Reading and Learning on neurodivergence (mostly focused on Autism and ADHD)
Reframing Autism
February 2024 - Autism Essentials - Great intro and summary to some differences we might see with Autism, strengths-based and affirming; centred around language, brain differences, communication and socialising, and thinking and processing. A good overview and something to recommend to others.
January 2024 - Engaging with Autism Research - Really interesting talk on what to look for in Autism research when thinking about participating or when doing research, from lived experience perspectives. Also talked about ways to get involved in research that got me excited about research again!
February 2024 - Bringing the Energy and All the Autism Level Up Supports To Regulate It - Autism Level UP!
Engaging and interactive training delivered by neurodivergent professionals. I have looked at the Autism Level Up suite of resources before and this training put them all together and made them make sense, I can really see the utility of this approach in practice in matching energy to tasks and exploring how to level up or down depending on the mismatch. Similar in some parts to sensory ladders but takes it steps further in a really useful and engaging way. Adaptable and individualisable and can see myself utilising these resources in practice.
Their resources are available here.
January 2024 - New Year, New Playbook: Game Plans That Work For Your ADHD Brain - Tracy Otsuka, ADDitude
Ideas for getting things done, some useful tips and tricks, emphasised finding strategies that suit your brain; interest based nervous system, make tasks for fun, challenging or social; managing overwhelm; tools like a time cube, 2 monitors, breaking tasks down. Some good quick and useful tips, not a lot of new information, but presented in an engaging way.
2024 - The Inside of Autism - The Autistic Advocate
I am doing the 12 month membership option and working through the 6 modules.
Module 1: The History of Autism. Interesting overview of the history of Autism and how the deficit narrative that we have today was formed, dangers of celebrity theorists and how our language creates perceptions which drive attitudes and ideas which make life harder for Autistic people. Concise and informative summary.
March 2024 - UCL Centre for Research in Autism and Education - 2024 Annual Lecture: Autistic Professionals and the Triple Empathy Problem - Dr Mary Doherty
Really interesting lecture from an autistic doctor. Expansion of the double empathy problem to the triple empathy problem with cumulative disadvantage between a non-autistic health professional and an autistic patient where there is layered miscommunication potential for both autistic<->non-autistic and health professional<->non-health professional; importance of increasing awareness of this issues, recognising it and non-autistic professionals making an effort to understand the autistic experience; Finding the leverage points to create change, challenging myths and changing narratives, highlighting lived experiences of autistic doctors
Autistic Doctors International - Autistic Space Framework: sensory, predictability, acceptance, communication, empathy + physical space, processing time and emotional space
Linktree for Autistic Doctors International
ADHD Women’s Palooza 2024
Listened to 3 talks, summit was over too fast to listen to more, didn’t like that the organiser still uses the term ADD in her business name, but some useful talks
ADHD stigmas, myths and plain ol lies: Let’s get it straight, Terry Mathen – not a lot of new information but a useful summary of some of the common stigmas; nice message of finding our strengths and recognising the difficulties
ADHD basics: The tripod approach to living your best ADHD life, David P Pomeroy – basics (sleep, exercise, food/nutrition), strategies, medication; simple but potentially useful framework when working with clients
ADHD and trauma: What is EMDR for ADHD? Noelle Lynn - brief explanation of trauma, EMDR and adaptations for ADHD/AuDHD, highlighted that we can do harm if adaptations aren’t made, EMDR to focus on negative beliefs, shame, overidentification with symptoms
The PDA Space Summit 2024
Multiple talks and didn’t get to listen to all that I wanted to, some really useful information and some things that weren’t new.
Susan Issa – PDA and the nervous system – highlighted the connection between PDA and the nervous system really clearly, PDA as an extreme anxiety response, window of tolerance and increasing safety, the wide range of what demands can be, adult/child/infant state and different supports – gave me more understanding of the breadth and strength of the PDA response and useful to frame as a nervous system response, the adult/child/infant responses was a good reminder to check in with self
Sally Cat – How PDA is hidden – difference between internalised and externalised PDA, different types of masking and not all negative, adrenal defence strategies (fight, flight, freeze, fawn, flop, fib, fantasy, funster, forget, flooding – interesting additions to the Fs, more to think about
Scott Nielsen and Laura Hellfield – How cortisol the master hormone impacts wellbeing and behaviour – cortisol, neuroception, ANS, dangers of chronic high cortisol – not a lot of new information but some good reminders of strategies and how to support self
Amanda Maguire – Discovering your PDA identity - importance of identity, many things impact on a PDA identity, process of acceptance and building supports – positive talk about the impacts of identity and how to support yourself
SENStory – Managing sensory motor needs and hypermobility for PDA children – importance of working in nature, overlap of neurodivergence and hypermobility 50%, signs to look out for, adaptations to traditional physio approaches needed – good simple explanation of hypermobility, signs to look out for and how to adapt approaches to support hypermobility and PDA, useful for my client population
Neurowild – Shifting expectations – misconceptions, need for change and knowing about fluctuating capacity, interoception, regulation, EF differences, sensory and emotional processing; Neurowild shift: I see you, I hear you, I got you – really useful talk and engaging with great graphics as always, I really liked the shift she talked about and even though this was aimed at supporting kids I can see the application to my adult clients
April 2024 - Autistic and Neurodivergent Considerations in Trauma-Informed Care - Whāraurau
June 2024 - Yellow Ladybugs Conference
Notes to come, working through the on-demand content.
August 2024 - He Aka Hui: Titiro whakamuri, kokiri whakamua, Autism and neurodiversity trends and potentials - Whaariki, Altogether Autism
Equitable Access to Wellbeing Framework, the role of Altogether Autism, outline of autism is Aotearoa, needing a joint approach for disability and mental health, Aotearoa NZ Autism Guideline 2022, Maori glossary, some wins, disability support funding moving to MSD, Enabling Good Lives on hold, case examples and breakout rooms.
It was good to get a better picture of where things are at in NZ, I was disappointed with how behind some of the language was, and gently made some corrections and directed to resources. The breakout room chats were a good opportunity to connect with like minded people and I made a few connections. There’s still a long way to go, but good to see so many people attending and having an interest in this topic
May-June 2024 - Spectrum Gaming Autism Acceptance Course
A 6 module course delivered by Andy Pandy of Spectrum Gaming, with contributions from Autistic young people. Such good information in here, lots to ponder and revisit. Loved the reframes and practical strategies to support a relational approach. The content is aimed for supporting young people but can be extrapolated across to adults.
Session 1 – Understanding the Wider Autism Lens – what Spectrum Gaming does, Andy’s experience, autistic burnout, masking, the trauma/stress cycle, gaming for fun vs escape/distraction/necessity, Naomi Fisher 4 stages of burnout recovery, social and sensory differences, lack of acceptance, impact of stressors, autism+environment=outcome
Keys for supporting: young people need to be able to recover from their negative experiences in order to thrive, young people are intrinsically brilliant, young people don’t need to fit into the community they need to find their community, the outcomes of autistic young people are determined by the support around them
Tips: mutual respect and understanding, neurodiversity affirming, young people do well if they can, being real, authentic and honest, admit faults, be curious, don’t take things personally, learn about and understand autism from the right sources, proactively learn about young people’s needs, be committed, stick to agreements, be a good communicator, be friendly and approachable.
Session 2 – Autism From Our Perspective – session 2 delivered by Autistic young people. Topics: everyone is not a little bit autistic, masking, different ways of socialising, acceptance of being different, busting myths and misconceptions, talking about support needs is more useful than functioning labels, different strengths, being diagnosed can help with self understanding, get your info from autistic people, the importance of having quiet spaces to retreat to, differences not deficits, different operating system, needing the why, sensory differences and joys, monotropism, spiky profiles, stimming for regulation;
Autistic culture – share spaces and udnerstanding, directness, deep conversations, value honesty and facts, ask questions to clarify, show empathy by telling a story, interest based, monotropic.
Session 3 – Autism and Trauma (Nanny Aut, Dr Naomi Fisher, Kirsten Wilshare, Andy Pandy) – school avoidance cycle is reinforcing, some approaches can make things worse, WARMTH (wellbeing first, affirming practice, relational approach, mutual understanding and partnership, timely response, holistic support); anxiety, may not seem like ‘real danger’ to someone else but it is for the person and not something you can just get used to, some things are not changeable
Avoid: small steps into an unsafe environment, steps that are too big, small steps when the trauma isn’t processed -> can make things worse, school fear grows and generalises; survival mode, different responses to events, cortex = air traffic controller, limbic system = panic monkey, amygdala = dino brain, memories predict danger to keep us safe, the brain remembers stressful events in a different way, trauma-stress cycle in autism.
Recovering from trauma = changing the environment to feel safe, increasing general wellbeing, using effective ways to process difficult experiences, therapies, internal enablers; burnout = focus on safety, environment and relational, rebuilding life, processing difficult experiences, chances to learn and grow, autonomy, choice, time and space, activity match, breaks and recovery, boundaries, the right supports, meeting needs.
Session 4 – The NEST Approach – a different approach to crisis support, problem solving, avoiding restraint; restraint causes trauma, threat responses are adaptive, need to play out the physical response (in a safe way) so it doesn’t get stuck in the body), low arousal approach, meltdowns are not a choice, rewards and punishments -> internalised needs and increased trauma, relational not behavioural approaches; 3 basic needs for autonomy, relatedness and competence, want to build a toolbox to meet the underlying needs. NEST –
Nurture, low arousal approach, stress reduction, prevention and de-escalation, be calm, use distractions, be wary of physical touch, slow your movement down, keep your distance, avoid gathering staff, remove other people, avoid direct eye contact, tactically withdraw from the person, reduce demands, remove environmental triggers, be flexible with the rules;
Empathise – understand their perspective, work together to understand the needs, be curious;
Sharing context – how the problem is affecting them/others, collective understanding, solve the problem together;
Team work – address root cause, work it out together, choices, relational approach.
Session 5 – A Deep Dive Into Relational Approaches – current behavioural approaches not working, not getting at what’s under the surface, increased societal stress and overall decreased wellbeing; moving from recovery to rediscovery; self-determination theory: intrinsically motivated to meet 3 basic needs (autonomy, belongingness/relatedness, competence); extrinsic motivators can undermine intrinsic motivation, focus on supportive relationships and social/emotional needs.
RELATE (Relationships are key, Everyone does well if they can, Look for root causes, All behaviour is communication, Take action, Emotions are important and valid).
Session 6 – Anxiety and Wellbeing, How Can Autistic Young People Thrive – the importance of why, curiosity, collaboration, hierarchy of needs, individual strategies as well as changes to the environment, anxiety (people need to do better anxiety = changing the environment, people need to be better anxiety = changing your approach and focusing on building trust, Shrek anxiety = people judge me before they even know me), NAP (authenticity, acceptance, agency, autonomy, advocacy); different approaches based on the reason, general wellbeing (physiological needs, safety needs, belonging, self-esteem, self actualisation.