Don’t let my talents discredit my challenges.

I am incredibly lucky, privileged, and blessed to have so many amazing talents. I am a gifted writer and, as I recently learned, pretty good at giving presentations too. I've been told I'm doing a good job helping people better understand autism. Plus, I have the gift of an amazing memory, especially given things I'm …

Understanding Meltdowns and Autism

"Beneath every behavior is a feeling. And beneath every feeling is a need. And when we meet that need rather than focus on the behavior, we begin to deal with the cause and not the symptom." - Psychologist Ashleigh Warner I used to have daily meltdowns. There was a time in early elementary school where …

What does listening look like?

When we were all kids, we inevitably heard quite a few bits of questionable information. We have all likely taken a few of these little factoids to heart, hence the reason why Wikipedia needs a "List of Common Misconceptions" page. I bet most of us, though, also heard something that just clearly didn't add up …

Different social skills, not a lack thereof.

I'd like to preface today's post by introducing you to an in-real-life friend of mine named Chris. I've known Chris for quite a long time; we first met in first grade when we were just six years old. We were alright friends in early elementary school. I remember going to a few of his birthdays …

Sensory Eating is not Picky Eating

I want you to imagine that you are a kid once again, maybe ten or eleven years old. You are sitting down in the evening with your family for dinner. The table is set, and your parents bring out what will be tonight's entree: a cut of cold, raw chicken breast. It's slimy pink mass …