Autism, Identity and Me: A Practical Workbook to Empower Adults

Acknowledgements

About the Authors

1.       Introduction

2.       You’re Autistic. Now what?

3.       To Diagnose or Not to Diagnose

4.       My Personality and Interests

5.       Feeling Different

6.       What is Autism?

7.       What Does Autism Mean to Me?

8.       My Autistic Interests, Memory and Focus

9.       My Autistic Sensory Motor Profile

10.   Social and Communication Style and Needs

11.   Emotions and Energy Levels

12.   Rituals, Routine, Structure and Predictability

13.   Camouflaging, Masking and Assimilation

14.   Other Autistic People

15.   My Toolkit

16.   My Personal Quick Reference Guide

17.   My Autistic Identity Statement

18.   Disability and Ableism

19.   Self-Advocacy

20.   Summary

References

Biography

Rebecca Duffus is an experienced Specialist Advisory Teacher with a Psychology Degree and a Masters in Autism and Education. She has decades of experience working in both mainstream and specialist education settings as well as within local council and education services. Rebecca has spoken at conferences across the UK including the Autism Show, National Autistic Society Professionals' Conference and TES SEN, and is the bestselling author of the Autism, Identity and Me set for children and young people. Her work has helped thousands of people to learn about autistic people and be more inclusive. 

Lyric Rivera is an Autistic and ADHD best-selling author and self-advocate who runs the internationally recognized NeuroDivergent Rebel blog. Their works include the business ethics book, Workplace Neurodiversity Rising and The Weight of Normal, a memoir exploring forced assimilation and self-discovery after learning one is NeuroDivergent late in life. Lyric is also the creator of the hashtag #AskingAutistics, where people can share their experiences, ask questions, and connect with each other. Their work has helped millions of people learn about Autistic people and how to make the world a better, more Neuro-Inclusive place (for all of us).

"I genuinely believe that there is a direct correlation between understanding of self and subsequent potential for well-being. This applies just as much, if not more so, to those who discover that they are an Autistic adult. Any resource that leads to a greater understanding of Autistic authenticity is a welcome commodity. Autism, Identity and Me is one such commodity – covering a wide range of Autism-related narratives along with rich quotations from the Autistic community this provides a useful tool to explore the Autistic self which, in turn, could lead to Autistic wellbeing." - Dr Luke Beardon, Senior Lecturer in Autism, The Autism Centre, Sheffield Hallam University

“I was eagerly awaiting this adult version of Autism, Identity and Me after having used the original version with many young people. This grown-up version has exceeded my expectations in that it will be so helpful for not only exploring and newly identified autistics, but also those who have known they are autistic for a long time but have never had it explained to them properly. For me, self-awareness leads to self-advocacy. It enables an autistic person to understand themselves and know what enables them to live their best life. This book can give them the tools to heal from misdiagnosis and misunderstanding from others. The quotes throughout are insightful and create a community of people who get it, who have the same experiences and who autistic people using this workbook can relate to.

Rebecca and Lyric have written an informative, positive and affirming workbook. The chapters are easy to follow and can be processed in your own time. This book would work best, taking one section at a time and really learning about yourself, letting the impact develop into your own life so that you become more confident and able to set your own boundaries and self-care. Of course, it would be great for family and friends to read too, so that they can understand and support their autistic loved one.” - Lynn McCann, Autism and ADHD Specialist and Author

“As a mental health therapist, I read autism resources with a particular question: would I actually give this to a client? Most of what's out there lands in one of two places: clinical and deficit-focused, or affirming but light on the harder realities. Duffus and Rivera are among the few who hold both at once, taking masking fatigue, burnout, and sensory overwhelm as seriously as they take strengths and self-knowledge. I'd trust this workbook with a client in a hard week.” - Emily Kircher-Morris, Host of the Neurodiversity Podcast and Author

“This is a thoughtful and accessible resource that creates space for Autistic people to explore identity on their own terms, recognising that being Autistic is shaped by context, culture, and lived experience, rather than reducing identity to a fixed set of traits. The strength of this workbook is in the space it holds: It doesn’t push people toward a single answer, but supports reflection, self-understanding, and self-advocacy in a way that feels very grounded and human. For many, this book will offer a supportive way into making sense of what being Autistic means to them beyond deficit-based narratives.” - Kieran Rose, The Autistic Advocate, Consultant, Author and Researcher

“What Rebecca and Lyric have created together is nothing short of exceptional. Autism, Identity and Me: A Practical Workbook to Empower Adults is not only a workbook, but a literal roadmap to help Autistic individuals embrace ourselves and create our own advocacy plan that will ultimately support us to exist in Autistic joy. I also envision this workbook as a formidable barrier between an Autistic individual and ableism within society in the most beautiful, self-accepting way. As I was reading, I felt myself let out an exhale. The lived experiences included throughout the book by Autistic individuals are also a lovely touch—readers have even more of an opportunity to feel a part of a community and relate their experiences to others as they journey throughout their identity exploration. This resource can be used by nearly any profession or discipline that supports Autistic individuals, and I cannot wait to enthusiastically (and endlessly) recommend this resource to my colleagues and use it myself!” - Bryden Carlson-Giving, Occupational Therapist, Creator of Neurodivergent Nexus and Editor of Neurodiversity-Affirming Occupational Therapy

"This book is a fantastic resource for Autistic adults exploring their identity and building a positive sense of Self as an Autistic person. Its workbook style allows Autistic adults to be the narratives of their own story, rather than solid textbooks that may make the reader feel like they are being lectured. As always, the authors have not disappointed and it is very likely I will be recommending this book to my clients in my professional work." - David Gray-Hammond, Independent Academic and Author