5th October 2024 Talk

Autism, a psychotherapeutic and psychodynamic perspective - Martina Bilmayer

To be held online from 10.00am to 12.00noon on Saturday 5th October 2024, by Zoom. Attendance is free of charge for all FPC members and will count as 2 hours CPD. The talk will not be recorded. To book a place please email admin@thefpc.org.uk 

Chaired by Meg Errington

In this talk, Martina will describe her clinical experience working with clients with a diagnosis of autism and clients who present with autistic parts. She will share her observations about the inner worlds of some of her clients who are autistic and discuss some psychodynamic theory about autism, her take on it and her application of it in her work with such clients.

Introduction 

1. Background and an overview of experience working with autistic clients.
2. Definition – autism as described in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM-5-TR, published by the American Psychiatric Association), including symptom criteria for diagnosis.
3. Contemporary views and thinking about autism and implications for working therapeutically with autistic clients

Clinical Case Studies, Part 1:

1. A case presentation of clients who are autistic or show symptoms of having autistic parts.
2. Some key aspects of these clients’ inner worlds
3. Theory – A presentation of psychodynamic theory about autism and her take on it 

Clinical Case Studies, Part 2:

1. A description of her clinical work with the above presented clients, including how psychodynamic theory informed her approach.
   
2. Outcome.

Questions/discussion

Martina Bilmayer qualified as a psychodynamic psychotherapist at WPF in 2007. She has experience of seeing clients with a wide range of backgrounds and difficulties. In recent years she has gained considerable experience working with adults who are neurodivergent (ADHD, ASD) as well as with the parents of children with special needs (ADHD, ASD, Sensory Processing Difficulties, Global Developmental Delay). She works in private practice in Fulham, London.

Presentation slides: Autism2024-5.pdf