Finding Professional Support
## Start with the help you need
Finding support can feel like another task when you already have plenty to manage. You do not need to know every professional title or have a perfect explanation before you start asking questions.
It may help to write down one or two things you would like to be easier: understanding sensory needs, managing daily tasks, communicating at work, supporting a child at school, or exploring an assessment. This gives you a starting point when speaking to a service.
## Frisson8's directory is being developed
We are developing this section to include useful information about professionals and services. There are no individual listings in the Frisson8 directory yet.
In the meantime, the links and questions below can help you explore support directly. Linking to an organisation or register does not mean that Frisson8 has assessed or endorsed every professional listed there.
## Places to begin your search
- **Medical advice or an assessment:** your GP or relevant local service can explain possible routes. For a private doctor, you can check their details using the General Medical Council's registers HERE.
- **Occupational therapy or a regulated psychologist:** use the Health and Care Professions Council's register HERE to check registration for the professions and protected titles it regulates.
- Counselling or psychotherapy: the BACP therapist directory HERE is one place to explore professionals and their stated areas of work.
- **Autism-related information:** the National Autistic Society's advice and guidance HERE covers a range of everyday support topics.
- ADHD-related information: HERE provides information and support resources.
These are starting points, not a complete list. Different professions have different registration arrangements; ask which register or professional body is relevant to the service being offered.
## Questions that can help you choose
- What experience do you have with people whose needs are similar to mine?
- What can you help with, and what falls outside your role?
- What qualifications, registration or professional membership do you hold?
- Can appointments be adapted for my communication or sensory needs?
- Are appointments online, in person, or both?
- What does it cost, and are there additional charges?
- How will we agree goals and check whether the support is useful?
- What happens if I decide the service is not right for me?
You are entitled to ask for a clear explanation. You do not need to commit simply because you have made an enquiry.
## What a helpful working relationship can look like
Look for someone who listens, explains their approach and treats your preferences with respect. It should be possible to discuss adjustments, ask questions and say when something is not working for you.
Be cautious about guaranteed outcomes or pressure to buy a large package before the service has been explained. Qualifications and registration matter, but so does understanding the proposed approach and whether it suits your needs.
## Considering a paid service?
Our [Private Assessment and Support page HERE includes questions about costs, assessments and ongoing care. Free information, local services and peer support may also be worth exploring.
## Need a starting point?
Contact Frisson8 HERE if you would like general signposting. You do not need to buy a product to ask a question.
Frisson8 does not provide clinical assessments or treatment and cannot guarantee the suitability, availability or outcomes of another organisation's services. Please check details directly with the provider.
Return to the Support Hub HERE