Autism Routemap

Get the most out of your day https://www.autismroutemap.com/blog/rethink-your-routine-how-to-turn-groggy-mornings-into-great-ones

Rethink your Routine: How to Turn Groggy Mornings into Great Ones Implementing a flexible morning and evening routine can significantly improve your productivity and overall wellbeing. Discover how to use this practice to create a balanced and productive day.

The truth about ADHD and autism: how many people have it, what causes it, and why are diagnoses soaring? Growing awareness about ADHD and autism is reshaping thinking in science, social science and medicine. Scientists explain what’s behind the rise – and the best ways to improve neurodivergent lives

A parents perspective on raising an autistic daughter ....

I’d do anything to make my autistic daughter happy – but I feel like a walking mum-fail There is an intense emotional strain involved with parenting a neurodivergent child with mental health issues. But we will do whatever it takes to understand her brain

“So, how does it feel to be speaking in front of 200 people in a high school gym at two o’clock in the morning?” was a question I got asked last night.
I was speaking in Perth, Australia – digitally, hence the 2am bit – for an education conference.

It was a funny question – and even more hilariously, it wasn’t even the most unusual time I’d spoken at that week! (There was a group in Washington state a few nights earlier that could only meet in the evening, so I spoke for them from 3am-4:30am.)

But on reflection, it’s helped me come to a realisation about the autistic experience.

I’ve been on Australia time all day (well, their day). At 9am Perth time I was getting ready to speak at a conference, and at 8pm Melbourne time I had an appointment with a regular client. But with me sat here in the UK, actually living an Australian day was out of the question. I slept before the speech, I slept again after the speech, and today I took an hour in bed in the middle of the working day because I was at my limit.

Today – in terms of waking hours at least – I was a British guy needing to live on Australian terms, and not really succeeding at either.

And I’ve come to realise that this is a pretty good analogy for making autistic people act neurotypical! When we're forced to do so, we don’t fully convert to the other way of thinking and behaving (even though we can mask like hell to try making you believe it, in order to gain your approval). Typically we end up in this messy kind of no-mans-land between the two, and not doing either of them right.

This analogy has its limits of course. Not least because I’m on good terms with everyone involved (the talk was great fun and it’s always lovely to talk to this client), I voluntarily said yes to all this, I was totally ok with it all, and it was only for one (Australian) day.
But imagine a similar scenario, with the autistic person being coerced into behaving unnaturally every day continuously, where they’ve not voluntarily agreed to anything, and there’s shame attached to getting it wrong (oh, and they’re not even getting paid for it).

Not only will we get it wrong: we won’t get “being ourselves” right either. We’ll end up disappointing everyone’s neurotypical expectations whilst not being the people *we* enjoy being either. Everybody loses (but of course, usually it’s the autistic person who gets the blame).

In fact, I’m reminded of that line from the children’s movie Balto, about the wolf-dog hybrid who delivers medicine to sick children but is scorned for being an ‘impure’ cross between two species: “not a dog, not a wolf – all he knows is what he’s not”. (I mean wow, what a line.) If you turn an autistic child into a chaotic crossbreed between their real self and a fictional neurotypical version of themselves, they’ll likely *also* grow up focusing on what they’re not, rather than who they are.

Forcing an autistic child to act neurotypically does NOT make them grow up to be neurotypical, and it certainly doesn’t solve any problems. It drops us in the middle of two worlds, neither of which we find accessible.
-Chris

In honour of World Autism Acceptance Week, thrilled to share our new online course for newly diagnosed autistic adults: https://www.autismroutemap.com/life-after-an-adult-autism-diagnosis-course # neurodivergence

Empowered Living for Newly Diagnosed Autistic Individuals Essential next steps for newly diagnosed autistic adults. An online course which provides valuable insights into the impact of autism and guides you in crafting a lifestyle that aligns with your unique needs and preferences.

Let's run around the block you said
and I thought it would be fun,
but I couldn't find the block
and wondered why we'd run.

It's raining cats and dogs you said
so I quickly looked outside,
worried for the animals
so much i stood and cried.

Would you like a twirl you asked,
I laughed and shook my head,
and then I asked could I
have a chocolate bar instead.

You spoke about the past
and all the things you done
and when you mentioned the present
I wondered what id won.

You asked me to watch my sister
whilst you answered the door
I looked on both her wrists
I couldn't find what you asked for.

You asked if I'd like to try pickle
with my piece of ham,
I nodded and said yes
but you brought a jar of jam.

You said the blind man was coming
to measure your windows,
this one really baffled me
"how can he see where he goes"?

They say I am
but to me I am just me.
A boy with a loving heart
with an amazing speciality.
J. Boyle

Yes! Love the concept of "universal design" with a “menu” of adjustments available to all.

Wired differently: how neurodiversity adds new skillsets to the workplace From the arts to the law, employers are seeing conditions such as autism and ADHD can have more benefits than drawbacks

Can anyone recommend a social group for autistic adults with normal intellectual ability in London or Nottingham?

Fantastic points made in this article on burnout

Creating Autistic Suffering: What is Atypical Burnout? - Emergent Divergence This article was co-authored by Tanya Adkin and David Gray-Hammond The literature around Autistic burnout is in it's infancy with regards to academic papers, most of what exists comes from lived experience and blogs written by Autistic people themselves. The first academic paper on Autistic burnout....

Unpacking how an autism diagnosis impacts you is a key next step after diagnosis.

Studies show that there are significant benefits in crucial areas.

The insights you gain help you to:

⭐️ better manage daily life challenges

⭐️ communicate more effectively

⭐️ seek out relevant support and resources

⭐️ gain confidence to advocate for yourself

Join us on this 6 week online coaching course, starting 4 May 2023 at 7pm BST

First session is FREE!

Grab your spot here 👇👇👇

https://www.autismroutemap.com/pl/2147680149

If you have a new autism diagnosis, this is for you!

Taking the time to unpack how autism impacts you is key to being able to manage the stresses of life well.

Grab your spot here 👇👇👇

https://www.autismroutemap.com/pl/2147680149

This course has been designed for teens and adults

In recognition of autism acceptance week: We never know what other people are dealing with.

Food for thought

“The Difficult Woman.”

I am the difficult woman.

I want rules, parameters and details.
I need timeframes and facts.
I speak with logic and without things unsaid.
You tell me something inaccurate and I will correct you.
You ask a rhetorical question and I’ll answer it.
My face portrays coldness and my eyes stare out to the beyond.

I am the difficult woman.

You hear a tone in my voice that doesn’t exist.
You don’t listen to my actual words.
You look for a hidden meaning when I serve the truth.
My response times are inconsistent.
My thoughts blurt out my mouth at the most awkward times and my conversational style isn’t linear.

I am the difficult woman.

I have been conditioned to blame myself.
I notice micro expressions and body language.
I self-police to make others comfortable.
I accomodate others to be more palatable.
Yet it is never enough.

Am I the difficult woman?

No.

I am the late diagnosised autistic ADHD woman who is finding herself.

Celebrating the beauty of our neurodiverse world this week. Together we are much much more than the sum of the parts.

Jasmine Saunders, MSc. student at University of Nottingham is researching factors influencing anxiety in autistic & neurotypical people - particularly intolerance of uncertainty & sensory sensitivity. If you would like to participate, please email her on [email protected]

This beautifully portrays the impact of society - written from the autistic perspective http://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2022.0015

Do you have an autistic teen who feels drained by the demands of everyday life? Understanding their unique processing differences empowers them to face their challenges proactively rather than being defeated by them.

This online training helps autistic teens to build a solid understanding of their individual strengths and challenges so they can develop a lifestyle that flows with their particular needs.

Students can complete the course independently or alongside parents, educators or accountability partners if they prefer.

Included in this course, DECODING AUTISM, are 12 short videos along with a guidebook for personalising content and helping students to apply their knowledge.

DECODING AUTISM is specially designed for autistic teens with average range (or above) intellectual ability. It is well suited to those seeking clarity on how autism impacts their lives personally.

Click on the link to gain access: https://autismroutemap.org/awesome-course-1642442834715/order/

Last chance to sign up for coaching for autistic university students! Register your place here: https://www.autismroutemap.com/supporting-autistic-students-at-university-1

There are huge benefits to neurodiverse teams. But successful working relationships don't happen automatically - especially when we have very different ways of communicating and approaching tasks.

How do we create the conditions for effective teamwork?

Join me and my co-hosts Dr Andrea and Jon Taylor-Cummings of The 4 Habits© on Wednesday (1pm BST, 8am EDT) to discover how we can apply the 4 key habits that underpin all successful relationships to neurodiversity.

Reserve your spot: https://www.autismroutemap.com/pl/2147584617

We’re excited to be able to invite you to our upcoming event - ‘Working with Neurodiversity’.

We’ll be hosting this free online masterclass with autism therapist & coach, Linda Philips. Linda is the founder of Autism Routemap. (https://www.autismroutemap.com/).

In this Masterclass, we’ll be focusing on how to effectively manage workplace relationships using The 4 Habits as a framework.

This Masterclass will be especially helpful for organisations who want to expand their employee well-being development, but also for individuals (both neurodivergent and neurotypical) with a professional or personal interest in neurodiversity.

You can find out more about the Masterclass and register for your spot here: https://www.autismroutemap.com/registration-page-bf1b3f58-3e64-4ed0-9409-adf92a12997b

Too many autistic students drop out because they get overwhelmed by the challenges of university life. Support makes a difference. Discover more https://www.autismroutemap.com/parents-of-uni-students-1

Social media has become THE place to express opinion with little regard for the impact on people. Am I the only who thinks this is not OK? https://www.autismroutemap.com/blog/will-smith-just-did-what-happens-online-everyday-agree-disagree

Will Smith just did what happens online every day: Agree / Disagree ? Social media has become THE place to express opinion with little regard for the impact on people. Am I the only who thinks this is not OK?

Hannah shares her story with such clarity

Hannah Gadsby on her autism diagnosis: ‘I’ve always been plagued by a sense that I was a little out of whack’ Even as a child, the comedian knew her brain was atypical. But it was only in her late 20s that her anxiety, depression and meltdowns finally made sense

We'd love you to join us! More details and registration via this link: https://www.autismroutemap.com/pl/2147573637 We're recording so we've got you covered if you can't make that time!

Sarah Alexander (autistic masters student) is asking for any adults over 18 who identify as autistic to participate in her MA study via this link: https://shusls.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5dWDuLyxJ07zvTM?fbclid=IwAR0YntnzGF3vCqNHZomxPT8Y3F24clAfzw_meApfUCWVaTq9vHVE-l4F8a0

Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

Super excited o be offering this free masterclass for neurodivergent / neurotypical couples. Book your spot here: https://www.autismroutemap.com/pl/2147573637

Good to see this on offer!

Today we're excited to relaunch our Autism Lunch Club, which takes place every Wednesday during term time, 12.30 - 1.30pm.

The lunch club is the perfect way for students with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) to socialise with each other and our Advisers in a quieter environment. There's no need to book, just come along to SC4/24 (Student Central).

For more information, visit: students.hud.ac.uk/help/wellbeing/support/workshops-and-groups/autismlunchclub/

Reaching My Potential (A journey of an Autistic individual) From abused child to successful husband, Father, photographer and Neurodiversity advocate. My journey of self acceptance and overcoming fear