Claire O'Neill
LightNews LightNews
banner
claruineill.bsky.social
Claire O'Neill
@claruineill.bsky.social
910 followers 55 following 28 posts
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Claire O'Neill
autisticrealms.bsky.social
I have been supporting the facilitation of @thrivingautistic.bsky.social's Discovery Programme this year. We have had such positive feedback about how this helps people develop a deeper understanding of their Autistic identity in a neuro-affirmative way.

Please do share x
thrivingautistic.bsky.social Thriving Autistic @thrivingautistic.bsky.social · 22h
Join our 6 week on-line neuro-affirming Discovery course for recently identified Autistic adults (formally identified or self identification welcome).

Fully funded for Irish citizens. Sliding scale of payment options for international people

Find out more:
www.thrivingautistic.org/discovery-pr...
Discovery Programme: Welcome to Your Autistic Self
Have you recently discovered that you’re Autistic? Would you like to learn more about your neurotype and discuss what it means for you in a supportive group with other newly identified Autistic adults...
www.thrivingautistic.org
December 8, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Reposted by Claire O'Neill
autisticrealms.bsky.social
Sharing an upcoming publication with the chapter I co-authored with @fergus.oolong.co.uk

Embracing Monotropism and Flow

It Takes All Kinds of Minds: Fostering Neurodivergent Thriving at School
Ed. Rachael Davis @claruineill.bsky.social & @suereviews.bsky.social

www.routledge.com/It-Takes-All...
the image shows the cover of It Takes All Kinds of Minds: Fostering Neurodivergent Thriving at School, edited by Rachael Davis, Claire O’Neill, and Sue Fletcher-Watson. Beneath it is a section introducing the chapter: Chapter: Embracing Monotropism and Flow By Fergus Murray and Helen Edgar This chapter discusses the benefits of embracing the theory of monotropism (Murray et al., 2005) and the associated phenomenon of flow for Autistic and ADHD young people in educational settings. It highlights why reframing the narrative around autism is crucial. A deeper understanding of monotropism can support the wellbeing of young people and improve educational outcomes by creating radically inclusive learning environments and fostering collaborative approaches. Available for pre-order on December 5, 2025 https://www.routledge.com/It-Takes-All-Kinds-of-Minds-Fostering-Neurodivergent-Thriving-at-School/Davis-ONeill-Fletcher-Watson/p/book/9781032796222
November 9, 2025 at 3:19 PM
claruineill.bsky.social
Learners deserve school systems that support all kinds of minds to flourish!

@drrachaeldavis.bsky.social, @suereviews.bsky.social and I are thrilled to share a new handbook, It Takes All Kinds of Minds we co-edited with the input of some amazing contributors.
December 2, 2025 at 3:38 PM
claruineill.bsky.social
Too little energy yet to process the experience of AEC Congress. To see so many familiar faces to turn up to my presentation and take the trouble to reach out after is truly appreciated. It’s the kindness and generosity of others that makes the post-conference exhaustion worthwhile!
Photo kindly taken by Gareth Morewood of Claire presenting talk at AEC Europe 2025. There is a blue screen at the centre of the image and it has the title of the talk displayed on it: Thriving and Meaning for Autistic Teachers: A Creative and Embodied Approach. Claire is at the bottom centre of the photo and has brown messy hair and is wearing a navy long sleeved dress. Peter V. is seated to the left of the photo and has white short hair, black glasses frames, black bow tie, white shirt and brown waistcoat.
September 14, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Reposted by Claire O'Neill
autisticrealms.bsky.social
💜🌟🌈 My neuro-affirming starter pack includes a collection of wonderful individuals and organizations dedicated to supporting autistic individuals and effecting positive change. Please follow and share. 💜🌟🌈

go.bsky.app/9N5UEUC
December 4, 2024 at 11:10 PM
Reposted by Claire O'Neill
thinkingautism.com
Once again: Taking Tylenol during pregnancy does NOT cause autism. Or ADHD. Research says so. Now let’s pivot more of those research dollars away from causation and into figuring out how to improve neurodivergent quality of life FFS.

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... #neurodiversity
Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children’s Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability
This nationwide cohort study with sibling control analysis examines the association of acetaminophen use during pregnancy with children’s risk of autism,
jamanetwork.com
April 28, 2024 at 4:16 PM
Reposted by Claire O'Neill
autisticrealms.bsky.social
If you’re autistic/adhd you’re more likely to process monotropically. #Monotropism impacts every aspect of who a person is, how they interact &respond to people & the world around them. It impacts how people manage energy levels & regulate. Find out more:
www.autisticrealms.com/post/monotro...
Title: Monotropism Image: Glowing person with beams of light Text reads: If you’re autistic/adhd you’re more likely to process monotropically.* Monotropism impacts every aspect of who a person is and how they interact and respond to people and the world around them. Monotropism impacts how people manage energy levels and regulate. You can’t separate monotropism from the person.
April 28, 2024 at 5:46 PM
Reposted by Claire O'Neill
autisticrealms.bsky.social
If you’re autistic adhd you’re more likely to be monotropic. This may impact communication & add to the Double empathy problem.
Getting to know people, sharing interests, creating togetherness can help make sense of things & bring shared joy
Alt text: Image: rabbit popping out of rabbit hole. Title: Monotropism Text: It may feel like mono-tropic people are either, monologuing or jumping between unrelated topics. However, monotropic people are more likely to have deep tunneling thoughts. Another person may not be able to understand all the links and connections during a conversation. It might seem a bit weird and unrelated! It likely adds to a double empathy problem. Getting to know autistic people; being with them and showing curiosity in their interests is a way of understanding and connecting in a deeper more meaningful way.
March 5, 2024 at 5:51 PM
Reposted by Claire O'Neill
craeioe.bsky.social
How do the insider perspectives of autistic professionals enrich our communites? Find out on Tue, 12 March, with Mary Doherty.

#CRAEwebinar booking:
bit.ly/tripleempathy
Autistic professionals and the triple empathy problem.
Dr Mary Doherty, founder of Autistic Doctors International, on leveraging insider perspective for community benefit.
bit.ly
February 29, 2024 at 8:32 AM
claruineill.bsky.social
This book launch is fabulous and will be available on YouTube. I'm looking forward to re-reading Robert's book after this illuminating talk. Highly recommended!
drrobertchapman.bsky.social Robert Chapman @drrobertchapman.bsky.social · Feb 5
Online book launch is tomorrow!
drrobertchapman.bsky.social Robert Chapman @drrobertchapman.bsky.social · Jan 25
Hey I am doing an online book launch for Empire of Normality with the Marxism and Disability Network!

Time and date: Tue, 6th Feb
6:30pm - 8:00pm, GMT

See the link and/or join their mailing list to access the Zoom link soon!
marxismdisability.wordpress.com/2024/01/22/f...
February 6, 2024 at 7:04 PM
claruineill.bsky.social
Thank you to yhe kind person who encouraged me to put together a final hour proposal for this conference. For anyone else interested, the conference was recommended as a fun, welcoming, accessible and creative space with a distinct "beyourselfness" atmosphere.
drhelenkara.bsky.social Helen Kara @drhelenkara.bsky.social · Dec 11
Deadline for proposals for the International Creative Research Methods Conference 2024 is this Friday 15 Dec. Details below 👇 Don't miss out! #ICRMC #CRMethods
drhelenkara.bsky.social Helen Kara @drhelenkara.bsky.social · Nov 27
Call for proposals for next year's International Creative Research Methods Conference helenkara.com/2023/10/31/i... deadline 15 Dec. Last year's conference was a huge hit. Hope to see you at the next one! #ICRMC #CRMethods
December 12, 2023 at 7:36 AM
Reposted by Claire O'Neill
thinkingautism.com
What does an autistic child's love looks like? One of many reasons to heed autistic wisdom is that "So many parents grieve, thinking there is no love," when the problem is they don't know how to recognize autistic love. By @annmemmott.bsky.social, at TPGA.
Recognizing How Autistic Children Express Love
One of the most important things autistic people can offer to parents is interpretation skills, like autistic languages of love and caring.
thinkingautismguide.com
December 7, 2023 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by Claire O'Neill
suereviews.bsky.social
Really delighted to be sharing this work from the LEANS project

And if you’re impressed by first author Reesha Zahir please also share her new coproduced study of sleep and mood in autistic teens.

Find out more and sign up here:
mentalhealthscot.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

#AutRes
November 9, 2023 at 9:37 AM
claruineill.bsky.social
I'm glad that I've moved over here and I'm not in a space where I can spend much time immersing myself in the culture / etiquette/ hidden curriculum if that makes sense? Is it OK / appropriate to ask for top tips for blueskying? What wonders do other people have about engaging here?
December 5, 2023 at 6:22 PM
claruineill.bsky.social
Thanks for sharing. I'm looking forward to the publication of a co-authored (with CJ Griffen and Bobbi White) autoethnographic account of masking in academia.
jduke4.bsky.social Jodi Duke @jduke4.bsky.social · Nov 29
Love this essay on autistic masking, which suggests that it is “a combination of many things, including survival strategies, protective mechanisms, and social behaviours that develop over a lifetime of invalidation, negative social judgements and being pathologised”.
thinkingautism.com Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · Nov 27
"The metaphor of a[n autistic] mask is powerful, but it also implies a unitary 'thing,' rather than a set of complex and interacting factors that we cannot simply combat by stimming publicly, refusing to make eye contact, or being 'ourselves.'" ICYMI, by @dramypearson.bsky.social, at TPGA.
November 30, 2023 at 9:46 PM
claruineill.bsky.social
Interesting observation. I'm using a rhizomatic approach currently in autism research and this helps with considering this relationship.
twillierod.bsky.social Graham Mead @twillierod.bsky.social · Nov 29
Most autism research does not consider the relationship between parts and the whole - the whole being an autistic person. It investigates particular parts (genes, neural networks, etc) and assumes they are describing what is responsible for the whole.
November 30, 2023 at 9:41 PM
Reposted by Claire O'Neill
autisticbooks.bsky.social
I've also just found this wonderful-looking FREE eBook:

A Neurodiversity and Gentle Parenting Journey...in Color by Morénike Giwa Onaiwu and Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network

Available in English and Spanish.

awnnetwork.org/ebook-bipoc-...
A Neurodiversity and Gentle Parenting Journey…in Color - Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN)
A Neurodiversity and Gentle Parenting Journey...in Color Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN) is excited to present our newest resource: A Neurodiversity and Gentle Parenting Journey...in Color/Mi...
awnnetwork.org
November 30, 2023 at 12:02 PM
claruineill.bsky.social
Thanks for sharing this helpful summary of recent research -Thinking Person's Guide. This research highlights the significance of neurodiversity in Autistic identity formation and wellbeing.
thinkingautism.com Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · Nov 22
Research: People who see autism rather as a type of mind than as a disorder had higher self-esteem. Clinicians should be sensitive to the way autistic people understand autism and to what extent they identify with the autism community, because it may relate to their well-being.
Looking through rainbow-rimmed glasses: Taking neurodiversity perspective is related to subjective w...
Finding new ways of supporting the well-being of autistic adults is an essential goal for research and practice. We tested the predictive value of attitudes tow...
journals.sagepub.com
November 22, 2023 at 8:11 AM
claruineill.bsky.social
Big thank you to the best brother anyone could wish for. Sorted me out with a bsky code. GRMA Barry!
November 18, 2023 at 10:37 PM