“Your son needs to work on his resilience….” Before writing this article I thought I had better double check the exact definition of the word resilience. I read a few and feel below is the best summary: Resilience: The ability to recover quickly from adversity. No autistic person has to work on their resilience but…

I wouldn’t swap the way my mind works for anything; it’s who I am This article embraces and celebrates the wonderful way the neurodivergent mind works. There are many times that it can work against us. This is mainly an issue due to society’s expectations of behaviour as opposed to being an issue for us.…

I felt sure my awkwardness would improve as I got older, but it didn’t Parenthood It was only once I had achieved my ultimate goal in life, becoming a mum, that I entered the rabbit hole of newly realising I am neurodivergent. Up until that point, I hadn’t spent much time in my life philosophising…

It may feel scary at first, but once you do it, you will wonder why you didn’t do it sooner! I write this article as a 39 year old, having only learnt about my own neurodivergence two years ago. As a result, I have spent my whole life trying to squeeze my personality, behaviour, and…

Stimulating and calming your senses will help your divergent mind to settle If you are neurodivergent then you are likely to have a relationship with your senses that needs to be carefully balanced A sensory den is not just for kids! Being a mum to a neurodivergent child, I am well rehearsed in the constant…

Emotional outburst I had an unexpected emotional explosion thirty minutes before my video appointment. I have spent my whole life hiding my autistic traits, particularly in official environments, such as doctor appointments, job interviews etc. I suddenly realised that I needed to show all the sides of me I have always thought would get me…

Simple steps to settle an overactive brain; it’s all about balance I am diagnosed Autistic and self-diagnosed ADHD, and balancing those two aspects of my brain can be tough. It helps me to get that balance if I can include simple routines in my day/week. Just enough, not too much. If you get too focused…

“Whether you enjoy the event or not, the social hangover is inevitable” I am Autistic, have ADHD, and I enjoy social events. There is a common misconception that Autistic people avoid social events because we don’t enjoy them. What I don’t enjoy is the impact on my mind and body from attending them. This impact…

“I’ve started to realise that I am an imposter and I’m ok with that” Growing up in the Midlands in the 1980s it definitely did not feel ok to show my true self. This may have been the case for many people but it could not have been more true for me. Socially awkward from…

“I only really learned what masking felt like when I stopped doing it” Before I knew I was autistic, I had no idea what masking was and certainly didn’t realise I did it. Masking is a strategy autistic people use to hide their true self as they feel the real them is not socially acceptable.…