'I no longer try to mask my autism; I now work to support my autism' It is a myth that autistic children grow into 'less autistic' adults. In fact, many autistic adults feel more overwhelmed as they age as the stresses of social demands such as relationships, parenting, or the work environment increase. Niamh Garvey offers tips and tricks designed to reduce sensory and emotional stress and look after your autistic self. From understanding what's happening when the stress response kicks in to using the 'detective habit' to spot your individual strengths and triggers. What's more, every element of this book can be personalised to you. Featuring strategies including 'quick calm plans' for managing triggers and lived-experience advice on understanding emotional regulation, coping with sensory overload and how to look after your senses during intimacy, this guide is here to ensure that you don't just survive adulthood, you thrive in it.

The difference that being female makes to the diagnosis, life and experiences of an autistic person is hugely significant. In this widely expanded second edition, Sarah Hendrickx combines the latest research with personal stories from girls and women on the autism spectrum to present a picture of their feelings, thoughts and experiences at each stage of their lives. Outlining the likely impact will be for autistic women and girls throughout their lifespan, Hendrickx surveys everything from diagnosis, childhood, education, adolescence, friendships and sexuality, to employment, pregnancy, parenting, and aging. With up-to-date content on masking, diagnosis later in life, and a new focus on trans and non-binary voices, as well as a deeper dive into specific health and wellbeing implications including menopause, PCOS, Hypermobility/Ehlers-Danlos, autistic burnout, and alexithymia, this is an invaluable companion for professionals, as well as a guiding light for autistic women to understand and interpret their own experience in context.

As autistic self-advocates, our personal stories hold a lot of power: they are sources of strength, tales of overcoming barriers and adversity, and a way for us to assert agency and receive the support we might need. But how do you actually disclose your diagnosis? How do you tell teachers, support staff, colleagues, friends, or anybody else about your disability and account for their varied reactions? Or, if you're a parent or ally, how do you tell the person you're supporting about their own neurodivergent identity and culture? Disclosure is often a thorny topic, but in this powerful and supportive book, Haley Moss explores the language, history, and stigmas that influence how people perceive autism, breaking down ways to approach conversations about neurodivergence in different contexts. By deconstructing fears around disclosure, Talking the Talk About Autism shows how the experience can be made more impactful, safe, and less nerve-wracking for all those involved.

'There isn't a secret manual outlining exactly how to get through your teens and young adulthood as an autistic individual, but this book provides a script for how to do what adulthood will make you do anyway, in a way that is most accessible for you". You've just received an autism diagnosis, so why do you still feel so lost when it comes to what autism actually means for you? Written by autistic advocate Sarah O'Brien, this book gives a much-needed introduction into what autism is and removes the myths, stereotypes and stigma that surround it. Sarah provides insights into what to do after diagnosis and how to approach and navigate the process of informing those in your life, from your family and friends to your teachers or manager at work. Utilising her own experience of feeling lost after diagnosis and navigating all of the 'firsts' of adolescence and young adulthood Sarah provides an honest and friendly voice to guide you through it all. Intelligent and clearly-written, this is the fact-led and information-rich resource that will answer your questions about autism, introduce you to your new community and set you up to thrive as an autistic adult.

You're autistic - but what does that really mean? Welcome to the ultimate guide to understanding who you are and what it means to be autistic! In this fully illustrated graphic guide to what it means to be autistic and discover the differences between sensory seekers and avoiders, why you might find some things super easy and other things extra challenging and even begin to understand and navigate all of your big (and small) feelings. Best of all, learn what makes you totally unique. You might just come away with some cool facts to share with your friends and family!

"This is the book that would've saved me nine different therapists, decades of self-analysis, thousands of pounds, twelve different doctors and untold amounts of pain, frustration and trauma - in spending a lifetime looking for the right answers in the wrong places I've become an accidental expert." In this candid, witty and insightful exploration into therapy, Steph Jones uses her professional and lived experiences as a late diagnosed autistic woman and therapist, as well as consulting therapists from across the world and tapping into the autistic community, to create the ultimate autistic survival guide to therapy. Steph confronts the statistics, inadequate practices and ableist therapists head on and poses the questions of how we can make therapy neurodivergence-affirming and how to create safe spaces for autistic individuals. With strategic and practical advice to help recognise the 'red flags' of a dodgy therapist and provide a clear roadmap to finding your confidence and setting the appropriate boundaries with a new therapist, Steph has every question answered. To support therapists striving for inclusivity and a neurodiverse affirming practice, the inclusion of a context guide provides a deconstruction of each therapy session so you can recognise how undiagnosed (or diagnosed) autism may present itself during therapy and how you can start to explore this in the therapeutic space.

"Being autistic is full-on, but being in the life of someone who is autistic? This can be epic, world-changing love." In a world built for neurotypicals, how can you help autistic loved ones navigate their way to happiness? Packed with strategies and honest, down-to-earth advice, autistic author Jolene Stockman explores the myriad ways you can boost the autistic in your life: from creating safe spaces and supporting self-care, to changing your own perspective, and advocating for them with others. Picking up this book is the next step in your journey towards enhancing the lives of autistics - so welcome! It's time to find out how we can help those we love to navigate the current world, and work together to build a brighter one that supports us all.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of autism? Often, it's a boy who struggles with friendships, but who loves trains and is great at maths. While this may reflect the experiences of some autistic people, in recent years research and first-hand accounts have shown that many others don't conform to this image. The historical perception of autism as a "male condition" as well as simplistic stereotypes have led to an under-identification of autism in some girls and women - and, indeed, in all people, regardless of gender, who do not fit this mould. This straightforward, one-stop guide introduces you to the differing presentations of autism that are common in girls, but also explores why referring to 'male' and 'female' autism is too reductive. Describing why some autistic girls' needs are identified late or not at all, looking at friendships and relationships, education, mental health and puberty, this concise, easy-to-understand and informative book draws on both lived experience and research to offer a popular science overview of this important topic.

How does autistic trauma really feel, and how can you find your way through it to a warmer, brighter place? Written by best-selling author Charlotte Amelia Poe this is a poignant and whimsical exploration of the true autistic experience. Chapter-by-chapter, Poe delicately peels back the layers of what it is to be young and autistic in the modern world, touching on trauma, grief, mortality, love and everything in between. Charming, thought-provoking and often very funny, this book doesn't offer solutions - it walks next to you, like a friend, through times both dark and light. It reminds you every step that you're not alone.

Practical, evidence-based advice for managing distressed behaviours and common situations involving autistic children. Autism affects about one per cent of the population, and whilst it can present very differently among individuals, there are some common challenges faced by autistic people. This self-help guide focuses on practical, proven techniques to help parents support their autistic children with commonly experienced areas of difficulty. Written by authors with extensive experience in research and in working clinically with children with a wide range of neurodevelopmental differences, this book uses a strengths-based approach to guide parents in helping their children to enhance their skills, as well as to manage some common challenges. This book will help you to: · Support your child through anxiety and social interaction issues · Manage sleep problems and feeding difficulties · Understand sensory responses in autism · Understand and manage distressed behaviour, including self-harm and demand avoidance Helping Your Child is a series for parents and caregivers to support children through developmental difficulties, both psychological and physical. Each guide uses clinically proven techniques. Series editors: Dr Polly Waite and Emeritus Professor Peter Cooper