A few years ago I wrote a post about neurodivergent boundaries. I had the idea to type it up into a zine and ended up completely re-writing it. I’m making this one available as a digital download. Feel free to print copies and give them away (just don’t charge for them.)
If you’d prefer to buy a physical copy you can do so here or join my zine subscription before the end of November.
I have an important update today.
But first, a peek inside my mental drafts folder…
But I’m skipping over all of that for a time sensitive PSA.
I logged back into Instagram after 8 months away.
I couldn’t have chosen a worse time to do so.*
Instagram (at least the current iteration) is dangerous to my mental health. What used to be a light hearted photo sharing app has now turned into another algorithmic dumpster fire.
I tried everything.
I blocked accounts, “curated” my feed, and did my best to train the algorithm. Near the end I even downloaded a social media blocking app to limit my usage to midday.
I was already struggling.
Then the autism news hit.
I naively imagined that the next generation of autistics could grow up with less stigma. To know who they are and unabashedly ask for support.
To see that progress purposefully eroded is gutting.
My nervous system simply cannot handle the horrors and catastrophizing on endless algorithmic remix.
And it’s not just autistics under attack. Every marginalized group is in real crisis right now. Science and education have been defunded.
There is a new fresh horror every day.
That is what they want.
But I’m not having it.
Let’s self regulate and take one positive action.
Together.
Here’s what I can do.
If you want to be an ally here are ways to help.
Choose 1 or 2.
We just got a new set of proofs and are feeling very excited about next steps. After changing book binders we are a bit over budget – so if you preorder now it will be a big help.
If you don’t need a book yourself you can also choose to donate your copy and we’ll be sure it gets to someone who needs it.
I’m feeling particularly vulnerable this week.
If this email resonated I’d appreciate hearing from you.
Take Care,
* Why did I do this? Because I met some cool people at the NWA Maker’s Faire and thought maybe I should try and better follow local creative events.
This is a new offering for gentle guidance at your own pace.
No Zooms. No scheduling. No time zone math.
After years of trying to offer support in neuronormative ways I am neuroqueering the process. Ask me about creative projects, neurodivergence, self publishing, home education, or chronic illness.
Email your question to hello@sarahshotts.com.
It’s that simple.
I’ll respond with a thoughtful answer with multiple ideas to explore.
Your first email is free. If you’d like further support you can sign up for five more back and forth emails (at your own pace) for $100.
Responses will come within one week. Time will vary based on my capacity.
Everything in your life is part of your creative practice. Bring balance and inspiration into your process through my creative ecosystem framework.
I’ve spent a decade diving into research on neurodivergence after my autism diagnosis. We can work together to find supports, tools, and accommodations for you or your family. I have particular experience with sensory processing (seeking and avoidance), focus tools, and navigating conflicting access needs in neurodivergent families.
I’ve successfully crowdfunded four self published books and created two free courses to share my experience. If you’d like direct support as you navigate publishing a book or crowdfunding a creative project I’m happy to help.
I have experience managing dynamic disability, chronic illness, and fluctuating energy levels. I can’t offer medical advice, but sometimes we just need to talk to someone who “gets it.” We can talk about setting boundaries, accepting accommodations, and finding support tools. My own diagnosis include: POTS, hEDS, and MCAS.
I’m a second gen home educator with expertise in neurodivergence and twice exceptional gifted kids — both as student and teacher. We can talk about educational resources, supports for neurodivergent kids, and how to make home educating work for you.
This is NOT…
While I’m happy to support professional artists and creative business owners I am not a business coach. I am not a good fit for financial or growth related goals. My focus is on supporting creative ecosystems — not making more money.
This is peer to peer support based on my own lived experience. I’m not a therapist, doctor, or mental health professional.
I don’t have all the answers. But I can offer ideas and support, but finding and implementing solutions will come down to you.
Email your question to hello@sarahshotts.com.
I’ll respond with a thoughtful answer with multiple ideas to explore.
Your first email is free. If you’d like further support you can sign up for five more back and forth emails (at your own pace) for $100.
Responses will come within one week. Time will vary based on my capacity.
Want a free book?
If you sign up for ongoing support I’ll send you the ebook of Discover Your Creative Ecosystem for free.
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
Sometimes the injustice and hurt in the world can feel unbearable. Mr. Roger’s famously said to, “look for the helpers.”
But, as adults, we also need to be the helpers.
We can’t single-handedly solve all of the world’s problems.
But we can collaborate with others to make a difference.
I’m a hypersensitive autistic and struggle with taking on other people’s emotions.
Before I can advocate for others I have to regulate my own nervous system. Only then do I have capacity to take positive action.
My hope is that by sharing this list of advocacy resources it can help anyone feeling overwhelmed.
There are many ways to advocate.
Many ways as there are to be a human.
If you are neurodivergent or chronically ill (like me) some types of advocacy like marches or phone calls may be inaccessible to you.
But we can make a difference in our own ways.
Next month’s zine will be ideas to advocate for causes we care about.
I’m creating a resource library with some help from my friends.
This is just the beginning.
We’ll be adding to it over time.
* The pins pictured are a combination of photographs from my personal collection and images of vintage protest pins found online. I’ve linked their sources here.
Links to the pins in my collection. I’m not an affiliate. I just like to support artists.
These designs are my own. You can find them (including variations) in my shop.
Restocking the zine shop!
“you have an interest based attention system”
This is how Martha Beck was told she had ADHD.
“Do you people really pay equal amounts of attention to everything?!” she asked.
“We pay attention to what’s optimal.”
Source: Martha Beck and Rowan Mangan: How Creativity Trumps Anxiety on Unpublished Podcast with Amie McNee and James Winestock
When we talk about autism or neurodivergence we often mention a spectrum. Sometimes this is misunderstood as a range of intensity from “more” to “less.”
But you cannot be “more” or “less” autistic or neurodivergent.
The spectrum is better represented by a color wheel.*
The spectrum is a reminder that every neurodivergent person is unique. Each color represents a neurodivergent trait: differences in sensory processing, language, socializing, focus, etc.
But even the color wheel is too static.
This is my attempt to illustrate the complexity and nuance of the spectrum of autism and neurodivergence.
For example, sometimes a person is described as sensory seeking or sensory avoidant.
Opposites on the color wheel.
But most of us are both.
Here is an example from my own spectrum. I experience water in my face as overstimulation… a sensation that, for me, is worse than physical pain. My nervous system completely floods with sensory input and enters a state of distress.
On the other hand, in the context of a warm bath I am “sensory seeking”. The feeling of being (almost) submerged in warm water calms my nervous system and helps me self regulate.
This is the same element.
Water.
But my internal experience is vastly different depending on the context. Supporting this sensitivity includes baths over showers, no sprinklers, pool splashing, or going underwater. When I interact with water on my own terms I find it deeply regulating and soothing.
Then we have a trait like focus. ADHD is often perceived as a deficit in the ability to focus (it’s right there in the name), but both people with autism and ADHD can experience hyperfocus.
This circle represents my hyperfocus.
I often enter hyperfocus when I am in creative flow or engaged with topics I am passionate about. Yet, I cannot reach hyperfocus without the necessary environment or supports.
This circle represents my difficulty focusing.
My ideal environment for focus is quiet and solitude. (For others it could be music and company… or body doubling.)
When I don’t have that I need supports like: a swivel chair for stimming, noise cancelling headphones, and more time. Because without access to hyperfocus I have to accept that tasks take more time. I can also become dysregulated by working in an overstimulating environment.
The spectrum becomes infinitely more complex when different traits overlap and intersect.
Not only is every neurodivergent human unique, but our spectrums may present differently from day to day and moment to moment, based on a variety of internal and external factors.
Some spectrums of neurodivergence may not fit the criteria for a diagnosis, but that does not make them any less valid.
Our world is technicolor.
Let’s stop imagining it as black and white.
Grab some art supplies and reflect on neurodiversity as you play with color. If you are neurodivergent what colors would you assign each of your traits? If you’re neurotypical how can you use this framework to support the spectrums in your life?
These watercolor washes were originally created for the Spectrum zine for my monthly subscribers. If you’d like a printed copy you can:
Check out my posts about autism and neurodivergence.
Subscribe for love letters to creativity and neurodivergence.
* I believe this concept was first represented by autistic artist Anouk here (@autistic_sketches on Instagram.)
† Another visual I love for the spectrum of neurodivergence is this moving spectrum by Felipe Pantone on Instagram.
This resource library focuses on autism, ADHD, and hypersensitivity as these are my lived experience.* This area of research has been a passion of mine for nearly a decade. I’ll do my best to organize things so you can find what is helpful to you.
Hi, I’m Sarah Shotts. A late diagnosed autistic adult, author, artist, home educator, and erstwhile academic. Over the last several years I’ve been doing self directed research and collecting resources to better understand myself and my neurodivergent family. To learn more about me and my work click here.
Choose your adventure.
I made this video to share my experience of overstimulation.
I also find that my autistic traits are almost always rooted in sensory differences. So this a helpful place to start when discussing autism. Overstimulation can also be experienced by ADHDers.
(There’s also a shorter 30 second version here.)
When we talk about autism or neurodivergence we often mention a spectrum. Sometimes this is misunderstood as a range of intensity from “more” to “less.” But you cannot be “more” or “less” autistic or neurodivergent.
I made a zine to illustrate the complexity and nuance of being “on the spectrum.” You can read it here.
You may also enjoy the picture book I’m co-creating with an autistic illustrator Gracie Klumpp. How it Feels to Me is an introduction to sensory processing for readers of all ages.
* I have been professionally diagnosed with autism, but also have traits of ADHD such as time blindness and difficulties with object constancy. Having knowledge of these traits and functional coping strategies I have no interest in pursuing an ADHD diagnosis at this time.
This month’s zine is Chaos Gardening: tips from a chronically ill & neurodivergent gardener.
You can buy a copy or subscribe for monthly zines.*
If you want a peek at my own chaos garden I’ve posted several photos and videos on my microblog.†
Here is the wild bunny that’s taken up residence under my art studio (which I named The Rabbit Hole before this beauty moved in.)
Here’s an update, on How it Feels to Me, the picture book about neurodiversity I’m co-creating with illustrator Gracie Klumpp.
We’ve reached the proofing stage! I couldn’t be more excited to share a peek our progress.
Click here to see more!
Unfortunately, this book is needed more than ever.
Harmful information is being spread by the US government categorizing autism and ADHD as epidemics. Neurodiversity is not a broken brain! It is a brain that experiences the world differently and this picture book shows how.
If you’d like to support the project you can preorder or donate a copy to a school, library, or a neurodivergent family in financial hardship.**
If you missed my last email I wrote a post called What is Autism? that breaks down sensory processing and autistic differences.
I end the post with this footnote,
“Being neurotypical just means that your brain is processing the world like most others. This means the dominant culture has been made to support the way your brain processes the world around you. You are surrounded by supports for your neurotype every single day.”
This is a concept I’d like to explore further. It really turns the idea of supports on it’s head.
Click here to read the whole post.
I finally finished the mood board for my fantasy novel.
I’ve hung this right in my living room so it can stay in my consciousness.
You can see the timelapse where I make it here.
I’ve come to the conclusion I need to free up some mental capacity to really delve into this world in the way that’s needed. Turns out proofing three separate books for self publishing is kind of a lot. I’m being patient with myself. There’s no rush on this.
Here’s a peek at my writing workspace.
I set this up in the living room when it was too cold to be in the studio (and soon it will be too hot.) It turns out that extreme heat and cold trigger migraines so I’m afraid I am a fair weather studio artist. Accepting that my body needs what it needs means making spaces that work for me.
Here are a few photos you’ve sent me recently.
Oh, did I mention I’ve started printmaking again?
Shoutout to A. Wilder and Paige Meredith Ray. You should visit their blogs.
Support doing things the old fashioned way by joining my Patrons ($5) and I’ll send paper zines each month with the coolest postage stamps I can find.
If you’re reading this in your email inbox you can just hit reply to message me directly. I’d love to hear what you think. It makes it worth the time I put in.
Thanks for being here.
I appreciate you.
* I’m no longer digitizing zines. Due to chronic migraines I’m attempting to cut down on screentime. I wrote a bit about that here.
† What is a microblog? Basically a social media style blog feed that I archive on my own site. I’m working on setting this up to autopost to Bluesky. I call my microblog scraps – evoking both a scrapbook or commonplace book and also the bits of kitchen scrap that end up in the compost heap.
** If you donate a book we are happy to find the book a home or to send it to the school or library of your choice.