Laura Crowley Connect

Happy ♾️🩷🧡💛💚💙💜Autistic Pride Day is observed annually on June 18. The theme for this year is “Taking the Mask Off,” which highlights the importance of embracing one’s natural behaviours, preferences, and ways of interacting with the world. Being autistic isn’t always easy in this world which caters to the neuromajority, but I have never once wanted to wish it away. I am proud today and everyday.

Are you ready to delve deeper into understanding Emotion-Based School Avoidance (EBSA) in autistic students? Join me for an enlightening half-day webinar designed to equip teachers and parents with invaluable insights and strategies. My Neuroaffirmative approach ensures a supportive and inclusive learning environment for all attendees. Don’t miss this opportunity to support your loved ones and students. Book your place now via my website

We’re about to begin ♾ If you’re wondering how you can support the this month, here are some ways in which you can be an . Swipe ➡️ to learn more

New Training Webinar just announced!

Click on the link below for more information

https://lauracrowleyconnect.com/products/emotion-based-school-avoidance-half-day-cpd-accredited-training-course

To all the Mums, Step Mums and Want to be and Yet to be Mums. You are important. Your needs matter. You are amazing. Spend today remembering your dreams and the things that bring you joy. Self care is not selfish, it is essential. So BE YOU, follow your dreams, take time and space for you. Show your little people how it’s done so they will always remember themselves in the madness too.

Happy to all the strong women. May we know them, may we love them, may we raise them 🩷

Have you heard of RSD? I’m seeing this more and more in my practice. Awareness is the key to providing support so swipe right to learn more about this for your child/student 🩷

At the end of 2023,I want to thank everyone who has liked, shared or saved my posts, everyone who has reached out in my DM’s or just even taken the time to interact with my stories. The last three years have been some of the most challenging for me personally but with every obstacle came lessons and a firmer belief in who I am and what I stand for. So this year, don’t make a new you, just be the real you. I’m starting 2024 with a commitment to do just that, but also making conscious choices which support me to do so.💗

Exciting new training announcement! I am delighted to be back offering in person training again and have started organising my 2024 training schedule. First up on January 26th 2024, Building Authentic Connections for Autistic Individuals! This is a day long exploration of the path to authentic friendships, fostering lasting connections and empowering autistic individuals to thrive in their unique social world. Tickets are available now from my website. See my link below to book your tickets now!

Understanding and Living with Autistic Anxiety Autistic Anxiety Day long training event presented by an actually autistic trainer. This day long interactive training course has been designed to empower and support both parents and educators. This event delves into the intricate relationship between autism and anxiety. My comprehensive program wi...

In every school I visit, I end my awareness talk with one plea, to please stand up and reject the use of this slur when they hear it. Today I had a teen client erupt into floods of emotion as he said he is sick of overhearing it in school, online gaming and on YouTube. The emotion was raw and my heart broke for him. We need to speak to our children, our loved ones, friends about how damaging these throw away comments are. We need to do better. Language is incredible powerful and we need the people around us to see the damage the smallest of comments can have. If someone uses a slur about autistic people in your presence, call them on it, it is never okay. Change begins with one person saying enough, make that one person be you.

I finished book “different not less” recently and this quote really resonated with me I met with a teen client this week who had been dreading the return to school. They had one “friend” group and some of whom had been repeatedly bullying them for some time. Their confidence was shot. They worked all summer to summon the strength to break away and discover ways to forge new connections. This week I saw a smiling comfortable confident young person, lighter than ever before, eagerly tell me that they did it, they broke away and made new connections. I am still beaming for them. 🩷As autistics, we often accept friendship where we can find it. We make ourselves fit instead of finding the group or person that best suit us. We have spent a lifetime being rejected so we latch on and hold on regardless of how bumpy and uncomfortable the ride. This is the difference between fitting in and belonging. We will never belong in a space in which we are forced to change our true selves and ignore our needs and value. It took me over 30 years to realise this and I am adamant that the next generation will know the difference and not waste their time, energy and self esteem. It is so hard to be alone but temporary isolation is far superior to long term masking and mental health issues. You tell the people you surround yourself with, how to treat you. You deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. If you’re not getting that, remove yourself and choose to seek out people who will. Find your tribe. You will never look back except to serve as a lesson 🩷

Masking my true self in not something I ever consciously chose to do. It was a social survival tactic. It was a subconscious way to hide from embarrassment, bullying, confusion and abandonment. When you feel safe enough to unmask, it comes with so many emotions but one of the strongest is sympathy. Sympathy for the you who was hidden and hurting for so long. I look back at masked me with kindness and compassion, but I see unmasked me and I feel nothing but pride 🩷♾️

There are so many long reaching effects of masking for autistic individuals. To learn more, swipe ➡️

Thrilled to finally bring this project to fruition. Join me on Friday the 29th of September from 9.20am -4pm in the for an in-depth look at autistic anxiety. 25% of tickets have already been snapped up so be sure to book early to avoid disappointment. Link to tickets is below. Please share with anyone who you feel may benefit from this opportunity

https://lauracrowleyconnect.com/products/understanding-and-living-with-autistic-anxiety-a-day-long-exploration-of-autistic-anxiety-and-coping-mechanisms-to-support-the-individual

This is by far one of my favourite quotes from Part of my mask was always people pleasing. I haven’t lost my motivation to make the people I love happy but what I have gained in my unmasking is the motivation to put my own happiness and well-being at the centre of my decisions. How has your personal “brand” changed by unmasking ?

You asked questions and we’re here to answer! A little while back, I opened a question box for you to ask questions to autistic adults. I sent the questions to a number of autistic adult friends and we’re exploring their answers in the next number of posts. Huge thank you to Kate (17) for answering this question. Let me know your thoughts in the comments 👇🏼

I’ve thought a lot about whether to address this or not. I never share things unless I have worked through them and feel that I can explain my thoughts and express the emotion connected with clarity and strength. On I shared my story of late autistic identification with Rita Wray of the Rita had only contacted me a couple of days before but given that I am all for advocating for the autistic experience and acknowledging the experience of women on the spectrum, I jumped at the chance. What followed was an overwhelming wave of support but as is the way of the internet, there were also negative and downright nasty comments. Unfortunately I let these fester in my mind and they have affected me. These are just a sample of the comments on Facebook. I have questioned the validity of my experience. I have questioned the validity of my autistic identification. I have questioned whether it is worth sharing anything in future. I have been quietly riddled with anxiety and self doubt and today is the day I say, enough. I am autistic. My identification is valid. My lived experience of the struggles associated with my missed identification is valid. These comments are the reason that women over the age of 35 are the fastest growing cohort of autistic identification. We hide in plain sight and almost kill ourselves doing it for the fear of being dismissed and misdiagnosed. The dismissal of our internal struggle needs to stop and our outward search for understanding needs to be acknowledged. I may not be autistic enough for some of these commenters, but that says that my autism isn’t as obvious as they would like it to be in order for it to be “real”It’s not as obvious as stereotypical media representations. My psychologist was amazing, she’s not a quack or a wanna be, she is a highly accomplished professional woman. Her assessment is valid. Want to know what’s not valid? Their snide, hurtful and uneducated comments. These comments can leave my head now, they’ve taken enough of my time and energy. I am one of “these people” and I am really proud.

Today on I ask people to remember that this label is not to be feared. Like the label on your favourite item of clothing, it tells us how best to care for our loved ones so that they can be the best that they can be. It tells us their sensory preferences, explains their need for time alone, their need for understanding and empathy and their love of direct communication. But most of all, it tells us that they are different, not less. To be valued for who we are. Our label is simply our care needs, so we can thrive and flourish. I proudly wear this label everyday ♾️

So proud to have my story of autistic identification featured in todays Irish Examiner

'You will never regret going for an autism diagnosis' While Laura Crowley only received her autism diagnosis in 2020, she always knew she was different she tells, Rita B Wray, and the diagnosis has helped her hugely

Today is . Today is a day to think about your own personal happiness. This isn’t a toxic positivity post, trying to shove happiness down your throat, I promise. I started my self care journey this month 4 years ago. I was at my lowest point and in the throes of post natal depression. In my bid for recovery I started with one question. What makes me happy? Might sound odd, but I had no idea. I was lost and my internal dialogue was incomprehensible. It took me nearly an hour to come up with 3 things. Driving with loud music (power ballads on a long open road are totally underrated) baths and cups of tea alone (I wasn’t a coffee drinker then). These are small things, all easily added into my week, but the difference they made to my mental health have been immeasurable. Making the decision to make yourself happier starts with just this question, what makes me happy? Building in “happy activities” which may only take a few minutes everyday, can and will pay dividends, you just have to answer the question. What makes you happy?

It’s and I am celebrating by having a little lie in with a coffee while my bosses play. My interest in the world of sleep began with sleep deprivation due my own big bosses sleep issues. If you’re in the same position, why not check out I am Irelands only dedicated additional needs sleep practitioner and I am passionate about helping other parents and autistic individuals finding ways to achieve more restful nights! Link in bio

It’s ♾️ Want to know what it is? Swipe ➡️ to learn more

Our girls need to know the difference between somebody giving them a genuine compliment and someone who is flattering them for eventual gain, control or manipulation.

Transitioning from primary to secondary can be a challenge for any child but for an autistic child it is a far more complex situation. While every school won’t be able to facilitate all of these tips, there’s no harm in asking the question. Let me know if you find these helpful.

At the end of 2022, I want to thank everyone who has liked, shared or saved my posts, everyone who has reached out in my DM’s or just even taken the time to interact with my stories. This year has been one of the most challenging for me personally but with every obstacle came lessons and a firmer belief in who I am and what I stand for. So this year, don’t make a new you, just be the real you 💗

Just a little reminder 💗 To the Mum who is stressing about the Tellytubby her 13 would like. To the dad afraid to give his 8 year old a cause and effect toy. To the parents everywhere who panic because only perfectly everyday objects like spoons or tupperware will make their child smile. All that matters is that on Christmas morning they get what they would like. Play is play. Forget the opinions of others and the labels on the packages. Give whatever brings the magic this Christmas 🎅🏼