These tragedies are a call to action.

They are a call to arms.

They are a call to arms,

but not to battle.

They are a call to arms in love.

I am sorry that we couldn’t be there for one another. I am sorry that you couldn’t reveal your pain. I am sorry that we couldn’t share the burdens of our days. I am sorry that we are force-fed happy from the time we are born, and that we rarely get to see each other for who we truly are.

June 12th marked the anniversary of the 2016 massacre at Pulse nightclub in Orlando Florida. Tragically, not much has improved for the LGBTQ2IA+ community in the years since then, and in many places, including the state in which this atrocity occurred, things have become even worse.

I wrote this piece the day after the massacre, and posted it again this year in commemoration and solidarity. SInce then, it has been requested that I read it for you, so I’ve recorded the reading and posted it to my socials.

Listen to the reading on TikTok | YouTube or read the June 12th post here.

*Trigger Warning - Everything. This is a heavy piece.

It took almost 50 years for me to access the information I needed to understand that life as an unsupported, undiagnosed, 2E, PDA Autistic IS as hard as mine has proven it to be, that it wasn't just all in my head, or some kind of indelible character flaw. This video is my “Gifted Child to Actually Autistic Adult’ pipeline. If any of this sounds familiar, know that you are not alone. There are thousands of us out here, ready to embrace and support you.

It is often said that the biggest barrier to effective communication is that we listen to respond, instead of listening to understand. My wife and I like to practice a technique we call, “The Way of What Else?”

I distinctly remember forcing myself to learn to make eye-contact, as a kid, after learning why it was important, in one of the many books I studied, on body language…

When I was younger, I used to call my own phone and leave messages, telling myself how valuable and loveable I was. I’d send myself…

So… a LONG time ago – there was this thing going around on FB where friends were asking each other to put together a list of 25 things that most people likely didn’t know about them…

The first time I came across an Autistic person who ‘looked’ like me, I broke down and sobbed. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such relief, such disbelief, such grief, such awe, such affirmation, such hope, and such a sense of belonging all at the same time - before or since. It was like everything in my life suddenly made a kind of sense that no amount of effort, self-reflection, therapy, self-deprecation, or striving ever had, or could ever have afforded me. 

If you're reading this, chances are you either live with depression, or you know someone who does. For me, it's both.

If you’ve never seen a counsellor before, you might share some familiar concerns. Let’s take a look at some of the most common ones:

A friend and I were talking the other day, about the challenges of forming new friendships and making deep connections as adults.

One of the biggest challenges in any relationship is that of establishing effective communication. It’s easy to get fired-up about getting our own point across, but…

First of all, congratulations on making the decision to access support. If you’ve found the right therapist, this could be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made!

As for preparation and what to expect:

Sometimes the universe hands you a gift,

and accepting it

goes against every bit of common sense you’ve ever heard.

But that kind of sense is called common for a reason.

One of the biggest misconceptions about meditation is that the main goal is to empty the mind. Sadly, countless people write themselves off as meditators under the mistaken belief that if they can’t get their mind-chatter to stop…