Writing
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Autistic Community: Connections and Becoming
Everyone seeks connection in some way or another. Connections may look different for autistic people. In line with the motto…
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Monotropism, Autism & OCD
This blog has been inspired by Dr Jeremy Shuman’s (PsyD) presentation, ‘Neurodiversity-Affirming OCD Care‘ (August 2023), available here. Exploring similarities…
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Monotropism Questionnaire & Inner Autistic/ADHD Experiences
Post first published 28th July 2023 Over the past few weeks, there has been a sudden surge of interest in…
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Penguin Pebbling: An Autistic Love Language
Penguin Pebbling is a neurodivergent way of showing you care, like sharing a meme or twig or pretty stone to…
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Autistic Burnout – Supporting Young People At Home & School
Autistic burnout in young people is real—and recovery starts with understanding. This post offers neuroaffirming ways to spot the signs,…
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Monotropic Interests and Looping Thoughts
The theory of monotropism was developed by Murray, Lawson and Lesser in their article, Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria…
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Map of Monotropic Experiences
Monotropism seeks to explain Autism in terms of attention distribution and interests. OSF Preprints | Development and Validation of a…
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Autistic Burnout – Supporting Young People At Home & School
Being autistic is not an illness or a disorder in itself, but being autistic can have an impact on a…
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The Double Empathy Problem is DEEP
“The growing cracks in the thin veneer of our “civilised” economic and social operating model are impossible to ignore”, Jorn…
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Top 5 Neurodivergent-Informed Strategies
Top 5 Neurodivergent-Informed Strategies By Helen Edgar, Autistic Realms, June 2024. 1. Be Kind Take time to listen and be…
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Neuroqueer Learning Spaces — Webinar — a summary and reflection 6th May 2024
Neuroqueer Learning Spaces Webinar — A summary and reflection Neuroqueer Learning Spaces is a community project led by Ryan Boren (Stimpunks) and…
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Interpreting your Monotropism Questionnaire Results
This information will hopefully provide some clarity for anyone who has taken the Monotropism Questionnaire and are unsure what their…
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Celebrations: Neurodivergent-friendly ideas to help make celebrations a success for the whole family
(A guest blog, originally written for and published by ThePDASpace, May 2023) Family life can be busy and chaotic, and…
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Neurodiversity Affirming Glossary of Key Words – for families and professionals
(Glossary written & and originally published for THE PDA SPACE SUMMIT 2023 ) A full version of The Neurdodiversity…
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Monotropism and The Monotropism Questionnaire
This article was originally written for and published by Neurodiverse Connection (Aug 2023) What is monotropism? The theory of monotropism…
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Embracing Autistic Children’s Monotropic Flow States
Article originally written and published for Neurodiverse Connection (Sept 2023) Autistic and ADHD people are more likely to be monotropic…
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Autistic Burnout: Social Media Project November 2023
Autistic burnout is a term often used within the autistic community to describe an intense exhaustion that many autistic people…
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Building a Family Sensory Toolkit
Tigger Pritchard delivered a great workshop with The PDA Space where they discussed ‘The Sensory Impact of School Holidays’,…
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Transitions – Supporting young people throughout the day
Recognising the demands of transitions and finding ways to reduce the pressure for the young people you support. Original article…
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Monotropism and Experiences of being Monotropic
The theory of Monotropism was developed by Dr Dinah Murray, Wenn Lawson and Mike Lesser (2005) in their article, Attention,…
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Book review – Autistic Burnout, Children /Young People in Education by Viv Dawes
I am excited to announce that Viv Dawes (autistic advocate, writer, and trainer, www.autisticadvocate.co.uk) has just published her new book,…
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Middle Entrance
I am starting my new blog in the middle. I am in the middle of what is known as ‘midlife’…
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Low Demand Parenting (for the whole family)
There are a growing number of courses and books discussing the benefits of low-demand parenting strategies. This approach has been…
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Autism & OCD – What Could Help
According to OCD-UK charity, there are,’ around three-quarters of a million people thought to be living with severe, life-impacting and debilitating…
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Monotropism = Happy Flow State
A guest blog for PDA Space – the original more concise version of this article is here: Monotropism = Happy…
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Autism is fluid
Autism is not a disorder and does not need fixing or any ‘interventions’. Autism comes under the umbrella of neurodivergence,…
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Neurodivergent Friendly Classrooms
(Article published as Guest Blog for Twinkl Feb 2023)n Embrace Difference The numbers of pupils needing EHCPs and support…
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Supporting neurodivergent students who are struggling to attend school
Data shows that the number of pupils with identified SEND needs are rising. There is an increase in the number…
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Supporting pupils through Autistic Burnout (Neuro-Affirming Teacher Guide)
Supporting pupils through Autistic Burnout (Neuro-Affirming Teacher Guide)
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Book Review: The New Normal-Autistic musings on the threat of a broken society by David Gray-Hammond
David Gray-Hammond’s new book The New Normal – Autistic musings on the threat of a broken society (2022)…
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Book Review -Square Pegs, Inclusivity, Compassion & Fitting in (A guide for Schools)
Square Pegs: Inclusivity, compassion and fitting in – a guide for schools. Fran Morgan with Elllie Costello, edited by Ian…
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Supporting autistic students experiencing OCD in a school setting
The National Autistic Society School report 2021 confirmed, ‘There are over 160,000 autistic pupils in schools across England. Over…
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Autism, OCD, Alexithymia & Interoception
Autism is a difference of neurotype and many autistic people refer to themselves as being neurodivergent. Neurodivergent people process, interpret…
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Total Communication
Total communication is not a new concept it evolved from the field of education for the deaf in the…
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Education Crisis – Neurodiversity Affirming Teacher Training Needed
Language Identity First Language: In line with preferences from the Autistic community I will be using Identity First Language…
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Supporting Children through Autistic Burnout (Parent/Carer Guide)
(This is written from lived experience as a parent and teacher, supported by the amazing research of professionals and…
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Language matters, relationships are essential
It can be difficult and confusing to understand the language surrounding neurodiversity. It can be seen to be creating…
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Parent ideas for autistic children struggling with school attendance
If your child is autistic, then they are more likely to have additional anxiety, social, communication and sensory processing…
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‘Profound autism’ does not exist – rather there are autistic individuals with PMLD / PIMD
‘Profound Autism?’ Language matters, but it is complicated and there are constant changes of vocabulary and what is deemed as…
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‘Profound’ in relation to those with PMLD / PIMD
PIMD / PMLD The International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Profound Intellectual and Multiple…
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Ideas for Autistic Children who are Struggling at School
It can be difficult for autistic children to access an appropriate education and challenging for their parents…
