I’m seeking quotes, stories, and anecdotes from autistic adults to include in this book. As an autistic psychologist, I get exposed to hundreds of autistic people’s experience in quite a bit of depth, but my perspective is still just one of many. By incorporating diverse experiences from the community, the book will offer a richer, more comprehensive understanding. While I have already gathered valuable contributions from past clients, additional contributions will ensure a wide variety of voices are represented.

I’m looking for input on the following topics, but please only pick 1 or 2 topics that your particular experience is most relevant to:

• What effect has it had on your identity, finding out later in life that you’re autistic? How, if at all, does this relate to other important aspects of your identity?

• What it’s like when a healthcare professional doesn’t believe that you’re autistic (especially if you’ve being diagnosed)

• What do you wish healthcare professionals would provide you that they often don’t

• What you liked or didn’t like about your assessment process (if relevant)

• Anything particularly impactful relevant to the various clinical chapters of the book, which cover: burnout, trauma, anxiety, substance abuse, co-occurring conditions, assessment

• Anything else relevant to the book that you think could be helpful

There is no financial compensation for contributions. This request is for brief quotes or anecdotes, typically 2 or 3 sentences, and participation is entirely voluntary. The more perspectives we gather, the richer the resource for the community. Your insights will be helpful for healthcare professionals to better understand and support high-masking autistic adults.

I recognize that not offering payment might be frustrating to some. Like many in the community, I dedicate a significant amount of my work hours to volunteering as well as creating and maintaining no-cost and low-cost resources, prioritizing impact over income. I’m only asking for a few minutes of your time, and only if you feel inclined to contribute. I’m not asking anyone to do anything that I don’t already do myself.

Submissions will generally be anonymous to protect privacy, but you can choose to provide initials or a first name and last initial if you prefer. Please note that while I hope to include as many submissions as is reasonable, not every contribution will be used. Submissions that are articulate, concise, insightful, and focused on the requested subjects have a higher chance of being featured.

Any adult who is autistic. It doesn't matter if you self-identify or are formally diagnosed. It doesn't matter if you are or are not a previous client of mine, and you don't need to contact me before or after submitting something here.

I’m publishing through Routledge/Taylor & Francis and am still in the ‘writing’ phase (release date ~late 2025 or early 2026).

The book is structured into three sections:

1. Foundational Knowledge: The first section provides concise foundational knowledge about autism, with a focus on high-masking presentations.

2. Building Connections: This section discusses how clinicians can apply this knowledge to build safe, meaningful therapeutic connections with autistic clients.

3. Clinical Applications: The (extensive) final section covers how autism intersects with various mental health challenges such as emotional health, autistic burnout, complex trauma, anxiety, and co-occurring conditions.

Through this structure, the book equips healthcare professionals with the necessary tools to provide more effective support and accurate diagnoses, enhancing the quality of life for autistic adults. It serves as a comprehensive resource for those seeking to better understand and support the diverse needs of autistic individuals.