This post is the last in a six-part series on empathy from Autistic perspectives. In this post, we’ll explore the Double Empathy Problem. If you missed the previous five posts, you can find them here: Post 1: alexithymia, Post 2: cognitive empathy, Post 3: emotional empathy, Post 4: compassionate empathy, and Post 5: somatic empathy. …
This post is the fifth in a six-part series on empathy from Autistic perspectives. In this post, we’ll explore somatic empathy. If you missed the previous four posts, you can find them here: Post 1: alexithymia, Post 2: cognitive empathy, Post 3: emotional empathy, and Post 4: compassionate empathy. What is somatic empathy? Somatic empathy, …
This post is the fourth in a six-part series on empathy from Autistic perspectives. In this post, we’ll explore compassionate empathy. If you missed the previous three posts, you can find them here: Post 1: alexithymia, Post 2: cognitive empathy, and Post 3: emotional empathy. What is compassionate empathy? Compassionate empathy combines cognitive and emotional …
This post is the third in a six-part series on empathy from Autistic perspectives. In this post, we’ll explore emotional empathy. If you missed the previous two posts, you can find them here: Post 1: alexithymia and Post 2: cognitive empathy. What is emotional empathy? Emotional empathy, sometimes referred to as affective empathy, involves experiencing …
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 …
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.
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 …
