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Autistic Realms
Autistic Realms
Neurodiversity-Affirming Support To Help Autistic People Thrive And Grow
Helen Edgar
Autistic Advocate, Author & Consultant
I’m an Autistic parent and teacher advocating for a better understanding of neurodivergence and
mental health in both education and the wider community.
I am late identified Autistic and a parent to two neurodivergent children.
Qualified Early Years/Primary teacher:
20 years working in SEND Early Years / Primary settings near Birmingham in the UK
(specialism: profound and multiple learning disabilities ).
Published writer focusing on; Autism, disability rights, neurodiversity paradigm, and barriers in education
Special interests include:
Theory of Monotropism and Burnout
Currently working with Thriving Autistic, GROVE Education and Mentoring, The PDA Space and Stimpunks
References on request.
Supporting Young Autistic People in Education and at Home
Discover neurodiversity-affirming resources to help you develop a better understanding of Autism to support the well-being of young Autistic people in educational settings and the family home.
My Values
Being
Neurodiversity-affirming support for young Autistic people. I recognise differences as unique attributes rather than deficits.
My work is trauma-informed and strengths-based to help focus on an individual’s capabilities and potential whilst also recognising the difficulties being neurodivergent can bring in a world not set up for us. I take a low-demand approach, which creates a supportive environment that allows for the development of meaningful connections so individuals can express their authentic selves and advocate for their needs.
Belonging
A sense of belonging is important for well-being. To enable young Autistic people to flourish they first need to feel accepted, to feel understood and to have a sense of belonging.
Developing meaningful relationships and being in an environment that meets sensory, social, and communication needs is really important for fostering a sense of belonging and supporting good mental and physical health. My writing, resources and signposting all promote a neuro-affirming practice so people can make sense of their lives and feel that they belong.
Becoming
Young Autistic people deserve to be able to embrace their authentic Autistic identity. I believe it is important to gain an understanding of Autism through a neurodiversity-affirming lens and to reject the pathologising paradigms that have caused so much harm to neurodivergent people.
Understanding and embracing the neurodiversity paradigm will help parents, carers, and professionals support young Autistic people in becoming the people they want to be. We want everyone to achieve their potential and to be able to thrive in the best ways that work for them.
Neurodiversity-Affirming
Webinars, Workshops and Training
Providing neurodiversity-affirming training, workshops, and educational resources for families and professionals to support young neurodivergent people.
CPD-Accredited Professional Training
Tracy Jones and I are working together to provide training for schools and organisations. We explore neurodiversity-affirming ways of supporting Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent children and young people in education.
These training sessions are designed for settings in the UK and can be tailored to meet your individual needs.
Lectures, seminars, and workshops are also available for organisations, teacher-training, education, health, and social care course providers.
Delivered by our sister brand Neuro-Affirming Training.
Workshops
I offer bespoke workshops and webinars tailored to individual organisations to meet the needs of neurodivergent families. My work focuses on developing an understanding of:
- Neuro-affirming Autistic identity
- Low-demand parenting and teaching strategies
- Methods to support young people who may be experiencing barriers to education
- Understanding burnout and exploring ways forward
- Embracing the theory of Monotropism
Free Resources & Shop
Downloadable resources including e-books, infographics, and more!
Writing
I write about my personal journey and the understanding I have gained so far about being Autistic and through working with Autistic young people and their families.
My writing focuses on understanding the neurodiversity paradigm, embracing neuro-affirming theory and practice, and working towards a humanistic approach to care. I believe in the benefits of developing an understanding of Autistic identity so that people feel empowered to advocate for themselves or support their loved ones or those they work with. It is by developing a deeper understanding of Autistic experience that we can build connections and form communities and a sense of belonging.
Autistic Burnout – Supporting Young People At Home & School
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by
This is a revised and updated version of the article I previously published with Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism ‘Supporting Your Young Person Through Autistic Burnout’ (Sep 2023).Click here to download ‘Autistic Burnout: A Family Guide‘ (137-page PDF resource)Being autistic is not an illness or a disorder in itself, but being autistic can have an…
Monotropic Interests and Looping Thoughts
The theory of monotropism was developed by Murray, Lawson and Lesser in their article, Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism (2005). Monotropism is increasingly considered to be the underlying principle behind autism and is becoming more widely recognised, especially within autistic and neurodivergent communities. Fergus Murray, in their article Me and Monotropism: A…
Map of Monotropic Experiences
Monotropism seeks to explain Autism in terms of attention distribution and interests. OSF Preprints | Development and Validation of a Novel Self-Report Measure of Monotropism in Autistic and Non-Autistic People: The Monotropism QuestionnaireThis map highlights 20 common aspects of my personal monotropic experiences.How many do you experience?Where are you on the map now?Where do you want…
Caverns, Pleats and Folds
Cartographers are people that create maps, and they transform physical geography into an accessible format so people can navigate in and through the spaces of the world. I recently watched a National Geographic documentary about caving ‘ Explorer: The Deepest Cave | Disney+ (disneyplus.com’). It led me to consider the underground maps inside the earth, the…
Monotropism and Collective Flow
In Milan Kundera’s novel, ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being’ (1981), he described the heaviness of life, the restrictive oppression and boundaries that can tie us all down, yet there is freedom in the possibilities the mind can bring and in the choices we can make. We can subvert the restrictions of neuronormative society; we can,…
Exploring ‘Being With’
I experience and interpret ‘Being With’ as a process of be-coming together. Deleuze’s concept of the line of flight allows us to explore and follow meaning together. This article will explore these ideas in a bit more detail.This post is a pulling together of several discussions I have had online over the past few weeks…
Partnerships and Collaborations
I’m active in the neurodivergent community and regularly collaborate with like-minded creatives and advocates. Together, we explore various aspects of neurodiversity and produce content to support people, families, and the community.
As Seen In…
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