| Preface | 8 |
| Introduction | 10 |
| Chapter 1 | Cultivating Sensory Safety | 12 |
| Chapter 2 | Physical Self-Care | 23 |
| Movement and Regulation | |
| Manage Your Sensory Needs | 24 |
| Understand Your Body's Responses to Stress | 26 |
| Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve for Stress Relief | 28 |
| Find Pleasurable Movement | 29 |
| Use Breathwork to Relax | 30 |
| Unwind Tension in Your Muscles | 32 |
| Support Your Gut Health | 34 |
| Use Visualizations for Sensory Soothing | 36 |
| Sleep | |
| Create a Healthy Sleep Routine | 38 |
| Put Your Mind to Sleep | 40 |
| Create a Sensory Sleep Haven | 42 |
| Body Core and Hygiene | |
| Embrace Adaptive Self-Care Practices | 44 |
| Take Care of Personal Hygiene | 46 |
| Tune Into Your Body's Signals with a Body Scan | 48 |
| Integrate Body Awareness Into Daily Activities | 49 |
| Manage Food Challenges; Executive Function and Sensory Tips | 50 |
| Supplement with Vitamins | 52 |
| Chapter 3 | Emotional Self-Care | 53 |
| Autistic Burnout | |
| Prioritize Rest to Avoid Burnout | 54 |
| Engage In Sensory Detox | 55 |
| Identify Signs of Autistic Burnout | 56 |
| Drop Unnecessary Demands | 58 |
| Find Solace in Familiar Stories | 59 |
| Clear Emotional Clutter with a Brain Dump | 60 |
| Boundaries and Self-Advocacy | |
| Part Ways with Masking | 62 |
| Discover the Power of Self-Advocacy | 64 |
| Dismantle Stereotypes about Autism | 66 |
| Manage Hyper-Empathy | 68 |
| Curtail the Apology Reflex | 70 |
| Break Free from Toxic Attachments | 71 |
| Emotional Awareness, Literacy, and Resilience | |
| Map Out Your Thoughts | 72 |
| Grasp Difficult Emotions | 74 |
| Practice Gratitude | 76 |
| Repeat Self-Compassion Statements | 78 |
| Emotional Regulation | |
| Practice Affect Labeling | 80 |
| Distinguish Anxiety versus Sensory Overload | 82 |
| Harness the Power of Effective Worrying | 84 |
| Uncover Your Raw Spots and Triggers | 85 |
| Find Alternatives to Self-Harm | 86 |
| Anchor in the Present Moment | 88 |
| Resist Emotional Avoidance and Move Toward Acceptance | 90 |
| Chapter 4 | Mental Self-Care | 92 |
| Autistic Identity and Interests | |
| Celebrate Your Neurodivergent Identity | 93 |
| Address Internalized Ableism | 94 |
| Drop "Functioning" Labels | 96 |
| Spend Time Unmasked | 97 |
| Welcome Autistic Stimming | 98 |
| Regulate Emotions Through Movement | 100 |
| Identify Your Values | 101 |
| Celebrate Your Special Interests | 102 |
| Self-Advocacy in Mental Health Care | |
| Build and Cooperate with Your Health Care Team | 104 |
| Address Co-occurring Mental Health Conditions | 106 |
| Find a Neurodivergent-Affirming Provider | 108 |
| Explore the Benefits and Drawbacks of Formal Diagnosis | 110 |
| Autistic Mindset and Well-Being | |
| Reframe Your Autistic Childhood Experiences | 112 |
| Forgive Yourself | 113 |
| Grieve Your Limits | 114 |
| Celebrate Your Authenticity with an Identity Board | 115 |
| Mental Health Resilience | |
| Practice Gray Thinking | 116 |
| Beware of Confirmation Bias | 118 |
| Expose the Stories | |
| Your Brain Is Telling You | 119 |
| Change Your Relationship to Your Thoughts | 120 |
| Identify Cognitive Distortions | 122 |
| Get Unhooked: Eight Ways to Unhook from Painful Thoughts | 124 |
| Practice Mindfulness on the Go | 126 |
| Expand Your "Window of Tolerance" | 128 |
| Chapter 5 | Social Self-Care | 130 |
| Authentic Relationships | |
| Make Connections Through Special Interests | 131 |
| Understand the Double Empathy Problem | 132 |
| Embrace High-Context Communication | 134 |
| Connect with Others Through Story Swapping | 136 |
| Play in Parallel | 137 |
| Join in Autistic Culture | 138 |
| Embrace Object-Based Conversations | 140 |
| Interactions with Neurotypicals | |
| Decide Whether to Tell People You Are Autistic | 142 |
| Craft Scripts for Boundary-Setting and Transitions | 144 |
| Practice Context Awareness | 146 |
| Navigate Conflict | 148 |
| Healthy Relationships | |
| Identify Red Flags and Green Flags in Friendship | 149 |
| Deal with Rejection Sensitivity | 150 |
| Balance Social Connection and Alone Time | 151 |
| Romantic Relationships | |
| Manage Clashing Sensory Needs | 152 |
| Explore Gender and Sexuality | 153 |
| Identify Your Love Language | 154 |
| Navigate Dating Apps and Websites | 156 |
| Plan a Sensory-Friendly Date | 158 |
| Find Sensory Accommodations for Sexual Intimacy | 160 |
| Build Emotional Intimacy | 162 |
| Resolve Conflict in Relationships | 164 |
| Embrace an Aromantic or Asexual Identity | 166 |
| Chapter 6 | Professional Self-Care | 167 |
| Workplace Tips | |
| Selectively Share Your Autistic Identity with Colleagues | 168 |
| Navigate Context Shifting in the Workplace | 170 |
| Document Everything | 172 |
| Ditch Perfectionism | 173 |
| Ask for Examples | 174 |
| Succeed at Job Interviewing | 176 |
| Compare Bottom-Up Thinking versus Top-Down Thinking | 178 |
| Find a Mentor to Show You the Ropes | 180 |
| Optimal Work Environments | |
| Manage Overstimulation at Work | 181 |
| Find Accommodations That Work | 182 |
| Reduce Task Switching | 183 |
| Executive Functioning | |
| Set SMART Goals | 184 |
| Create Hyperfocus Bumper Rails | 186 |
| Overcome Autistic Inertia | 188 |
| Index | 189 |
