• Hi!! Welcome to my infodump powerpoint!

• I’ve known about my Autism since I was six.
  A child psychologist told my mother to never get me diagnosed,
  under any circumstances. I was “high-functioning.” I “didn’t need the support.”
   
• The result: I’ve spent most of my life having a… strained relationship with my Autism.
   
• I was told by people what I was like, what I wanted, even when I disagreed.
  My family parented the stereotypical ‘Autistic child’ rather than me.

• I was brought up with a fear of being recognised as Autistic by the school system, and thus, being medicated.
  A fear of stimming. A fear of structure.

• I ended up masking my Autism.

• Completely on purpose. I'd specifically recognise Autistic traits just so I could repress them properly.

• Many, many, many mental health issues later, / started re-educating myself about Autism. Turns out, it's not that bad
  (who would've thought)

• So, here's some fun recourses I found, for your needs :)
  
  By Jocelyn Saunders

Unmasking Autism: Dr. Devon Price
Focus: Autism masking
 

• Focus: Autism masking and burnout, particularly minority experiences.
• Research Methodology: Interviews with an emphasis on lived experience, integrated with contemporary research.
• Audience: Masking Autistic people, structured chronologically, with exercises each chapter exploring one's relationship with masking and Autism.
• Downsides: The emphasis on interviews can make the book retriggering to read.
• Does not lend much focus towards the necessities of masking for Autistic minorities

Because Context Is Important: About Devon Price

• Fellow Autistic, transgender, with a PhD in psychology.

• Produces papers for laymen audiences and is active on Instagram and Tumblr.

• Published ‘Laziness does not Exist’; runs an Autistic Advice column.

• Unfortunately, Devon Price’s papers and advice are behind a paywall, but he’s migrating over to Substack, which is free.

• Interesting ones that (might) be over there now:

  • I’m Pathologically Demand Avoidant. It rules.

  • Alexithymia or Dissociation Fueled by Trauma?

  • How do I Stop Being the “Therapist Friend”?

  • How to Visit Bars, Concerts, or Clubs on Your Own and Not Feel Like a Freak Loser (Because You Aren’t One)

Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre: LaTrobe University
 

• Focus: Funding and highlighting Australian research on Autism.

• Research Methodology: A mixed bag, some research is very deficit based and some isn’t. All of it is academic.

• Audience: Researchers, parents of Autistic children, and Autistic students.

• Downsides: Not neurodiversity affirming.

• You have to get through a bunch of not great research (intervention based practice, etc.) to get to the good stuff.

• Author: A research centre of LaTrobe University. They run psychology placements for students interested in Autism, with a
  preference for neurodiverse applicants. They also host the ‘OTARC Seminar Series’ - recorded lectures on new Autism research.

Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre: Recourses

• Cool things they’ve released recently:

  • The Dandelion Project: Employing Autistic Adults

  • Making Sense of Sensory Experiences in Autism: A Path Forward

  • “It Defines Who I Am” or “It’s Something I Have”: Which Language do Autistic Australian Adults Prefer?

  • Autism in China

  • Autistics in the Academy

  • Maybe No One Knows We Need Help: Understanding the Experiences of Autistic Working Mothers in Australia

  • Autism@Work Employment Programs and Meaningful Work for Autistic Individuals

  • Building Neurodiversity-Inclusive Post-Secondary Campuses

Nanette: Hannah Gadsby

• Focus: Comedy show about how minorities (including neurodiverse people) feel the need to self-deprecate and downplay our experiences to make the majority feel better.
  
  

• Audience: It’s aiming to make the neurotypical and privileged audience of her comedy feel uncomfortable, but also to validate minority anger.
  
  

• Downsides: If you have a lot of unpacked shame associated with anger don’t watch this before a two-week intensive and have a breakdown okay? Be in a safe space.

Context Matters: About Hannah Gadsby
 

• Author: Fellow AuDHD, LGBT+, from Tasmania, and a well-established comedian. She has two other comedy specials, ‘Douglas’ and ‘Something Special.’ 
   

• She also has a book ‘Ten Steps to Nannette’ going further in depth on her critique of comedy and experiences with Autism.
  

• It also discusses the pressure to write and make content ‘neurotypically’ which is really interesting!

Atlas of the Heart: Brené Brown
 

• Focus: Not actually about Autism, but incredibly useful for my alexithymia: a dictionary of emotions and how they feel.

• Also how neurotypicals act when they feel these emotions, which is incredibly useful.

• Research Methodology: Interviews, polls, and reviewing previous research with a lived experience lens.

• Audience: For neurotypicals who struggle with mental health and shame.

Brené Brown: Continued
 

• Downsides: This dictionary was written by a neurotypical for neurotypicals, you are not feeling emotions wrong if you do not prescribe to it, there’s no such thing as feeling emotions wrong.
   

• About Brene: Neurotypical, female, living experience of mental health struggles, research professor of psychology at the University of Houston.
  

• Published books on shame and vulnerability, such as ‘Daring Greatly’, which is useful if you have trauma responses to vulnerability.
  

• She also has three podcasts and just a lot of stuff.

Neurodivergent Insights: Dr. Megan Neff

• Focus: A blog with neuro-affirming and visual breakdowns of the latest Autism and ADHD research.

• Research Methodology: Tempering the deficit-based model of contemporary
  research with Neff’s living experience as an AuDHD clinician.

• Audience: Autistic and ADHD people, particularly adults.

• Downsides: Neff is trying to be informative and so in, she makes deficit-based information accessible and palatable, but does not critique the information.

• Examples of her infographics are to the right!

Dr. Megan Neff: Continued

• Author: Fellow AuDHD, mother of neurodiverse children, was a practising psychologist. Is incredibly active on Instagram. 

• Also has a podcast called ‘Divergent Conversations’ where she talks with another Autistic clinician about their experiences.

• Some fun episodes of her podcast:

  • When Little Things Feel Huge: Neurodivergent Perspectives

  • Travel and Autism – Exploring the World with Heightened Senses

  • Sensory Overload and Social Engagement – The Autistic Experience in Group Settings

Posts of hers I like:

• Spoon Theory for Autism and ADHD

• DSM-5 Criteria for Autism Explained (In Picture Form)

• 8 Senses: Hidden Sensory Systems

• Everything in ‘Misdiagnosis Monday’