Testimony: A Journey of Understanding and Healing

By B. ~ A story of living with High Functioning Autism, (HFA.)

“Embarking on a journey of understanding and healing is like walking through a forest; each step reveals new paths, hidden truths, and the beauty of growth, reminding us that the journey itself is as important as the destination.”

Anna Ram.

After twenty-two years of marriage, my husband discovered that he had been living with High-Functioning Autism all his life. This revelation triggered such an intense and prolonged emotional crisis that it made it difficult for him to engage in social and daily activities, like working. During this time, his emotions fluctuated drastically, creating tension in our marriage.

My husband’s diagnosis came after our son was diagnosed with the same disorder at the age of nineteen. Both diagnoses marked the beginning of addressing the issues they individually faced. The family challenges caused by autism, along with our own family dynamics and personalities, were summarized in the misinterpretation of communication, actions, and intentions.

Regarding our son, from an early age, he struggled to greet and interact with people, which caused him anxiety. I did not understand his behavior and interpreted it as a lack of respect, which often led to my anger. With my husband, the challenges were similar, though not identical. Before understanding how individuals with High-Functioning Autism process information, situations like this were painful for everyone.

THE PROCESS

During my husband’s crisis, I felt emotionally drained and sought comfort in prayer and the social support of friends and family, for which I am deeply grateful. In particular, two friends even raised funds for my husband to receive therapy from a Christian therapist they referred me to. The therapist focused for several months on assessments, interventions, psychoeducation in mental health and human relationships, referrals to other professionals ( medical doctors, occupational therapist), and all were committed to this counseling process. My husband, and our entire family, at some point had to attend therapy and participate in this process. All of this helped us improve our communication and learn to identify and regulate our emotions, and to acquire new effective mechanisms to face all the challenges. Thanks to this individualized treatment plan and much prayer, my husband began to emerge from the deep hole he was in.

The psychoeducational approach in sessions, along with our own efforts to read books and watch videos about the disorder, allowed us to understand each other better and be more patient and compassionate with one another. This new understanding of each other fostered unity, respect, and humility, which are essential in our family to recognize our mistakes and take responsibility for our words and actions.

The experience of going through a counseling process has strengthened us in many ways: it brought us awareness and acceptance of our reality, making us more committed, empathetic, and united as a family. It has taught us to forgive and face daily challenges with mutual understanding. Understanding ASD

Faith and Spirituality

In the area of spirituality, I must say that as believers, our hope has been in Christ.

Three years ago, an unknown person visited ou church and prophesied that our son, despite his communication difficulties, “would be heard by many and would have an important role in serving God.” This experience encouraged me greatly as God was giving me a promise. This promise is already being fulfilled. Our son is studying for a postgraduate degree in Philosophy at a university and works as a tutor for other classmates, assisting his professor in class. As he does not use a microphone when speaking, he is compelled to raise his voice to be heard. His university peers are listening to him and respecting him. All of this boosts his self-esteem and builds his faith and love for God.

THE PRAISE

To God be the glory! God has always heard our prayers and seen our needs time and again, leading us forward. We are not alone!