A Warm Welcome
Thank you for joining me here! This newsletter is your hub for staying connected with all the latest happenings—upcoming events, updates on Autistic Revolution magazine, and brand-new resources like blogs and podcasts.
Resources
Autistic Burnout Conference: May 17th 2025
Register your interest to attend the conference
Who is the Autistic Burnout Network?
The Autistic Burnout Network is a cohort of Neurodivergent professionals and educators who are all committed to increasing the understanding of burnout, educating others and providing meaningful and compassionate care to those needing support.
Our aim is to create a ‘go to’ place for professionals and individuals to come to find training and support for burnout. With the varied experiences of the identifying professionals involved in this network, we hope to create a high standard of best practice when it comes to supporting our community members.
The Autistic Burnout Conference, May 2025
While details are still to be sorted, we would like to share that we will be bringing you the Autistic Burnout Conference in May 17th 2025.
This will be a one-day, online event for professionals, parents, carers and identifying individuals. Tickets for professionals are priced at a £50 donation while there is a tier of donation options for identifying individuals and parents at £2, £10 and £25.
What Subjects Will be Discussed at the Conference?
Lived experience professionals will be educating on subjects such as (list created by Viv Dawes)
Missed and misdiagnosed
The impact of being multiply marginalised
School trauma, autistic children and young people
Puberty and menopause
Undetected co-occurring conditions such as EDS, PoTs etc
Monotropism, interoception and burnout
The science behind burnout and the nervous system
What do we mean when we talk about recovery?
When burnout is extreme – neurodivergent people, addiction and the criminal justice system
A Conference with Multiple Causes
In addition to providing meaningful education, proceeds from the conference will go toward supporting Autistic Revolution CIC. Autistic Revolution is a free, online magazine created by Autistic and neurodivergent staff to bring you stories, art, music and events that cover topics such as reframing families, education, dedicated interests, food and eating, lifestyle and wellbeing and sexuality.
Register your interest to attend the conference
There is now a form to register your interest in attending the conference. Please follow the link on Viv Dawes’ Webpage here and scroll down to the bottom of the page to input your details.
Thank you on behalf of the Autistic Burnout Network for your interest.
Blog in the Spotlight
Getting to Know More About PDAers: The Less Discussed Characteristics
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is often understood and discussed through its most prominent traits, such as vulnerability to anxiety and resistance to everyday demands. However, there are many lesser talked about characteristics—like deep empathy, creativity, and a strong need for fairness—that paint a fuller, richer picture of PDAers and their experiences.
By discussing these often-overlooked traits, we can foster greater understanding and better support PDA individuals as their authentic selves.
PDA stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance or Persistent Drive for Autonomy
To read the blog in full, please feel welcome to head over to my webpage.
If you’d like a FREE PDF download of this blog, my friends over at PDA North America are hosting this blog and other resources on their webpage.
Autistic Revolution Corner
Background
While Autistic Revolution is a magazine, we see it more as an invitation of community. We know the importance of being able to spend time together in fun, leisure or learning – or perhaps a mix of all three!
Autistic Revolution is Officially a CIC!
As we move into the new year, our focus is on securing funding to take Autistic Revolution to the next level. Our plans include solidifying the magazine as a key resource, producing printed editions, hosting more community events and compensating contributors for their published submissions. Here's to building a stronger, more connected future for our community in 2025!
Printed Copies
Our magazine is currently available online, but we’re eager to create printed copies for people to cherish and collect. Just look at the stunning Summer issue below—gorgeous, isn’t it? A huge thank-you to Alice McSweeney of Neurodiverse Journeys and her kids for their amazing fundraising efforts, which allowed us to provide printed copies to the contributors of this issue.
If you or your business are interested in sponsorship opportunities, we’d love to hear from you—please get in touch with us at Autistic Revolution!
AR Just Giving Page
Currently, the magazine, webpage and community events are all run by unpaid volunteers and donations have helped keep us afloat.
Now that we are a CIC, we have the ability to apply for financial funds and keep Autistic Revolution going. However, (and kinda a big one) we won’t be receiving grant money until well into 2025 and we want to continue bringing you the community, education and joy that is Autistic Revolution.
Therefore, we have created this Just Giving page to request donations from those who are able. Thank you for your consideration.
Upcoming Events
I aim to keep the most up-to-date details on the events page on my website here and will add in the next month’s events to my newletter. To learn more about an individual event, please use the events page link.
Please remember to check the sign-up restrictions or requirements for each event, as they may vary by organisation.
Please note that the February 5th in-person workshop Intro to Autism & the Autistic Community will have an Urdu translator present and workshop slides available in Urdu. If you know someone in the Leeds area who would benefit from this workshop, please do help spread the word.
Beyond Behaviour: Understanding Distress & Hormones, An in-person workshop hosted by Little Hiccups charity
January 8th, 10 am – 12 pm GMT, £5 and includes lunch
Please reserve your space on the Little Hiccups webpage after registering
Intro to Autism & the Autistic Community, An online webinar hosted by Little Hiccups charity
January 8th, 7 pm – 9 pm GMT, free
Please reserve your space on the Little Hiccups webpage after registering
Intro to Autism & the Autistic Community, An online webinar hosted by Little Hiccups charity
January 10th, 10 am – 12 pm GMT, free
Please reserve your space on the Little Hiccups webpage after registering
PDA for PDAers: online via The Nook, The Nurture Programme
Tuesday January 21st, 10 am - 11 am
Included as a resource for members of The Nook
Creating Safe Spaces for Autistic People, An online webinar hosted by AUsome Training with Scott Neilson
January 22nd, 7 pm – 9 pm Irish Time, £5 for members and £10 for non-members
Please reserve your space on the AUsome Training webpage
Webinar based on Laura and Scott’s book ‘Creating Safe Spaces for Autistic People’
Intro to Autism & the Autistic Community, An in-person workshop hosted by Little Hiccups charity
*This workshop will have an Urdu translator present and workshop slides available in Urdu*
February 5th, 10 am – 12 pm GMT
Please reserve your space on the Little Hiccups webpage after registering
Supporting Your Young Person with Food & Eating, An online webinar hosted by The Nook, The Nurture Programme
February 11th, 10 am - 11 am GMT
Please reserve your space on the The Nurture Programme after registering
Beyond Behaviour: Understanding Distress & Hormones, An online webinar hosted by Little Hiccups charity
February 12th, 7 pm – 9 pm GMT
Please reserve your space on the Little Hiccups webpage after registering
Beyond Behaviour: Understanding Distress & Hormones, An online webinar hosted by Little Hiccups charity
February 14th, 10 am – 12 pm GMT
Please reserve your space on the Little Hiccups webpage after registering
Thank you for being here,
Laura Hellfeld
RN, MSN, PHN, CNL
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