Read on Twitter
This thread is about my experience of a #DClinPsy interview as an autistic applicant. My seriously awful answers have been on a loop in my head (I feel a bit silly and self-centred fixating on my career development at times like these), so feel free to skip! (1)
I had tons of help and middle class White privilege leapfrogged me to this point + so many extremely suitable candidates painfully have had to apply for years. It helps me feel slightly more forgiving towards myself to recognise that the interview format was not built for me (2)
I became so much more literal than usual, my words scrambled and my attempts to address enormous topics were clumsy to the point of offensive. Managing my Tourette’s became 10X harder. I might have got points for self-awareness if I’d narrated this all aloud… but I didn’t (3)
It felt like a HUGE leap of faith to talk about as I don’t know what the panel’s beliefs about autism are: I’ve heard senior clinicians before say that we don’t have sufficient ToM to drive, can’t be effective parents or that women who claim to be autistic aren’t “just BPD”. (4)
IRL I am very open and want to do my bit to reduce stigma, but under such pressure, how can I trust myself to talk about my disability in a way that reassures the panel (and myself) that I am equipped to train to do on of the most interpersonally demanding jobs in the planet? (5)
I’m so fortunate to have a trusting relationship with my current supervisor with whom I can explore the ways that my wiring both enhances and complicates my work. But this seems a REALLY big and risky topic, and I want to show that I am knowledgeable and professional (6)
By avoiding discussing my neurodiversity, I did not elaborate on what motivates me: i.e. honouring different communication styles and providing accessible and non-blaming therapies for disabled people. The panel are in for a treat if I get an interview next year! (7)
The interview also highlighted to me areas that I need to improve such as my ability to concisely explain theoretical concepts to colleagues and my confidence in admitting when I wasn& #39;t sure about something or would need help to figure out a solution (8)
On the bright side, the course administrators quickly and generously made repairs when I pointed out an access issue which made me realise that the course is receptive to feedback and really want diversity. I& #39;ve never been taken completely seriously before by a university (9)
I really hope that other disabled applicants had an OK time, and that future applicants are not deterred by the process. There were no nasty surprises for me, its worth a go (10)
