Visual stories capturing FAN's lived experience reclaiming and protecting both their child's and own Autistic and Neurodivergent Flow
 I knew I wanted to die as a child but it wasn't until this experience I remembered why. |  Happy memories of going to the 'hole', that is what my siblings and I called the park where we would meet up with our Dad (parents divorced when I was 7) to kick the footy and give the dog a run. |  Fond memories of spending time with my girlfriend when we were younger. We loved our animals. We loved talking then as we do now. A bond that continues to grow as we share with one another all the tides of life. History and the future in one. |
|---|---|---|
 'How are you going to save me?' represents the bond between a child with an undiagnosed disability, experience of neglect and trauma with their beloved dog. |  This artistic creation was inspired and for the beautiful human who cuts our hair under our roof to make it an enjoyable experience full of love, light and happiness. Humans who support us in this way contribute to assisting us to live happier and more peaceful lives by reducing or removing unnecessary stresses where they can. |  I merely was an autistic who used alcohol (amongst other things) to regulate a body and brilliant mind I did not understand. I wasn't 'diseased'. Letting go ideas of a social group to own the authority of who I am is a process. |
 Some people need to be in charge to be okay and I have allowed and supported it at the expense of my own wellbeing. These humans are not to be in charge any more. I am moving toward relationships where equality, compassion and understanding are valued and practised. |  |  Wrestling with struggle, long-term suffering or grief and loss changes a person. And the surprise is, others will struggle too. Some won't like it. Some will insist nothing changes and they say silly shit to skip over what's really happening. No listening. No understanding. No compassion. I'm guilty of this myself. |
 Our autodidactic nature is nurtured, celebrated, enjoyed, strengthened and at the forefront creating foundations for my child's learning and future way of living. Autodidactic is natural to us like the bush is to the land. |  After all the pathologising about our disorder, deficits, flaws, challenges, struggles as something to be 'intervened'; changed and improved, they somehow overlooked our beautiful autistic characteristics, identities and culture. |  We are traumatised women with disabilities, caring for traumatised children with disabilities having to climb Mount Everest to meet our basic needs. |
 My child's trauma and autodidactic neurology guided us away from the dominating, overruling (adult knows best and everything) approach to learning and toward my child mastering their study skill through leading their learning about the things THEY are curious and passionate about. |  But there's one thing for sure 'Don't Bullshit Shiela' there is no more room for nonsense when our babies lives are on the line, seeing them silenced, as we once were. |  One of my sensory systems is Tactile Defensive where sometimes solitude is one guarantee I won't be touched and further overwhelming my bodies system processing |