Catherine Dakin

Embracing Our Autistic Selves The aim of this course is to help you challenge internalised ableism, and create tools and opportunities to embrace your Autistic identity.

@emergentdivergence.com is offering 80% off tickets to their Embracing Our Autistic Selves course for first 10 people to share the course link & comment saying they've done it.

Start Wed 7th Jan 6pm

events.humanitix.com/embracing-ou...
#ActuallyAutistic #autism #Autistic #AutisticIdentity #AuDHD

The Participatory Autism Research Collective A community for people who want to promote autistic involvement in autism research

The Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC) has done a lot of excellent work. participatoryautismresearch.wordpress.com
and he describes the National Autism Trainer Programme (NATP) as the best he's ever encountered. (Hurrah for our NATP team!). Proper co-production/

That's for this coverage! Your commentary shows i spoke as intended. Always a relief!

How do we change minds? What's possible?

At our October "Autism: The Art of the Possible" conference, we’ll hear from Heba Al-Jayoosi, Zahilah Filzah Zulkifli & Catherine Dakin – all working in different contexts, all focused on creating positive change.

🎟️ Tickets: www.atautism.org/at-autism-co...

In-person tickets for Autism: The Art of the Possible are SOLD OUT!

BUT, you can still join us online:

🎥 Livestream on the day
▶️ Or watch on demand afterwards

📅 Wed 8 Oct
🎟️ Book your online place: www.atautism.org/at-autism-co...

Illustration of the Autistic SPACE framework. The acronym SPACE stands for Sensory, Predictability, Acceptance, Communication, and Empathy. Each letter is shown in a colored column with matching icons: S (sensory organs), P (calendar and clock for predictability), A (thumbs up for acceptance), C (speech bubbles for communication), and E (heart for empathy). A bar underneath highlights Physical, Processing, and Emotional domains. McGoldrick, E., Munroe, A., Ferguson, R., Byrne, C., & Doherty, M. (2025). Autistic SPACE for Inclusive Education. Neurodiversity, 3. https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330251370655 (Original work published 2025)

Super excited to share Autistic SPACE for Inclusive Education by @autisticdoctor.bsky.social and team!

McGoldrick, E., Munroe, A., Ferguson, R., Byrne, C., & Doherty, M. (2025). Autistic SPACE for Inclusive Education. Neurodiversity, 3. doi.org/10.1177/2754...

Photos of the 3 speakers for the theme of Changing Minds: The art of the possible. From left to right; Heba Al-Jayoosi, Catherine Dakin and Zahilah Filzah. Heba is sitting in an office chair with files on a shelf behind her. Catherine has a stethoscope around her neck and is standing in a hospital corridor. Zahilah wears a pale hijab and is in front of a pale background. All are smiling.

How do we change minds? What is possible? Our neurodiverse panel of @hjayoosi.bsky.social from the world of education, and Zahilah Filzah and @catdakin.bsky.social from health settings, will be speaking to this theme and drawing on their extensive experiences.

#AutismArtOfThePossible

Essex man running ultramarathon for mum who had lymphoedema A MAN is running an ultramarathon in memory of his mother who died from lymphoedema.

Lovely article in my local newspaper for my 24 hour run which is less than 4 weeks away!

#Running #Runner #Ultramarathon

www.justgiving.com/page/adam-jo...

Delegates sitting around tables in a high ceilinged hall

📢 Last day to buy your Early Bird tickets for our conference! We'll be asking questions such as:

❓How do we Change Minds, if the existing beliefs and biases of health & education professionals, & the narratives they hold about #autistic people, are barriers to positive outcomes for them?

/1

If the autistic professional community is saying the traditional approach to #autism is wrong – and we are – is it time to take a fresh look at autistic phenomenology and our approach to diagnosis? | ... If the autistic professional community is saying the traditional approach to #autism is wrong – and we are – is it time to take a fresh look at autistic phenomenology and our approach to diagnosis? W...

If the #autistic professional community is saying the traditional approach to #autism is wrong – and we are – is it time to take a fresh look at autistic phenomenology and our approach to diagnosis?
www.linkedin.com/posts/mary-d...

Graphic of the Earth from space

➡️Last 10 days of early bird tickets for AT-Autism's conference on 8/10/25!

#AutismArtOfThePossible

Did you know that you can join us by *livestream* from around the world?

For more information on our speakers, and to book your ticket:

www.atautism.org/at-autism-co...

Quality Network for Eating Disorders Annual Forum 2025 theme is Neurodivergence. Deeply valuable perspectives + expertise being shared.
#QEDNeurodivergence

For information about misinformation 🙏 www.hypermobility.org/news/joint-s...

I am so excited about being part of this conference! Can't wait to see you all!

AT-Autism conference, 8th Oct 2025

📣Announcing the next 3 speakers at this @at-autism.bsky.social event, presenting on:

'Changing Minds: The Art of the Possible'

✳️Dr Catherine Dakin
✳️Heba Al-Jayoosi
✳️Dr Zahilah Filzah Zulkifli

Book early bird tickets here:
www.atautism.org/at-autism-co...

Dr Catherine Dakin @catdakin.bsky.social is an Autism Specialist Consultant Psychiatrist at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, a National Autism Trainer Programme trainer (#NATPMentalHealth), a member of Autistic Doctors International, and AT-Autism Associate.
#AutismArtOfThePossible

YouTube video by Peter Stefanovic Nigel Farage says first thing he would do as PM if he won a GE would be to remove UK from the ECHR

Nigel Farage has told ITV News the first thing he would do as prime minister if he won a general election would be to remove the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights

That alone is good reason never to vote for Reform UK.

THIS IS WHY

youtu.be/MdiDDJrQUJA?...

An honnest, moving and courageous account from Dr Mary Doherty @autisticdoctor.bsky.social so real so hard Thank you #autism

Insights from Autistic Psychiatrists: Leveraging Insider Perspectives to… | Mary Doherty | 10 comments This is a talk I gave in late November last year. I haven't shared it before now, for the same reason I hadn't shared my PhD thesis. The talk I was due to give at the Royal College of Psychiat...

Autistic kids need opportunities to grow up confidently autistic, not steeped in shame. This shame is imposed on us by societal messages that we're broken & defective - as autistic adults, we need to discuss it openly, so we can choose to find a pathway out of shame
www.linkedin.com/posts/mary-d...

My autistic meltdown: the impact of autistic sensory needs As an autistic adult, even the word meltdown is humiliating. A shameful part of my past, no longer relevant to a senior doctor, or so I would like to think. And yet the reality is different. Some 2 ye...

Epistemic injustice... being autistic means one’s credibility and capacity to relate an accurate account of one’s own experience is often questioned. How can I be a doctor if I am autistic? Conversely, how can I be autistic if I am a doctor?
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Brexit 'delivered the opposite of what it promised', Angela Rayner admits That might just be the sound of the penny dropping for the Labour government, after Angela Rayner took a swipe at Brexit.

Brexit ‘delivered the opposite of what it promised’, Angela Rayner admits

Hopefully we can now begin an honest & open discussion about the catastrophic impact Brexit has inflicted on the country’s economy

www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/ang...

Meanwhile…

An image with Christmas presents all wrapped

Want to support local businesses this Christmas, but you need to buy for someone who has everything?
Look no further. Here are some original gift ideas for your special person. From brewery tours to stone carving, click on the link 👇
bit.ly/4ih9rYp
#sudburysuffolk #thebestofsudbury

Such a simple cartoon that really speaks volumes.

Excellent scarf 🧣

Many of our members are still waiting for gynaecology appointments. Symptoms linked to hypermobility are widespread, with a noticeable crossover with endometriosis. The need for faster diagnosis and better care is urgent!
#EDS #HSD #Endometriosis #HypermobilityAwareness

ARTICLE IN THE GUARDIAN BY LINDA GEDDES. Reporting on the research of Dr Jessica Eccles on Hypermobility and Long Covid. Shows that there's a 30% higher risk of Long Covid. Again it's the issues with vasculature - the problems with collagen lead to issues with blood flow and POTS. Good to see this reported on. It's a neglected area of medicine.

🙌Good to see this research in mainstream media @bendybrain.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

Why autistic people must be at the heart of autism research A research project led entirely by autistic people aims to change the way autism research is conducted.

‘We aren’t suggesting that good autism research can’t be done by non-autistic researchers. But autistic people should always be involved in research in a meaningful way and should be listened to at every stage’

so appreciate this discussion on such a platform! theconversation.com/why-autistic...

PPE COVID Cash Carousel: Documents Expose Government's Struggle to Recover £520 Million Lost to Dissolved and Bankrupt Firms Hundreds of millions were wasted on contracts with zombie companies which vanished before any taxpayers' cash could be recovered

🔴PPE COVID Cash Carousel: Documents Expose Government’s Struggle to Recover £520 Million Lost to Dissolved and Bankrupt Firms

Hundreds of millions were wasted on contracts with zombie companies which vanished before any taxpayers’ cash could be recovered, @mc00.bsky.social reports

I knitted these during lockdown Zoom meetings. One colour was when men were speaking, the other was when women were speaking. Guess which was which. 🤔