Reflections

(Image is of KF, sitting and smiling at the camera. She is wearing a floral dress, a green headband and behind her is her kitchen, with an assortment of kitchen devices, a vase of native flowers and an open food cupboard).

You don't like the soup? autism autistic mental health neurodivergent Aug 02, 2023

(ETA: This is not about being against therapy. It is a piece on the problematic nature of generic frameworks thrown at autistic people, rather than a consideration of the individual needs, wants, preferences and if there actually is a need for therapies.)

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When I hear “What’s the...

Hypermobility autism eds ehlers danlos hypermobility neurodivergent Jun 12, 2023

Long story short.

Oh, I love the fantasy of the "long story short" right there for me, an ADHDer.

But I'll try.

Last year, I laid on a surgery table, unresponsive, in hypertensive crisis.

I was not responding to medical intervention.

It was terrifying. I laid there for some time with my hand up...

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

What happens when you say "No." autism boundaries neurodivergent Oct 07, 2021

Do you know that you can say No?

So many of us don’t.

We’ve been conditioned to understand that No means others will talk behind our backs about our selfishness or coldness.

We know it will often mean others will say things about us and think things about...

Image is a small bird, sitting on a delicate branch against a blurred background of golden brown nature.

I am not my trauma neurodivergent trauma Sep 24, 2021

Yesterday, my youngest child came inside the house to tell me a bird had fallen from it’s nest.

As I neared the back fence, where all the neighbourhood birds gather in all of their breeds, colours, sounds and varieties; I saw it. It was a tiny little thing, making it’s way...

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...

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...

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...

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*.

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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...

An illustration of a women kneeling down with a dustpan, and a young child sweeping with a broom towards her.

We bring our children home. autism neurodivergent parenting schooling Jul 22, 2021

We bring our children home

From failed systems

That have been enabled not to care

Not to care for our children

For us; when we were the children

We educate our children

And while trying to create a safe space

For their trauma to unravel

Our trauma too, unravels

Our children are...

School Trauma: Tuning into the language of behaviour. behaviours communication neurodivergent schooling Jul 08, 2021

For many of us, when we withdraw our children from school after prolonged challenges within that system, we expect that our children will begin to do better at home.

This isn't always so.

Our children do the best they can, in survival mode.

Survival mode...

A photo of Australian-based Autism support specialist, Kristy with a group of people who are dressed as Stormtroopers from 'Star Wars'

Appearances can be (so very) deceiving. autism behaviours communication neurodivergent socialising Jul 01, 2021

I'm a PDA autistic (Pathological demand avoidance).

This means that my social connectedness; my ability to engage with others naturally and to make eye contact gives the impression that I possess a higher level of social "ability" than what is expected of me.

As a PDA autistic,...

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