Emma Ryland Positive About Neurodiversity

17/08/2025

I love this concept of micro-assertions! It can feel overwhelming to start doing something differently, and so I always encourage clients to start small. Start tiny, even tinier if you want, whatever it takes to start. Or to get closer to starting. Not just with asserting ourselves, but with anything that's difficult - a micro-step maybe?

What micro-step might you be able to take today? 🌻

07/08/2025

Language is important and affects how we think about ourselves. Is there a word you can change and see if it makes you feel a bit better? I definitely prefer to think of myself as spontaneous-it sounds much more fun than impulsive! 🤸🌻

Reframing Neurodivergent Traits, because language matters.. 🫂🙏🫂

Credit to 🙌
Morgan Beidleman

21/07/2025

I don’t know this person or this course so I don’t know if it’s any good in reality.

But I do know how damaging the narrative can be that you’re a failure if you don’t somehow turn grief or adversity into to something great. And I’ve seen time and again with both individual therapy and Motherless Daughter groups, the power of sharing our story, and expressing ourselves, even the difficult stuff, especially with others who we know will get it.

This post has also got me thinking about the concept of being brave. I wonder what being brave means to you? 🌻

Pain is not always redeemed, in the end or otherwise.

All of our cultural stories are stories of transformation, of redemption. Books, movies, documentaries, children’s stories, even the tales we tell ourselves — they all end on a positive note.

We demand a happy ending. If there isn’t one, well, that’s the hero’s fault. Nobody wants to read a book where the main character is still in pain at the end.

We’ve got a cultural narrative that says bad things happen in order to help you grow, and no matter how bleak it seems, the end result is always worth the struggle.

Grieving people are met with impatience precisely because they are failing the cultural storyline of overcoming adversity. If you don’t “transform,” if you don’t find something beautiful inside this, you’ve failed.

But pain is not always redeemed, in the end or otherwise. Being brave — being a hero — is not about overcoming what hurts or turning it into a gift.

Being brave is about waking to face each day when you would rather just stop waking up.

Being brave is staying present to your own heart when that heart is shattered into a million different pieces and can never be made right.

Being brave is standing at the edge of the abyss that just opened in someone’s life and not turning away from it, not covering your discomfort with a pithy “think positive” emoticon.

Being brave is letting pain unfurl and take up all the space it needs. Being brave is telling that story. It’s terrifying. And it’s beautiful. Those are the stories we need.

We all need a place where we can tell the truth about how hard this is. The Writing Your Grief 30 day e-course gives you the space to tell the truth about what it’s like to be you.

Saying it on the page – even if you can’t yet say it to the people in your life – is incredibly powerful. Get started now at https://refugeingrief.com/wyg
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18/07/2025

I was saddened this week to learn of the death, aged 49, of the wonderful Andrea Gibson. I was lucky enough to see them in Edinburgh a few years ago and it remains one of my favourite gigs - I’m often in awe at their ability to simply and beautifully articulate thoughts and feelings that I can barely recognise.

I’ve been following with utmost respect their cancer journey. Andrea’s life was often made extremely difficult by anxiety, but since their diagnosis they’ve been writing about ‘befriending my mortality and the countless ways that process has increased the joy in my life.’ (https://andreagibson.substack.com/)

I worry about toxic positivity. I don’t ever want to cause people who are doing their best, to feel as though they’re not doing enough to think themselves out of distress. I’ve been angry and upset in my life when I’ve felt that way (People genuinely did suggest to me that my own mum didn’t try hard enough to not die of cancer) but I’ve seen how Andrea’s embracing of awe and love allowed some of their final words to be “I fu***ng loved my life” and I want some of that. And I want to encourage people in my life, both professionally and personally, to risk embracing acceptance, awe and love, because really, why not?

If you haven’t yet discovered Andrea’s work, I think their newsletter, Things That Don’t Suck (https://andreagibson.substack.com/) is a good place to start. Or watch them on YouTube and feel some love and awe.

❤️🩷💙💚

Awe is the most powerful medicine in the world.
I have never felt awe and shame at the same time,
awe and loneliness at the same time,
awe and judgment at the same time,
and nothing wakes us to awe more than life’s brevity.
which is to say forming an intimate relationship
with our mortality could not only save us,
it could save our world. If you don’t
believe me, tell me the last time you saw
anything bite with it's jaw dropped.
(The Lifegiving Benefits of Befriending Our Mortality)

Picture is of Andrea Gibson sitting on a swing, with mug in their hand, somewhere in woodland with logs behind them. They're wearing jeans and a hoody and looking directly at the camera with their head on one side.

(Image credit: Andrea Gibson, Things That Don't Suck)

17/07/2025

This has really made me chuckle this morning!

11/06/2025

It's Men's Health Week so this seems a good time to remind you about Andy's Man Club - a space for men to meet and talk every Monday apart from Bank Holidays at 7pm. Several men I know have really benefited from the peer support they provide - it's great to be able to talk about stuff with others who get it and won't judge you.

There are now nearly 300 AMCs throughout the UK - check here to find out where your nearest one is https://andysmanclub.co.uk/

And if you're in Edinburgh, here's a link to their FB page https://www.facebook.com/andysmanclubedinburgh

More than 5000 men attend an Andys Man Club each week - maybe you or someone you know could join them? 🌻

Free peer to peer support group for men over 18 - every Mon at 7pm excluding bank hols.

17/04/2025

02/04/2025

I no longer work with kids and teachers in schools but I still think The Autistic Teacher’s resources are great- they’re affirming and clear, and look great!
Maybe you know someone who’d appreciate this explanation of autism? 🌻

28/03/2025

Edinburgh people, have you heard of this fabulous sounding organisation? I hadn’t but am going to check them out…🌻

Today we have a simple ask. Could you tell one person about us? Just one 💛

We’re finding despite sharing amazing stories, videos and positivity each week on our socials, our reach on social media seems to be teeny tiny recently.

Edinburgh is still the loneliest city in the UK for older people, and yet we meet people every single day who didn’t know that we are here, day in day out, trying to change that. 💛

There are so many local folks who don’t know that we have supported more amazing friendships and groups across the past year than ever before.

That there are hundreds of local older people who have gone from being always or often alone to being part of friendships, groups and whole communities that have transformed their lives. As one VIP put it “you make my life worth living”. 🥰

In fact, we’ve created over 35,000 hours of friendship, laughter, fun, adventure, discovery, cuppas, experiences, and joy.

But so many people haven’t even heard our name.

And we’d love, love, love more people to know about us, and our incredible volunteers making a difference every single day of the year across our beautiful, inspiring city.

Please share this with one person and ask them to check us out - it would mean so much 💛

Thank you

###x

19/03/2025

I often speak with clients about self-advocacy and how difficult it can be for a whole host of societal and learned reasons, particularly if you're neurodivergent. So I love this latest picture by NeuroWild - like all skills, self-advocacy needs to be practised.

How are you going to hone your self- advocacy skills today? 🌻

10/03/2025

I posted a week ago about Neurodiversity Celebration Week, which starts next week. Here's the events schedule. I wonder what you'll choose? 🌻

We've created a diverse schedule of events for you to enjoy during Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2025! All events are free of charge.

04/03/2025

I can't believe it's nearly a year since this wonderful week was last here! If you're looking for interesting and informative discussions, this is certain to be the place for you... everything is free and the range of topics and speakers gets broader every year.