Beyond psychological individualism: rethinking clinical intuition in a post-Covid age

Abstract Psychological science has often insisted on an individualistic perspective. Such atomised understanding of the self has moved deeply in psychology, not only in its theoretical and experimental arms, but also into clinical practice. Here an example of how to deconstruct such myth at the micro-level is given: within the therapist’s office space. Thereunto, we describe the case of Renata, 28 years old, musician and singer. The case report followed CARE recommendations. Four levels of analysis are suggested: a. understanding and diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder; b. neurodivergence and prejudice; c. autism in women: clinical bias and masking; d. self-directedness and intuition: overcoming social blindness. The conclusion points out to the importance of self-directedness and self-transcendence for clinical accuracy when there is a gender bias problem in autism spectrum. Above all, the case study presents broader consequences of the psychotherapist's awakening as an agent of social change.