Three Key Learnings:
1. Understanding the impact of mental health clinicians’ behaviour and attitudes on wellbeing for autistic clients

2. Identifying unhelpful clinical practices and how to address these

3. Gaining an understanding of autistic perspectives in the mental health services space


Yenn Purkis, autistic and ADHD advocate, consultant and executive who also has a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, will present on their experiences around accessing mental health services and identify what works and what doesn’t. Yenn has 18 published books, including two on autism and mental health, has given presentations all over the world, including two for TEDx Canberra and is the Deputy CEO of the Disability Leadership Institute. Yenn has over 30 years’ experience of accessing support for their mental health including hospitals, group homes and outpatient services. As an autistic person, Yenn has experienced a lot of discrimination, assumptions and ableism from mental health services and also some really positive and supportive relationships with mental health clinicians.

This presentation will draw on Yenn’s lived experience of accessing services to provide practical advice on what constitutes helpful and neuroaffirming practice and how clinicians can support autistic and other neurodivergent people accessing assistance for their mental health.

Yenn has a unique perspective as an accomplished autistic person with schizoaffective disorder. Yenn has worked in the advocacy space since 2005 and has accessed a range of mental health supports over the years and has reflected deeply on what works and what doesn’t. This presentation will be of particular interest to mental health clinicians and others supporting autistic people with psychosocial disability.