Embracing Your Autistic Identity with Teri

So, you realised you’re autistic and decided it was best to get it confirmed by a clinician but, nevertheless, you’re still feeling doubtful – are you really though? Maybe you fooled the psychologist? Maybe you’ve read so much about autism that you can now trick others into thinking that you are. Because if there’s one thing you know you’re good at it’s masking. In fact, you’re so good at it that you’re not even sure how to stop masking or who you are underneath. And if you’re not sure what autism really fully means anyway or what your true autistic self looks like, how on earth are you supposed to share it and talk to others about it?

If any of this reads true, then you’re not alone! In fact, you’re rather ‘common’ or – dare I say – you’re quite a ‘typical’ autistic person, post-realisation 🙂

But you might also be one of those who’s resting peacefully in your autism, have freely told people and feel semi-confidence around being your unmasked self, so you’re more focused on ‘now what?’ What are you supposed to do with this information? Is it supposed to change your life? Or is it business as usual?

Whether you’re feeling somewhat insecure around your autism or more confident and at ease with it, you’re still an autistic person in a neurotypical world which includes ableism (discrimination) and conformity expectations and you’re also part of a capitalist world that values profit over people and success is measured in what you have, not in who you are and the integrity you bring to the world.

Autism is still clouded in negative and ‘othering’ language, and words are powerful and shape our reality, so how do we create an authentic, positive autistic identity in the face of these aspects and lean into knowing and embracing our autistic selves? Especially if you’re not finding any of it particularly positive at the moment, despite the neuro-affirmative and strength-based approach offered by The Adult Autism Practice.

That’s where I can perhaps offer my assistance!

Hello, I’m Teri and I’m autistic, dyslexic, dyspraxic and have dyscalculia.

I have a BSc and MSc in psychology, a post-graduate diploma in counselling and a diploma in coaching (hint – I love studying, especially humans and for the longest time I’ve been trying to ‘crack the code’ of how to human or why others human the way they do!).

In 2018 when I set up my private practice, my very first client was autistic. Wanting to offer them the best support I could, I joined a free course with FutureLearn about autism to learn more. However, as I progressed in my studies the pennies (yes, plural) started to drop – and suddenly my life started to make sense!

In typical autism style of deep diving, I immediately enrolled into a MSc in autism, focusing my dissertation on the consequences of finding out later in life that you’re autistic.

My uni-work placement was with SWAN (Scottish Women’s Autism Network) and I later became their in-house counsellor during the first year of lockdowns (2020) before joining the team at Thriving Autistic (2021), offering post-identification support sessions and co-hosting the monthly social Zoom calls and I’m one of the facilitators on the Discovery Programme.

By the way, I’m Danish but I lived 18 years abroad (Sydney, Wellington, London and across Scotland) – I’m currently in Copenhagen but you never know for how long!

Anyway, that’s far enough about me!

Follow this link and you’ll be able to see a detailed description of what working with me might look like: https://www.neurostorycollective.com/blog/post-identification-support-session

And this link will take you to a free, energy auditing/management tool (among other free resources): http://www.neurostorycollective.com/resources-1

You might also enjoy my blog posts where I write about common themes for us late-realised, high-masking autistic adults http://www.neurostorycollective.com/blog