Join Autistic people from all over the world, committed to the de-stigmatisation of Autistic ways of being and other forms of neurodivergence, in support of the development and delivery of education about Autistic culture, the neurodiversity paradigm, and the neurodiversity movement – for medical professionals, by Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent people. Fill in the form below to sign.

The Autistic Collaboration Trust centres the lived experience of Autistic people in the education of healthcare professionals about Autistic ways of being and Autistic culture. All our educational work in the healthcare sector adheres to the Design Justice Network Principles and is envisioned to catalyse the adaptation of healthcare services to the specific needs of Autistic people and corresponding improvements in health outcomes.

If you are Autistic or otherwise neurodivergent, you can add your name to underscore the urgency for Autistic led education based on lived experience. If you are a healthcare professional, you can add your name to demonstrate your commitment to removing the social stigma frequently encountered by Autistic or otherwise neurodivergent colleagues and patients.

Sign

The level of ignorance, stigma, and open hostility that Autistic patients and Autistic healthcare professionals regularly have to deal with is traumatising. There is a need for healthcare sector wide education in the neurodiversity paradigm, the neurodiversity movement, and Autistic culture. Education on these topics is essential for addressing entrenched problems of lack of cultural and psychological safety in the workplace. There are also corresponding problems of lack of safety for patients, their whānau / families and communities.

Education about the neurodiversity paradigm is not the same as education about neurodiversity. It answers an important question:

• How does the mindset and language of the new paradigm differ from the language in the old paradigm?

Education about the neurodiversity movement builds on the neurodiversity paradigm. It answers three important questions:

• Why is there an urgent need for a paradigm shift?
• Who is involved in the shift?
• Who must learn from the neurodiversity movement?

Education about Autistic culture builds on the results of the neurodiversity movement. It answers three important questions:

• What is Autistic culture?
• How does it relate to other cultures?
• How does it relate to the neurodiversity movement?

I care deeply about the healthcare outcomes of patients and about the cultural and psychological safety of all patients and all healthcare professionals within clinical environments. I recognise an urgent need for education about the cultural contexts, sensory profiles, diverse needs, and the social stigma frequently encountered by Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent people.

In particular, healthcare professionals must be introduced to the non-pathologising and non-stigmatising language that has become the expected default within Autistic culture and within the broader neurodiversity civil movement that emerged out of the Autistic rights movement. The required education is very different from education framed in the culturally outdated language of the pathology paradigm, which still presents and rates the humanity of neurodivergent people in terms of deficits relative to the current neuronormative culture.

I support the work of the Autistic Collaboration Trust to facilitate education in the neurodiversity paradigm, the neurodiversity movement, and Autistic culture based on lived experience.

Scope of required education

The neurodiversity paradigm

Education about the neurodiversity paradigm and intersectionality is not the same as education about neurodiversity. It answers an important question:

How does the mindset and language of the new paradigm differ from the language in the old paradigm?

Topics:

1. Motivation
2. Terminology
3. The social model of disability
4. Dimensions of divergence from neuronormativity
5. Intersectionality
6. Autistic ways of being and the LGBTQIA+ kaleidoscope
7. Autistic ways of being and ADHD ways of being
8. The communal definition of Autistic ways of being / Takiwātanga
9. Anthropological background
10. Exposing the cultural bias of normality
11. The role of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
12. Transdisciplinary understanding of human learning and wellbeing
13. The connection between neurodiversity and creativity
14. Ableism and lived experience
15. Frequently asked questions

The neurodiversity movement

Education about the neurodiversity movement builds on the neurodiversity paradigm. It answers three important questions:

• Why is there an urgent need for a paradigm shift?
• Who is involved in the shift?
• Who must learn from the neurodiversity movement?

Topics:

1. Historic background
2. Cultural bias against creativity, critical thinking and transdisciplinary collaboration
3. What is happening in the neurodiversity movement right now
4. Behaviourism in parenting, education, workplaces, economics, and the sciences
5. Disability in a sick society
6. Cultural safety and the human rights perspective
7. Psychological safety
8. What therapies and medical practices do Autistic adults consider unsafe / safe / useful?
9. Autistic communities
10. Towards comprehensive bans of conversion therapies
11. Overcoming cultural inertia in a time of exponential change
12. Design BY and WITH neurodivergent people
13. Advice process
14. Introduction to Open Space as a transformational tool
15. Guidance for making good use of Open Space
16. Critical thinking tools for creative experimentation

Autistic culture and lived experience

Education about Autistic culture builds on the results of the neurodiversity movement. It answers three important questions:

• What is Autistic culture?
• How does it relate to other cultures?
• How does it relate to the neurodiversity movement?

Topics:

1. Discovering Autistic way of being
2. Autistic language
3. Learning without imitation
4. Autistic collaboration
5. Competency networks
6. Minimising misunderstandings
7. Exposing social injustice
8. Raising healthy children
9. Creating thriving communities
10. Towards mutual understanding and a better world
11. Difference drives humanity forward
12. Autistic clinicians, nurses, social workers, lawyers, accountants, scientists of all stripes, mathematicians, artists, musicians, engineers, and entrepreneurs
13. Deep innovation
14. Evolutionary design

For paediatricians

1. What do paediatricians need to know about Autistic culture?
2. What do Autistic people want paediatricians to know?
3. What books could a paediatrician or parent read if they wanted to learn more?
4. Other useful resources for paediatricians and parents

Autistic trauma

Education about the many ways in which Autistic people are traumatised throughout their life by the social norms and “normal” living conditions in modern industrialised societies. It answers three important questions:

• Why are Autistic people severely affected by traumatising conditions and events?
• How to distinguish between Autistic traits and trauma coping mechanisms?
• How to best support highly traumatised Autistic people?

Topics:

1. Sensory overload
2. Physical symptoms of dis-ease
3. Mental symptoms of dis-ease
4. Traumatising diagnostic experiences
5. Industrialisation and W.E.I.R.D. social norms
6. Trauma caused by coercive techniques
7. Trauma caused by social power gradients
8. Trauma caused by group identities
9. Avoiding and healing from hypernormalisation
10. Avoiding and healing from reductionism
11. Avoiding and healing from behaviourism
12. Avoiding and healing from bullying
13. Avoiding and healing from othering

Signatories

Last update: 22 July 2022

Healthcare professionals

1. Dr. A. Ann Emery, Allied health professional, Psychologist, Canada
2. Dr. Alan Beach, PhD, LCSW, LMFT, Allied health professional, Clinical Social Work & Family Counseling/Psychotherapy, United States
3. Aly Dearborn, LMFT, Allied health professional, Psychotherapist, United States, Autistic
4. Amanda Curran, Allied health professional, Australia
5. Amanda Hart, Nursing professional, S a c t nursing sister, United Kingdom, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
6. Amber Lane, Allied health professional, United Kingdom, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
7. Ana Karemy López Cortes, Licenciatura, Healthcare administrator, psicologa, México, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
8. Andrea Afonso, Physician, Portugal
9. Andrea Beres, Allied health professional, Psychologist, Australia
10. Annette Collins, Allied health professional, Australia
11. Ariel Lenning, Physician, Optometric physician, Optometry, United States, Autistic
12. Dr. Ashley Dubin, PhD, Allied health professional, Psychology, United States, Otherwise neurodivergent
13. Brannen Clark, Allied health professional, United States, Autistic
14. Becki Woolf, Allied health professional, United States
15. Brian Hess, Allied health professional, United States
16. Brian Moran, Nursing professional, United States
17. Carol Beatty, Allied health professional, Counsellor, Couples’ Therapist, United Kingdom
18. Casey Wilson, Allied health professional, United States
19. Cecilia Barbosa, Allied health professional, United States
20. Chanlynn Liao, Allied health professional, Speech-language Therapist, United States
21. Chelsea Mongan, Nursing professional, Nurse Practitioner, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
22. Doraine Raichart, Allied health professional, United States, acupuncturist and Eastern medicine practitioner
23. Elizabeth Williams, Allied health professional, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
24. Emma Ward, Allied health professional, United Kingdom
25. Fernando Rodríguez, Allied health professional, España
26. Heather King, Allied health professional, Speech-Language Pathologist, Australia, Autistic
27. Holly Sprake-Hill, Allied health professional, United Kingdom, Otherwise neurodivergent
28. Ian Reid, Nursing professional, United Kingdom
29. Ioannis Voskopoulos, Allied health professional, Greece, Otherwise neurodivergent
30. Iuliana Sava, Allied health professional, Psychologist, United Kingdom, Autistic
31. Jess Hodges, Allied health professional, Psychotherapist, Australia, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
32. Jessica Kitchens, Allied health professional, Mental Health, AA Therapist and Advocate, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
33. Jessica Newland, Allied health professional, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
34. Jonathan VanLandingham, Nursing professional, Registered Nurse, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
35. John Finnegan, Allied health professional, United States
36. Julie McCarthy, Allied health professional, Australia, Otherwise neurodivergent
37. Kali Rees, Allied health professional, United Kingdom
38. Karen Scorer, Allied health professional, United Kingdom
39. Katrina Fiebig, Allied health professional, Patient/Family Advocate, Psychiatry, Nursing professional, United States
40. Kristen Ipson, Allied health professional, Speech-Language Pathologist, United States, Otherwise neurodivergent
41. Lauren Lopez, Nursing professional, LPN, RN, Public Health, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
42. Luke Shobbrook, Allied health professional, Counselling Psychologist, Psychology, Jersey
43. Maija Mills, Allied health professional, Physiotherapy, Canada, Autistic
44. Marie Manalili, Allied health professional, Speech/Language Pathologist, Philippines, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
45. Marta Louise, Allied health professional, Canada, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
46. Dr. Megan Anna Neff, Allied health professional, Psychology Resident, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
47. Meredith Thompson, Allied health professional, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Social work, United States, Otherwise neurodivergent
48. Miah Pavlik, Nursing professional, United States, Autistic
49. Miranda, Nursing professional, Canada, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
50. Monica Boyd, Healthcare administrator, Education, Canada
51. Nicola M, Allied health professional, United Kingdom, Otherwise neurodivergent
52. Nicole Lui, Allied health professional, Certified Functional Nutritionist (FNLP, CFNC), Medical Cannabis Consultant (AAFP-EC), Clinical Herbalist (TCM & Western Herbology, working towards board certified), and Spiritual Teacher, Canada & Hong Kong, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
53. Dr. Patricia Burkhart, Physician, Radiologist, United States, Autistic
54. Paula Gómez, Allied health professional, Australia, Otherwise neurodivergent
55. Raphael de Miranda Luz Trindade, Physician, Portugal, Autistic
56. Sandy Rayman, Allied health professional, Therapist, United States
57. Sara Schultz, OD, Physician, optometrist, United States
58. Stephanie Warm, Allied health professional, psychotherapist (LCSW), United States
59. Svanhildur Svanvarsdottir Kristjansson, Allied health professional, Autism consultant, Speech Language Pathologist – TEACCH advanced certified consultant, United States, Otherwise neurodivergent
60. Tara O’Donnell-Killen, Allied health professional, Ireland, Autistic
61. Dr. Terry Hannan, A/Professor, Physician, General Internal Medicine and eHealth, Australia
62. Tonya Makar, Allied health professional, United States, Otherwise neurodivergent
63. Tracey Nelson, Allied health professional, Australia
64. Vanessa MacKay/ OT, Allied health professional, United States, Otherwise neurodivergent
65. Dr. Zoe Raos, Gastroenterology, Physician, Aotearoa New Zealand

Patients

1. Alden Blevins, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
2. Alix Latta, United States, Autistic
3. Ama Love, United Kingdom, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
4. Amanda Sutton, United Kingdom
5. Bailey Wagner, Canada, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
6. Brina Simon, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
7. Candace Jordan, United States, Otherwise neurodivergent
8. Caroline Kimrey, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
9. Catherine Andrews, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
10. Dan McFarland, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
11. Daniel Aird, Senior Research Associate (Biotech / cancer field; but am very well versed in science), United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
12. Heather Johnson, Writer, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
13. Heather Steeves, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
14. Herman Langkamp, Nederland, Autistic
15. Jacki Edry, Author, educator, advocating for neurodiversity and inclusion, parent of neurodivergent children, Israel, Otherwise neurodivergent
16. Jax Bayne, United States, Autistic
17. JC John Sese Cuneta, Philippines, Autistic
18. Jessica Nabb, Australia, Autistic
19. Kae Peterman, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
20. Karen Sydow, Australia, Otherwise neurodivergent
21. Khaenin Rutherford, United States, Otherwise neurodivergent
22. Linda Guevara, Mexico, Otherwise neurodivergent
23. Lisa W, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
24. Lucy Reid, United Kingdom, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
25. Liz Pine, United States, Autistic
26. Martin Bryan-Tell, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
27. Matthew R, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
28. Meg Bradshaw, Canada, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
29. Natasha Trotman, United Kingdom
30. Rachel Millar, Australia, Otherwise neurodivergent
31. Rachel Morton, United States, Autistic
32. Renata Moreno, Chile, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
33. Rome Icasiano, United States, Autistic
34. Ryan Boren, United States, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
35. Stephen Dooley, United Kingdom, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
36. Suzanne Galloway, Australia, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
37. Sydney Warner, United States
38. T. Purk, ASD Researcher and Educator, United States, Otherwise neurodivergent
39. Traci Collins, United States, Autistic
40. Victoria Busuttil, United Kingdom, Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent
41. Wendy Garfield, United States, Otherwise neurodivergent

• About
• Latest Posts

Jorn Bettin

Knowledge archaeologist by day and neurodivergent anthropologist by night at S23M

The more we help each other to question in ways we otherwise wouldn’t – and correspondingly discover new insights about the world and ourselves, the more we are able to learn from each other, and the more we start to understand each other. The gift that we all bring to the world is the (re)generative potential of all the trusted relationships that we co-create.

Latest posts by Jorn Bettin (see all)

• The relational nervous system of open knowledge flows between human societies - June 2, 2023
• Autistic mutual aid – a factor of cultural evolution - May 7, 2023
• The possibilities and limitations of human agency - May 4, 2023