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Wellbeing Over Standardization: A Better Approach to Clinical Training
As autism care continues to evolve, one of the greatest challenges has been moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. Emotional wellness and overall wellbeing are deeply personal, varying from individual to individual, and any effective treatment must reflect this truth. Catalight Classroom is...
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The Role of Virtual Reality in Autism Therapy: Recent Advancements
Over the years, technology has improved to create a more immersive environment for users. One more popular trend in technology is the use of virtual reality (VR). Although typically used for gaming purposes, professionals have also found ways to utilize VR for therapeutic purposes. Initially, VR...
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Autistic Lived Experience: Compromised by Neuropsychological Malpractice
If the world were a rightly ordered place, then this story takes a very different turn than it did. Looking back on how it unfolded, the wrong that was committed against me, as hurtful as it was, is not surprising, considering all I have learned since then about the prevailing narrative around...
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The Gulf Coast Burnout Queen
Ten years ago, we began to sense that women on the spectrum had largely gone unnoticed and, therefore, undiagnosed to degrees that might actually be beyond our imagination. It was like waking up to find out that the nightmare was real. Thanks to the cultural realities of gender expectation,...
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Breaking My 33-Year Silence: Living with Autism and Finding Acceptance
As we celebrate World Autism Awareness/Acceptance Day, I feel compelled to share a story I have kept private for thirty-three years—not just to raise awareness but to advocate for a world that respects neurodiversity. For most of my life, I have witnessed others define autism from the outside...
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The Neurodiverse Connections of the Harry Potter World
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books and the film saga have received widespread acclaim from millions of fans around the world, as the magical world of Hogwarts not only captured the imagination of a generation of young readers but has also inspired many activists who found parallels between the...
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How Cybersecurity and Technology Jobs Can Equal Success for Autistic Individuals
Technology has become the backbone of modern society, offering exciting career opportunities for individuals from all walks of life. For autistic individuals, the tech industry presents unique advantages that align with their skills and preferences, creating pathways for meaningful and fulfilling...
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The Autistic Special Interest as a Form of Communication
“What is with his obsession with dinosaurs?!?” “She just won’t shut up about Disney movies!” “If these kids would spend half as much time studying as they do playing with Pokémon cards, they’d be a lot better off.” Such are the responses that tend to greet special...
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Painful Conversations: Unconscious Neurodiversity Bias in Higher Education
NOTE: This article is an adaptation of a lecture given at Northeastern University on August 9, 2024. For the full, hour-long video of the presentation, please click here. A shorter version was co-hosted by Vanderbilt University and UCONN on December 13. When I was researching my last book (The...
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A Key Brain Difference Linked to Autism Is Found for the First Time in Living People
For decades, researchers have relied on animal models and post-mortem subjects to help unlock the key to certain social and communication differences that are hallmarks of autism. Now, a new study has uncovered a molecular difference in the brains of autistic people that is linked to the central...
