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Nov 19Liked by Sami Harris

I recently went into solo private practice and it's been great not having to force myself to fill every available spot in my schedule for fear of losing health insurance. So many group practices/CMHCs require a punishing caseload (25+ sessions a week) that makes burnout seem inevitable. It's a real shame that's slowly wrecking the profession, imo.

I have 20 good hours in a week I can spare for work and I try to set aside a few for all the horrible insurance follow-up so I don't have to hire a biller- I definitely have the "don't you fucking tell me what to do, I can figure it all out on my own" flavor of autism, which is a two edged sword. I have my office hours in my email signature too! I think I got the idea from one of the abolitionist accounts I follow. Maybe the Nap Ministry? I'm contemplating an away message for my mid-week rest day and the weekends so I don't feel like I have to check my email. In a weird way I'm grateful that having EDS forced me to learn to quit while I was ahead back in my early 30s because now there's no way I'd push myself past my capacity. My homeostasis is way too important for me and much too carefully arranged. I like the way you phrased the idea of setting your bills to meet your capacity- I do the same. I might have a small life but I don't hate my work and that's super important to me!

Really enjoying reading about the practice of other autistic therapists!

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Hi Sue! Sami here, I'm the Content Manager for The Autistic Culture Podcast. I love the statement "my homeostasis is way too important for me" - those were my exact thoughts when I left retail management to go into freelance social media/content management. Personally, I have always thought that health insurance being tied to jobs is a form of eugenics against disabled people (which is something I could literally write a whole essay on lol). I've had to renegotiate a lot of my expenses/budget in order to suit a lower spoons lifestyle, and I'm okay with that. Disability and chronic illness often mean we have to redirect and accommodate our lifestyles - and it doesn't always matter if other people understand that. Keep taking care of yourself and honoring your needs!

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