Autistic Blog

Image credit: Freepik Summer Feels Different for Autism and Neurodivergent Families Summer often feels like freedom. For many families, it means vacations, late mornings, and a break from school routines. But for families raising a child with Autism, summer can feel very different. Instead of relief, it can bring uncertainty, stress, and fear of losing hard-earned progress. This is why Extended School Year matters so deeply. When school ends, many children lose more than clas

Image credit: Freepik For many families, summer feels like a welcome break from packed schedules, school runs, and homework battles. But if you’re raising an autistic or neurodivergent child, summer can bring mixed emotions. Along with sunshine and vacations comes something many parents quietly worry about how to beat summer regression. You spend months celebrating progress. Maybe your child is finally communicating more clearly, handling transitions with less stress, or beco

Image credit: Freepik College Is a New Chapter—And It Can Feel Scary The word thrive may be a big word when you are stepping into college for the first time. For many autistic and neurodivergent students, college can feel like standing at the edge of a vast ocean. From far away, it looks exciting and full of possibility, but once you step in, the waves can hit hard and fast. New classes, unfamiliar faces, louder spaces, and constant expectations can quickly become overwhelmin

I graduated from high school on June 23rd, 2016 in New Jersey Today feels personal in a way I didn’t expect. Ten years ago, on this exact day, I graduated high school. It’s strange how memory works. I don’t remember every speech or every face in the crowd, but I remember the feeling. The caps. The gowns. The awkward photos. That weird mix of excitement and uncertainty that sat heavy in my chest. At eighteen, graduation felt like a finish line, like once I crossed that stage,

For many autistic and neurodivergent children, moving from elementary school to middle school, or from middle school to high school, can feel like stepping into a giant new world. New teachers, bigger buildings, changing routines, and increased expectations can create excitement, but they can also bring anxiety. For autistic students, these transitions may feel even more giant due to the challenges that often accompany changes in routine and environment. The good news is that

Daniel Durany A dedicated, autistic advocacy adult, Daniel Durany is a 2006 graduate of Texas Christian University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies, and a 2020 graduate of Texas A&M Commerce with a Master of Science in Accounting.. A passionate autism advocate, Daniel has dedicated much of his life to advancing autism awareness, acceptance, and advocacy. In 2013, he served on the Texas Council on Autism and PDD, helping shape initiatives that su

Image credit: Freepik Every human heart wants the same thing at its core: to feel accepted, valued, and understood. For many autistic people, that feeling does not always come easily. The world can sometimes feel loud, overwhelming, and painfully critical. Simple differences in communication, behavior, or emotional expression are often misunderstood by others. Over time, these misunderstandings can slowly chip away at a person’s confidence, leaving invisible emotional scars t

Image credit: Freepik Have you ever sat in a conversation and felt the moment pass before your thoughts were ready? Someone asks a question, people laugh, decisions happen instantly, and your brain is still carefully connecting the dots. Many autistic people like myself know this feeling deeply. It can hurt. It can feel isolating. Sometimes it even makes you question your intelligence. But here’s something gentle and important to hear: needing more time does not mean you’re l

Graduation should feel like a victory. Caps fly, cameras flash, and families celebrate years of hard work. I experienced that nearly 10 years ago when I graduated from high school in New Jersey. It’s hard to believe how quickly time has passed; Those ten years truly flew by in what feels like the blink of an eye. Yet many parents of autistic students describe a quiet fear hiding behind the smiles. Something suddenly feels missing. The structured world that supported their chi

Image credit: Freepik The last month of school often feels like pure chaos. Hallways grow louder, routines shift without warning, teachers rush to finish lessons, and classmates buzz with excitement about summer. For many families, this countdown feels joyful. But for autistic children, that same energy can turn into overwhelming chaos inside their minds and bodies. What looks like celebration to others may feel like the ground constantly moving beneath their feet. When struc

There is something undeniably urgent happening inside modern workplaces. Employees are no longer quietly tolerating systems that exhaust them. Conversations about burnout, inclusion, and psychological safety are no longer side discussions—they are front and center. For years, organizations approached workplace struggles by asking individuals to adapt, toughen up, or improve resilience. The urgent reality emerging in 2026 is that people were never failing work; work was failin

Image credit: Freepik Mission-critical talent has always existed in places workplaces failed to recognize. For decades, organizations quietly rewarded sameness. The ideal employee was expected to think fast, socialize effortlessly, multitask endlessly, and fit into systems designed for one type of mind. Anyone who processed information differently—whether autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, or otherwise neurodivergent—was often labeled difficult, distracted, or “not a culture fit.” Yet

Image credit: Freepik Picture this: your child is surrounded by classmates, yet somehow feels completely alone. For many families navigating Autism Spectrum Disorder, that quiet isolation is painfully familiar. Social cues can feel like a foreign language. A simple “hello” can require enormous courage. Bright lights, loud noises, and unpredictable routines can make the world feel overwhelming. It’s never about not wanting to connect. Often, the desire is there: strong and ach

Great moments shared with my friends at the All-Friends Network event on 2/3/26 Connections and friendships sit at the heart of what makes life meaningful. They bring warmth on hard days, laughter in unexpected moments, and the comfort of knowing you belong. For autistic individuals, forming and maintaining friendships can sometimes feel confusing, exhausting, or even overwhelming, but it is absolutely within reach. With understanding, patience, and the right kind of support,

Celebrating neurodiverse hearts in 2026 has been less about creating a slogan and more about noticing the real moments that make inclusive education meaningful. This year taught me that celebrating neurodiversity isn’t just a feel‑good idea—it’s a daily commitment to understanding how different brains experience the world, how emotions rise and settle, and how small steps can create big shifts. Every day brought something worth celebrating, even if it arrived quietly. Connect

Image credit: Freepik Inspiring growth often begins in the most unexpected ways, especially when parenting a child on the autism spectrum. This journey is unlike any other—it’s filled with challenges that test patience, triumphs that warm the heart, moments of confusion, and bursts of joy that make everything worthwhile. Along the way, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) becomes more than just therapy; it transforms into a language of hope and a steady anchor of guidance. While t

Image credit: Epilepsy Agency of the Big Bend It is epilepsy awareness month! Life often feels like a journey of unpredictable turns, but few experiences are as challenging as facing two medical diagnoses — autism and epilepsy. For individuals and families, it can feel like walking through a storm without a map. The uncertainty, fear, and emotional exhaustion can be crushing, yet in the middle of that storm, hope still flickers — gentle but unbreakable. Understanding Autism

Image credit: Freepik Neurodivergent adults often face unique challenges in the workplace. Whether it’s navigating social interactions, managing stress, or understanding unspoken workplace norms, even highly talented individuals can struggle to shine. This is where Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy steps in—not just as a tool for children, but as a powerful, transformative approach for adults ready to thrive in their careers. Let’s explore the four big ways ABA therapy

Image credit: Connecticut House Democrats October 2025 marks another powerful year of celebrating Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM). With a theme “Every Exceptional Ability Counts” , this month reminds us that talent comes in countless forms. Beyond challenges and labels, people with disabilities bring unique perspectives, creativity, and resilience to the workplace. Let’s dive into why this celebration matters, how far we’ve come, and the steps we can still take t

Image credit: Freepik Raising or teaching a child with autism is both a privilege and a challenge. There are moments of joy so bright...