Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference present from birth. Autistic strengths and support needs can exist at the same time. 🧠 Deep Focus & Attention to Detail Autism fact: Many autistic people experience monotropism—the ability to focus deeply on one topic at a time. Why it matters: Supports learning, creativity, problem‑solving, and skill mastery. 🔎 Pattern Recognition & Systems Thinking Autism fact: Autistic brains often process information through patterns rather than social shortcuts. Why it matters: Helps with math, science, technology, art, music, and noticing what others miss. 💬 Honesty & Direct Communication Autism fact: Many autistic people value clarity and literal communication. Why it matters: Builds trust, reliability, and clear ethical reasoning. ⚖️ Strong Sense of Justice Autism fact: Many autistic people show heightened sensitivity to fairness and consistency. Why it matters: Supports advocacy, integrity, and challenging harmful systems. 💡 Unique Problem‑Solving Autism fact: Autistic thinking follows different cognitive pathways—not deficits. Why it matters: Leads to original ideas, innovation, and creative solutions. 🔥 Deep Interests & Passion Autism fact: Autistic interests are often deep and meaningful, not trivial or obsessive. Why it matters: Supports emotional regulation, expertise, motivation, and joy. ✨ Important Reminder Needing accommodations does not erase ability or value. Autistic people do not need to prove usefulness to deserve dignity, access, and care.

I don't know who knows my TRAUMA story. I will share a bit here. 🙇🏽‍♀️ It culminated in Complex PTSD, and severe limitations in employment, relationships, cognition, memory and emotional regulation, for me. 👷🏽‍♀️ My survival mode is: FIGHT. And that has gotten more and more ......dysregulated, with each toxic relationship that I have. 🤸🏽🤸🏽🤸🏽🤸🏽🤸🏽 I now have pretty severe WORK related trauma. 👩🏽‍🏫 I chose, just last week, to go FULL NO CONTACT with my Mother, which at Christmas is pretty painful. 🤰🏽 What I am also choosing to do; connect with my Mother in the past, when she and I were close, and she was a compassionate and loving parent. 💖 I Definitely feel child-like right now. Living in my Amygdala. 💪🏽 Can anyone relate?

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ-4NHxPDbQ&si=dERFZ366jOHbzEbE

When I originally took Women's Self Defense at the U of Oregon in 1996, when I was getting my Bachelors degree. I HAD NO IDEA how much the class would change my life!!! 😮🔥👊🏽 And I watch it happen with the girls and women that I teach, and it is AMAZING!! 🤗🏵️❣️ I have been searching for what to call the form of Self Defense that I was taught. I have just called it "self defense for girls" for a long time. ⏳🔆🤔 But the theory base is Feminist, so I started to all it Feminist Self Defense. 👧🏽🤸🏽🙂‍↕️ But I found a new term, very recently, and apparently it is being used all over ( @Matthew O'Brien ) EMPOWERMENT SELF DEFENSE. And it's PERFECT!! 🔌💪🏽💯 If you haven't had a chance, and you're curious about the theory base, check out the Research paper written SPECIFICALLY about my Self Defense teacher Nadia Telsey! 💖🙇🏽‍♀️😍 This is a book that she co-authored before her death.