228 Results in Strategies

What can we learn from dogs about sensory overstimulation?

I have learned a lot about sensory overstimulation from learning about my dog. I think that we can learn about ASD from dogs.

The freeze response to anxiety in ASD

I've been thinking about the Freeze response to anxiety. A lot of people know a bit about Fight and Flight and less people think to remember Freeze. Let's consider Freeze and how and why it might happen to people with ASD.

How could the challenges of autism be seen as strengths instead?

I have a bit of a problem looking at a lot of the literature and listening to people talk about “the positive traits of autism”. Whenever I hear or read these lists I usually largely disagree with them, because I feel that what is being listed is actually more to do with an individual’s personality rather than… Join The Curly Hair Project Community Today This article and our podcasts are available only to members of our community. If you would like to conti…

How to stop saying things you don’t mean

Saying things we don't mean is a part of masking. 'Masking' is what lots of autistic people (especially females) do in social situations. Arguably the worst consequence of masking - which isn't always talked about - is that it has the potential to destroy relationships. If you are not being your true self when around others, then how can you expect to have meaningful relationships? Let's look at some ways we can learn to stop saying things we don't mean.

What is hyperfocus and how to achieve it

'Hyperfocus' a skill commonly said to be had by lots of people with ASD (or, interestingly, ADHD). It can be the most amazing ability and means a person has enormous potential! Let's look at what hyperfocus is, some positives and negatives of it, and how to successfully obtain hyperfocus!

How to support autistic people through change

I’ve learned a lot through running my businesses. An idea I’ve come across is The Kubler-Ross Change Curve* (this is actually the same idea as the 5 stages of grief, which I’ve talked about before but in a different way). The Change Curve is used to understand how people might respond to and move through… Join The Curly Hair Project Community Today This article and our podcasts are available only to members of our community. If you would like to continue to r…

Why am I so critical and how to manage it

The most common definition of to criticise is: "to express disapproval of the perceived faults or mistakes of someone or something." People on the autistic spectrum are often described by other people, as being too critical. Someone who is too critical can be a difficult sort of person to be around. I know that I have a tendency to annoy people by pointing out their mistakes all the time, and that I can ruin other people's enjoyment or experiences if we are out somewhere or doing something and all I do is find faults with the situation...

5 unfounded things people say about autism and how to respond

It seems very common that, when an autistic person tells someone else that they are autistic, the other - neurotypical - person is likely to say one or some of the comments listed below. In this article, I'm going to look at why a neurotypical person might say these things and how I personally might respond to them in order to achieve the 'best' outcome.

How to reduce massive emotional swings

A lot of people with ASD have very strong, powerful emotions. For me, I have many, many ups and downs. It doesn't take a lot to make me feel VERY positive or VERY negative. I drew this graph to illustrate how I think the emotional pattern is of an ASD person vs a neurotypical person:

Why small talk matters and how to do it

The definition of small talk is 'polite conversation about unimportant or uncontroversial matters.' Most of us have to make a lot of it! I know that lots of autistic people dislike small talk (including me), but I think it has its benefits and I think there are a couple of tricks you can do to make it a bit easier.