I am an autistic adult. I write about autism, my autistic experiences, and the history of this neurocognitive condition as a self-advocate to help share education in the hopes of spreading awareness and acceptance.
Autism is highly stigmatized and parents often grieve when their children receive this diagnosis. I am here to tell you that while your feelings are valid, your child is not any less of a person than who you built them up to be in your mind. They are still full of potential, love, and innocence, and their future has yet to be written.
I do not speak for the autistic community; I am just one voice in the autistic community.
I need to tell you something and I need you to stay with me even if your first instinct is to get defensive. Because I’m not coming at you. I’m not coming at anyone. I’m coming from the middle of something that I think is breaking the autism community apartRead More »Dear Autism Parents: The Autistic Adults You’re Arguing With Online Are Your Child’s Future. Maybe Listen to Them.
Let me describe someone to you. They’re smart — often very smart. Socially perceptive in ways that surprise people. Creative. Funny. When things are good, they’re genuinely magnetic. And then a demand enters the picture. Not a big demand. Sometimes the smallest thing — put your shoes on, it’s timeRead More »PDA Is Not a Behavior Problem. Stop Treating It Like One.
I need you to try something with me for a second. Imagine you’re in a restaurant. Decent place. Not too loud. You’re having a conversation with someone you like, and the food is good. Normal evening. Now imagine that at the same volume you’re speaking to your friend, you canRead More »What the Sensory World Actually Feels Like (And Why “Just Ignore It” Is Not a Thing)
We have always praised children who make adults comfortable. The ones who sat still. Who didn’t make a fuss. Who said “please” and “thank you” without being reminded. They never caused a scene and were, in the language adults used for children they prefer, good. Good. What a thing toRead More »The “Good Kid” Was Never Fine: Rethinking What We Were Actually Praising When We Praised Compliance
This presentation featured Tessa Watkins and Liz Peace, LPC, at the 13th annual Disability & Mental Health Summit. This talk was given in person on May 7, 2026, in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
People keep asking me when the political climate is going to settle down. As if my existence is a weather pattern. As if what they’re describing as a political debate is not, for me and people like me, just… Tuesday. As if being at the intersection of multiple identities thatRead More »When Your Identity Is “Controversial”: Living at the Intersection of Being Queer, Neurodivergent, and Done With Explaining Yourself
“Diagnosed as an Autistic Adult” was a presentation featuring Tessa Watkins and Dr. Jessica Maher at Rep. Dan Miller’s 11th annual Disability & Mental Health Summit. This talk was given in person on April 19, 2024, in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
This resources page is for autistic adults seeking services in Pennsylvania, USA, some specific to Allegheny county.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a medical professional that can diagnose autism in others, help autistic patients and their families, or further autism research, then this Q&A page is for you!
Discover the reasons why I believe waiting for DEI to occur naturally is not enough, backed by historical insights and personal reflections.
From neurodivergent to gender divergent, take a deeper look about the interplay in the autistic brain of people who are transgender, nonbinary, or gender non-conforming.
Am I bad at parenting or do I have a challenging child? This question may be a sign you’re having an existential crisis.