MY H'ART SPACE

Being human means being able to express oneself with or without words.
Its a shame how non-speaking autistics are judged as less, while, perfectly verbal non-autistics who go into silence because they can't find words (due to trauma, grief, abuse etc) are met with immense empathy,embraced and accommodated for.
Hari's research will be the wake up call needed to create an inclusive, compassionate world for ALL.

For years, experts called Hari Srinivasan “low-functioning.”

He lost his speech before he was two. He was diagnosed autistic at three. And because he couldn’t talk, people assumed there wasn’t much going on underneath.

They were wrong. Hari understood everything. He always had. He just had no way to show it, until he was 12 and learned to type. Typing gave him a voice.

Today Hari is a neuroscientist and PhD candidate at Vanderbilt, studying the sensory world he has lived inside his whole life. He is minimally speaking and communicates by typing, often one finger at a time. He is also multilingual, a published poet, and co-authored a foreword with Temple Grandin.

The boy they underestimated is now doing the research that will help scientists understand people just like him.

In his own words: “I, too, am human.”

Sources: UNESCO, KALW

💓Love this infographic by Justin Wright from Brilliance Brief. 😊
We also need 'respite' from screen time, social media, the disability advocacy grind. I say 'respite' because it cajoles the mind into more of a 'must do' mode, whereas 'rest' may simply imply it's 'optional' (and we let its slide, until we burn out).
And just to clarify, when I say taking time off the advocacy grind, it is to acknowledge how much we emotionally and physically invest in the battle for human rights and in that process, must remember that we too are human and need rest in this space. A good soldier is one who knows when to rest, and when to fight. 🫶🏽

Whether you are new to the journey, seasoned, or going in circles, this video rephrases how we talk about neurodiversity. Watch till then to hear how it all wraps up into a strengths-based view.
So proud to be affiliated with The Neuropioneer Hub in Malaysia to support families our neurokin! 😊

What Is Neurodiversity? @TheNeuroPioneerHub What is Neurodiversity?It is a question many people are still unf...

Did you know that disability carers carry the same level of PTSD as soldiers sent to war? Our hands don't hold guns, but the hearts of those we care for. And in this constant holding to protect the vulnerable, we forget to load ourselves with self-care. We overlook our capacity to give, and give and give. We forget our need to receive as well. This carer's group session focused on creating an artefact that can be used everyday to visually measure our own capacity to care before caring for others. It speaks about proactively setting expectations, boundaries and demands in our caring roles. It highlights carer needs and self-care. This is spoon theory in action.

Did you know that disability carers carry the same level of PTSD as soldiers sent to war? Our hands don't hold guns, but the hearts of those we care for. And in this constant holding to protect the vulnerable, we forget to load ourselves with self-care. We overlook our capacity to give, and give and give. We forget our need to receive as well. This carer's group session focused on creating an artefact that can be used everyday to visually measure our own capacity to care before caring for others. It speaks about proactively setting expectations, boundaries and demands in our caring roles. It highlights carer needs and self-care. This is spoon theory in action. #autism #neurodiversity #carer #mentalhealth #arttherapy