated and recognized by "another person" so the | | | | occurring on the inside of him. In other words, his |
| child, in turn, cannot use and see himself. Thus the | | | | inability to go from one part of himself to another, 4) |
| different parts of this child become dissociated and | | | | the child can think through mathematical problems, but |
| cannot work together to the benefit of the child. We | | | | cannot think through and understand social interactions |
| can say that this child does not have the ability to go | | | | – the child has access to his intellect, but no access |
| from one part of himself to another. The child also | | | | to the emotional parts of himself. The emotional side |
| cannot go within himself to retrieve these dissociated | | | | is harder to access if you have never had an |
| parts. | | | | attachment. It is through an attachment that one |
| How can I recognize dissociation in a person with | | | | feels understood and seen and in turn can talk and |
| autism? Dissociation is easy to recognize. We all | | | | have access to the emotional parts of one's self. |
| have aspects of dissociation, but it is more profoundly | | | | These are only a few examples of what I think about |
| seen in Autism Spectrum Disorders. The following | | | | when observing the autistic person through the lens of |
| are examples of dissociation: 1) reduced sense of | | | | dissociation and an "Incomplete Attachment." When |
| pain – the child may burn himself, but not | | | | one thinks about autism from this perspective than one |
| demonstrate any outward behaviors that say, "I am | | | | can have hope that the child can develop into an |
| hurting." The pain is there and he feels it, but he is split | | | | integrated person. The work with the autistic person |
| off from his ability to claim it and name the feeling, 2) | | | | is to help them to become more conscious of the split |
| Exceptional savant skills – such as extraordinary | | | | off parts. This includes helping them to name their |
| ability to remember days of the week, birthdays and | | | | feelings along with the development of a trusting |
| dates associated with events, ability to do | | | | relationship with "another person." As they become |
| mathematical calculations that others can only do with | | | | more conscious of themselves their dissociated parts |
| the help of a calculator or great musical and artistic | | | | will begin to work together. |
| abilities. These abilities seem to coexist with what | | | | Working with dissociated states is not easy and can |
| appears to be severe disabilities. Most people | | | | be very time consuming. But the work is worthwhile |
| observing such a mixture of behaviors would be | | | | when you see the child gain access to dissociated |
| confused and conclude that there must be something | | | | parts of himself and then begins to speak and do |
| "wrong" with a person who on the one hand has great | | | | things that he had not previously been able to do. |
| musical ability or artistic ability, but cannot talk. I would | | | | |