Valérie Courchesne, who recently joined the Faculty of Arts and Science at Université de Montréal, has an ambitious mission: to develop best practices in psychotherapy for people with autism, and to understand the role their interests and strengths can play in promoting their mental health.
Courchesne credits her interest in autism to Dr. Laurent Mottron, a professor in UdeM's Department of Psychiatry and Addiction and a world leader in autism research. She became interested in his work while studying psychology at UdeM and went on to complete a Ph.D. in clinical psychology research and intervention under Mottron and Isabelle Soulières, a professor at Université du Québec à Montréal.
Courchesne then did a postdoc at McGill University on inclusive testing methods for people with autism, in which she designed methods for assessing the cognitive abilities of children with autism based on their strengths. She realized that the incidence of intellectual disabilities in the autistic population is overestimated and many have hidden potential.
High rates of mental health problems
It was during her second postdoc at Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health that Courchesne’s research interests converged and she found her niche: promoting the mental health of people with autism.
“When talking to young people with autism for a research project, I noticed that almost all of them suffered from anxiety, stress or depression due to concerns about school, friendships, the future or the challenges of autonomy,” she recalled. “And none of them felt equipped to deal with these issues.”
It was clear to Courchesne that not only were there very few mental health services for children with autism, but the risk factors and protective factors for this group were also not fully understood.
“Why do some children with autism do better than others?” she wondered. “Does the family’s socioeconomic status play a role? Are kids who display more autistic traits or peaks of ability—special talents or interests—more protected?”
A strengths-based approach
For Courchesne, the ultimate goal in shedding light on the mental health of people with autism is to better train psychologists to adapt their methods to their specific needs. She noted that many of her colleagues, despite extensive clinical experience, feel ill-equipped in their work.
“Every week, people with autism or their families contact me looking for psychotherapeutic support and I can’t find anyone to refer them to,” said Courchesne.
She wants to sensitize professionals to the mental health needs of people with autism – and highlight their unique qualities.
“I would like to contribute to a paradigm shift in which we focus on helping people with autism achieve their full potential, celebrating their strengths, and recognizing the benefits they bring to society,” she concluded.
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