Lived experience.

In my next few blogs, I am going to look at some of the buzzwords and phrases that are around now in the world of working in autism and neurodiversity.

Firstly ‘lived experience’.

Usually, this is used as a shorthand for saying that a person has a diagnosis of autism (or is self-identified).

I am never 100% sure if this includes the families of autistic people. I think it should as surely they have significant in-depth experience of living with autism?

However, I suspect that some autistic people would disagree and propose that ‘lived experience’ can only refer to people who have experience of being autistic themselves. (But that’s not what it says).

As far as my experience goes: Over 30 years working with autistic people.

Often that work is very focused on trying to understand the individual and the world from their perspective. 

I believe I would be nearer to that understanding about someone I was working with, than another autistic person just because they are autistic. 

I know not everyone would agree with that.

To me, it’s too simple to say that only an autistic person can understand the experience of another autistic person. 

Either side of the neuro divide is as varied as the other and this includes diversity in a person’s ability (and willingness) to understand anyone else.

What do you think? Get in touch here.