Category Archives: Shame

Meltdowns and the Lens of Ableism

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Leah Kelley, Ed.D.

Meltdowns – from the other side… Many, many months back Colin Bowman and I began a conversation in the comments section of one of my posts (Yours, Mine and Ours: Autism, Self-Advocacy and Setting Limits). This interaction has been resonating … Continue reading →

Posted in ableism, acceptance, Autism, Behaviour, Communicate, limits, Resiliency, Shame, support | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Autism Awareness… Let’s spread understanding

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Leah Kelley, Ed.D.

At barely 14, H is already sensitive to what others are saying about autism and he often feels uneasy and personally threatened by representations of autism in the media that are framed as tragedy and epidemic. I have previously written … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, Autism, autism stigma, empathy, Humour, perspective of others, reframe tragedy, Shame | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

To the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Autism and Reframing Tragedy

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Leah Kelley, Ed.D.

Dear Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, I will begin with the words of my son, H: “I am not a tragedy and autism is a part of who I am. Mom – autism means I think differently… and that … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, ASD, Aspergers, Autism, diversity, Shame, worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Adding the I to IEP: H is at the table

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Leah Kelley, Ed.D.

There was another first for our 13-year-old this week. We worked with the wonderful team at H’s Distributed Learning School to update his Individual Education Plan (IEP) and for the first time ever H was there to take part. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Autism, Distance Education, Distributed Learning, Goals, HFASD, IEP, inclusion, scaffolding, self-advocacy, Shame, Special Education | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Autism Self-Advocacy – 13 year old style

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Leah Kelley, Ed.D.

H is 13… in some ways he is still so young… but I see him changing and developing in many areas.  I also see that adulthood is looming, and I understand that this next stage is, in some ways, much … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, Arizona, Arizona TASH, ASD, Aspergers, Autism, promote social understanding, self-advocacy, Shame | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

30 Days of Autism to ‘I Wish I Didn’t Have Aspergers’: a letter to my son #AutismPositivity2012

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Leah Kelley, Ed.D.

To ‘I Wish I Didn’t Have Aspergers/Autism’: A letter to my son I have written three posts over the past few days… none of them this one. I have worried about saying the wrong thing, offering useless platitudes, or trite … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Autism Positivity, diversity, Flash Blog, Neurotypical, Parent, Shame | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Autism Positivity… and the motivation to reframe “tragedy”

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Leah Kelley, Ed.D.

I will begin with the words of my son, H: “I am not a tragedy and autism is a part of who I am. Mom – autism means I think differently… and that is a good thing. Isn’t it?!?” I … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, Anxiety, Autism, Autism Positivity, Behaviour, diversity, Shame, The Gap, worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments