Being autistic can be really hard. Especially when societal norms are working against nuerodiverse acceptance and the common traits associated with autism. This episode looks at how to move beyond the stigma of masking, negativity, obsessions and motivation to use them as advocacy tools for a more neurodiverse culture. For this episode Kim collected questions from the @journey2lomah instagram community and presented them to Rose Reif, LCMHC, CRC, BC-TMH. Rose Reif is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, and a Qualified Developmental Disability and Mental Health Professional. She's also Board Certified in providing Telemental Health. Rose supports people with disabilities and the people who love them in her counseling practice in Cary, North Carolina. You can learn more by visiting RoseReif.com Mentioned in this Episode Fogg Behavior Model Transtheoretical Stages of Change Model Blog Post: Special Needs Parents and Corona Virus Stress Blog Post: 4 Reasons I Don’t Demand Eye Contact From Autistic Patients Related Episodes Episode 90 - Teen to Adult Transition Insights from a Self Advocate Episode 74 - Caregiver Emotional & Mental Health (w/ Rose Reif) Episode 70 - Do This Not That: Lessons from a Self Advocate Episode 61 & 62: Inclusive Housing & Social Change Episode 54: Virtual Reality Social Cognition Training Episode 04: The Caregiving, Celebrating Balancing Act