Reflections

Failed relationships & neurodivergence autism boundaries commuincation dating friendship masking neurodivergent socialising trauma Sep 11, 2021

Ahh, the wonderful weekend. I hope you're having a brilliant one so far.

This week, for something different, the team and I decided we'd share a conversation with community from my Facebook page this past week.

We touched on the challenging and raw topic of failed relationships and...

It flows through my bloodlines Aug 25, 2021

We are FIXATED on behaviour as a society. We hastily attach meaning and intention to it, and project our own biased (mis)understandings onto it, based on all that lies within US.

For many of us, what ‘lies within’ is the unseen, the unheard and the unknown.

The ...

Image of a group of people gathered around a laptop.

I'd rather stab my eye than do this... (spoiler: it's group work) autism behaviours learning styles neurodivergent Aug 13, 2021

I still cringe inside when remembering the moments I heard “Okay everyone, find a partner”, or “So we’re going to get into groups of three”...

No.

Nah, not doin’ it.

I would rather stab myself in the eyeball with a rusty fork than engage in...

Photo of a woman and child playing and laughing together, holding hands in a backyard.

I’ll never ‘overcome’ my PDA neurobiology. behaviours parenting pathalogical demand avoidance pda radical acceptance Aug 13, 2021

I’m often asked how, as a PDAer, I am able to overcome my need for control in parenting my own children with a PDA profile of autism.

I don’t overcome it.

I’ll never ‘overcome’ my neurobiology.

It is central to my being and doing.

...

A photo of Australian-based Autism support specialist, Kristy.

This is Me. autism boundaries communication identity legacy neurodivergent Aug 13, 2021

I no longer paint my nails.

I don't adorn myself with jewellery.

I take my time responding to messages and I seldom answer my phone. I have a message bank.

I say no to social invitations when I mean no.

I cut all of my long, dark hair off after years of...

My Dreaming Life anxiety autism behaviours resilience trauma Aug 13, 2021

*Trigger warning: Trauma nightmares, self-harm, police, psychiatric ward*

My dreaming life.

As I age, it becomes more intense; a beckoning for me to process what feels like insurmountable, unfathomable pain, buried away.

There are many parts to my story...

I remember every single name, every single humiliation. adhd autism identity parenting pda trauma Aug 13, 2021

At fifteen years old, I left school midway through Year Nine and went into the workforce.

I vehemently expressed that I would not return to school and with that, my mother said if I was not returning, I needed to get a job.

I worked in the local bakery, something I was so proud of....

Image of a lady wearing glasses pulling a face

This is how I live most of my life now. autism pathalogical demand avoidance pda Aug 13, 2021

Today I put aside a few hours to revisit my plan for thriving autistically.

Those drop-offs of the very things that support my wellbeing happen so subtly and quickly as time goes on that I don’t even notice.

I told myself (mentally noted) how much I miss my early morning...

Image of a label with the words 'Remove this label' on it.

Labels, labels, labels. autism language neurodivergent Aug 13, 2021

Trigger Warning: swearing, harsh words.

I hear families often speak about their fear in "labelling" their children autistic, ADHD, among other neurodivergences because they worry their child will be judged, defined, misunderstood, overlooked, *insert very valid fears here*.

...

My university days went like this. education learning styles neurodivergent parenting Aug 12, 2021

I'm not an autistic researcher.

I am not a psychologist.

I take my hat off to my neurokin who are.

I am forever grateful to those who are engaged in research and academia, creating significant and important social change and opportunities for the autistic community and...

A school-aged child stands behind a bright yellow school bus, carrying a backpack on her back, and smiling.

She is so much more. autism behaviours parenting schooling Aug 05, 2021

I often touch on how important it is to move beyond the generic support framework for our autistic children in the classroom. This includes a timer, dot points on the board and visuals.

Whilst these are really great supports for many of our children, I often see them used without...

Image of a pile of pink coloured calendars with gold embossed letters and numbers.

My PDA neurobiology. adhd anxiety behaviours pathalogical demand avoidance pda radical acceptance Jul 29, 2021

I'm up at 5am this morning.

I have an appointment in the city and it's at a new address I haven't been to before.

This means that I get up early, google the address over coffee to check out some images of the building and its surroundings, places to park and how long it takes...

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