Autism Awareness Centre

10/18/2026

We're embracing ADHD Awareness Month by taking the opportunity to talk about what it can be like to be both Autistic and ADHD. ✨

AuDHDers might crave a familiar routine and also feel drawn to something new. Some of us love planning ahead but find it hard to get started. These experiences can sit alongside each other, and understanding how they interact can help you find support that works for you.

🥽 Take a deep dive into the AuDHD intersection in our on-demand community webinars, presented by AuDHD educator Tara Kent:

🔶 Autism & ADHD in Children and Young People:
https://reframing-autism-s-school.teachable.com/p/autism-and-adhd-children

🔶 Autism and ADHD in Adulthood:
https://reframing-autism-s-school.teachable.com/p/autism-and-adhd-in-adulthood



[ID: Against a blue background with knotwork logo in the bottom left and Reframing Autism logo centred at the top, there is a white textbox that reads 'Having combined Autistic and ADHD (AuDHD) neurology can look like ... ' Beneath are 6 textboxes with text in them that reads: 'Overplanning every detail, but abandoning it all for a sudden spark! Longing for order, but living in chaos because out of sight = out of mind. Craving calm and quiet – while constantly seeking out stimulation. Making organised to-do lists ... then forgetting where you put them. Hyperfocusing for hours on a passion but failing to pay the electricity bill. Wanting advanced notice, choice and control, then acting on impulse.]

10/14/2026

This week’s blog post…somatization.

Somatic Symptom Disorders (SSDs) are a group of psychological disorders characterized by a focus on physical symptoms that result in significant distress and impairment, even when no underlying medical cause can be identified. The person has excessive thoughts, feelings and behaviors relating to the...

09/26/2026

** Edited to add context: We hear the concern that this post could be read as dismissing physical symptoms, especially by people whose medical concerns have been attributed to anxiety or autism without proper investigation. We’re sorry we didn’t make the context clearer.

The linked personal blog is an Autistic woman’s account of experiencing somatisation alongside several co-occuring conditions, and of how frightening it can be when genuine symptoms are brushed aside. Stress can cause physical symptoms, but it should never be used as a reason to dismiss someone’s concerns or stop investigating symptoms that need medical attention. People deserve to be listened to and taken seriously. **

When distress manifests as physical symptoms, the pain, nausea, fatigue, migraines or heart palpitations are real, even when medical investigations cannot identify a physical cause.

For the Autistic people who experience it, somatisation may be influenced by differences in interoception and sensory processing, as well as experiences of anxiety, trauma and chronic stress. Yet being told “it’s all in your head” can be deeply invalidating. It can increase distress, undermine trust in healthcare professionals and perpetuate the very cycle a person needs support to escape.

Today, we revisit this personal blog in which an Autistic woman explores the frightening reality of somatisation, the added complexity of co-occurring health conditions, and why compassionate, ongoing healthcare relationships matter.

♾️ Read “Somatisation: When Your Body Betrays You”:
https://reframingautism.org.au/somatisation-when-your-body-betrays-you/

Content note: health anxiety and medical trauma.



Image description in comments.

09/20/2026

💛 We know that many in our Autistic community are struggling at the moment. For some, the demands have been piling up for a long time. Energy is depleted, capacity is reduced, and even the things that are usually manageable can start to feel like too much.

So, we thought it was worth revisiting this article from Autistic lawyer, Justine Field, on navigating Autistic burnout.

As Justine writes, recovering from burnout isn't simply about adding more "self-care" to an already overwhelming schedule. It can mean reducing demands, protecting your capacity, seeking out experiences that genuinely restore you, and giving yourself permission to simply be rather than measuring yourself against neurotypical expectations.

If you're finding things particularly hard right now, we hope there is something in this article that feels useful and validating.

♾️ Read Justine's article here: https://reframingautism.org.au/navigating-autistic-burnout-self-care-strategies-to-recover-and-recalibrate/



[ID: Reframing Autism infographic titled “Autistic Burnout: Self-Care Strategies to Recover and Recalibrate”. The graphic shares six suggestions: 1. Reduce demands: Take pressure off wherever you can. 2. Give yourself permission to rest. Rest is a need, not something to earn. 3. Seek restorative sensory experiences. Choose sensory experiences that soothe you. 4. Choose low-demand interests. Make space for low-energy things you enjoy. 5. Set supportive boundaries. Protect your capacity at work, home and socially. 6. Make space for your Autistic needs. Let your needs, not NT expectations, guide you. Source: ‘Navigating Autistic Burnout: Self-care Strategies to Recover and Recalibrate’, by Justine Field.]

09/09/2026

07/28/2026

My interview with Kurt Price about event safety for autistic people.

07/11/2026

It’s time to move beyond the “functions” of a behavior.

The traditional four functions: attention, escape, tangible, and sensory, offer a surface-level view of a child’s behavior. They identify what a behavior accomplishes in the moment but often miss the deeper context. Each child’s experience, state of regulation and personal history shape behavior, and these antiquated, broad categories can overlook individual needs. In fact, by reducing behavior to categories like “attention-seeking,” we risk ignoring the emotional, sensory, or cognitive realities that drive behavior. This over-simplification can lead to generic behavior management or behavior modification rather than providing meaningful support to the child.

Modern neuroscience, trauma-informed care, and research on interoception have taught us that behavior is a signal, a clue that a child is either dysregulated, unable to solve a problem, or lacking a skill. That’s why a shift to the PENS lens is necessary and honors all that we’ve learned about the brain since the original four “functions” were considered generally acceptable.

This re-frame guides us to understand the problem a child can’t solve, an emotion they can’t handle, a need that’s not being met, or the skill not yet developed. With this new lens, the PENS lens, we don’t just label or simplify behaviors, we use them as entry points to offer individualized support. While the original four functions ‘blame’ the child for the observable behavior, each component of the PENS lens offers an opportunity to HELP the child: HELP them solve a problem, HELP them manage an emotion, HELP them meet a need or HELP them learn a skill.

So grab your pen and write this down next time someone analyzes or assesses behavior. With the re-frame of the PENS lens, we’re not just identifying a function of a behavior, we’re offering the right support so that every problem, emotion, need or skill finds the care it deserves.

Please share this so that we can better support kids who are having difficulty meeting expectations and communicating this difficulty through their behavior, as kids often do.

06/18/2026

Due to high demand, we have added another online training date for September 29th. Please register early if you wish to attend. These courses are selling out in less than 48 hours once the email blast goes out about them.

September 29, 2026 - 9 am - 3:30 pm Mountain Time Featuring Jill Wur The one day, 6 hour Low Arousal Training focuses primarily on practical, non-confrontational approaches to supporting individuals who experience significant stress and present behaviours that may be difficult to manage. Training en...

06/10/2026

There are only 2 spots left for the October 1st course. Register soon if you would like to attend.

October 1, 2026 - 9 am - 3:30 pm Mountain Time Featuring Jill Wur The one day, 6 hour Low Arousal Training focuses primarily on practical, non-confrontational approaches to supporting individuals who experience significant stress and present behaviours that may be difficult to manage. Training encou...