Client Testimony: how life coaching helps you progress

But...how does life coaching help autistics?

There's been many services for autistic people, but many of them focus on trying to get the autistic person to meet neurotypical goals.

Our life coaching strives to be different by focusing on what you want in your life, and then helping you find ways to achieve it in an autistic-friendly way, so you're working with your brain, not against it. For some, their goal may be to have more rest or mindfulness. For others, it may mean preparing for a new school or career.

For this client, it meant finding strategies to get things done in her life, which included writing her very own book! Mrinal has been a client of APC for about a year, and during that time has seen improvement in multiple areas of her life, including friendship, advocacy, and self-compassion.

This snapshot of Mrinal's story shows how life coaching has been beneficial to her, and gives some insight into our autistic-centered coaching process.

Mrinal's Q + A

Why did you decide to use APC coaching services?

I've been through therapy and while it has helped me, I feel that the neurodevelopmental realm needs a very tailored approach for support, and it got hard to find therapists experienced highly in that area. I felt as though I had to educate them a lot! APC, I found, was great for providing "tools" for what you're trying to address rather than just talking about emotions, which is something that has complicated therapy for me. 

It's so important to develop a trust and connection with your coach, otherwise coaching won't be helpful. Are there things your coach has done to develop a connection with you? How has this helped the coaching process?

I love that my coach had basically the same knowledge of Autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions that I had coming in. I didn't have to educate her like I did former therapists. She knew a lot about executive functioning, sensory issues, and navigating the workplace. She shared some things in common with me too, which made her relatable. I love that she acknowledged that a therapist's reduced capacity to give advice can be unhelpful for folks like us, and she was good at giving me just that....as it related to work, interpersonal relations, Western and holistic medicine alike! 

Are there things that surprised you about the coaching process that you didn't know before you started life coaching?

I am thoroughly impressed and surprised at how quickly I received tools and how effectively I could apply them in my daily life! 

Are there ways your life has  improved since using APC coaching services?

My favorite thing I received was social scripts- for boundary setting, self-advocacy and more that can take me from work to friendship to romantic relationships! 

At APC, we want all autistic people to have abundance in their lives. How does your life coach help you identify what you want in your future? How can working with a life coach help you turn those dreams into your reality?

I think I had a good head on my shoulders for the most part before coming in, but I needed a non-judgmental person who could relate to me when it came to things like embracing my differences and practicing self forgiveness around my differences as needed. 

Would you recommend APC coaching services to other autistic people? If so, why?

I recommend it if you are ready to make a change and ready to apply the tools you receive. Coaching, however, is not therapy, where you psychoanalyze yourself, your behaviors, traumas, etc. So I would recommend coaching as a standalone if you're not looking at yourself from a clinical standpoint, or as a compliment to therapy if you're actively healing trauma, working through diagnostics, medicine management etc. 

Last year you published your second book Taboo: South Asian Mental Health Stories. What would you like people to know about Taboo: South Asian Mental Health Stories and how can they purchase it?

It is a collection of 16 true stories about second generation South Asian immigrants and their journeys with mental health. Topics are stigma, access, cultural navigation, sexuality and more. You can buy via Amazon. 

A purple background features over 20 Southeast Asian individuals wearing different outfits, including head coverings, dresses, shirts and jackets. The title reads, "Taboo: South Asian Mental Health Stories" by Mrinal Gokhale.

How Can We Help You?

Just like Mrinal, you may have something you want out of life. Whether that is friendship, self-advocacy skills, or to accomplish a big dream, our life coaches can help you with all these pursuits and more!

Learn more about  our life coaches and how they can help you work towards the life you want.