Alma’s Post

"Human progress relies on diversity of thought" has absolutely become my speaker catchphrase in recent years. And during Neurodiversity Celebration Week, I refuse to use the outdated mantra of "neurodivergent people can be just as valid and valuable as everyone else with the right support!" - we are valid and valuable as it is, and humanity is not served well by pretending people who think differently are lesser as a result. (Frankly, I'd go as far as to say that trying to turn neurodivergent people neurotypical is actively damaging to our species.) This week is a busy one for me, as is Autism Acceptance Month in April. But if anyone is interested in having me speak for you further down the line (including Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2025!) please do get in touch. - [Black text on a faded photo background of me speaking. Text reads: “Autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other neurotypes aren’t just unexpected extras in the gene pool. They are essential to it. Human progress depends on diversity of thought - having a whole variety of different brains with a multitude of approaches. We can’t progress as a society with only one neurotype that everyone is expected to aspire to.” Chris Bonnello, Autistic Not Weird] #autism #autismawareness #autismacceptance #autistic #neurodiversity #neurodivergence #diversity #inclusion #diversityandinclusion #diversityequityinclusion

During Neurodiversity Awareness Week, this message couldn’t be more important. 🌍 Diversity of thought is critical to our collective progress. 🚀 Neurodivergent minds — with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and beyond — are not just valuable; they’re indispensable to our evolution. 🧠✨ As we celebrate this week, let’s remember the power and importance of embracing all neurotypes. 🌈 #NeurodiversityAwarenessWeek #DiversityOfThought #InclusionMatters #Neurospicy

Social ecology of neurodivergence in nutshell. 👇 True understanding and acceptance of neurodivergence should be at core of any and all support efforts. This is most easily accomplished by seeking autism expertise from experts who identify as autistic themselves (in addition to their other qualifications). Same goes for all other neurominorities, by the way! That is why I won't speak about neurominority as a whole except when the context is strictly equality with main population on a general level. I am "just" autistic, not eg. an ADHD person, dyslexic etc. so I will not represent those people or pretend that I understand their experience and needs "almost as well" as I understand the neurominority I personally hail from. There is so much to know about *any* one neurominority that being a general expert about all neurominorities (the infamous Finnish nepsy-anything) is impossible. The ethical and sustainable way to talk about more than one neurominority in one event is NOT using a speaker who confidently claims to speak for us all (the truth being that such individuals are not actually competent to speak for ANY of us) but doing what Kaiao has done. I have partnered with speakers who are ADHD'rs, so that during one morning/afternoon one can learn about both autism and ADHD without compromising quality or ethical excellence of any part of the session. Complexity of real world is a poor excuse to compromise either of these, and as usual, even though this way the effort of learning about us may seem like a bigger commitment, it is still the way that pays off best from client perspective. This is the way.

Today, we commemorate Juneteenth, a day marking freedom and the continuous pursuit of racial justice. At Council for Relationships, we are dedicated to promoting racial equity in therapy. We invite you to read Kimberly Mann, CFR’s DEIB Manager's latest blog post, 'Celebrating Juneteenth with Racial Equity in Therapy.' This piece delves into the history of Juneteenth, the significant contributions of Black individuals to mental health and psychology, and the importance of culturally competent care. Read the blog and join us in fostering a more inclusive and equitable mental health landscape. 📖 Read here👇 #Juneteenth #RacialEquity #Therapy #MentalHealth #CulturalCompetence #InclusiveTherapy #BlackMentalHealth #Psychology #DEIB #EquitableCare

Check out our latest All Kinds of Therapy article to learn more about our upcoming The Autism Symposium presentation, PDA vs. Pathological Narcissism: A Differential Diagnosis. #cornerstonesofmaine #clinicalthoughtleadership #youngadults #mentalhealth #supportingyoungadults #neurodivergent #neuroaffirming #theautismsymposium

🌎 Today, we celebrate 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗗𝗮𝘆, a day to raise awareness and promote acceptance for individuals on the autism spectrum. 🧠 Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by enduring challenges in social communication and interaction in various settings, coupled with the presence of repetitive behaviors, interests, or activities (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). 🏥 The history of the autistic community worldwide is marked by a lengthy record of mistreatment, including abuse, institutionalization, discrimination, and various other acts of violence. 📖 Autism impacts the thought processes, communication styles, and interactions with the world. Autistic individuals possess unique characteristics compared to those who are not autistic, and this diversity should be embraced. 🌙 Autistic individuals exist within every community, always have, and always will. They represent diverse backgrounds, including individuals from different racial background, various religious affiliations, different income levels, and across all age groups. 🕶️ A recent research by Shang et al. (2020) on 224 Malaysian children with ASD showed that 78.1% of these children had high levels of autism severity. 🗣️ Autism manifests differently in each individual. While some autistic individuals can communicate verbally, others may require alternative methods of communication. Additionally, some autistic individuals may have intellectual disabilities, while others do not. The level of support needed in daily life also varies among autistic individuals, ranging from significant assistance to minimal support. 📚 Let's embrace neurodiversity, promote understanding, and create a world where everyone feels valued and included. Together, we can make a difference! 💜 #WorldAutismDay #AutismAwareness #Acceptance #Inclusion #JardinPharmaBerhad #YourTrustedHalalEcoPharma References: 1.https://https://lnkd.in/gXGQJRUV 2.https://https://lnkd.in/gNruskjW 3.https://https://lnkd.in/guwF5WA3

Learning about this condition through firsthand accounts, such as Emily’s explanation, provides valuable insights into their experiences. This knowledge can improve your communication strategies and empathy, ultimately enhancing your effectiveness in fostering a supportive environment for the young people you work with.

I've experienced alexithymia all my life but have never had words to describe it so it makes sense to neurotypical people, especially close family and romantic partners. Now I can just forward them this article as a resource! For all of those who know and/or support autistic individuals, please take a moment to read this.

This is one of the hardest parts of autism. Combined with the shame from ADHD struggles and confusion around NT sarcasm, plus childhood trauma (loss of my brother) I think my catchphrase for much of my childhood and 20s was “are you angry with me?”. I said it so often (and meant it genuinely) that it ironically wound people up… :( It is now something that has become a strength at work! Because identifying emotions has been difficult, I have learned to help others to do it well. I am pragmatic about it. It’s interesting how powerful it can be to pause a group during a workshop and ask them to name their feelings. Typically these may range from “excited” to “frightened”, from “curious” to “embarrassed” for the “SAME” event happening in a room. Talking about how we are experiencing an event is an extremely powerful way of rapidly building high trust and high performing teams. There is nothing I enjoy more than getting my hands on dysfunctional or low-performing groups of people and supporting them to become high performing. And the ability to do that has been hard won - but is a direct result of the work I have had to do because of this very common autistic trait. #NeurodiversityRocks #ActuallyAutistic #ADHD

🌟 Celebrating a Milestone 🌟 •What a transformative year it’s been! I’m beyond thrilled to be nearing the end of my master’s program in psychology, calling this new, cold city “home” after a year full of learning, growth, and resilience. ✨ Highlight of the Year? ✨ Yesterday, I had the privilege of presenting my dissertation as an academic poster on Intersectional Identities: The Lived Experiences of Young Queer Adults within the ADHD Spectrum. This project holds deep personal and professional significance for me. •A heartfelt thank you to everyone who’s supported me through this transition from a medical career to focus on Mental Health. This field has been a lifelong calling, especially to bring awareness to the need for mental health care in spaces like undeserved communities. •Being diagnosed with ADHD and Dyscalculia in my 30's has been a journey in itself—transforming what once felt like obstacles into unique strengths. I now see my #ADHD not just being differently wired, but as a super strength in some aspects . It fuels my Hyperfocus, passion for justice, and commitment to advocating for Neurodiversity, Human Rights and #MentalHealth for all! 💚 •And while this is a stepping stone, my journey isn’t over. I’m looking forward to contributing to #Neuroqueer Research—examining #Neurodivergence in the queer community. •I am excited for the next chapter in supporting marginalized families, Youth, BIPOC, Neurominorities and Queer communities. Here’s to amplifying voices, fostering resilience, and advocating for those suffering in silence. #Psychology #Neurodiversity #QueerResearch #ADHDAwareness #Academia