This post is the second in a six-part series on empathy from Autistic perspectives. In this post, we’ll explore cognitive empathy. Did you miss the first post on empathy and alexithymia? Find it here. The four types of empathy Often when people talk about empathy, they are referring to cognitive empathy. However, this is only […]
Empathy and autism: cognitive empathy Read More »
This post is the first in a six-part series on empathy from Autistic perspectives. In this first post, we’ll explore empathy and its relationship to alexithymia.
Empathy and autism: alexithymia Read More »
The word “Autism” comes with a lot of societal stigma and misinformation. When disclosing to someone that they are Autistic, many Autistics find that instead of getting an affirming response like “Congratulations!” they are told something like, “but you don’t look Autistic.” When this happens, it leaves Autistics with two choices: Spend time and emotional
How to respond when someone tells you they are Autistic Read More »
One of the most common supports that late-identified neurodivergent adults seek is counselling. However, not all counsellors will be a good fit for someone looking to process a lifetime of not knowing they were neurodivergent. This post will give some tips on how to find a neurodivergence-affirming counsellor. Neurodiversity-affirming vs neurodivergence-affirming Generally, neurodiversity-affirming is used
How to find a neurodivergence-affirming counsellor Read More »
Neurodivergent people very often get the message that our ways of being are not acceptable to societal standards. This can lead us to doubt ourselves and cause self-gaslighting. This post will look at some of the most common ways that neurodivergent people self-gaslight. What is gaslighting? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines gaslighting as “psychological manipulation of a
Neurodivergent self-gaslighting: what it is and why we do it Read More »
It isn’t easy being neurodivergent in a neuronormative world. There often is a mismatch between what our brains and bodies need as neurodivergent humans, and what is acceptable within a neuronormative society. To compound this, many of the most commonly recommended ways to self-care (e.g., mindfulness, deep breathing, yoga, spa days, etc.) don’t always work
Strategies for Neurodivergent Self-Care Read More »
What I love about the word “neurodivergent” is that it uses the word diverge. One of the definitions of diverge is “to turn aside from a path or course.” There’s something intentional in this definition – a choice to follow a different path.
The path less travelled: why I like the word “neurodivergent” Read More »
In recent years, many adults have self-diagnosed (or self-identified) as Autistic. The term “TikTok diagnosing” has arisen as a way to denigrate self-diagnosis and make it seem less valid than professional diagnosis. While it is true that you can’t (or shouldn’t) self-diagnose from seeing one TikTok about Autism, I have yet to meet a self-diagnosed
Empowering self-diagnosed Autistics to be the architects of their own identities Read More »
In Canada, we use the diagnostic criteria for Autism in the DSM – the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. We are currently on the fifth version of the DSM, called the DSM-5-TR (text revision). As an Autistic person, when I read the diagnostic criteria for Autism, I feel like all of my Autistic
Neuro-affirming diagnostic criteria for Autism Read More »
