What is NeuroStories?
The Story
The Facts
We've all heard of neurodiversity training, however, we know that the power doesn't lie in advice.
Likewise, there is something badly exclusive about offering diversity training to those identifying as 'typical' - it's like having a conversation about 'those people' without include the people we are talking about in the conversation. As a fellow neurodivergent person that didn't sit well with me.
Nor did telling neurodivergent people how to live their lives, based on their diverse brains, work well without first giving voice to each individual, for me to actually know and not just presume their diversity, strengths and struggles.
And finally, who am I to speak on other people's behalf? Who am I to assume knowledge about a topic that's ever changing, ever growing, ever misunderstood?
True power lies in feeling seen, heard and understood through self-knowledge and support. And we can't feel supported if we're doing the work alone without a helpful environment around us. Doing things on our own, privately, quietly, it not suitable for genuine change in this world.
The solution?
Fuck, if I know!
But, what I did create and wanted to offer is a small, group gathering of professional, creative autistics wanting to learn how to become their own spokesperson in this loud space that's the world around us. To learn to harness their own potential and faculty through the power of story sharing to gain the knowledge and confidence in becoming self-advocates.
The offer will come in the form of five week journey of 1.5 hours, each week with its own theme:
1) Introductions (without any cringy ice-breakers. Getting used to each other and talking about our needs from each other over the next few weeks)
2) Labels
3) Identity
4) Needs
5) Communication
Using these themes, I'll share what I've noticed, having worked with hundreds of autistic and other neurodivergent people as well as bits of my own story, while creating the space for each individual to share their own stories, experiences and lessons. While also untangling what is our story and what is a story society has placed upon us.
Because living with stories that are not our own is unbearably heavy.
Structure:
- We'll meet on a Wednesday (either during the traditional 'lunch break' or in the evening) (European time zone)
- We'll meet via Zoom
- It'll be an investment of £149/€170 for all 5 weeks which is less than £30/€35 per session.
Expectations:
- Attendance commitment for the full four weeks
- Wanting to be an active participant and join in the conversation
- An openness to learning and growing as a person
- That you don't look to me as the expert - you're the expert of your own story
I encourage you, whenever possible, to approach your employer to fund this programme as a part of neurodiversity training in the workplace but with you learning to become your own spokesperson to highlight the importance of workplace inclusion and reasonable accommodation being based on individual needs.
Q&As
Do I have to be an active participant (when will it be my turn to speak)?
Yes and no. It's incredibly important that people who want to join NeuroStories feel comfortable and that I'm being inclusive. However, since this, specifically, is a story sharing workshop, it's going to be hard to facilitate if people struggle to share. Now, sharing doesn't have to be by talking but can also be by using the chat function. These are things we will talk about and agree on during the first session. I, personally, know how beneficial it is to learn by listening to other people talk but I also had to learn (am still learning!) how to share myself for the benefit of others.
Do I have to prepare anything before each session?
You're free to if it makes you feel better but you absolutely don't have to. The idea is not for everyone to come into this session with a ready-made answer. However, I know from myself that if I look a few things up before I join something new, I feel better prepared. After all, us NDs are kind of famous for running conversations through our heads beforehand to prepare ourselves. But just know that there is not an expectation that you come in with knowledge ready to share.
I don't know much about the suggested themes, so this is probably not for me
That's absolutely ok. Even saying 'I don't know anything about labels' or 'I feel I don't know anything about identity' or 'I struggle to figure out what my needs are' are all helpful prompts for a fruitful conversation. But, hopefully, by the end of the session, you will have something to say about each topic.
Will there be ice-breakers and unspecific, open-ended prompts, like 'tell me about yourself?' during these sessions?
We'll talk about at the start of each new workshop what the group needs. We'll have to introduce each ourselves in some way or form to get to know each other and be comfortable with each other but we'll talk about how best to do that and I won't just spontaneously ask something like 'what's the most interesting thing about you'. Urgh!
The four themes are a bit vague - can they/you be more specific?
This is a tricky one because I really want to be as specific and non-vague at possible but the idea is, literally, to not tell anyone what to think, so the themes are just prompts to get us started on thinking about thinking, about thinking and talking about how we view the world, to help you get some more clarity around what your narrative is and whether you want to keep it or change it based on new information from the story sharing that will happen.
If the group agrees, I'll kick off each session with some ideas we can then bounce around.
If the group agrees, I'll kick off each session with some ideas we can then bounce around.
What's the session Structure like? Will it be lead by you or the participants? Will it be lecture style, have a powerpoint presentation, be discussion based, or...?
We'll agree on this, at the beginning of each session. How I imagine it is that we'll do something to 'arrive' in the room (that's therapy talk for settling in, catching our breath, dealing with any lingering anxiety and get ready to be present (or, at least, as present as we can on that day)), then I'll offer some thoughts and ideas around the day's theme and we'll start talking about what it means for each one of us. So, no lengthy presentation, show up as you are and need (robes, blankets and fidget toys, etc, are most welcome, as well as unruly hair and whatever else). If someone wants to communicate by sharing poems or pictures, please do so. Let's make this a safe un-masking space and let's see what comes out of it. And if a specific group would prefer a more lengthy power-piont presentation, well, let's try that then!
I can't attend 5 weeks in a row, can i still attend?
Life happens and we have to be flexible around that. Ideally, you'll pick a cohort date where you feel able to attend majority of the sessions but if you can't or something comes up that day, it's, of course, fine.
Can I join the community without doing the workshop
At this moment in time, no. I don't feel great about that decision so it might change. But it's kind of part of the fee you're paying for the workshop - that you'll then also gain access to the online community and reoccurring meet-ups. Having gone through the workshop you'll also have a sense of whether this community is for you and we'll have some guidelines in place of what kind of community we're building and what we're needing from each other.
I don't currently work so is this workshop for me as it says geared towards 'professionals' and becoming self-advocates?
Originally, and the underlying concepts of NeuroStories, is to help professionals become better at speaking up for their needs in the workplace, however, the skills learned in terms of becoming a self-advocate and the themes discussed and stories shared will be applicable for all and in all settings, professionally as well as privately. So, if you're not currently working, you can still join the workshop and, indeed, as this concept grows, I might run a cohort that's specifically for unemployed or self-employed or students (etc).
I'm nonverbal/deaf/have other needs not specified in your description - can I join?
I want to make this as inclusive as possible but I'm still learning here, so please get in touch with your specific needs and let's figure it out together and help me learn how to be a more inclusive facilitator as well, without making presumptions about someone's needs.
My question isn't listed here
Please, please, please do get in touch and ask your specific question so I an add it on here and we can help others feel seen and heard.