There is a stigma associated with the lack of eye contact in communication. We are seen as rude and/or disinterested. I find it incredibly difficult to make eye contact for a few reasons. I’m hypersensitive to sight, sound, taste and touch which affects my communication greatly as I find it very dis…

By Debra Muzikar I write this blog on the eve of my son Kevin’s 22nd birthday. For typical children there are certain ages that are milestones – age 5 – first day of Kindergarten – age 16 – driver’s license – age 18 – graduation from high school. This is no different for childre…

It’s a myth people with autism don’t have a sense of humor. Matt Kaiser proves the stereotype wrong. By Matt Kaiser My name is Matt Kaiser. I am 42 years old and am on the autism spectrum. For the last 10 years, I’ve been a performing stand-up, improvisation, prop routines, clowning and …

Sundays are special at Autistry. The workshop combines older teenagers, generally juniors or seniors in high school, with some of our college age students (Friday guys). When not studying for their college classes, the older students help the others with their projects and often join in LARP (Live…

As we move into the last months of 2016, I’d like to give you all an in-depth, inside look at the Autistry Core Workshops. In 2017, we will launch the Autistry Comprehensive Adult Program (ACAP) which will expand our services to include Education, Vocation, Life Skills, and Physical Fitness/Healthy…

My feeling of being waste material stuck to my soul early in life, and it’s been my biggest challenge to release that sense of worthlessness. By Eva Angvert Harren What is it about relationships that’s so hard to get? I know that “everybody” has challenges with relationships, however when you are on…

I am very much a lone-wolf and an intrepid one at that. I venture into hot pot restaurants most white people would consider too foreign or too edgy, I read the menus in their original Chinese and order my food in either Mandarin or Cantonese which I’ve taught myself. By Tom Clements Aspergians are n…

By Leigh Marcos, photos courtesy of Keri Bowers Art projects are recognized as effective forms of therapy to help kids who have a diagnosis of autism or other learning disabilities. The American Art Therapy Association and the British Association for Art Therapists recognize that art therapy fosters…

“You have 30 seconds to wow me,” Temple Grandin By Debra Muzikar Many people on the autism spectrum have great talent. They may be superb artists or talented musicians, yet they and (often their parents) lack the business knowledge to create an income stream which is in alignment with th…

I think understanding that we’re ALL different and weird in different ways is really important. By Sonya Hallett Everyone’s different, in all kinds of weird and interesting ways. In recent years, I’ve been coming to better understand some of my own weirdnesses and how they impact on how I see the …

by April Griffin As far back as I can remember I felt more comfortable around male peers. I have a lot of interests that tend to be male orientated and find them easier to converse with. My generation had strong gender roles and I felt compelled to rebel against them. April Griffin “ExhaleR…

The Prolonged Developmental Phases of an Autistic Child *This is a paper I wrote in 2001 when my now adult son was nearing his seventh birthday. It was written for a graduate psychology class, Phases of Human Development. I found it in a box as I was going through old papers and realized that 15 yea…

Be a part of peace; take a stand; demonstrate peace in all your interactions. By Keri Bowers On December 10, 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. accepted The Nobel Peace Prize. In his acceptance speech in part he said: Sooner or later all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live togethe…

By S. Scott Sanderson Everywhere I go there is noise. From my pocket I pull out earplugs. Alone I want to sit and read. But here I am in the midst of people working, moving and busy. Like the eye in the center of a storm, I want to be calm and still. To my right, up high and loud a television blares…