When Autism Grows Up STRONG – Details, episodes & analysis

Are shutdowns and meltdowns voluntary? Or are they our body’s way of managing our brain?

Holly Bridges asserts that a shutdown or meltdown isn't willful, it's the nervous system that has learned a safety response to pain and fear.

Let’s get aware of the body's impact on thinking so our autistic graduates can navigate life better.

Here's my summary of Holly Bridge's theory and experience behind her Autism Refame Therapy.

As parents of autistic graduates, we can teach people with autism how to feel calm in their bodies so they connect better with all their systems including social engagement.

When we attune to which body-based calming activities help them get their nervous system centered, we can encourage them to practice those actions regularly. They'll feel better more often and may be able to negotiate life with more comfort.

Holly Bridges | Autism and the Polyvagal Theory: Building emotional and physical resilience through body awareness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WShQJa-xUZQ&t=20s

Holly Bridges | Autism Journeys August 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-2PrDy5UJA Holly Bridges | Potency of Dorsal State https://otter.ai/u/gorFNR-h1QiBcdUvCi2f4qpUrkA?utm_source=copy_url 

More resources at https://linktr.ee/lynncdavison

Why is avoidance such a common way we deal with life? First, let's recognize that we all refuse help.

For example, it took me a year to complete the 24-hour urine test my doctor recommended because...well, it sounded so gross. I didn't want to do it. Now that I've done it, I've learned how to strengthen my body, in this case to keep my bones strong.

Recently, one of my graduates struggled getting and keeping a good job. So I found help, we got him set up, and then he stopped attending meetings.

Why does this happen and what can we do? Because, let's face it, in these situations we must focus on what WE can do. We know we can't change anyone else but us and change takes work.  

In this video I offer: 

1 What autistic people NEED (not want) that those of us who love them can help them create, 

2 Fifteen ways that I've found work to get through resistance, and 

3  Eight ways I know don't work.  

For links to more resources, go to https://linktr.ee/lynncdavison

Here's my take on Dr. Megan Neff's Chapter, "Discover The Power of Self-Advocacy" from her new book SELF CARE FOR AUTISTIC PEOPLE available March 17, 2024. https://www.amazon.com/Self-Care-Autistic-People-Recharge-Stress/dp/1507221932/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705420281&sr=8-3

I'd love to help you and your family flourish. Here's your first step: get the Autistic Adulting Roadmap LIVE most Wednesdays at 11 am Eastern, 8 am Pacific. Sign up here for the Zoom Link and email reminders.

Dr. Megan Anna is a clinical psychologist specializing in the support and empowerment of neurodivergent adults through her expertise in neurodivergent affirming care and assessments. This episode is Dr. Neff reading the the chapter, "Discovering the Power of Self Advocacy” from her book, Self-Care for Autistic People, available March 19, 2024

I'd love to help you and your family flourish. I'm available most Wednesdays at 11 am Eastern, 8 am Pacific. Sign up here for the Zoom Link and email reminders.

Our anxiety alarm is sounding and we need immediate relief. We just need to get through this! What do we do?

Here are 12 ways to silence the alarm. They don't heal only help short term.

Still, we need lots of ways to press pause on our natural catastrophic thinking and feel the feelings in our bodies to ground ourselves in the present.

That's a tall order, so let's practice, practice, practice all 12 !!!

I'll answer your questions most Wednesdays at 11 am EST. Sign up for email reminders and the zoom link here: https://www.lynncdavison.com/pl/2147722700

Here's the second video in a series that takes what I've learned from Dr. Kennedy and other teachers to suggest a path to heal anxiety for good.

I outline the 3 steps we practice to get relief from chronic alarms caused by anxiety.

Alarms hurt so we avoid them. We distract ourselves (often on screens) so we don't feel their pain.

Let's heal anxiety so we all can outsmart it for good and flourish.

Get my help outsmarting struggles LIVE Wednesdays at 11:00 Eastern. Sign up for the Zoom Link and email reminders here: https://www.lynncdavison.com/pl/2147722700

In his book, Anxiety Rx, Dr. Russell Kennedy describes how he cured his anxiety in his 50s without pharmaceuticals or therapy, because those didn't work for him. He believes that, "to truly overcome anxiety, we must address both the mind and the body."

I've seen our autistic graduates experience chronic anxiety that gets in the way of outsmarting struggles and increasing independence. It seems that neither pharmaceuticals nor therapy gives them lasting relief. What can be done?

Here's the first video in a series that takes what I've learned from Dr. Kennedy and other teachers to suggest a path to heal anxiety for good.

Questions? I'm LIVE most Wednesdays at 11 am Eastern to answer yours. Sign up for the Zoom Link and email reminders here: https://www.lynncdavison.com/pl/2147722700

When you are at odds with your autistic graduate, you're unhappy with what the time they spend on screens or they haven't kept their promise to do a chore, what do you do? Here's a constructive way to respectfully complain. To outline what went wrong and what right would look like. Here's how to move from disharmony, through repair and back to connection in a respectful way. There's a prologue, 5 steps and an epilogue.

• Download a one page summary here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HVL0Ip0cCn4M0Q0Qwnl9jc2HD0jQYz-0/view?usp=sharing
• Watch the video at YouTube here: https://youtu.be/sN3_KJGrax0

This episode was inspired by my teacher, Terry Real. Here's his version at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79bbVhkZpAg

How often do you get an automatic no? You've made a suggestion. You've offered an option. And the answer is no. Here's how to deal with it. It's the best solution I've ever found. It's from Susan Jeffers, whose book, "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway" inspires me every day. It has sold more than 15 million copies. It's dynamite. Here's a 15-minute overview of her entire book and encourage you to read it yourself. You'll be inspired, and you will be empowered to help get past those automatic no's that we often experience with our autistic graduates who are trying to increase their independence, but are afraid. Do you have questions? I'll answer them live. https://www.lynncdavison.com/pl/2147722700

I've noticed that I sometimes attack others when I'm stressed and in defense mode. I've seen others in my family do the same thing. What's going on?

We put others down to make ourselves feel better. One-up is the opposite of one-down. It's what we do when we're stressed and our self-esteem is fragile. When we act like a child.

Terry Real calls it grandiosity in his recent book, US: Getting Past You and Me to Build a Better Relationship. He argues that psychology has done a pretty good job helping us build up our self-esteem when we feel one-down. But it has ignored the other end of the continuum when we attack to feel one-up.

Here's a quick episode that not only explains why we one-up but also gives us a way to handle ourselves and our loved ones when we or they attack.

Join me LIVE here: https://linktr.ee/lynncdavison