August 2025 - Still Here
Still Here. Still Autistic. Still Building Something Together.
Taking Time to Regulate
There’s no new webinar this month, and that’s intentional. July was a quiet month because I needed space to reset. I spent time camping with family and friends, re-engaging my nervous system and remembering what groundedness feels like. That matters. Regulation isn’t a luxury. It’s how we stay whole. For us, it’s essential. This was a reminder that even in the work of advocacy and education, we are still people first. We need room to recover, pause, and protect our energy.
This month, instead of launching something new, I’m focusing on connection. We’re still processing what we started in June, and this newsletter is about extending that conversation. It’s also about reaching inward and local, opening up space to find each other in real life. Sometimes building community isn’t about content. It’s about being available and real.
Webinar Replay: Autism Is Not a Bad Word
If you missed the June webinar, the full recording is now available. I was joined by Dr. Jami Heyting to explore how autism really works beyond labels, masking, and stereotypes. We unpacked the real cost of being misunderstood, the long-term effects of masking, and the difference between surviving and regulating. We also challenged the ways people over-rely on functioning labels that ignore the internal experience. This session wasn’t about awareness. It was about accuracy. If you’ve ever been told you seem fine when you’re actually shutting down, or been denied support because your needs weren’t visible, this conversation is for you. Whether you’re autistic, a professional, or a family member, it will help reframe what support actually means.
Watch the Full Webinar on YouTube
Want more clarity? Read the full list of attendee and follow-up questions here:
NDIS Webinar Q&A – August 2025 (PDF)
Local News: New Facebook Group for Salem ND Adults
Autistic or ADHD in Salem, Oregon? You’re not alone. I’ve launched a private Facebook group just for neurodivergent adults in our area. It’s not a support group in the traditional sense. It’s a peer-led space for connection, regulation, and showing up exactly as we are. You don’t have to perform, explain, or earn your spot.
We need more local options that reflect our reality. This group is a starting point. We’ll grow it together based on what people actually need. Diagnosed or self-identified, masked or burnt out, seeking quiet or craving conversation, all are welcome. This is about building something that lasts, not just chatting online.
What Helps You Feel Like Yourself?
What’s one thing you do that helps you stay regulated or feel like yourself, even if others don’t see it as support? Maybe it’s wearing the same hoodie every day, using headphones at the store, taking a drive alone, or scripting your social interactions. These are not quirks. They are real tools. And we need to normalize that.
I’m collecting responses this month and will be sharing a few anonymous examples in the next issue. It’s one way we remind each other that support can be small, sensory-based, or internal—and it still counts. You don’t have to explain why it works. Just share what helps.
Looking Ahead
Our next webinar is in development and will focus on regulation, overstimulation, and stimming. This will be a deeper dive into the nervous system side of autism. We’ll talk about how different forms of stimulation affect us, what stimming actually does, and why burnout doesn’t come from being one of us but from being unsupported. It’s about understanding what keeps us functional, not just what others see.
We’ll also go into why certain sensory environments create collapse, how behavior is often misread, and how stimming is misunderstood as a symptom when it’s often the solution. This session will be especially helpful for providers, caregivers, and educators who want to support regulation instead of control behavior.
More details coming in September.
If you’re a provider, employer, or community leader who wants to build neurodivergent-affirming systems, I’m always open to partnerships. Let’s change systems, not just survive inside them.
About NeuroDiverse Inclusive Solutions
NeuroDiverse Inclusive Solutions was created to confront the uncomfortable truths that still shape how we talk about autism. Too many public conversations are built on fear—fear of labels, fear of difference, fear of what inclusion really means. That fear turns into policies that don’t work, services that miss the mark, and environments where autistic people are expected to change who they are just to get support.
We exist to flip that script.
Our work is grounded in three things: lived experience, research-informed practices, and real-world results. We support autistic and otherwise neurodivergent adults in navigating work, communication, identity, and burnout. And we train employers, educators, and caregivers to do the same—without relying on outdated labels or assumptions about what autism should look like.
Whether you’re hiring your first neurodivergent employee, mentoring someone who’s been masking for years, or trying to create a culture of real inclusion, we help you do it with honesty, clarity, and respect.
We’re not here to make people more “palatable.” We’re here to make environments more equitable.
Meet Our Founder: Dan Dickinson Sr.
Dan Dickinson Sr. is an autistic professional, corporate veteran, and neurodiversity advocate with over 20 years of experience in change management and employee development. As the Founder and Program Director of NDIS, Dan leads with lived experience, professional insight, and a no-fluff approach to inclusion that actually works. He specializes in training business leaders, mentoring neurodivergent adults, and building environments where people don’t have to mask to succeed.