Blog - Autism Chrysalis

The backs of two people walking by some stairs in an urban park.

Society

Thoughts on Theory of Mind

Theory of Mind is often pointed out as an autistic deficit, but is it really that? Is something else going on? And is it just autistics that find this challenging?

Wooden human figure doll with head slumped down and arms crossed as if hurting.

Sensory

Why Sensory Stuff Matters to Social Stuff

I talk a lot about body feelings, like noticing your hands. But what does that have to do with making friends?

A kid and an adult at a desk. The kid is looking towards the adult, while the adult is looking at a pencil they are holding to their face, as well as holding a computer.

Social

Why Social Skills Training is A Waste of Time (If Not Worse)

Socializing isn’t primarily about social skills. In fact, that’s the smallest factor, and the last thing to work on.

Close-up of a bunch of trash. Including banana peels, orange peels and makeup.

Sensory

I Just Threw Away All My Makeup; Here’s Why

Yesterday I wore makeup to make a short video. The consequences reminded me of just how strongly my senses effect everything in my life.

Person with brown curly hair, sitting on a couch. Holding a notepad in one hand, and holding a pen to their mouth in another.

Personal Growth

New Year’s Reflections and Intentions

A few prompts to reflect on the previous year and to set intentions for the next.

Silhouette of a person with a sword in front of an orange moon.

Coaching

Your Path to a Life You Love: Capitalize on Your Strengths

There are some great things about an autistic brain that can get overlooked if you focus only on the things that are more difficult.

Giant cave with stalactites and algae. There's light beaming through a big hole in its roof and a person, in the distance, looking up.

Coaching

Your Path to a Life You Love: Design Your Own Best Destiny

Want to really get at the heart of what’s holding you back? To find the freedom to make your life be what you want it to be? That takes a deep dive.

Multi-colour outline of a head, with a few big and colourful dots in it.

Coaching

Your Path to a Life You Love: Deepen Your Personal Sensory Awareness

Almost all autistics have a more intense sensory experience of the world than the majority of people. Understanding what that means for you gives you power.

Landscape of arctic sea. There's icebergs in it and a snowy mountain in the distance.

Coaching

Your Path to a Life You Love: Identify and Remove Hidden Barriers

Why is it that strategies to fix the obvious challenges often don’t work? It’s usually because they don’t get at what’s really going on beneath the surface.

Purple and white fireworks over a cityscape set against a dark night sky.

Autism

Happy Autism Diagnosis Day!

Spectrum identification was absolutely, hands down, no holds barred, the best thing that has happened in my life.

Close-up on a hand holding a pencil above paper with math questions on it.

Education

How to Kill A Growth Mindset

Many schools and teachers try hard to foster in students a growth mindset—the resilience to keep trying—but are we unintentionally undermining our best efforts?