Episode 9: Travel and Autism — Exploring the World with Heightened Senses
Travel and the act of experiencing people and places is something that is generally talked about with excitement, but for Autistic people, it can be a much more complex experience.
Patrick, who hosts entrepreneurial retreats for therapists all over the world and travels often for extended periods of time, shared that despite loving to travel, the experience of hosting retreats and being away from home could also feel torturous at times, like having exposed nerves that were shocked by all things sensory.
When talking about travel and social interactions, Dr. Neff expressed that it "feels like the decision is to have a really small life or to lean into experiences, but to be constantly confronted with the too-muchness of the world."
In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, both AuDHD mental health professionals, share their diverse experiences and feelings about travel, social interactions, and sensory overload.
Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Understand the challenges and experiences of neurodivergent individuals while traveling and in stimulating social spaces.
- Identify ways that travel can provide positive stimulation for Autistic individuals through new experiences.
- Learn ways to manage and do self-care and self-advocacy when feeling sensory overload during travel.
Travel and social situations can be challenging for neurodivergent individuals, but through vulnerability and a commitment to self-care, it is possible to find strength and joy in the pursuit of exploring new places and experiences.
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Mentioned in this episode:
The Autistic Burnout Workbook
I'm Dr. Megan Anna Neff, owner of Neurodivergent Insights, and I'm excited to announce the release of my book, The Autistic Burnout Workbook. I'm running a special deal for those who support my work. After you order, you will get a coupon code that you can use toward our store for the same amount. For example, the workbook costs $18.99, so after purchase, you'd get a credit of $18.99 to use in our digital shop or in our Etsy shop, which gets you another digital workbook of your choosing for free. This is technically a pre-order promotion that was originally set to end on March 10th, but for listeners of the podcast, I'm going to extend this deal, so if you buy the book in the next month, you can also redeem this special. Thank you for supporting my work. It means so much to me and I hope that you will find this a helpful resource for you as you continue to build a life that is a bit more resilient to autistic burnout. Use the following link to grab this offer: https://neurodivergentinsights.notion.site/17ea17a4bb8b8034ab2bf9b03c560a64 After this deal ends, you can use this link to purchase this workbook: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Autistic-Burnout-Workbook/Megan-Anna-Neff/9781507223062
