Heather Cook

Woman with dark skin and hair pulled up in a bun, wearing an orange shirt and black skirt, sits on the floor against a couch with her knees pulled up and arms crossed, looking anxious. In the background a guitar leans against a wall.

On Anxiety, Nuance, and Trusting Yourself

Sometimes the advice we get creates more problems than solutions. Here are a few thoughts on some anxiety advice I heard, and on developing trust in yourself.

Are Big Life Changes Worth It?

Are they worth it? A question that new clients (who want to make changes in their life but it’s also scary) sometimes ask me is,

What is Internalized Ableism?

Here are a couple examples of internalized ableism, and a few thoughts exploring what ableism is, how it gets so ingrained, and what the way out may be.

Grey label tag laid flat on a white background.

Why “It’s Just A Label” Hurts

There’s so much history and personal experience surrounding diagnoses, and they’re more complicated than “just labels.”

FAQs About Coaching with Heather

Common questions about Heather’s style of life coaching with other adult Autistics to build their own autism-positive life.

You Don’t Need To Be Farther Along Than You Are

In our society, we get a lot of messages that once you figure out something, you need to go put it into practice. But that’s skipping a critical step.

Why NOT Get the Worst Over With First

Have you heard the saying, “eat the worst first and save the best for last”? I think it’s fundamentally flawed. Here’s why, and what I’ve found works better.

Big crochet blanket rested on a couch with monochromatic pillows.

Cheap Sensory Products You Might Already Have

Sensory objects are often very helpful, but spending a lot of money on them might not work for you. Here’s some ideas for cheap sensory products.

What I Wanted Treatment for Wasn’t Autism

The topic of autism and treatment comes up a lot, so I wanted to address that today.

A Timeline for Creating Social Anxiety

Here’s a timeline for creating social anxiety. I’m wondering if any of this resonates with you?

Unmasking Strategies for Safety

If you want to unmask, how do you do that safely? And how can you tell when it’s safe to unmask, and to what extent? Here are some principles to tweak things in your favor.