Motivational Speaking
My Autistic Wings
Autistic Autism Advocacy
"My Autistic Wings :
A Wish For Mindful Thriving in Autism Acceptance and Adulthood"
A new Autism Resource book, dedicated to empowering a healthy mindset, and helping teenagers to transition into adulthood.
'My Autistic Wings' is a follow up from my first book 'AspergerWorld', aiming to be a grown up big sister, to empower readers in the next stage of theirs, their loves ones,
students or clients lives...
Book Reviews...
My Autistic Wings Blurb
My autistic wings is a fascinating, internationally award winning insight with an aim to empower Autistic people, their families and professionals.
Delve into Joely’s inspiring journey to Autism Acceptance,
Uncovering quirks, hidden hardships, independence training, transitional care and healthy relationships.
Giggle, as you relate to umbrella traits and invisible roots of Joely’s autism and ADHD; and weep, as you discover her awarded insights into mental health issues.
Be empowered by challenging misconceptions of what it means to be disabled, to succeed, try your best and be Autistic; with realms of autistic inspired mindfulness, and practical advice… all poetically detailed by Joely, an Autistic awarded autism advocate and international motivational speaker.
You are a seed, there is still time for growth....
What is the first word I think of, when I think of the word Autism?
Beautiful, is always my answer.
Autism is beautiful, and in this book, I describe why I believe this so faithfully, whilst giving thanks to those who have supported me.
Concluding on the true meaning of autism acceptance and Autism's hidden beauty – that not only is Autism beautiful, not in spite of Autism's hidden hardships or raw disability - but I also wouldn’t change my Autism or my ADHD.
Autism enabled me to spread My Autistic Wings, and learn to fly, after all
– and what’s more beautiful than that?
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Chapter 1:
"My Autistic Wings"
(My Autism hidden hardships, quirks
and invisible depths)
Delve into my journey to Autism Acceptance, detailing my favourite Autism traits, ‘super-powers’ hidden depths, hardships and quirks and challenge misconceptions.
Giggle as you relate to the umbrella traits of my autism; with stories about executive dysfunction, pathological demand avoidance, communication awkward ‘fails’. Discover the reason why we don’t make connections as quickly and get overwhelmed processing information and learn about hidden injustice and the role it plays in every day routines.
Be inspired by motivational mindsets, humour and a positive sense of self, in all the advice and guidance you read, that don’t shy away from the information that you need to know.
Gasp at the hidden reality of shutdowns, burnout, meltdowns, and sensory overwhelm, as you discover the hidden issues with chronic, uncommunicated pain, caused by adrenaline, justice seeking in an unjust, unaccepting world, overwhelm and interoceptive alexithymia.
Along these important insights, be refreshed by reams of advice, guidance and positivity which never shies from understanding the root of each of these hidden hardships. All articulately expressed to empower readers, in a writing style that has been highly reviewed to best enable understanding and hope. This chapter ultimately details why I believe Autism’s hidden gift, can be empowered by support, acceptance and understanding to show why, and how, even a disability can still be a gift – appealing to all sides of the autistic communities.
Chapter 3
"Love Potions"
(Healthy Relationships, Environmental, family and public perceptions, and the impacts on Autism disability)
Learn about how my Autism disability, is impacted by society’s and people’s toxic and ableist misconceptions of how to help; everything from infantilisation and healthy relationships, to discovering the intentional harm done from mate crime, the power imbalance of bullying, healthy relationships, and case studies in consent and ultimately remember that - Autistic or not - there is nothing wrong with us.
This chapter ends on a hopeful high – that although we may feel that we are mixing awkward love potions, and often blame ourselves, this chapter helps to remind readers to never forget that societies misconceptions of your good intentions, never mean you are mixing the love potions wrong. We all mix different love potions, and as long as you try to be yourself, understanding, kind and justice seeking, that is as perfect as a love potion, as you can create.
People and society make Autistic life difficult, but they also have the power to make incredible change within our lives too - and not all change is bad! Together, our love potions help each-other.
Finishing off with tales of hope and gratitude, to remind us all, that we should never give up on the power of people, to change lives – even if it is our own.
Chapter 5
"Winging it"
(Transitional care, life skills and independence training for adulthood).
Feel reassured that we are all ‘winging it’ through adult hood, and challenge perceptions of what it means to succeed, be independent and thrive.
My awarded insights and 2 decades of professional expertise details this chapters guidance, experiences and advice. Never shying from the hardships, and realistically painting a poetic picture of what reasonable adjustments in educational settings, home environments and the workplace may enable us to thrive.
Detailing realistic life skill building, content adult life, and my thriving career, to mindful independence and what makes my autism a good component in my career and work; This chapter helps readers to witness my journey transitioning from a teen – to an adult, with reams of professional and personal advice and guidance.
Along these technical insights, personal stories of menstruation, higher education, independent living, career, my independence training, and transition enablers, showcase just how much my diversity, my environment, and acceptance empowered me to be the women I am today.
Chapter 2:
"Hype For My Fairy Jam Jar"
(ADHD)
Become hyper focused, as you learn about all the ‘Hypers/Hypos’ in my ADHD – and that hyper is not just in our behaviours, but our minds, too. Whether it is Mind Wandering (STIM)ulations, hyper time blindness, hypo object permanence or hype for the hypers and hypos, in this chapter you’ll learn about the hidden reality of these very hidden aspects of my ADHD. Cry and laugh out loud, at my relatable true stories in every trait, quirk or hardship, that bring the technical information to life.
This chapter raises awareness that much like a metaphorical fairy, I witness the world as if behind a glass jar, misunderstandings and misperceptions etched like riddles, into the glass prism of my home fairy jam jar. For example, I am misunderstood and judged as naughty by many, and often humorously aware of my differences to the other fairies. My ADHD, is what makes me feel like a misperceived fairy, stuck in a jam jar home, so diverse to the neurotypical people around me, but also, I have so much hype for my ADHD traits too.
Readers will realise that no matter the societal roar for Autistic or ADHD people to change themselves, I rather like my fairy jam jar because it makes me caring, loyal, justice seeking, honest, creative and passionate – and not only that, but my Autistic and ADHD traits can empower me too. If this is my natural way for my brain to work, then surely, it is perfect? It helps me. Why change the hypers and hypos that make me function at my best?
This chapter ends on a hopeful high – that although we may feel like our society is cracked and broken, this chapter helps to remind readers to never forget that it’s the cracks in life, that let the light shine through. Our diversity doesn’t make us bad people or inhumane, it makes us beautifully human.
Chapter 4
"Glass Jars of Mental Health"
(Mental Health)
Wade through the darkness of mental health issues, and realise, there may be a spark of hope on the other side, no matter how trapped you currently feel.
Among my relatable true stories, is my awarded insights into the technical, insightful information I share - that does not shame or invalidate - but peels away misconceptions of what it means to have mental health issues.
Everything from understanding PTSD, Adrenaline overwhelm, unintentional Gaslighting, Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, and Imposter Syndrome, to understanding our emotions as teachers, challenging our mindsets.
Ultimately this chapter shows how we can find the fairy dust glue, to mend the broken shards of glass together, that has fallen from our Glass jar of mental health; because there is always hope, because we still have our humanity and good intentions, no matter how bad we feel.
Chapter 6
"Learning to Fly"
(Accessible realistic Mindfulness, Healthy Mindset and Autism Appreciation)
Find Fairy Dust by managing expectations of milestones, with my life lessons to autism acceptance; discover the power of ‘yet’, and the meaning of true inspiration, challenge what it means to have hope, while realising that you don’t have to succeed like people expect, to be worthy or even hopeful.
Understand what mindfulness truly means for autistic people and adapt to a growth mindset that works for you – away from the toxic expectations of society. Find the parts of our hidden hardships that can be switched to help us thrive and imagine how the story of your life can be written, by you, and not society. Along these magical life lessons, is a detailed insight filled with relatable stories and advice, ending with a reflective account of what healthy autism acceptance, appreciation and pride means to me as I give thanks and reflect on my journey to thriving, not in spite, of my autism disability gift. Ultimately, why there is hope, even if it glitters, on the surface of pain or hardship.
Why I wrote 'My Autistic Wings'
Tell me, have you ever wondered: ‘what does it mean, to have a gift?
To be disabled? To be autistic? To thrive?’.
I have; and that is because I challenge these thoughts within my passions of inter/national motivational speaking, and multi-national and world award winning autism training, advocacy, and my first highly reviewed book – ‘AspergerWorld’;
because the truth, may cause surprise.
I wrote this book, to lovingly share this truth - even a disability that impacts every second of my life, can be a gift. I wrote this book, sharing my truth because its the least our Autistic Community deserve, to finally realise that even with the raw hardships - of which there are many - they still have hope to a brighter future, because of our good intentions to try and be justified and honest people, and utilise our hardships, to learn to fly.
As cliché as it sounds, this truth can set us free, to be our best selves.
I have a gift, a disability called Autism; because, despite the endless misconceptions and stigma that rips apart the Autistic communities, a gift and a disability, can co-exist, without invalidating struggles or worth of either. This is because being disabled does not remove our humanity, good intentions, worth or quirks; it can build upon them.
A disability and hardships do not mean there is no hope for the future, it only means we need a little extra support than others, to reach that baseline, that everyone else already starts at. Once we reach that same baseline, we can thrive like anyone else can. So what reason, aside from ableism, paints disability as not being worthy of also being a gift?
Why shouldn't I be empowered to be my best self by also recognising my gifts, within my disability, too? Why shouldn't society see this truth, to best enable Autistic people to fly?
At the dawn of these questions, comes the simple answer of why I wrote this book
- why not share insights into how to gain support from within us, and society,
to make this hope and truth a reality? Why not try, to seek positive change?
I am a firm believer we all have something special within us, a magic, a kind of spark, that can help us, empower other people with our good intentions and kindness. The more we understand ourselves, the root of struggles, mental health issues, and how we fit into the world around us, the more we can help people become the future selves they want to be.
For Autistic people, this can look like wanting to become more independent or pursuing passion, but either way, the hope is there, not in-spite of our disabilities.
I wrote this book to try to help people, achieve this hope and inner truth, if they so wish
- supporting them to transition into adult life skills and living; whether from teen to adult, or an adult learning how to become more self accepting and transition into independence training and life skills to help with adult life.
I also wrote this book because growing up, I desperately needed a positive, in-depth, detailed account of autism acceptance and transitional training to help build my life skills. even now, there are few books from an awarded autistic women’s, and autistic professionals perspective that is so detailed, positive and inspiring, while also being totally raw, validating, accepting and educational too.
So I set out, to be the change, and I hope to inspire others, to safely share their stories too,
so that can we make change together, because together we are a TEAM,
and Together Everyone Achieves More.
Why me?
I am Autistic, however I am also an autism professional who has a decade of experience working with disabled young people and adults, from my experience of volunteering with government and councils on transition teams helping young disabled people transition from school to higher education or work, working on green papers and nationwide accessibility plans, and award winning disability youth action charities and delivering workshops and training based on my books content nationwide.
Along side my volunteering, I am a professional child-carer in an award-winning setting with 20 years experience (what can I say? I started VERY young as it was my passion to help others, 'appropriately and reasonably working' every morning and evening after school as my mum is a OFSTED Outstanding childminder, and then all day, most days for several years after school). This childminding work often focusing as a 121 to autistic and disabled children, working on transitional teams with councils and helping them transition to schools and other services.
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I write from these unique perceptions, with a humorous dialogue, positive mindset and ‘can do’ attitude, that doesn’t shy away from the information we need to know – our hardships are not burdens, and we are not failures, because society misunderstands and gaslights us. My book explores the full autism spectrum and its hidden depths for me - hardships and quirks -
in great detail, with relatable stories, positivity and reams of guidance.
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Ultimately my book teaches, that you don’t have to ignore or invalidate struggles, to have hope, or see positively – you can use the disability and Autism, to help them heal.
There was never anything wrong, with them, or their struggles after all
– so why shouldn’t their disability be a gift?