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![Authentically Emily Store - My Mindmaps](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1725118949170-PDS9TU4NNBMXIO4R67IV/Untitled+design.png)
Authentically Emily Store - My Mindmaps
OWN PRODUCT/AD
Hello! A word of warning - this is less of a blog post and more of an update.
I now have a store on my website where you can buy the PDF downloads of my mindmaps. I have been asked so many times about making a way to buy these so I have finally...
![Autistic Burnout: Your Brain’s Recovery Mode](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1715008795415-J58I1FJ553QVYUL4TO27/1.png)
Autistic Burnout: Your Brain’s Recovery Mode
As an autistic person, life can be a LOT. Research shows that our brains process more information at any one time than non-autistic people’s brains (Brinkert & Remington, 2020). Every day, we have to manage sensory discomfort, overwhelm, social challenges, executive dysfunction, exhaustion from masking, and the…
![Graduating ADHD Coaching!](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1714760650941-CUIEXX5PGFRRRJSE1NTQ/IMG_5392.jpg)
Graduating ADHD Coaching!
From August 4th 2023 to April 26th 2024…I have graduated ADHD Coaching! (if this is even a thing…i have made it a thing).
Nine months ago, I was struggling to come to terms with my fairly new ADHD diagnosis and had no sense of how to make life (which just felt constantly stressful) easier for my ADHD brain. Access to Work…
![GIRL UNMASKED: Publication Week, Podcasts and Waterstones Event](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1712600550722-DXBKEWXZ2VFCFNRRBX6R/B045CD8D-E7A9-4DDB-B4A2-969EC91D89B2.jpg)
GIRL UNMASKED: Publication Week, Podcasts and Waterstones Event
The past couple of weeks have been the most surreal of my life. GIRL UNMASKED is officially out in the world, and I am filled with gratitude.
On Wednesday 27th March, I saw it in Waterstones for the first time (it was on the shelf a day early!). It’s fair to say that it was a very surreal experience, and one of those life moments that I’ll never ever forget.
GIRL UNMASKED: Q&A
GIRL UNMASKED is officially out in the world (and somehow at number 12 on the Amazon bestseller chart!?). It is an incredibly surreal experience!
Last week I did a Q&A on my Instagram story, which I thought I would pop into a blog post.
![Challenges Autistic and ADHD People Face at Work and What Can Help](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1706364234767-UEYJ7G93TF3OVJ3VGCPO/Workplace+Blog+Post+Cover.png)
Challenges Autistic and ADHD People Face at Work and What Can Help
Autistic and ADHD people have long struggled in the workplace.
According to the Office for National Statistics, in 2021 only 29% of autistic people in the UK between 16-64 years old were employed (though of course, this is out of those recognised as autistic).
![The Truth Behind the ‘Attendance Crisis’ and Stories From Those Who Have Been There. #NotASchoolSkiver](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1706378374949-N5Z4XL1EQX5JUTM03Q2O/1.png)
The Truth Behind the ‘Attendance Crisis’ and Stories From Those Who Have Been There. #NotASchoolSkiver
On the 8th of January, the UK government launched its attendance campaign ‘Moments Matter, Attendance Counts’. The same day, Good Morning Britain hosted a news segment titled ‘School Skivers: whose fault - teachers or parents?’. In response, I wrote‘I Was Not a “School…
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I Was Not a “School Skiver”
Dear Good Morning Britain (and the government),
Following your news segment yesterday, I would like you to know that I was not a “school skiver”.
I was a child traumatised by school and exhausted from…
![‘Anxiety Recovery’ whilst Autistic](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1702216853376-O3PRBSTD1KE2N2R9BNX0/IMG_1402.jpg)
‘Anxiety Recovery’ whilst Autistic
I spent my teenage years chasing the idea of ‘anxiety recovery’ that I later discovered didn’t exist. I wanted a life without anxiety, because all I understood was that it was limiting, destructive, painful, and stole too much from me. I also thought that was what I was meant to want. At church, year after year, people prayed for my anxiety to go…
![My Journey of Discovering My ADHD](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1700416584054-PG1DTXIA7JF8XQG6PZ28/Red+Minimalist+Positive+Quote+Instagram+Post+%283%29.png)
My Journey of Discovering My ADHD
My journey of discovering my ADHD has been very different to my autism one (which you can read about here). Although there have been moments of imposter syndrome, from the moment I was told that I was autistic aged sixteen, I knew that the diagnosis was correct. And I knew…
![How I’m Learning To Manage Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1695846628331-G9BL5ANB63OYD3Z66RT1/1.png)
How I’m Learning To Manage Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is incredibly difficult to live with. It is an extreme emotional response to either real or perceived criticism or rejection, commonly experienced by neurodivergent people (though originally coined by Dr William Dodson as specific to ADHD).
I am very lucky to be receiving ADHD coaching with Leanne Maskell, the founder of ADHD Works and author of the…
![Executive (Dys)Functioning: What it is, its Relation to ADHD and Some Strategies](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1694974473320-7NBMUQ315Z5LC0QIWLCT/infographic.png)
Executive (Dys)Functioning: What it is, its Relation to ADHD and Some Strategies
Executive functioning is how we plan, make decisions, follow steps and processes, focus our attention and balance different tasks. It incorporates a set of skills which help us to learn, work and complete tasks. There is so much we couldn’t do without them.
Think about your daily tasks. Even getting out of bed and…
![The Interest-Based Nervous System and ADHD](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1692899666432-GGH6C61VVFWVL65DJJSV/1.png)
The Interest-Based Nervous System and ADHD
I often feel like my brain is in a constant battle of knowing there is something I should do, but just not being able to do it. Every day, I will spend hours and hours procrastinating something. It is quite common for me to spend the entire day just trying to get in the shower. And…
![Autistic Special Interests: Our Brain’s In-Built Coping Strategy](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1689714155752-7ZKVYJEX7PHZ14OZFMT4/1.png)
Autistic Special Interests: Our Brain’s In-Built Coping Strategy
For the first thirteen years of my life, books were my whole world. I read everywhere, all of the time. I became absorbed in different authors’ lives and the storytelling process - I had an urge to know absolutely everything. I read everywhere, all of the time. I would even have my nose in a book walking to school - which, looking back…
![Social Templates - Dealing with Situations as an Autistic Person](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1688083340648-0MGEF1XKXDU6NJSAGEU1/5.png)
Social Templates - Dealing with Situations as an Autistic Person
Last weekend, I stood in the middle of an unfamiliar leisure centre changing room, completely overwhelmed. The goal was to shower, but there were so many uncertainties in each step of the process that I didn’t know where to begin. I didn’t know where to leave my bag, what to wear into the shower…
![Sports Day - Challenges and Suggestions for Autistic (and other neurodivergent) Children and Young People](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1687378544891-XJ2OBFIN30SNA1ZV5LWD/1.png)
Sports Day - Challenges and Suggestions for Autistic (and other neurodivergent) Children and Young People
I hated sports day. It was - aside from my primary school swimming gala - the worst day of the school year. I cried in-front of my PE teacher when she told me I had no choice but to do a race, because I was so anxious about the whole school watching, convinced I would embarrass myself. I hated the noise, the crowds and….
![Autistic Imposter Syndrome](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1659355673064-B10SLMCQVGIPHSUZ8RFY/Copy+of+Masking.png)
Autistic Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome was a term coined by Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978. It refers to an individual having persistent self-doubt about their achievements, place in the world or role, despite evidence which says otherwise. Basically, believing that…
![Constantly Confused - Life as an Autistic Person](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1645279946774-2LSQ03LFYWS9M1FUOSTF/Copy+of+Copy+of+Vulnerability+%281%29.png)
Constantly Confused - Life as an Autistic Person
Being autistic in this world can result in feeling constantly confused. Let’s talk about what that can be like.
This confusion is present in many parts of my daily life. Mainly when interacting with other people, which is something which tends to be unavoidable, of course…
![Autistic Masking](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1644162072402-O8KDYL4WLN59M9LHNWUA/Copy+of+Instructions+%281%29.png)
Autistic Masking
Masking is a survival strategy for many autistic people. Let’s talk about it.
Whenever the topic of masking comes up, there is usually the reply, "But doesn't everyone mask to some degree?". And yes, most people do put on a mask at work or when…
![The War In My Mind: Fighting Anxiety](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602fc54797144054a9d7f051/1639262775368-TBQX5U14TRHTQBDS31JU/Copy%2Bof%2BInstructions.jpg)
The War In My Mind: Fighting Anxiety
Anxiety is not just an emotion for me. It's a daily state of being. It's a feeling that lives within me that I can't quite describe. It never goes away. I don't know what life is like without anxiety as a companion. I don't know what it's like to not be at war with my mind.