Dear Santa… from Rudolph

Dear Santa, I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to you with a heavy heart, and after much consideration, I have come to the difficult decision to resign from my position on your team as the lead reindeer. Over the years, I have had the privilege ofContinue reading “Dear Santa… from Rudolph”

AuDHD inclusion tips

As an AuDHDer myself (autistic and ADHD), and a professional speaker and HR Consultant specialising in Inclusion and Belonging, here are the tips that I want to share for working with Autistic and/or ADHD colleagues and helping us thrive in the workplace: Create and demonstrate a culture of psychological safety. Protect and defend us fromContinue reading “AuDHD inclusion tips”

An unusually chill Christmas, chez Ausome

I usually struggle a lot with December and Christmas, for many reasons that I will not go into today; I am just taking a moment to count my blessings. At the end of June 2023, I finally left my HR Analyst job, and I have never looked back. I had been working for Together forContinue reading “An unusually chill Christmas, chez Ausome”

IDPD, or Disabled People Day as I like to call it

I had planned to write a blog post for International Persons with Disabilities Day, but: 1) I’m too burned out from taking my daughters and their friends to MCM Comic Con yesterday then driving home in the freezing mist and dark. 2) I’m not a ‘Person with Disabilities’; I’m ‘disabled’. I should not have toContinue reading “IDPD, or Disabled People Day as I like to call it”

Believe us!

Sometimes it’s so weird being Autistic and ADHD. I’ve just done a public speaking event at Vodafone HQ, where I felt so welcome, comfortable and well looked after… then had a severe sensory meltdown on the way home. I felt OK when we left Vodafone, calm even. But then we started getting ‘hangry’ and IContinue reading “Believe us!”

Addictive Personality

Tell me you’re ADHD without telling me you’re ADHD. I’ll go first: All my adult life I’ve been saying: “I need to be careful with _____* because I have an addictive personality” * Insert alcohol/ caffeine/ drugs/ meds/ prescription painkillers/ dieting/ sunbeds/ exercise/ MyFitnessPal/ Twitter/ Candy Crush (or similar game) etc… #ADHD #AuDHD #Addiction #Neurodiversity

Alice, What’s the Matter?

Yes, writing is well under way for my semi-autobiographical comedy novel about my early adulthood as an oblivious undiagnosed autistic young woman, blundering through life. Originally titled ‘Alice in Blunderland’, but that title has been used before and also I am a huge fan of the Bradford-based band Terrorvision, whose song ‘Alice, What’s the Matter’Continue reading “Alice, What’s the Matter?”

My ADHD assessment is today… yikes!

This morning I have my assessment for ADHD, with Psychiatry UK, and I expect to be diagnosed with ADHD, although my imposter syndrome is worried I’m wrong. If I’m wrong, I may have to publicly eat my words, as I have been describing myself as ‘AuDHD’ for several months.  A ‘queer AuDHDer’ in fact, asContinue reading “My ADHD assessment is today… yikes!”

Neurodivergent self-labelling and identity

Neurodivergent self-labelling and identity:  The Power and the Paradox An informal discussion between Charlie Hart and Georgina Shute, exploring the complexities of neurodivergent self-identifying and labels, delving into the validity and impact of self-diagnosis. Gina:  Neurodivergent self-labelling and identity can be both powerful and paradoxical (something with two meanings that don’t make sense together).  MyContinue reading “Neurodivergent self-labelling and identity”