Aplomb Occupational Therapy

26/07/2025

22/04/2025

If you are a professional serving autistic students, clients, families, it is our ethical obligation to keep getting louder about the damage of compliance approaches. One pushback from pro-compliance-advocates is that “it's working” or “the behavior is improving”. Well, that’s what appears on the surface, but what is really happening? Suppression. Masking. Unmet needs. Trauma. Pain. And eventual Autistic Burnout.
Under a compliance approach,
you may be reinforcing the early signs of a nervous system in collapse.
Masking might look like progress—until it becomes Autistic Burnout.

Image Description: Brown and white tile with words that read “Under a compliance approach, you may be reinforcing the early signs of a nervous system in collapse. Masking might look like progress- until it becomes AUTISTIC BURNOUT.

11/04/2025

Professionals….how much do you know about Autistic Burnout? We must listen to the autistic community. Burnout isn’t a meltdown. It isn’t depression. It’s a full-system collapse—built by masking, sensory overwhelm, and the pressure to ‘act normal.’

From my friend Kieran Rose: “Autistic Burnout is an integral part of the life of an Autistic person. It affects us pretty much from the moment we’re born to the day we die, yet nobody, apart from Autistic people, really seem to know about it.” This is why we must listen to the autistic community.

Read more here:
https://theautisticadvocate.com/an-autistic-burnout/

Register for Kieran and my course on Masking here: https://www.kelly-mahler.com/resources/blog/lost-connections-interoception-masking/

Image Description: Green tile that reads “Autistic Burnout is an integral part of the life of an Autistic person. It affects us pretty much from the moment we’re born to the day we die, yet nobody, apart from Autistic people, really seem to know about it. -Kieran Rose”

13/12/2024

10/12/2024

28/11/2024

23/11/2024

ALEXITHYMIA & AUTISM

Alexithymia is the difficulty in identifying, processing and conveying one's own emotions and sensations or recognising those of others. It is very common among autistic and other neurodivergent people. As one of our autistic mentors describes, "It means I often don’t know how to recognise and communicate my emotions - NOT that I don’t have emotions at all."

Image credit: Emily Lees (); description in comments. Shared with permission.

24/08/2024

All behaviour, especially "harmful" and "maladaptive" ones, have a meaning, serve a purpose and communicate a child's need at that moment.

Important things for all of us to remember! 🌱

24/08/2024

Occupational Therapy! 💕 Great tips and strategies!

24/05/2024

When your little one has a hard time sharing, it's easy to get frustrated. But remember, their behaviour is just the tip of the iceberg. There's a lot of development happening beneath the surface that influences their ability to share.

Sharing isn't just about manners; it's a complex skill that requires:

- Understanding object permanence: Knowing that something still exists even when they can't see it.

- Impulse control: Resisting the urge to keep something for themselves.

- Emotional regulation: Managing feelings of frustration or disappointment.

- Perspective-taking: Understanding how others feel.

When we focus on punishing or forcing sharing, we can miss the opportunity to help them develop these crucial skills. Instead, try:

- Modeling sharing: Show them how it's done!

- Providing choices: Let them decide what they're willing to share.

- Celebrating successes: Cheer them on when they make progress.

- Labeling emotions: Help them understand what they're feeling.

Sharing is a journey, not a destination. With patience and understanding, you can help your child navigate this developmental milestone and develop a strong foundation for healthy relationships 😊