
Episode #30
Adapting CBT for Autistic Clients with Prof Ailsa Russell
In this episode of Practice Matters, Rachel Handley is joined by Professor Ailsa Russell to explore how CBT can be adapted to meet the needs of autistic clients. They unpack common myths, including the idea that CBT is unsuitable for autistic people or that encouraging behaviour change simply means asking clients to mask, and discuss where a neuro-affirmative stance fits into formulation and treatment. Ailsa talks through practical adaptations therapists can make from using plain, concrete language instead of metaphor, to allowing more time for foundational work and generalising skills beyond the session. She also shares what the evidence base tells us about CBT's effectiveness with autistic people, why service structures often fall short, and what she has learned from her own autistic clients over the years. Further resources: Find out more about Ailsa's work here OCD and Autism: A Clinician's Guide to Adapting CBT can be bought from Jessica Kingsley Publishers here Russell, A., Gaunt, D. M., Cooper, K., Barton, S., Horwood, J., Kessler, D., Metcalfe, C., Ensum , I., Ingham, B., Parr, J. R., Rai, D., & Wiles, N. (2020). The feasibility of low-intensity psychological therapy for depression co-occurring with autism in adults: The Autism Depression Trial (ADEPT) – a pilot randomised controlled trial. Autism , 24 (6), 1360-1372. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361319889272 Stay Connected: Follow us on BlueSky and Instagram: @BABCPpodcasts Send us your questions and suggestions: podcasts@babcp.com Subscribe and leave a review – and don't forget to share this episode with your colleagues! If you enjoyed this episode, check out our sister podcasts, Let's Talk About CBT and Let's Talk About CBT – Research Matters for more discussions on evidence-based therapy. Credits: Music is Autmn Coffee by Bosnow from Uppbeat Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/bosnow/autumn-coffee License code: 3F32NRBYH67P5MIF This podcast was edited by Steph Curnow

