03/07/2025
Working with autistic children is not about fixing them; Rather, it is about understanding them. Many children on the autism spectrum exhibit repetitive behaviors or become fixated on water, light, or sound. These behaviors are not meaningless but serve to calm overwhelming sensations and create a sense of safety. In therapy, these "sensorial flows" help the child avoid the anxiety of separation or emotional chaos (Houzel, 2011).
As psychologists, educators, or even caregivers, our role is not to force language or eye contact. Instead, we offer a secure space where the child feels accepted. Over time, this allows the child to shift from sensory regulation to human connection and shared play. These small steps toward relational "flows" mark real progress in emotional development (Houzel, 2011).
Autism is not caused by how parents raise their children. That harmful belief has been proven wrong. Today's psychoanalytic thinking highlights how autism involves complex interactions between innate vulnerabilities and early experiences without blaming families (Ribas, 2013). Parents deserve support and collaboration, not judgment.
Our therapeutic sessions often include a series of simple but more meaningful interactions, such as drawing or engaging in imaginative play. In the long term, these rigorously planned sessions help build the child's sense of identity, relational ability, and symbolic thinking. Hélène Suarez-Labat's work with an adolescent girl demonstrates how post-autistic development involves reclaiming connection, emotion, and self-narrative in a step-by-step process (Suarez-Labat, 2011).
In Cambodia, supporting autistic children means listening deeply, respecting their pace, and walking with families on this journey. Understanding their world is the first step in helping them find their place in ours.
