17. S2, Ep5: Getting the skills and support to navigate life and work

Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. My guest today is 30 and was diagnosed autistic about five years ago. She is Indian-American and lives in the US, where she works full time in tech and also as a freelance writer, after spending years moving quickly between different jobs. She has experienced various forms of counselling and other interventions, including medication, and says “I don’t allow my diagnosis to stop me from doing things that one may not expect of someone on the Spectrum.” In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Social skills training and autism career counselling ➡ Cultural attitudes to autism - and how parents can react to an adult diagnosis ➡ Executive function, masking and burnout at work ➡ Getting counselling and taking medication for anxiety ➡ Functioning labels, and different presentations of autism in a family I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Her blog: www.aspergrl.wordpress.com  Her article in ADDitude magazine:  https://www.additudemag.com/mental-health-stigma-asian-stereotype-adhd-asd/  Autism Career Coaching: https://www.forwardmotion.info/   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/  Support Squarepeg on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast