Connecting With Your Asperger Partner: Negotiating the Maze of Intimacy

Louise Weston

Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Mar 15, 2011 - Psychology - 208 pages

Communication and intimacy can feel like a constant struggle in relationships where one partner has Asperger Syndrome (AS). For the neuro-typical partner (NT) in particular, this can be an endless source of frustration, misunderstandings, and tears.

Drawing on her own experience of being married to a man with AS, Louise Weston shows that the road to intimacy begins with letting go of expectations and looking after your own physical and emotional needs. She provides tried-and-tested strategies for relating to and connecting with your AS partner, as well as useful tips for coping with hurtful words and meltdowns, helping your partner to interpret emotions, and finding further sources of help and support. Above all, she shows that although your AS/NT relationship will challenge you beyond what you ever thought possible, by letting go of expectations and respecting each others' differences, this unique partnership really can be both happy and successful.

Brimming with stories and advice from other NT partners, this practical book will help NTs take positive steps towards connecting with their AS partners. It will also be a useful resource for counsellors and other professionals who wish to deepen their understanding of AS/NT relationships.

Contents

• Acknowlegements: 9
• Foreword by Tony Attwood: 11
• About this book: 13
• Helpful Hints: 16
• 1 Two Steps ForwardOne Step Back: 19
• 2 Letting Go of Expectations: 27
• 3 Maintaining YourEnergy Cup: 38
• 4 Does A Diagnosis Help?: 52
• 5 Letting Go of Control: 61
• 6 Communication Strategies: 69
• 7 Helping Your PartnerInterpret Emotions: 82
• 8 Surviving Blunt andHarsh Words: 94
• 9 Coping with Meltdowns: 108
• 10 Regaining Your Identity: 125
• 11 Beginning to Reconnect: 140
• 12 Connecting Intimately: 148
• 13 The Importance of a Support Group: 158
• 14 Entering into theAspies World: 165
• 15 The Unique Partnership: 178
• Afterword: 186
• Bibliography: 192
• Index: 196

About the author

Louise Weston is a Registered Nurse from Queensland, Australia. She was the former co-ordinator of a monthly support group for NT partners and spouses of individuals with Asperger Syndrome. She has a Bachelor of Nursing degree and a Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training. Louise is happily married to her husband Graham. After they were married in 1999, Graham was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. His diagnosis was inspirational in writing this book.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Connecting With Your Asperger Partner: Negotiating the Maze of Intimacy
• Author: Louise Weston
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2011
• ISBN: 0857002864, 9780857002860
• Length: 208 pages
• Subjects: Family & Relationships / Marriage & Long-Term Relationships; Health & Fitness / Disability; Psychology / Psychopathology / Autism Spectrum Disorders; Psychology / Reference