Amy Sigley

Assigning a level is one of the hardest parts of an assessment. This blog outlines how I try to approach it. The levels in the DSM-5-TR describe how much support a person needs. They are not a ranking of intelligence, verbal fluency or capability. Confusion can come partly from the layout: the DSM offers a table of illustrative traits under each level rather than a definition of the levels themselves. Read in isolation, that table suggests someone who speaks fluently could never require...

We all have a need to belong. But pretending to be 'normal’ has big consequences- it often results in higher levels of anxiety, burnout, and depression. Research shows that high masking autistic individuals are more vulnerable to bullying and mistreatment, as our hidden disabilities make us easy targets for ridicule. The fear of rejection from a world unfamiliar with our unmasked selves can be daunting, leading many of us to hesitate before fully embracing our authenticity. BUT we can only...

Like most neurodivergent people I’ve had a laser-like focus on the topic of neurodiversity affirming resources since my neurotype discovery