Ways We Can Understand Our Most Authentic Selves: Mental, Emotional, Sensory, Body, Social and Passions-with Jackie Schuld

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On this episode, Jackie Schuld, a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist and mental health counselor, shares her expertise and lived experiences as a late diagnosed Autistic ADHD human. She provides valuable information on the 6 categories that she helps neurodivergent individuals understand and accept as they move forward to create their most authentic life. Other topics addressed include:

• Understanding your autistic (or AuDHD) characteristics and getting clarity about what you accept and what you may want to work on or change.
• Making sense of things after diagnosis or self identification.
• Art can help move the emotions through you and help you tap into the subconscious and look at what needs to be processed.

• You may need to focus on and process your grief before moving forward.
• Know that it's okay to have feelings and they are happening for a reason.
• The importance of getting to a place of understanding yourself in 6 categories: Mental/Thinking; Emotional, Sensory, Body, Social and Passions.
• Passions are used to regulate your nervous system.
• Don't take it personal when your autistic partner wants to be alone.
• Emotionally may have higher highs and lower lows and experience intense emotions more frequently.
• Autistics may have enhanced senses and this can be physically and mentally exhausting.
• Understand what each partner needs to regulate their nervous system.
• Learn how to take care of your brain.
• Know your social quota. May have challenges having conversations when there are a lot of sensory issues to deal with.
• Increase self-awareness and understand yourself so you can take a break before you've reached your limit.
• One thought can lead to a hundred other thoughts (constellation or multilayered thinking).
• Understanding interoception and proprioception
• Being aware of the needs of your body and being able to sense when you're hungry, thirsty or need to use the bathroom.
• Food sensitivities and understanding the mind/gut connection.
• The challenges of being misdiagnosed.
• Looking at how you've been treated and how you've treated others.

You can learn more about the services Jackie offers and her writings on her website: www.jackieschuld.com

Jackie's book "Life as a Late-Identified Autistic" will be published in January 2024.