Does Learning You Are Autistic at a Younger Age Lead to Better Adult Outcomes? A Summary for Non-Academics

Does learning you’re Autistic at a younger age lead to increased wellbeing and quality of life? That is the question researchers sought to answer when they embarked on this study. They asked 78 university students how they learned they were Autistic, how they felt about Autism when first learning they are Autistic and now, and when they would tell Autistic children about their Autism. Read this research summary here to find out the results.

Guidelines for selecting a neurodiversity-affirming mental healthcare provider

Today is R U OK? Day, a special day for checking in on the mental health of others. But it can be hard to ask this question and offer support if you, yourself are struggling. So for all of those who do want to show concern for others without taking on their mental health concerns, we created these downloadable guidelines for you to share on how to select a neuro-affirming healthcare provider. Because sometimes even asking R U OK? can be beyond our capacity, and that is OK too.

Discovering Your Autistic Identity as an Adult: What Next? 

Whether you’ve had a “light bulb” moment when reading of other Autistics’ lived experiences or have realised that you share an uncanny number of characteristics with your Autistic child – Welcome! from a community of people who will understand and accept you for who you are. But what do you do next?

When Chloe met Riley: the power of neurodivergent love

Ahead of our Symposium on Autistic Relationships, we’re exploring the magnetic attraction of neurodivergent love. We interviewed the Director of Studio Misfits, Chloe, and her husband, LGBTQIA+ and mental health advocate Riley, on the benefits of being similarly (and differently) neurodivergent.

Transforming allied health: The ‘how’ of neurodiversity-affirming services

Speech Pathologist Liz Baird shares how adopting a neurodiversity-affirming approach validated her personally and provided a way forward professionally. “Our social group is a chance to engage in a range of Autistic interaction norms, and I actively “unmask” – consciously disengage in neurotypical communication methods and model authentic connection.”

Dr Kristie Patten, Flourishing in Therapy

First aired at Reframing Autism’s 2021 Symposium on Autistic Flourishing: Acceptance, Authenticity, Autonomy, Dr Kristie Patten’s presentation focuses on the idea of reframing therapy to embrace a strengths-based paradigm shift, in collaboration with stakeholder engagement and in partnership with Autistic individuals.

Neurodiversity-affirming language: A letter to your family, friends and support network

Following on from the downloadable letter we created to help your child’s support network adopt neurodiversity-affirming language, here is a similar letter that Autistic adults can share with their family, friends, work colleagues and broader support network inviting them to adopt respectful language that validates Autistic identity.

Dr Melanie Heyworth, Triple A Rated Goals

In this video, originally released at Reframing Autism’s 2021 Symposium on Autistic Flourishing: Acceptance, Authenticity, Autonomy, Reframing Autism’s CEO and Autistic Autism researcher Melanie Heyworth reflects on the specific conditions that promote genuine, authentic, Autistic flourishing or happiness.

McAlister Greiner Huynh, Flourishing in Education

In this presentation, first aired at Reframing Autism’s 2021 Symposium on Autistic Flourishing: Acceptance, Authenticity, Autonomy, McAlister Greiner Huynh, also known as The Neurodivergent Teacher, looks at how to help Autistic students to flourish as their authentic selves in their education by designing our classrooms, schools and places of learning with neurodiversity in mind.