Articles Autisticrealms Writing Neurodivergent Mental Health Education SEN

Autistic parent and teacher advocating for a better understanding of neurodivergence and mental health in education

My writing reflects my own experiences and thoughts.

I write about my personal journey and the understanding I have gained so far about

autism, education and mental health.

If you have any questions, please contact me.
autisticrealms@gmail.com

Articles

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Nov 124 min read

Long term Autistic Burnout

There are different types of Autistic Burnout that you may experience depending on your circumstances. There is a daily type of burnout ...

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Oct 249 min read

Autistic Burnout

There are currently very few articles about Autistic Burnout (I have listed a few at the end of this article) it is not yet a recognised...

Learning from the neurodivergent on-line community

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Oct 243 min read

Learning from the neurodivergent on-line community

I am a late diagnosed Autistic adult and also a qualified primary teacher based in the UK. I taught in specialised settings for 20...

Celebrations: Neurodivergent-friendly ideas to help make celebrations a success for the whole family

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Oct 249 min read

Celebrations: Neurodivergent-friendly ideas to help make celebrations a success for the whole family

Adopting a low-demand approach will help lower anxiety and enable everyone in the family to enjoy parties in a way that works for them.

Monotropism, Neurodiversity & Collective Flow

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Oct 246 min read

Monotropism, Neurodiversity & Collective Flow

Neurodiversity is where potential and possibilities lie. We need to embrace our collective flow and differences.

Monotropism and The Monotropism Questionnaire

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Oct 244 min read

Monotropism and The Monotropism Questionnaire

Monotropism is a neurodiversity-affirming theory of autism. Find out more and take the Monotropism Questionnaire.

Penguin Pebbling - An Autistic Love Language

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Oct 242 min read

Penguin Pebbling - An Autistic Love Language

Penguins pass pebbles to other penguins to show they care. Penguin Pebbling is a little exchange between two people to show that they care

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Oct 243 min read

#OCDWeek 2023

If you are Autistic, being in an understanding, flexible, low-demand, supportive environment can help make OCD more manageable.

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Jul 118 min read

Neurodivergent Co-Regulation

Being neurodivergent can be really hard work in a world that is mostly still lacking in an understanding of the differences in sensory,...

Top 5 Neurodivergent-Informed Strategies

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Jun 103 min read

Top 5 Neurodivergent-Informed Strategies

We need to foster kindness, curiosity, openness, and compassion with each other so we can embrace and support each other’s differences.

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

May 153 min read

An unlearing and relearning journey.

Short reflection of my unlearning and relearning journey as a late identified autistic person. Embracing monotropism and valuing connections

Interpreting your Monotropism Questionnaire Results

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Feb 182 min read

Interpreting your Monotropism Questionnaire Results

Explaining what the Monotropism Questionnaire results mean.

Autistic Community: Connections & Becoming

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Jan 298 min read

Autistic Community: Connections & Becoming

Neurodiversity is where potential and possibilities lie. We need to embrace our collective flow and differences and ways of becoming.

Neurodiversity Affirming Glossary of Key Words - for families and professionals

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Jan 166 min read

Neurodiversity Affirming Glossary of Key Words - for families and professionals

A glossary of neurodiversity affirming some key vocabulary. A valuable resource that will help develop knowledge to support everyone.

Embracing Autistic Children’s Monotropic Flow States

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Jan 134 min read

Embracing Autistic Children’s Monotropic Flow States

Embracing flow states allows monotropic learners to gain deeper knowledge and new skills, which can help build confidence and support their

Autistic Burnout - Supporting Young People At Home & School

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Jan 1113 min read

Autistic Burnout - Supporting Young People At Home & School

Understanding autistic burnout and exploring ways to support young people experiencing school attendance difficulties.

Monotropic Interests and Looping Thoughts

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Dec 17, 20235 min read

Monotropic Interests and Looping Thoughts

It can be very hard to move on from looping thoughts, whether positive or negative. Switching tasks and moving from one attention tunnel...

Autistic Burnout: Social Media Project November 2023

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Nov 12, 20235 min read

Autistic Burnout: Social Media Project November 2023

Autistic Burnout Social Media Project. A collection of shared experiences of autistic burnout from across the online autistic community.

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Aug 16, 20238 min read

Monotropism, Autism & OCD

Exploring similarities and differences between Autistic and OCD monotropic flow states. Can attention tunnels freeze and thoughts get stuck?

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Aug 15, 20236 min read

The Elephant in the Room

We will look at PACE as a way to communicate and discuss 'the elephant in the room' and help make those tricky conversations a bit easier.

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Jul 30, 20232 min read

Building a Family Sensory Toolkit

Try to be a Sensory Detective and consider what sensory input you, your child or your young person may be struggling with. Also, think about

Monotropism Questionnaire & Inner Autistic/ADHD Experiences

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Jul 28, 202311 min read

Monotropism Questionnaire & Inner Autistic/ADHD Experiences

The results from the Monotropism Questionnaire could help validate people's feelings. Knowing they have a monotropic mind could help people

Transitions - Supporting young people throughout the day

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Jul 18, 20236 min read

Transitions - Supporting young people throughout the day

Reducing the number of demands and transitions an autistic / PDA person has to manage daily will help reduce anxiety.

Monotropism and Experiences of being Monotropic

Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms)

Jul 9, 202311 min read

Monotropism and Experiences of being Monotropic

Monotropism is increasingly considered to be the underlying principle behind autism and is becoming more widely recognised.