Hi Toni,
First I agree with Adriana – is it a self diagnosis or a medical one? I’m finding lots of people self diagnosing into all sorts of warp tunnels recently.
I’ve worked with several autistic people, and high and low functioning Aspergers too. It has been successful each time doing basically what I’d do anyway. There are a few things to bear in mind in my opinion, but once you get the hang of it it’s easy. One of my best friends is Aspergers, so I’m used to it after 40 years.
Social niceties – basically no need with most of them, you can do it but if they don’t bother then you don’t need to. My friend does do the hello. good bye, thank you thing, but I know lots who don’t bother, and it’s not that they’re being rude, it’s just not necessary as far as they’re concerned. Take your cues from the client. There’s one person that if I answer the phone to him I just say “Yes? or Hi” – he doesn’t say hi back but just knows I’m there because I made a sound, and starts talking! Often he just hangs up when he’s finished, which I think is hilarious.
Literal communication – I have to be clear about literally what I want to know or ask them to do. “Is anytime Wednesday good for you next week?” isn’t specific enough – he has no idea maybe because he’s not there yet. “We will meet 2pm next Wednesday” is probably more along the right lines. I had one funny moment when I told a client I was leaving to be somewhere else and he didn’t move – but when I said “Mate that means this is where you leave too” he just said “oh ok” and got his things together.
As for the potential for a rant on the subject of their personal obsession, get the OK ahead of time to interrupt that without them being offended..
One other thought, just with Aspergers I think, but there tends to be a physiological movement that gives them away, they often have a sort of tick where they touch the tip of their tongue a lot, or the top of the head, and also rocking is common.
Just my random thoughts, if you have specifics fire away and I can let you know if I have any experience with it.
As for techniques, I have had no issues with anchoring, TLT etc. So have fun!