Hello! :)

Hi everyone, I'm brand new here. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to use my real name/nickname looking at the rules, and I hate breaking rules so I'll just leave that out to be safe for now!! I'm a 34 year old (she/her) from (and still living in) London, UK. I was late-diagnosed at 30, just before the pandemic which was... interesting timing. I'm still learning about myself and embracing and working with my new autistic identity, and I'm hoping to make some other neurodivergent friends and feel like part of an understanding community. Hopefully I might be able to share some advice/recommendations with others when wanted too, as I've done a lot of work in therapy and personally to try and manage my spicy brain - I also deal with mental health struggles such as anxiety, emotional regulation difficulties and self-harm.

Aside from managing my brain - which, frankly, should be a recognisable full-time job by itself - I also work full time on a postgraduate university programme teaching trainees to work with young autistic people in the mental health field, and I am studying towards a degree part-time with the Open University as well. I'm hoping to change careers in the coming years, perhaps to work with people who have mental health problems and/or are autistic (I'm currently considering Occupational Therapy as a potential option!). 

I don't do special interests in the same way as a lot of people, but if I have them then it's likely mental health and autism. I also crochet (from time to time!), and I've just got myself a tablet to do some graphic drawing on. I'm also a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, in case the name didn't give you that impression! My brightly coloured (currently blue) hair means a lot to me - that started after my diagnosis and is a part of me starting to unmask and embrace who I am instead of just being ashamed of it. 

My 'emotional support giraffe', Jake, comes with me everywhere (no, he isn't real unfortunately - but that doesn't stop me cuddling and talking to him!!).

Anyway, that's enough rambling on from me. Nice to virtually meet you all in advance!