Alexis Quinn

2/2 ... it's difficult to maintain (in care and educational settings) and too easy to become part of an 'approach'.

#LivedExperience #MentalHealth #Reflection #Authenticity #HumanConnection

1/2 The echo of the empty room taught me a lot about the absence of connection - the ache for someone to see me, not just manage me.

Now, years later and in a different phase of my life, I wonder... "What if the biggest intervention are those rare moments of genuine connection?" ... because ...

3/3 Relational safety means rebuilding trust in a world that is proven unsafe. It's about reclaiming a voice and a sense of self. We need to prioritise relational safety in all aspects of support. It's not just a "nice to have," it's a fundamental need. #EndSolitary #HumanRights

2/3 That's why relational safety is EVERYTHING for those who've survived enforced isolation. It's the antidote to dehumanisation. It's finding someone who actually sees you. #RelationalSafety #MentalHealth

🧵1/3 Solitary confinement/enforced isolation isn't just about being alone in a room. It's a systematic assault on the human spirit. It's about being unseen, unheard, and disbelieved #SolitaryConfinement #HumanRights

2/2 However, when practitioners shift focus to strengths, individual stories and respectful language, it can transform perceptions and relationships.

Watch the full video and join the conversation!
#ChallengingBehaviour #PersonCentered #InclusivePractice #BugbearsSeries

1/2 🎥 New Video Alert: Addressing the 3rd 'Bugbear' of PBS 🎥

In this instalment we can explore how relying on labels like 'challenging behaviour' can inadvertently define ppl, risking stereotypes and overlooking personhood.

Check out the 2nd video in the 5-part mini series about PBS bugbears!

In just 93 seconds, I share why rigid behaviour plans can harm relationships, the impact of this and how to co-develop support.

#SupportWithRespect #PersonCenteredCare

4/4 Grateful for the opportunity to support autistic ppl and to be working on more maternity resources with a team of experts for the Restraint Reduction Network, supported by the Boshier Grant.

Thank you for your support on this journey!
#Autistic&Expecting #ReadingWellForFamilies #SupportiveCare

3/4 When I prepared for my second pregnancy, I made it my mission to learn everything I could, which inspired me to write this book to help others in similar situations.

2/4 This achievement means so much to me, especially as my own journey as an autistic parent wasn’t easy. My first pregnancy was incredibly challenging - there were no resources, and I felt lost. That experience led me to suffer a mental health crisis and almost 4 long years detained.

Autistic expecting book by Alexis Quinn

1/4 I’m excited to share that my book, Autistic and Expecting: Practical support for parents to be, and health and social care practitioners, has been listed on The Reading Agency’s Reading Well for Families 2025 list!

✊🏽 Reclaiming walking... it's not agitation!

In hospital, I was often chemically restrained for pacing.

Walking, pacing, and movement aren’t usuallys signs of agitation or challenging behaviour... sometimes its the most effective form of self-care.

#SensoryJustice

This is the first of a series of videos entitled, "My 5 most common bug bears about PBS... "

I cover the impact and practical solutions in 90 seconds!

#PBS #behaviourism

3/3 This is one of the many reason why people who have been forcibly isolated resist or fear socialising - our minds recal the devastating loneliness and want to avoid it.

2. For other who haven't experienced the same: Being with others can unexpectedly trigger these same feelings if you feel like people are there... but not really there... (e.g., if you feel unheard, or if you are in a room with others but feel invisible or alone)...

🧵 1/3 I wrote this poem yesterday to confront the feeling of the void (caused by repeated exposure to seclusion and long-term isolation).

After so much relational trauma it can be difficult to trust. Some ideas for how it might be nurtured 👇

2/2 Research tells us that leads to deeper feelings of loneliness, despair, and disconnection.

Meaningful contact is vital for healing and growth - it's a basic part of what makes us truly human. To suggest otherwise is to dehumanise.

1/2 When I was put in seclusion and LTS, I longed for human contact - because being safely connected to others is essential for humans mental and emotional well-being.

Isolation may feel safer and some argue it is therapeutic... but for who?

2/2 Some 'challenging behaviours' may actually be a response to internal trauma, triggered by unknown external stressors. Too often, my responses were misunderstood as outbursts & it has taken years to develop compassion to understand my deeper responses to internal experiences.

1/2 We have had insight into the neurobiological underpinnings of autism and its relationship to anxiety & trauma for ages. Autistic ppl often experience & show anxiety differently - a disconnection between our self-reported fears and actual behavioural manifestations

8/8 💬 We must advocate for systems that prioritise humanity over control. By reducing reliance on invasive surveillance and fostering authentic connections, we can create a care environment that respects dignity and promotes healing. #MentalHealthAwareness #Advocacy

7/8 🌱 Emphasising intersubjectivity - the mutual recognition of each other's experiences - can help bridge the gap between patients and ppl, moving beyond objectification to true engagement. This helps reclaim the agency that surveillance can strip away. #HealthcareJustice

6/8 🤝 To counteract the effects of surveillance, it's essential to foster genuine connections between staff and ppl. Adopting a relational approach centered on curiosity can promote understanding, trust, and ultimately a more humane care environment. #TherapeuticRelationships

5/8 🚫 Surveillance practices often infringe upon human rights, including the right to privacy and autonomy. The blanket application of such measures undermines dignity and can be considered and experienced as a violation #HumanRights #PsychiatricCare

4/8 😞 The constant awareness of being watched induced anxiety so I modified my behaviors out of fear, losing authenticity in my actions. This phenomenon restricts emotional expression and reinforces a cycle of compliance over genuine care. #MentalHealthMatters

3/8 📉 Surveillance created power imbalances: staff became more critical and detached, prioritising a mechanical understanding of behaviour over genuine, compassionate engagement. This limited therapeutic potential and increased feelings of distress as I couldnt be seen. #Care

2/8 🔍 Surveillance led to objectification, where I was viewed as a data point rather than a person with unique experiences. This shifted the focus away from meaningful interactions and reduced opportunities for me to have agency and be self-determination. #PatientRights

🧵1/8 🚨 The ethical & legal implications of implementing invasive surveillance systems like #Oxevision in 'hospitals' are profound. While they are marketed as safety measures, they significantly undermined the therapeutic environment. Here is what I noticed: