Autism Chrysalis

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Autistic Burnout and Recovery

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Warning Signs of Autistic Burnout​

A checklist of common warning signs that autistic burnout is coming soon, or that you’re already in it.

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PDF of restorative activity ideas worksheet.

Restorative Activity Ideas

Rest is more than sleeping. Anything that gives you energy counts as restorative. 

Here are more than 80 ideas of activities from real Autistics, to feel good, so you have the energy to cope when things happen that are more challenging to deal with.

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Jobs and Work

Page of text entitled, "Tips for Getting Along with Autistic Co-Workers"

5 Tips for Getting Along with Autistic Co-Workers

Some tips about Autistic style communication that can help work relationships go smoother.

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A PDF document with the header "Creative ways to pay for autism coaching - Untitled Page" and a lot of text.

17 Creative Ways to Pay for Autism Coaching

Autism coaching isn’t covered by insurance, but that doesn’t need to mean it’s out of reach. Here are 17 ideas starters of how you might afford it. If even one of these, or a combination of a few, work out for you, that could be enough.

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Executive Functioning Aids

Lines of hexagons.

Hexagon Progress Chart

Like star charts, or habit trackers, but without all of the blank dates to haunt you when you didn’t do something, just an ever-filling chart of what you did do.

Color in a hexagon each time you make progress toward your personal goals. Includes a full page and a half page chart.

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Stress and Self-Reg

Grey cover, with a white circle center. In the middle of the page, there is drawing of a game of tug-o-war between two people, with a person at the center of the rope. The words "5 of the Most Overlooked (and Common) Stressors" are at the top, with "For Autistics, Highly Sensitive People, and Anyone Who Is Sensitive To Stress" underneath it. At the bottom, it writes "Heather Cook" and "Autism Chrysalis LLC".

5 of the Most Overlooked
(and Common) Stressors

If you are frequently exhausted, having trouble functioning, melting down or shutting down, have low energy, or are feeling tired or sick, get headaches, or avoid daily tasks, and you haven’t been able to explain why, check out these common (and commonly overlooked) sources of stress in everyday modern life.

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5 Domains of Stress sheet. At the top it writes "When you're looking for stressors, there are essentially five categories, or domains, you can lump them into. Here are some common examples for autistic individuals." In the middle there's 5 different categories, the first one is Biological and in it there is "Noises, Crowds, Over- or under-stimulation, Physical movement, or lack of it, Medical conditions, Lack of restorative sleep, etc." Under emotions it writes "Strong emotions take energy to deal with, whether they are generally seen as positive, such as excitement or joy, or negative, such as anger, fear, loneliness, embarrassment, etc." Under social, it writes "Difficulty picking up on social cues, Difficulty understanding the effect of one's behaviour on others, Being bullied, Being left out of a group, Being the focus of other's attention, etc." Under Pro-social, it writes "Difficulty coping with other peoples' stress, Difficulty reading others' cues of distress, Wanting to help and not knowing what to do, Feelings of guilt or unfairness, The expectations of others, etc." Under Cognitive, it writes "Difficulty processing certain kinds of information, Boredom, Lacking of intellectual, stimulation, Intellectual tasks that are too challenging, The font or size of print, Time pressures, etc." There's a few notes at the bottom of the page, they are as follows "When so much of life is governed by sensory overwhelm, it's tempting to look only for biological stressors. But stressors cause and build on each other, so it's important to look for these other ones as well.", "Look for hidden stressors. Those things that we may not think of as using energy, but they do.", "Stressors tend to build on each other, so there's rarely just one thing going on. When sensory stuff gets in the way (biological), learning becomes more difficult (cognition), which could lead to embarrassment (emotion), and social blunders or teasing from other kids (social), and social blunders or teasing from other kids (social), and reacting in ways that you regret (prosocial).", "A huge source of stress is eye contact. Requiring eye contact is a quick way to get protector brain to take over. The sensory and information overwhelm of the face and eyes is too much and we look away to reduce stimulation so we can think. Most of the time, we can either look at you or we can answer. Both are not possible."

5 Domains of Stress

When so much of life is governed by sensory overwhelm, it’s tempting to look only for biological stressors.

But stressors cause and build on each other, so it’s important to look for these other ones as well.

Here’s five areas, or domains, in which we all experience stress, and several examples to help you generate ideas.

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A PDF document with the header "5 Steps of Self-Reg Quick Sheet"

The 5 Steps of Self-Reg:
A Quick Sheet

A quick reminder of the The 5 Steps of Self-Reg. Use this to help yourself, or someone else (child or adult), through a stressful moment or event.

Post it on the fridge, by your desk, or wherever you could use a gentle reminder.

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Free Workshops

Blue solid foreground with text "Autistic Energy Management."

Autistic Energy Management

How do you make positive changes in your life when you have no energy left? In this workshop recording, I share my philosophy of the situation and lots of practical tips.

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