Hi Reader, How’s that for a headline? And where do we begin? Let’s start with being perceived. On Being Perceived Like many Autistic humans, I struggle with being perceived. And when I am perceived, I want a high degree of control over it. (This is why, when I give presentations, I script out every single word and know exactly when I’ll click to the next imagery or the next slide — I’m working on it, trying to get more comfortable with bullet points so I can actually do more presentations.)...
18 days ago • 7 min read
Read the Full Essay Online Hi Reader, Over the last few weeks, I’ve been exploring themes of connection, belonging, and attachment. I had planned to send this essay out last week, but I took a detour to talk about a different kind of rupture and repair. Speaking of connection, community, and belonging — I have felt deeply supported and held by this community over the past week. The kindness has gotten in. It means more than I can comfortably express. Thank you. Reflecting on relationships,...
25 days ago • 7 min read
Hi Reader, I think a lot about the energy I put into the world — what I hold, what I process, and what I pass along. The idea of metabolizing pain — turning it into something meaningful, something life-giving — has influenced the way I move through hard things. I’ve watched in awe as one of my siblings has done this with fierce grace, transforming pain into something purposeful rather than letting it consume her. As someone who absorbs emotions easily, I feel a deep responsibility to be...
about 1 month ago • 10 min read
Read the Full Essay Online Hi Reader, Earlier this month, I found myself searching for something steady to ground into — something steady in the midst of a world that feels frantic. I gravitated toward reading, thinking, and writing about connection. Over the last few weeks, I’ve explored themes of belonging, attachment, and togetherness. This week, I want to take a step back and look at connection through a different lens — the lens of neuroscience. Because as much as we like to think of...
about 1 month ago • 7 min read
Hi Reader, This past Friday was Valentine’s Day. As a kid, I loved it — dopamine-inducing bright colors, all the candy, and intricate handmade cards. I loved making hand-made Valentines for my classmates — it brought all the Autistic joy of collection-building. As I got older, my relationship with the day became more complicated. Public displays of affection have always been hard for me. My spouse and I got married at the ripe old age of 24 (read: barely an adult), and I still vividly...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader, This morning, as I sit in my usual Sunday spot with the fire on and a weighted blanket over me, I find myself imagining you. I wonder: where in the world are you as you open this? Are you starting your day, perhaps on a busy Monday morning? Are you skimming this on your phone while juggling kids or competing needs? Wherever you are, I wonder what headspace you might be in as you read these words. For me, my headspace has felt fragmented and chaotic this week. I’m working to ground...
about 2 months ago • 7 min read
Hi Reader, This week’s newsletter is a bit different from my usual Sunday musings — I’m thrilled to share a big project we’ve been working on at Neurodivergent Insights for the past six months. A new, more inclusive and accessible version of our website is now live! And I wanted to take some time today to tell you the story behind it. [Not into the backstory? Here’s the TL;DR: Our website is now much more accessible! It’s available in over 100 languages, has features to support dyslexia and...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Read the Full Essay Online Hi Reader, Over the past month, I’ve been reflecting on intentions, values, and cultivating spaces that support the actions I want to take. To wrap up this series, I want to focus on one last (and arguably most important) area where I’ve been striving to bring more intention into my life: where I direct my attention. This matters on both a micro and macro level. By micro, I mean how we manage our own internal focus; by macro, I mean how we navigate the forces...
2 months ago • 7 min read
Read the Full Essay Online Hi Reader, Throughout this month, I’ve been sharing how I’m approaching the New Year with fewer rigid goals (which my brain tends to wrap in all-or-nothing thinking) and focusing instead on reflection, intention-setting, clarifying my values, and moving toward what matters. Last Sunday, I wanted to write to you about neural associations and brain priming, but I just couldn’t get the words to cooperate. Interestingly, that struggle ties directly into today’s topic....
2 months ago • 5 min read