Autistic and Living the Dream

Category: Accessibility

  • One does not simply walk into the doctors

    One does not simply walk into the doctors

    There are too many steps to take before Disabled people get through the door at doctors’ surgeries or hospitals. We must unravel our feelings and experiences from those of our usual symptoms of chronic illness. Then we must muster up the energy to book an appointment, if we use AAC this can be even more…

  • Things to think about before getting involved in autism research

    Things to think about before getting involved in autism research

    I have been a participant in a fair amount of Autistic experience research (what others may call autism research) and I’ve led and assisted on a few more besides. There’s a few things I look for when deciding whether to engage in such research. First, I look at who is running the research – are…

  • Exploring the Experiences of Autistic Transgender and Non-Binary Adults in Seeking Gender Identity Healthcare [plain language summary]

    Exploring the Experiences of Autistic Transgender and Non-Binary Adults in Seeking Gender Identity Healthcare [plain language summary]

    This blog gives you a summary of the work created by Harley Bruce, Katie Munday (me), and Steven Kapp. The aim of our study was to get a deep understanding of autistic transgender and/or non-binary adults’ experiences in accessing, or trying to access, gender identity healthcare. There are very few research articles which focus on…

  • Trans and Autistic: Getting my hair cut

    Trans and Autistic: Getting my hair cut

    I haven’t had the energy to get my hair cut in SO long, category was: scarecrow. It’s a worry for me to go in to the hairdressers for a ‘mans’ haircut, people either think I’m being cute or give me a feminine version of it, all the while I get referred to as a ‘lady’,…

  • Community psychology and models of disability

    Community psychology and models of disability

    Community psychology examines and supports people’s attitudes, actions and thoughts within the social contexts of their lives, supporting marginalised groups to challenge systems, institutions and legislations which oppress and discriminate (Orford, 2008). Additionally, community psychology (CP)  can contribute to the understanding of social issues for both professionals and participants by framing people within their local…

  • Child-centred play therapy for Autistic children and young people

    Child-centred play therapy for Autistic children and young people

    Child-centred play therapy (CCPT) is a psychotherapeutic intervention used to support children to explore and express their thoughts, emotions and experiences through play. During these sessions, children are allowed to free-play with very few limits imposed upon them, allowing the therapist to observe the child’s decisions, choices and play style (Landreth, 2012). Play therapy is…

  • “You’re asking permission to be yourself”: Autistic adults’ experiences of accessing gender identity healthcare

    “You’re asking permission to be yourself”: Autistic adults’ experiences of accessing gender identity healthcare

    Earlier today Steven Kapp shared this at the Spring Symposium of the University of Portsmouth’s Quality of Life, Health, and Well-Being Research Group. So, I thought I’d share it here too! (Especially as our full work is about to be published!) “You’re asking permission to be yourself”: Autistic adults’ experiences of accessing gender identity healthcareHarley Bruce, Katie…

  • Are Mental health groups accessible to Autistic people?

    Are Mental health groups accessible to Autistic people?

    Content warning: mention of abuse, neglect, suicide, hospitalisation, food, body image, mental health. Autistic communities exist on and offline, some of them are based in charities, some of them are less formal, and some are Autistic led. They may not suit everyone but there is a choice for most Autistic people, if you have the…

  • The pain and the anguish of being an Autistic autism researcher

    The pain and the anguish of being an Autistic autism researcher

    Reading through autism research as an Autistic student or researcher can be emotional and traumatic, especially when so many of us are encouraged to use research which doesn’t align with our lived Autistic experiences. Using the American Psychological Association’s idea of autistic embodiment, in particular, does not fit with how I know autistic experience to…

  • Pushing the boulder up the hill

    Pushing the boulder up the hill

    Academia is being dragged up by autistic people not just within academia but also within social media. There are a growing number of Autistic led organisations which are involved in policy and educating Autistic and non-Autistic people, including Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), NeuroClastic and Aucademy. Blog  and article writing, activism and advocacy is just…