A true mensch who knows the spectrum
V DANIELLE HAMPSON is officially a mensch. Over the years, the Liverpoolbased counsellor and psychotherapist has been the recipient of various accolades, including runner-up in Merseyside Woman of the Year and fourth in the JC’s Mensch of the Year, back in 2015.
Such awards are no surprise, given the type of work she has undertaken — often as a volunteer. She has worked with victims and perpetrators of domestic and sexual abuse, as well as those with complex personality disorders.
Her fascination with the workings of the human brain led to her write a book about autism and how, to a greater or lesser degree, it affects us all. Am I On the Spectrum? An Aspie’s Guide to the Autistic Spectrum is her attempt to explain more about our behaviour and idiosyncracies.
“You don’t have to have had a diagnosis to read this book — it’s for people who have a quirk or who have wondered about themselves but don’t really know where to go with it. A lot of books that are out there are very scientific. This is for the layman,” says Hampson.
“When I first heard the words ‘autism spectrum’ I had no knowledge of it. I did my research and I realised that the problem — the situation — was far bigger than the knowledge that was out there at the time. I shouldn’t say ‘problem’ because to be on the autistic spectrum is actually a bonus in some areas.
“I believe that we are all on it, with our quirks, our special talents and our behaviours. As a psychotherapist, I work within the specialist areas of domestic abuse, with perpetrators of violence, offenders and substance mis-users, and they all display lots of spectrum behaviour. A lot of their behaviour is denial — that’s a big one — repetitive behaviour is another one and, when I started to look at the bigger picture, I realised that in a lot of these areas, there wasn’t a lot of research linking them to the autistic spectrum.
“No one could ever say to me, this is what the autistic spectrum looks like and so I devised a wheel — a chart — of what the autistic spectrum could look like to the average person. A person who doesn’t think they are on it could actually have [autistic spectrum] traits, and family members could have traits.”
She believes there are links between certain types of behaviour and being on the spectrum. If, for instance, you see yourself as something of a perfectionist, or have anxiety or depression, it may put you on that chart. But, she stresses, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. She says there are plenty of celebrities who have turned their autistic tendencies into something positive.
It also appears that a large number of computer hackers are there too.
“It’s basically because they are good at coding and their specialism is mathematical, and computers are great for that. It’s something that they can do alone; they don’t have to communicate with many people. They just use their special talents to their advantage.”
We may all be feeling a little paranoid at the moment, but for those who worry excessively, the current coronavirus pandemic may cause additional problems. “If you are prone to anxiety, and a lot of spectrum people are maybe not good at social communication, going into isolation can increase anxiety. This can add a bit of further stress.”
She describes working with victims and perpetrators of abuse as “very interesting, because I like the fascination of the mind, to see how people behave and to see their underlying personalities. Where I practise, I come across people who are Jewish — they might not be members of the Liverpool Jewish community, but they are Jewish and they have dysfunctional lives.”
Like every other community, we have the same problems but prefer not to talk about them. “We’re ‘closed’ and I know, from working with Jewish Women’s Aid, how closed that is. From that comes ignorance and naivety. I’m not going to pull punches here: there are plenty in our own community who are perpetrators.”
She says it is a misconception that abuse always means physical violence, with women as victims. “I would say it is pretty equal — there are many perpetrators out there that are women, and people only think of it as a male trait. There is emotional abuse, mental abuse, financial abuse — there are a number of forms of abuse. It’s about power and control, it’s not physical violence.”
Hampson says she, too, is on the spectrum. “I have a learning disability, I’m dyslexic. I look at the world differently, I’m very honest and open about that.”
This probably accounts for her conversational writing style. “My writing style is pretty unusual but I hope it gets the message over. People would look at me years ago and think, well, she is a bit thick, she’s a bit stupid, with an immature brain with regards to her use of language and that’s not the case at all. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my
quirks.”