Jade’s Neurodiversity Newsletter

That’s the premise of my webinar for this month’s Autistic Mental Health Conference which runs from August 14th to 16th. Curated around the theme of Ecosystemic Causes of Mental Health issues, the event boasts a variety of talks for Autistic people; parents and families; professionals and practitioners; and advocates and allies. My own presentation challenges therapists to take the next step in their neuroaffirming practice.

Welcome to August’s Neurodiversity Newsletter August always tends to a be a quieter month for webinars, and illness means the resource round up is smaller too. There’s still plenty to keep you reading and viewing though, including a slew of upcoming online summits and conferences ready to book into the Autumn. What is neurodiversity? While understanding of neurodiversity and support for neurodiversity paradigm ideas are spreading, there’s still a lot of confusion regarding what it’s all about.

If I were to include every resource I signpost to in my work as a counsellor it would be a very extensive list. Nothing works for everyone, even if the topic covered feels highly relevant. But the frequency with which these resources come up - and the positive feedback that many clients give about them - makes me think they’re worth sharing with a wider audience. Resource by Em Hammond (2024) In everyday life, people rarely stop to think about different communication styles.

Libby Hill is a consultant speech and language therapist (SLT) with a fascination for autism, including PDA, selective mutism and developmental language disorder. She has been an SLT for 40 years and remains just as passionate about supporting children and young people. Libby’s new book, Supporting Teenagers with Selective Mutism: A Practical Guide for Schools, Families and Professionals, is out now. “Autism may shape how selective mutism presents.

Do you find joy in patterns? Do you notice details, echoes or tiny changes other people miss? Have you spent years achieving, adapting and looking “fine” from the outside? Then this might have been written with you in mind. Maks Marzec is an autistic, Polish-British writer-performer, linguist, teacher, public service interpreter and late-returning theatre-maker from Lublin. He is now based in London.

Mamood Ahmad is a tutor, speaker, and author of A New Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy. He founded the #TADF community, which works proactively with training organisations to support the transition toward a decolonised and contextually embedded counselling and psychotherapy curriculum. With nearly two decades of experience in private practice, Mamood brings extensive expertise in wholeness by design, trauma-informed practice, multicultural competence, and social change.

Welcome to July’s Neurodiversity Newsletter July is Disability Pride Month. It exists not because people have to be proud of their disabilities (though there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that), but because Disabled people are equally valuable and worthy human beings who are still fighting for equal access, rights, treatment, and justice. I wrote about my own Journey to Disability Pride last year. A massive thank you to everyone who downloaded June’s Autistic Pride Neuroaffirming Support Bundle.

Eight webinars and 19 downloadable pdfs created by Autistic professionals and parents “A carefully curated collection of high-quality resources to support neurodivergent folk across a wide range of contexts, combining accessible information with practical guidance on navigating everyday challenges. Drawn from a diverse group of experienced practitioners, it showcases different approaches united by compassion and a genuine understanding of neurodivergent lives.

Hat/Harriet Richardson is a white, semi-speaking, multiply neurodivergent Speech Pathologist, Neurodevelopmental Practitioner and writer. She runs the social media account @hat.talks.uk. Kim Mears is a neurodivergent speech and language therapist who has multiple identities. She is a wife, a mother, daughter and friend. She also identifies as an AuDHD narrator and information sharer who loves learning, unlearning and disrupting.

June 18th is Autistic Pride Day, and we wanted to celebrate by bringing neuroaffirming support to as many people as possible. In a world that doesn’t like to make space for difference, it’s more important than ever that Autistic adults and children are supported to accept and embrace their unique self. Research indicates that developing a positive Autistic identity can lead to better mental health and self-esteem. There is nothing wrong with being Autistic.