Stephen

Hi, I'm Stephen. I'm proudly and positively Autistic and an Assistant Psychologist.

On discovering I was Autistic in 2015, aged 41, I immediately started a degree in Social Psychology with the Open University and graduated in 2021 with first class honours. Through this education and through personal reflection, I now have a much deeper and clearer understanding of the difficulties I experienced throughout my childhood education and into adulthood.

I know traditional teaching methods often run counter to our idiosyncratic learning styles and we're usually not given the understanding and support to succeed... even though we're often more than capable of being outstanding students!

I understand the unique pressures of being Autistic in a non-Autistic world. I understand the misunderstanding we encounter. I understand how debilitating it is to be referred to in terms of deficit and disorder and the effect that has on our self-concept.

For me, the only deficit and disorder is in the understanding from wider society of the Autistic experience.

I recognise our unique Autistic strengths and how single-minded and determined we are to succeed against these odds.

If you're Autistic or are the parent of a young Autistic adult, then you know I already understand.

While primarily interested in tutoring Autistic students and particularly mature students, I'm also happy to tutor anybody who's non-Autistic.

Tutoring Experience

Currently self-employed as an Assistant Psychologist with a practice specialising in adult, Autistic identification.

As I'm a tutoring newcomer, your first session is free. Unfortunately, this means I can't offer one-off sessions to help with a particular sticking point.

I provided study skills tuition to myself. As a self-directed learner with the OU and working full time, I was responsible for keeping myself on track with time management and competing demands and I think that's a perfectly legitimate position on experience! After all, I did manage to coach a first from this student!

Being now a fully paid-up adult (in other words 'old'!), I'd be a great support for another adult learner, especially one navigating the OU.

Over my years of study, I did informally support other students. They recognised my particular strengths and often sought advice.

I have a TQUK: Level 3 Award in Education and Training (QCF). From my psychology education I'm familiar with the work of Vygotsky and Piaget for example, and in techniques of stimulating creative thought -- even just disrupting everyday routine tasks and doing them in a different order can fire the imagination!

I've also got a CPCAB: Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (QCF) and CPCAB: Level 2 Award in Introduction to Counselling Skills (QCF).

I was previously a trustee of a mental health charity and am experienced in talking about mental health, including drawing on my own experiences.

Tutoring Approach

My approach is to put you/your young adult at the heart of the whole experience. In having an Autistic connection, we can build an empathic bridge and work together to find the routines that work best.

This is as much about me being guided as providing guidance.

I'm comfortable with stimming. I don't believe in ABA/PBS.

I believe in Autistic communication and connection.

I'm all for encouraging monotropic thought and specialisms.

Sometimes a tutoring session might consist of me mostly listening while you talk through and around your thoughts.

I've experience of Autistic burnout and inertia. I know what it's like to feel utterly stuck! I know what it's like to get stuck chasing perfectionism! I know what it's like to feel like you've really had enough! I'm comfortable in talking through these experiences, sharing my own and collaborating to navigate our way out of them.

I'm familiar with that feeling of simply aiming to turn in a piece of work. I'm also familiar with failure. There are countless tutors with untarnished records of personal academic success and a history of shaping their mentees into high-achieving superstars in every subject. Good for them. That's not me. I busted myself to get my first and at school I 'achieved' a U in A-level Biology. Yes, I've been up and down the qualifications alphabet!

I've also got an HND in Travel and Tourism Management and an ONC in Chemistry with Maths and something or other in Therapeutic Massage and various other qualification bits and bobs. I guess being Autistic and never quite 'fitting in', I've forever been trying to find my way in!

I know there are many capable students who are intimidated by success-fixated, anything less than an A* with a cherry on top is failure approaches. Yeah, that's not me.

It's nice to get high marks, but if you're looking for someone to just help nudge that D to a C or a 2:2 to a 2:1, then I'm the one to chat to. I 'get' it. I know sometimes that barely clearing a hurdle is enough to allow you entry to the next level and maybe that's where you really fly. Despite how it's popularly presented, success (whatever that is) is frequently not neatly packaged and nicely predictable. Instead, it's messy and surprising.

Of course, together, we might just get some distinctions along the way, too. From the sublime to the ridiculous!

If you're a mature student, perhaps dipping your toe into the OU, then I can help navigate that experience. It's got its little quirks and expectations!

Anyway, if there's anything here that resonates with you, drop me a line and let's chat. Sometimes good enough is more than good enough!