The Autism Couple's Workbook, Second Edition

My therapist recommended Maxine Aston's Couples Workbook to me and it has been a real eye opener. My husband and I have been struggling with communication and intimacy for over fifteen years. This book gave me hope and for the first time I felt as though we had a way forward. My husband and I read the book together and chose together the exercises and recommendation that we felt would work for us. We particularly like the non-judgemental and straight forward approach which certainly worked very well for my husband. We loved the sketches and must admit we had to laugh at how many we could both relate to. We have now sent for Maxine Aston’s other books and look forward to developing our understanding of each other and learning just what it means to be in a neurodiverse relationship.

As a psychotherapist working with neurodiverse couples, I was really pleased to find the second updated Edition of this book as I found the first workbook to be an invaluable resource when working with clients in neurodiverse relationships. The second addition of this book really expands on the first with lots more chapters and worksheets that I found to be very informative. I have used the worksheets with clients in sessions and clients have found them really helpful in aiding understanding of each other, finding new ways to communicate and resolve difficulties in their relationships. I found the book to be non judgmental and helpful to both partners. It is clear, practical and easy to use. Highly recommend for both therapists working with this client group and neurodiverse couples.

It's a struggle to use this as an AS female with an NT husband. The book speaks with this presupposition that the AS is male and the NT is female and makes no real account for the experiences of female aspies who might, as in my case, be waaaay more empathetic than their partner or spend their entire lives trying to rewire their brains to please the NTs around them as a result. Did not encourage me at all. The analogies are nonsensical and I think there is a clear deficit model present. As an autistic person I find it difficult to believe that Maxine sees me as a capable, intelligent, empathetic, competent, loving, devoted and most importantly, female.

I haven't purchased and fully read this workbook, nor do I intend to. That's why I've given two stars instead of one. To be fair. I saw it in a shop, curiously flicked through (as I am autistic) and was disgusted.The inclusion of 'activities' like questionnaires and games as well as the inclusion of cartoony drawings of people were extremely patronising to me, so anyone would assume that this workbook was for someone with low functioning autism, which would be fine - except it definitely isn't for them. In-between these childish activities are huge blocks of texts using language that I truly believe a low functioning autistic person would really struggle with, and find incredibly off putting. So it must be intended for people like me. Or maybe a thin sliver of autistic people exactly halfway along the spectrum.The generalisations seeming to be made are astounding. I don't understand who is buying this book. Surely it is totally inappropriate for a commercial setting, and is ONLY something that a therapist could assign a couple she thinks could be useful for a very specific couple?What a joke