ASD Archives - Spectrum Women

Arts

Anxiety and Autism Art by Dr Holly Priddis

December 21, 2018 Spectrum Women

I have always loved to create since I was quite young. I dreamt of being a writer and loved immersing myself in fantasy plot-lines, tapping furiously on my old school typewriter, or drawing abstract images on my art pad as a teen. In my early twenties once I became a mother I did not have much time to be creative while raising our 4 children, and slowly all my creative outlets slipped neglected to the wayside. However, over the past year, rediscovering art has been a saviour to me. On and off over my life I have experienced anxiety, however […]

Research Studies

RESEARCH: “WHAT DO YOU SEE, WHEN DRIVING WITH ASD?”

August 10, 2017 Spectrum Women

*** RESEARCH *** “WHAT DO YOU SEE, WHEN DRIVING WITH ASD?” (Ethics approval number: S/16/985) Learning to Drive? Level 1 or 2 Autism? Asperger’s Syndrome? 16-24 years old? OR Parent (or legal guardian) of a young adult who meets the above criteria? We welcome you to: Participate in a survey. Drive in a simulator. Give us some feedback on your experience. For further information contact Clara at clara.silvi@research.usc.edu.au or 07 5430 1165

Latest News

A Stark Reminder: Autistic in the Air by Dena Gassner MSW

July 6, 2016 Spectrum Women

A few weeks ago, I had a presentation in another state here in the U.S. Those who hear me speak about accommodations know that I always say, “We shouldn’t seek to outgrow our need for accommodations but instead, to grow into them.” I firmly believe that there is a huge bias in that individuals with more obvious conditions (using a cane, wheelchair, etc.) are empowered to maximize their accommodations, however, individuals with invisible differences are set on an early path to seeking the outward appearance of ‘normal’ which means not asking for or getting accommodations. This becomes extremely problematic when […]

Education

From the inside, looking out.

July 1, 2016 Spectrum Women

ASD is for life: just like having grey eyes, or short fingers. We can choose to change these things of course, if we want to; mask them with coloured contacts or long fingernails. But underneath they remain the same, our secret. Our global community accepts that eyes and fingers come in a variety of colours and lengths. We accept that some people are great at Maths and logic; others excel in creative pursuits of art and music. So, why can’t we accept difference in the way people process the world around them? Why must only one way be “acceptable” and […]

Latest News

A Day in the Life of Nichole Conolly

June 28, 2016 Spectrum Women

I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder ( aspergers under the DM-IV) and anxiety as an adult. My parents always suspected something was “different” about me but ASD didn’t really come up in conversations with specialists. Maybe it was because I was a girl or maybe it was because I was able to hold it together at school, so what my parents and siblings saw was totally different to what the teachers saw. I hear this scenario very often on facebook groups and pages that I am a part of. Due to much ongoing support from family and friends, I […]

Latest News

IT’S OK TO ASK… by Yenn Purkis

June 29, 2016 Spectrum Women

Independence is not something I am lacking in. I moved out of home at 17, got a job and went to uni. I had some serious difficulties in life and dragged myself out of them through determination, motivation and faith. I now work full-time, own my own home and spend a lot of my free time assisting other people. I pride myself on being able to manage my own affairs. These are all good and laudable attributes but there is something I struggle with – I find it almost impossible to give up control and to ask for help. When […]

Latest News

My Life – Sue Abramowski

June 27, 2016 Spectrum Women

My story starts when I was about 4 years old. You see, I’ve always been one of those kids who is a little bit different; who operates in a manner that’s not like that of the others. This became apparent in preschool. While the other kids were obediently listening to the teacher and following instructions, I was off in another world. They were learning their ABCs, and I was in the Little Tikes playhouse, doing my own thing. If they were working on a project, chances are that I was dashing to the carpet, doing cartwheels. My teacher expressed concern […]

General

The Chameleons: Women with Autism

June 19, 2016 Barb Cook

We often hear about autism in men, but rarely in women. SBS The Feed, looks at three different generations of women living with autism and how the stigma of the condition is amplified. We often hear about autism in men, but rarely in women. The Feed looks at three different generations of women living with autism and how the stigma of the condition is amplified by gender. More than 200,000 Australians have autism. It’s diagnosed four times more in males than in females and some experts in the field believe this reflects a failure of diagnostic processes rather than a […]

Insights

LOVING, VALUING AND RESPECTING YOURSELF – THE BEST OPTION by Yenn (Jeanette) Purkis

June 17, 2016 Spectrum Women

Little Jeanette was similar to the current iteration of me in many ways. She was determined, motivated, curious, confident and smart. Little me had no reason not to love and respect herself. She had a loving family, enough food, a warm house, no neglect or abuse. And then she went to school. After thirteen years of being given negative messaging about who I was by many of the other kids at school, pretty much constantly and then enduring sexual violence as a teen, I started to hate myself. In fact, at twenty years-old I was so negatively focussed that I […]

Featured

Welcome from Barb Cook Editor of Spectrum Women Magazine

June 16, 2016 Barb Cook

Spectrum Women Magazine (SWM) is an online publication and community dedicated to women who are uniquely different. Our approach is to bring to you inspiring women of all ages who have had a different outlook on life in a positive and unique way. Our online magazine embraces diversity and the differing ideals we all have, but with one common goal, to bring together a wealth of knowledge and strength in being the unique women we are. Spectrum Women Magazine is an online publication and we are always looking for inspirational stories and writers who would love to be involved in […]