Episode 1 - Be the Change

And in this first episode, it's just me, bravely and vulnerably, sharing some of my late discovery story with you.

I want to lead this podcast by example and it turns out that I have quite a lot I want to say. And in future episodes I will be bringing you real and empowering stories of late-discovered autistic women from all walks of life on their journey of self-discovery because As a narrative psychology advocate, I know that there is real power in our stories, that our stories can become the lights of hope on someone else's dark runway. And that my story, your story, and our collective stories.

Mae'n ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid ymwneud â'r newid As well as providing the next generation of autistic women with some insights into incredible women, women who are embracing their differences, giving them access to role models many generations of autistic women have never had.

My story today begins almost a decade ago, when I was working as an NHS strategist. on the fifteen year stress show for the NHS and completely oblivious to my neurotype I hit burnout. And my drive was to create a compassionate space to sit in the dark with women, championing their stories and bringing Sparkle back and to find a better way of working that was more attuned to my needs.

I know for those last seven years I've worked with hundreds of women, I've spent thousands and thousands of hours bringing Sparkle back I was a resident psychotherapist for three years on the Stephanie Hurst BBC Radio Leeds show, a regular on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Rwy'n wedi'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i I have created and nurtured communities, namely Girl Tribe Gang and the Lake Discovered Club.

I've contributed my insights and experience right across the media. I've collaborated with brands such as John Lewis. I've been a columnist for the Flop magazine and I've studied for and gained my psychology masters during the pandemic. all this in and amongst to giving birth to my second daughter Christina in twenty seventeen.

And all that reads like a success story. And it is, given my own starting point and the adversity that I've faced in my life. And I'm immensely proud of those achievements. But underneath it all

There have been many struggles. Struggles that people and others haven't seen, struggles that I've kept hidden, and struggles that I've normalized. I don't know whether autism found me or I found autism. But I've been on my own self-discovery journey for the last few years, in parallel with supporting more and more women in therapy on their own self-discovery journey. In that time, I've read, I've explored, I've studied, and I've been immersed in the world of autism and autistic stories.

I discovered that I'm autistic with a generous sprinkling of ADHD, which means that my neurodivergent brain works in a different way, not in a lesser way, just a different way. Mae'n ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r amser.

one of the most discombobulating moments in my life, but equally the most affirming and profound because it really explains so much of what I'd struggled with throughout my life and why. But I was definitely in a state of shock. How had I managed to keep this fundamental part of who I am behind a mask for so long? Why had I done that and why didn't anyone else see the struggles behind the mask?

Mae'n ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl. Yn ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl. Rydw i wedi bod yn ymwneudol yn ymwneudol. Rydw i wedi bod yn ymwneudol. Rydw i wedi bod yn ymwneudol. Rydw i wedi bod yn ymwneudol. Rydw i wedi bod yn mynd. But I find it awkward and intense.

We normalize our experiences, our human experience, because Mae'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw. But I was never exposed to these experiences until the last few years. During my own self-discovery journey, I had conversations with my parents about how I was as a child. Did they notice anything different about me? resulting in a gender bias diagnostic criteria and a stereotype to match. And even I didn't see it.

It took others to hold up a mirror to me to help me see myself from a perspective that I've never seen myself from before. So I was a highly sensitive child who had epilepsy. an aversion to noise, chronic ear infections and speech and language problems. And as a child I would get my words jumbled up and I struggled with my pronunciation which still happens now in some situations. Although I try my hardest to overcome that as much as I can and I'm trying my hardest on this podcast.

to overcome that as much as I can. I struggle to recall words and I struggle to get them in the right order, which means that I have to work really, really hard on my speech and my pronunciation.

And whilst this hasn't ever stopped me in my career, it has meant finding workarounds for those situations, which for me means I have to script everything I want to say just in case. Which meant that when I did that three year stint on the radio on BBC Radio Leads or I'm speaking on a panel Or I'm delivering a presentation or I'm speaking on a podcast. or I'm public speaking somewhere, I have to spend hours and hours. ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud.

Everyone sees the delivery, but nobody has a glimpse into my inner world and the sheer effort it takes me. It can feel like my starting point is always way back than others and that I have to put in so much more effort just to appear good enough. It's a huge energy surge which then leaves me feeling drained and I know now that I have to be really, really selective in what I say yes to.

Rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'.

Rydyn ni'n gwneud fy Psycholodra'r Dyn ni'n gwneud fy Psycholodra'r Dyn ni'n gwneud fy Psycholodra'r Dyn ni'n gwneud fy Psycholodra'r Dyn ni'n gwneud fy Psycholodra'r Dyn ni'n gwneud fy Psycholodra'r Dyn ni'n gwneud hynny mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd. Rydyn ni'n gweithio mewn gwirionedd yn gweithio mewn gwirionedd. Rydyn ni'n gweithio mewn gwirionedd. Rydyn ni'n gweithio mewn gwirionedd. Rydyn ni'n gweithio mewn gwirionedd. Rydyn ni'n gweithio mewn gwirionedd.

A whilst i love people and I love nothing more than a deep conversation, which is why I inadvertently chose a career as being a therapist. I find big group dynamics exhausting and overwhelming and I find small talk without purpose such an effort. ac mae'n ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud ei wneud.

I would seek the safety of retreating into my own world. Not because of what society would deem as being a deficit in my ability to socialise, because I enjoy socialising. But because the world can feel too much when your sensory system reacts in the way that mine does to the world. So spending time in an environment that feels sensory neutral equals safety.

I much, much prefer spending time with people on a one to one or in a small group because there's less to process. But I recognise even then Rwy'n rhaid am ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r hyn.

I find utter joy and peace in swimming and in Vedic meditation and drawing and running until my hips had other ideas. And I recognise that they're all they're all very solitary things that I find joy and peace in doing. I read nonfiction. I prefer real life stories to imaginary ones. I've never really got comedy and I struggle to watch anything that isn't deeply engaging and emotional or science fiction or war or apocalyptic themed.

I've had a 25 year love affair with all things psychology, people and human behaviour. And if you asked me to talk about that, I would talk forever. My favourite place in the world is Copenhagen. Simple Scandy interiors are a sensory delight and I love the cold and colourful monochromatic dressing is my thing. I find that visually Um just so soothing. Really is not my experience I've yet to meet an autistic woman who lacks empathy. It's the reverse.

Rydyn ni'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi'n amgylch chi. But learning how to meditate through my Vedic meditation practice has definitely helped me on the sleep front. I recognize I need complete quiet and calm to sleep and to work.

And Open Plan Offices all had such an impact on my nervous system. And it's why I recognise I need autonomy over the where and the how now to make it a more sensory-friendly experience for me. And it makes me think back to being a child. I can understand now why I had those big emotional overspills, which were always just me breaking down into tears.

ond rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy

Without an understanding back then of of why, I had no frame of reference as to why or what might help. I suppose the label I was given is one of a highly sensitive child. I find noise distracting and certain noises painful and stressful. So for example for me sitting in the hairdressers or commuting on a train, I can hear every conversation and every sound. It's sensory overload and it's it's really distracting.

And I can't focus if there are multiple sounds and I find it quite painful. So I now take my earplugs everywhere with me and try wherever possible to reduce those multiple sources of sounds. I can think back to being a teenager, how I was never without my Walkman and headphones. Mae'n ymwneud yn gweithio 100 mhau. Mae'n ymwneud â phobl. Mae'n ymwneud â phobl. Mae'n ymwneud â phobl. Mae'n ymwneud â phobl. Mae'n ymwneud â phobl. Mae'n ymwneud â phobl.

If you were to ask me to start a business today, I would have the name, the domain, an outline, some aims, and probably the website copy with you by close of play. And I now have an ideas journal. A place where I find I just have to dump my next big idea or next series of ideas.

mewn gwirionedd yn ei wneud â'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i The reality is that I'm never gonna start, but there's something about the dopamine high my brain gets from creating something and from idea generation and trying to find solutions to problems.

I've really struggled with the language and the narrative around autism and ADHD. Rwy'n cael eu defnyddio'r defnyddio. Rwy'n cael eu defnyddio'r defnyddio'r defnyddio'r defnyddio'r defnyddio'r defnyddio. My brain is in constant creative flow and I'm never ever just focusing on one thing. So my struggle and my challenge in my life has been finding an outlet in which to direct that attention and energy because It's an ever present challenge every day.

I have been told throughout my life that I'm too much, I'm too focused, I'm very driven. I hear, Catherine, I can't keep up with you. You never sit still, you never stop. And I realise now that's because my brain diverges from the norm and I don't see this as a deficit as others have viewed this or framed this or something that I should be ashamed of or something that I should hide away from from view. I see this as one of my incredible Aud strengths.

I have this theory that my brain seeks safety in things and depends on structure and routine and sameness in my daily life. in order to reduce the load in my daily executive functioning. And I call this my spiky cognitive profile. So Following instructions, packing to travel, uh menu planning, Christmas shopping, what we're going to eat for dinner tomorrow, anything that involves having to plan ahead.

yw'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio. And I can't tell you how many times I've got lost as an adult because I can't follow a map or follow step by step instructions, possibly a thread for another episode. It took me seven attempts to pass my driving test.

And it's always been something that I have talked about and kind of Um but the reality is is that in in one of those failed attempts I had gone the wrong way up a one-way street. Because I found having to listen to instructions while simultaneously doing, it was just too overwhelming. My mind struggles with following verbal sequences or and and steps and You know, passing my driving test shouldn't have been that hard. It shouldn't have been such a struggle, but it was.

And I have a history of failing exams because my memory recall always lets me down. I'm terrible at quizzes because I can't recall those facts. And I have always struggled with interviews because the ability to listen to the question and maintain eye contact and then search my evidence database for an appropriate answer is something I find really difficult.

Rwy'n ddim wedi'i ddodd i'n cael ei wneud, mae'n ddodd i wedi'i ddodd i'n ei wneud. Rwy'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd i'n ddodd And anything that has a string of multiple verbal instructions. I struggled massively with the quantitative research element in my psych math.

Rwy'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio. Rwy'n gweithio mewn gwirionedd yn ysgrifennu mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n gweithio mewn gwirionedd yn ysgrifennu mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n gweithio mewn gwirionedd yn ysgrifennu mewn gwirionedd yn ysgrifennu mewn gwirionedd.

My mind works in pictures. I'm a visual thinker, so able to explain the most complex of things in a simple framework or picture, and I see patterns in people's stories. Rydyn ni'n ymwneudol yn ymwneudol yn ymwneudol yn ymwneudol yn ymwneudol yn ymwneudol yn ymwneudol yn ymwneudol yn ymwneudol yn ymwneudol yn ymwneudol.

Rwy'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n And I think that sameness, from what I eat to the music that I listen to on repeat,

mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd

The most challenging part for me has been the blindfold coming off and then back cataloguing my life through a completely different lens and the loss that I experienced as I realised the missed knowledge. and opportunities that might have been there for adaptations, for adjustments. that might have resulted in my life not feeling so difficult and perhaps not attempting or me not attempting to close the book are my story in my late teens.

And my journal bore the brunt of this unravelling. I found journaling such a therapeutic process. I think it's a really underrated therapeutic tool on the self discovery journey. There were plenty of uh har moments, but also A lot of sadness for having to navigate life for over four decades without the knowledge that I now have and the constant questions of I don't know what I did wrong or why don't I fit or why why will my brain never stop?

Mae'r self-dysgovery yn ymwneud â'i bod yn ymwneud â'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i Rwy'n gweithio ychydig ychydig. Mae'n unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw unrhyw. That type of self discovery therapeutic support, in my experience, it doesn't exist. Not as a mainstream offer.

Mae'n llawer o'r pethau o'r pethau wedi bod yn ymwneud â'i bod yn ymwneud â'i bod yn ymwneud â'i bod yn ymwneud â'i bod yn ymwneud â'i bod yn ymwneud â'i bod yn ymwneud â'i bod yn ymwneud â'i bod yn ymwneud â'i hwnnw. Mae'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw.

Mae hynny'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd And as I've begun to delicately peel back the layers of the mask that I've had to wear, I'm definitely living and experiencing my life in a much more sensory friendly way. And I find myself being

Acutely aware now and highly observant of the sensory sensitivities around me. And I find myself saying out loud or to myself, mae'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio. It's also meant a lot of self forgiveness and some huge dollops of self compassion.

Yn ymwneud â phobl o'r stori sy'n hef wedi ddysgu'r ymwneud â phobl o ddysgu'r ymwneud â phobl o ddysgu'r ymwneud â phobl o ddysgu'r ymwneud â phobl o ddysgu'r ymwneud â phobl o ddysgu'r ymwneud â phobl.

And this wasn't a conclusion that I came to on a whim or because there's a trend um or because I watched a TikTok video. It's something I've spent mm hundreds of hours, more than hundreds of hours exploring. For me personally right now, I'm not sure that paying thousands of pounds for a formal diagnosis would change anything for me at this point in my life.

although I recognise that if I'd have known uh it would have helped me as a young adult and a child. It would have helped me to For me to understand me and to help me navigate friendships, relationships, the world of work, my studies and and life generally. I really, I really wish I had this level of understanding about myself much earlier in my life.

I found that I've had to push through the uncomfortableness of self-disclosure because I don't want to live my life hidden behind a mask anymore. And it's not that I'm uncomfortable about who I am. But I would be naive to think that others will show the same level of acceptance given the stigma that exists around autism. And I'm at peace with the idea of someone changing their opinion about me based on my disclosure.

But I am still me, you know? I'm still Catherine. This is how I have lived my life. It's just now that self-applying that label for me has been really liberating. I know now that my brain works a bit differently, but that it doesn't mean that I'm any less.

But I know that for many women, self-disclosure is not a safe thing to do. It doesn't feel safe and it isn't safe because Self disclosure in an environment where there's little to no understanding and where acceptance and inclusion is not high on the agenda, it can be seriously career limiting and weaponized against you.

Asking for adjustments can be seen as a weakness. Needing and requesting accommodations yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw. in our families and in our communities on reducing the stigma and changing that stereotype that people have. And what I found as I self-disclose is, but Catherine I don't see it. Or, but you don't look autistic. Or, but Catherine you're too successful to be autistic.

Ac yw'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg, mae'r amlwg. And I have big emotions that often become overwhelming, but you don't see that because it happens internally and the overspill happens out of sight. I've had to find elaborate and exhausting in a workaround and mask my way through life. And girls tend to mask from a very early age. That's, you know, we understand.

ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl ymwneud â phobl Rydyn ni'n cael ei wneud. Yn ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud. But what happens is that when we are seeing us being too much, too difficult, too sensitive, Uh too many needs.

Rydyn ni'n ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r hyn. And we become very attuned to responses to those needs. So when we

We see your eye rolls or we hear your sighs. When we see your body language, we can hear it in the tone of your voice, we see it in your actions. Which brings me on to why this podcast matters.

And late discovery at the point of a child's diagnosis is what I see in a lot, but not all, but a lot of the autistic women's stories that I've heard. We go under the radar because the stereotypical presentation of autism is male-biased, with on average three times more boys than girls being diagnosed, and there are so many barriers to getting a diagnosis. so many barriers that women have they have no choice but to self-identify.

So our stories and our experiences they go unheard and they remain undiscovered and we remain misunderstood. But self identifying, self diagnosis, it it is valid. it is absolutely valid. The consequences of this gender bias are absolutely staggering. Evidence research shows that women who go undiagnosed, who live with a lifetime of misunderstood and unmet needs, along with all the masking to fit in,

are at an increased risk of dying by suicide. In addition to ongoing and misattributed mental health issues. Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod adeiladau autistica, yn ymwneud â phobl iawn, yn ymwneud â phobl iawn i'r cyflwyno'r cyflwyno'r cyflwyno'r cyflwyno'r cyflwyno'r cyflwyno'r cyflwyno of inflammatory conditions, of irritable bowel syndrome, of fibromyalgia, of chronic UTIs and of ME in the stories I hear.

But these are never connected up because we're talking here about women sydd wedi'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i

And whilst research into developing a unique female profile of autism is in its early stages, there is an evidence base emerging of how autism presents differently in females. So gaining insights into our individual experiences and our stories and our coping mechanisms along with our strengths and our struggles. yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r

We are experts by experience here. We have unique lived insights and experiences, so really should be at the forefront of person centred research to help further our understanding. to help co-design affirming therapeutic support and suicide prevention services and all the wider societal psychoeducation into the unique profile of autism and how it presents in women and girls.

that this is an area that I'm hugely passionate and hugely knowledgeable about. And this is what I hope to focus my thesis on in my doctorate, my psychology doctorate. But Mae'n rhaid yn ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud. I have to accept that doing a doctorate in that way and travelling down to London for four years would just be too much for me.

ac yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n. Rydyn ni'n mynd i'r mask. Rydyn ni'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd. The compassionate part of me is saying, Katherine, let's listen to your body and maybe let's try another, more kinder way of doing this. Let's find a workaround. Let's find a different kind of solution.

So I've created the Late Discovered Club because this way I get to reach significantly more women. I get to hear many, many more stories through this podcast, through the circles that I facilitate. And maybe, not maybe, I will write a book instead of a doctoral thesis. One thing I know for sure is that we have got to shine a light on these stories because

Every single autistic experience is a completely unique human experience. It's a kaleidoscope of colours and flavours. And if you've met one human being You've met one human being and that's no different for a human being who is autistic. I want to discover and hear the women who have had to navigate life behind a mask because

Our stories matter, my story matters, your story matters, educating people matters, changing the narrative matters, and I hope that this podcast is going to do exactly that. It's gonna give late-discovered autistic women a voice. bringing you compassionate conversations with some incredible autistic women. And now I find myself immersed in the world of women and girls and autism, trying to be the change in my own very small way.

And, you know, there's a couple of things that I'm doing. So I have created my SASA framework. as a tool in therapy to help women on their self-discovery journey to compassionately unmask. And I recognised and see that it's also a neuroaffirming tool.

a gweithwyr a gweithwyr sy'n gweithwyr sy'n gweithwyr a chweithwyr a chweithwyr a chweithwyr a chweithwyr a chweithwyr a chweithwyr a chweithwyr a chweithwyr a chweithwyr a chweithwyr Rwy'n credu'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau'r cyrlau.

yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n mynd. and incredibly memorable in my own efforts to lead that chain.

Ond yn gyffredinol ac yn gyffredinol, mae'n rhaid i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd Mae'r cwmwm yn ei wneud. Mae'r cwmwm yn ei wneud. Mae'r cwmwm yn ei wneud. Ac mae'r cwmwm yn ei wneud i'w helpu de-di-di-di-di-di-di-di-di-di autism. ac mae'r steriotyp sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n.

Rydyn ni'n mynd i mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd mewn gwirionedd Mae'n rhaid i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl i'r bobl.

Mae'n ymwneud â'rhyw, mae'n ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â ymwneud â phobl. Yn ymwneud â phobl, a'i ddweud â phobl, a'i ddweud â phobl, a'i ddweud â phobl, a'i ddweud â phobl, a'i ddweud â phobl, a'i ddweud â phobl, a'i ddweud â phobl, a'i ddweud â phobl.

And I'm no longer accepting the things I cannot change and I'm changing the things I cannot accept. We all have a responsibility and I want you to take this first episode as a call to action. What can you do to be the change?