![Two women sit opposite each other with one looking distressed and the other leaning forward holding the distressed woman by the wrist to comfort her](https://theunmaskedautistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/counselor-supporting-patient-during-dialogue-indoors-768x512.jpg)
The immeasurable value of validation
Listening, truly listening, is a much undervalued and all too rare commodity in our modern world. I am as guilty as anyone at putting speaking first, asserting my beliefs, and listening only as an afterthought. I never used to be this way. As a child,…
![Concerned man with beard and glasses stares at a mobile phone with his elbows propped on a desk](https://theunmaskedautistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/concerned-man-staring-at-phone-768x512.jpg)
Sorry I ghosted you: an Autism relationship tale
This post doubles as an apology. One I feel I need to offer after researching ‘ghosting’ and its effects on the person left behind. In my case, I’m referring to the people in the various friendships that were, at the time, typically thriving. And still,…
![Silhouetted woman jumping high on beach with sunset sky and silhouetted sand dunes in the background.](https://theunmaskedautistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/woman-jumping-on-beach-768x432.jpg)
Dance like no one’s watching: my first ‘real’ blog post
So it’s Friday, and that means it’s the end of another week, and that means that time has well and truly come loose from the chain. I mean, it’s out of control how fast the weeks are whizzing by… But that’s not what this is…
![Close up of large silver rain shower head with water drops falling from it against a blurred background](https://theunmaskedautistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/rain-shower-head-close-up-768x512.jpg)
The miracle of shower therapy
Last week, when I was in the midst of an extreme Autistic meltdown, it wasn’t the bottle I reached for, or the cat that I kicked*, it was the shower I ran for. In fact, if I could stay in the shower as long as…
![A meerkat with it's head hung low stands in a desert with tuffs of low growing grass](https://theunmaskedautistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/meerkat-in-the-desert-768x512.jpg)
Centrelink gave me a hangover
As I type, I feel like last night I had one too many red wines. But that isn’t what happened. I didn’t have anything to drink last night, or the night before that. I was in bed before 10, too. And I didn’t wake up…
![A wicket basket filled with plump red tomatoes](https://theunmaskedautistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/basket-of-tomatoes-768x512.jpg)
The tomato that ruined Wednesday
Wednesday morning I cooked a fry up: steak, eggs, hash brown, tomato. While it might not meet the current standards of Australia’s dietary guidelines, it was delicious. Except for the tomato. From the moment I took hold of the large red rock, I suspected we…