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Autistic Adult Resources

Welcome to our curated collection of autistic adult resources designed specifically for autistic, ADHD, AuDHD, and other neurodivergent adults!

 

The resources are organized into several key categories. Each resource has been selected for its potential to assist neurodivergent adults in navigating daily challenges, achieving their personal goals, and living their best lives. We hope these tools empower you to thrive in every area of your life!

This section is always being updated, so check back often.

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Apps

  • I am: Affirmations can help us rewire our brains to change negative thought patterns, focus on the positive, give us a small boost of "happy hormones," and build self-esteem, but remembering to use them is my biggest challenge. This app includes more affirmations than I can count, and it allows you to set them up as phone notifications so you can't help but see them. You can change the font and background, favorite the ones you like most, and best of all, you can add your own personal affirmations, those that are most meaningful to you personally! (iOS Android: Free-three-day trial, then $19.99/year)

 

Benefits (Public Benefits in the U.S.)

  • If you are part of the ASD Level 1 or Asperger's portion of the autism spectrum in the United States, you may not be aware of public benefits that can provide support needed to thrive. Each state is different, but this free 90-minute webinar from AANE gives an incredible overview of how to find public federal and state programs that you may be eligibile for.

 

Burnout Recovery

  • The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills by Sonny Jane Wise: Written by "an autistic ADHDer living with bipolar and in recovery with borderline personality disorder," this amazing self-guided workbook is designed to help the neurodivergent reader acquire skills in mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and sensory needs. It includes affirmations such as, "It's okay if most strategies and tools designed for and by neurotypical people don't work for me." One of the exercises is about creating mindfulness with your pet. There's an entire section on managing sensory needs. Great stuff!

 

College Resources

 

Executive Functioning Resources

  • The Real-Life Executive Functioning Workbook: A Handbook of Exercises to Help Unique Learners Build Real-World Skills and Success by Chris Hanson, BS and Amy Sippl, MS, BCBA: I spent years while homeschooling my son looking for something practical I could use to explicitly teach executive functioning skills, and every other book I read left me feeling confused. I understood what executive functioning challenges were since I was living with them every day, but I had no idea how to help. This book is so well designed, it can be used effectively by professionals and non-professionals alike. Includes an assessment so you can measure before and after functioning. Use the discount code THRIVE50 at checkout for 50 percent off!

  • FocusMate is an amazing on-demand body-doubling platform for tasks that you need to get done that you just can't get yourself to do, and best of all, you can schedule up to three sessions per week completely free! Create an account, schedule a session, and then log in at the appointed time. You'll meet with someone else trying to do the exact same thing -- get something done that they are struggling to get done. Greet the other person, tell them what you intend to focus on, mute your mic, and then get to work. At the end of the session, tell your focus mate what you completed and celebrate your success!

  • Goblin Tools is a website and app with a very strange name that belies its transformative usefulness as an executive functioning tool. The app is a collection of simple, tools designed to help neurodivergent people with tasks they tend to find overwhelming or difficult such as breaking down a task into smaller tasks, analyzing and changing the tone of written text, estimating how long a task will take, compiling a brain dump of to-dos into a concrete task list, and more! The accuracy of the AI-driven output can vary, so it's critical to use your own knowledge and experience to judge whether the result you get is valid. The website is free, and the app is only $1.99 to support its creator. (iOS Android website)

 

Social Media (Education)

  • Autism From the Inside @autismfromtheInside: If you're autistic or think you or someone you love might be on the autism spectrum, Paul Micallef discovered his own autism at age 30 and now creates videos that show what autism looks like in real people and give insight into what's happening from the inside.

  • How to ADHD @HowtoADHD: This great evidence-based educational channel on ADHD and strategies for managing it is the brainchild of Jessica McCabe. It's full of ADHD-friendly, bite-sized tips, tricks, and insights into the ADHD brain. It's also grown into an amazing community of brains (and hearts!) who support and help each other.

  • Mom on the Spectrum: A late diagnosed autistic, Taylor Heaton is a mom of two who shares knowledge, resources, and products that empower other neurodivergent people and their loved ones to live freely and creatively.

 

Social Skills Development Resouces

  • Quirky Buds: If you are a neurodivergent teen or adult, and you are looking for a way to connect with others who live nearby with similar interests and passions, Quirky Buds may be a great answer for you. Quirky Buds is a website started by licensed social worker Caroline Turner who is working to connect individuals who want to connect with others. There are about 900 "buds" signed up currently throughout the United States. and more are registering daily. About 45 percent of buds are over age 18. The best part is that this service is free.

  • The Science of Making Friends: Helping Socially Challenged Teens and Young Adults by Elizabeth A. Laugeson, PsyD: If you are struggling with the mechanisms of how to make friends, this is your book. Though the book targets parents of teens and young adults, the concepts are universal whether you are 19 or 99. The culmination of years of research, this evidence-based approach breaks down complex social behaviors into concrete, easy-to-understand rules and steps. Includes a DVD of examples. There is also an associated free app: iOS Android

 

Sleep Resources

Many neurodivergent people struggle with sleep issues. Here are some drug-free resources that are based on the evidence-based CBT-i (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) program, which was developed by the Veterans Administration for veterans with PTSD and insomnia. Please note: Although you may find these resources helpful, they are not intended to replace treatment by a healthcare professional.
 

  • Insomnia Coach App: This free app can be used as a stand-alone education and self-care tool, or as a supplement to professional mental health care. This app is based on scientific research about how people can change their behaviors and thoughts to improve their sleep. You can also view a three-minute video introduction to the app.

  • SleepEZ Digital CBT-i Course: This free digital course based on CBT-i will help you set a sleep schedule, modify behaviors that interfere with quality sleep, and reduce unhelpful thoughts. It includes a sleep diary, personalized sleep scheduling, and relaxation exercises. It's 100 percent free, requires no registration, or personal information. Here is a 90-second video introduction to the course.

  • Path to Better Sleep Program: If you are looking for something a little more comprehensive, this free self-paced four-part program designed to help you self-screen for sleep disorders and identify possible treatment options, understand the behaviors that can interfere with sleep or support better quality sleep, self-manage insomnia through the evidence-based CBT-i program, and learn about a common sleep thief – sleep apnea. 

 

Support Groups

  • Neurodivergent Adults Support Group (free): Thrive Autism Coaching has a free, safe, moderated Facebook community of neurodivergent adults who support each other. The group is designed for autistic, ADHD, AuDHD, or otherwise neurodivergent adults who would like to connect with others who just "get it." Patty Laushman also provides some coaching for common challenges. Learn more here.

  • Neurodivergent Professional Women's Group and Neurodivergent Professional Men's Group: My colleague, Dr. Lorna Hecker, has unique support groups that meet twice a month for autistic adults who are working professionals. The feedback from my clients who attend these groups has been tremendous. You can learn more about the groups and contact Dr. Hecker here. 

Job Hunting

Work: Job Hunting Resources

  • How to Create the Perfect Elevator Pitch - Plus Examples: Brevity has never been my strength, and when someone asks what I do, I really struggle to keep it brief. This was a great video with examples on how to craft your elevator pitch.

  • Resume and Employment Guide for People With Disabilities by Resume Builder: This is a great comprehensive guide. It includes best practices for resume writing, job-related resources, laws that protect you from discrimination, dealing with workplace discrimination and harassment, and other resources.

  • Resume Builder App: This free website app enables you to create a beautiful resume using the best practices described in the Resume and Employment Guide for People With Disabilities above. Create a new resume from scratch or import your LinkedIn profile to give you a head start. If starting from scratch, just enter your information in the given fields and watch as your resume is created on the opposite side of the screen.

Work: Job Search Sites

Job Search Sites

  • abilityJOBS: The largest job site for people with disabilities. All employers on this website are looking specifically to hire differently-abled workers. Employers include the Central Intelligence Agency, Deloitte, Amazon, and others.

  • DisabledPerson: This job board lists opportunities across many different career categories from companies looking for a diverse workforce. 

  • Getting Hired: This job board lists opportunities at over 100 Fortune 500 companies and other inclusive employers.

  • Inclusively: Connects job hunters with job matches from employers who are committed to disability inclusion and creating diverse teams. You create a free profile, find and connect to jobs, and receive personalized job matches. You can also network on the community portal with other candidates, advocates, and employers.

  • Jobs for Humanity: This site was created and is managed by a job search organization that focuses on connecting “historically underrepresented talent to welcoming employers.” Jobs can be searched by level of experience, function and type of employment, and country. You can sign up for job alerts if you want to stay current.

  • Neurodiversity Career Connector: Created by the Neurodiversity @ Work Employer Roundtable, a collection of employers committed to neurodiversity-focused hiring initiatives, this job marketplace enables candidates to discover job openings and connect with a variety of employers and position types.

  • Neurodiversity in the Workplace: NITW works with both candidates and employers to make the workplace a better environment for neurodiversity. They maintain a candidate list and then try to match candidates with employers who are their “partners.” They don’t post jobs on their job board. You use their “Get in Touch” link to tell them about yourself through a “candidate database form”, and they then put you in their candidate bank. There are no costs to joining their candidate bank.

  • Remote.co*: Hand-curated part-time and full-time remote jobs in accounting, customer service, design, development, editing, healthcare, HR, IT, legal, marketing, project management, QA, sales, teaching, virtual assisting, writing, and more.

  • Spectroomz*: Job listings and very affordable training for remote jobs autistic adults will love. 

  • Workability: Connects neurodiverse and disabled talent with inclusive employers worldwide.

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* indicates the site specializes in remote jobs

Work: Freelance Work Search Sites

Freelance Work Search Sites

If you're looking for gig work to make some quick cash, these are legitimate sites where you can find some project-based work.

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Work: Training Resources

  • Freelancing School: Basically a recipe for starting a business, this site provides an overview of the full process, followed up with specific instructions for how to complete each step. 

  • Spectroomz: Very affordable training for remote jobs autistic adults tend to enjoy. The site also includes hand-curated job postings for jobs requiring these skills.

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