My name is Jose Gelens and I work as a visual therapist at a GGZ institution and in my own practice. Since 2014, at ACATO, with much pleasure and instructive moments for both, I accompany Cato, a young woman with ASD.
I find the beauty of my work lies in making contact with the client through the creative process, structuring, supporting and tapping into underlying feelings, and then working out these processes together with the client.
Many young people with ASD are anxious. There is a fear of the unknown. Offering structure, autonomy and neutrality is important to me in approaching young people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It reduces anxiety to offer the various materials and techniques according to the method of 'give me five' (Colette de Bruin).
The method offers structure through clarity in what and how the client can expect. Within this framework, the client can experience for himself what his personal preferences are. I find it important to connect to the individual possibilities and to stimulate these in order to stimulate the own creative process towards further growth.