The white brick building seemed docile from the front as we sat in the parked car. We remembered feeling anxious and unsure about this first day at a new school. We were thirteen years old with physical disabilities that we knew would get us bullied. Our rolling backpack crackled on the cement and we pushed the automatic door opener to receive the rushed smell of gym socks and moist dirt. Welcome to hell, we thought as we garnered stares in the hallway. All the other kids looked normal and we didn’t fit the mold. Our legs were covered in metallic…

Imagine you are sitting down watching a movie, and suddenly a scary man intensely stares at the protagonist. The victim screams in terror, and the screen goes blank. In your mind, you deduce a nefarious deed has occurred. However, if you struggle to understand body language and social cues, the ominous gaze of this predator may be missed. As an autistic adult, identifying danger is complicated. The ability to understand social cues like facial expressions and body language is naturally different as an autistic adult.

The best way to navigate this challenge is to understand the different types of bad…

A metaphor of the escapism we learned as an autistic child growing up in a traumatic environment.

Tips from a therapy user of how to find quality care.

Disclaimer: This is based on our personal experiences and what worked for us. We are not medical providers or healthcare practitioners. Please consult your support team for information regarding your healthcare.

We have been in therapy for more years than we can count. Since the age of 5, we have seen therapists and psychiatrists. To manage our OCD, our anxiety, and our dissociation due to trauma. Our therapy has not been effective until now.

Therapy is not just about the patient, but the skills of the practitioner. Sadly, not…

It is the responsibility of both the neurotypical and autistic person to collaborate when managing change. To help everyone through change, adults who are autistic will need your understanding of how they communicate and process information. Here are some tips on how to effectively communicate changes to autistic adults.

Plans will change. However, being on the spectrum means change hurts. According to the National Autistic Society, a quote is taken from Jolliffe (1992) in Howlin (2004), p.137.

“Reality to an autistic person is a confusing, interacting mass of events, people, places, sounds, and sights… Set routines, times, particular routes, and…

We remember loving dogs. Playing with their ears and giant bear hugs. The smell of their clean fur as they run chaotically through the house gleefully drying off. There is the lingering presence of damp fur on the curtains and couch cushions. The earliest memory of sitting on an old brown carpet while the Great Dane sits regally towering above us. The smooth texture of their coat while running our fingers gleefully up their neck until reaching the dribbling slobber.

Belvedere was the best dog, mild-mannered with an amazingly classic temperament for a large breed. Our little autistic brain loved…

An exploration for mental health awareness month on why the idea of the tortured artist is problematic. However, creativity is vital to healing trauma.

Trigger Warning: Details of famous artists traumatic events that shape their work including details of emotional and physical traumas, suicide, medical diagnosis terms

Pain is passion and pain creates art. Society has a habit of assuming childhood trauma or that experienced as an adult means you are automatically a scarred artist. Whether your medium is visual, auditory, or written masterpieces, people may presume your level of success is based on your level of emotional damage. On…

The media impacts the way neurodiversity is viewed and accepted by society.

TRIGGER WARNING: ableism, reference to derogatory terms used against people with disabilities

The lack of disability awareness and acceptance of neurodiversity leads to modern entertainment promoting ableism, stigma, and misrepresents the community.

Marginalized groups are notoriously mocked in comedic satire. Often, this is perceived as normal. Society is used to poking fun at minority groups that many are unconscious of their ableist comments. However, there is a fine line between comedy and promoting ableist ideals.

At the same time, harmful ideas about the neurodiverse world are rampant in…