Neurodivergence: Understanding Self and One’s Intersectionality Through the Monotropic Lens - Building Supports for Mental Fitness
Tracks
Jacaranda - In Person Only
| Monday, August 11, 2025 |
| 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM |
| Jacaranda Room |
Overview
A/Professor Wenn Lawson - Curtin Autism Research Group
Speaker
A/Prof. Wenn Lawson
Senior Researcher
Curtin Autism Research Group
Neurodivergence: understanding self and one’s intersectionality through the monotropic lens. Building supports for mental fitness.
Presentation Overview
Three Key Learnings:
1. Attendees will learn about Autistic monotropism and its relationship to interoception and object permanence.
2. Attendees will learn how connection to interoception and object permanence via the monotropic lens, lowers stress and anxiety.
3. Attendees will learn how lowered stress and anxiety in neurodivergent people, via interoceptive and object permanence connection, aids mental fitness.
Being monotropic, the foundation underlying autism, is highlighted in the ‘double empathy problem’. The monotropic cognitive style will mean communication breakdown between differing neurotypes. Extra layers are added for intersectionality. Everyone is different and there will always be flaws in communication, but when one’s difference is totally dissimilar in cognitive style, processing, comprehending concepts (incomplete, not black & white) and sensory connection, such as that seen in autism and ADHD, that difference will lead to poor mental health and even suicidality. Up to 50% of Autistic adults think of/attempt suicide and experience poor to crippling mental health. Females, often late diagnosed in their journey towards an autism assessment, live lives governed by masking who they are and adapting their behaviour, to find work, a relationship or a community. Neurodivergent and gender diverse individuals struggle, often alone, to work out who they are and where they belong. This presentation explores being neurodivergent and living with intersectionality and how to build acceptance, self-compassion, understanding, resilience and mental fitness in one’s life through the lens of monotropism as it connects with interoception and object permanence. As an Autistic researcher involved with the ‘Autism & Mental Health MOOC’ (mass open online course) written for and by Autistic’s with Curtin University (WA), the evidence from participants demonstrates both the need for this understanding and the celebrated outcome of mental fitness when understood and applied to Autistic lives.
1. Attendees will learn about Autistic monotropism and its relationship to interoception and object permanence.
2. Attendees will learn how connection to interoception and object permanence via the monotropic lens, lowers stress and anxiety.
3. Attendees will learn how lowered stress and anxiety in neurodivergent people, via interoceptive and object permanence connection, aids mental fitness.
Being monotropic, the foundation underlying autism, is highlighted in the ‘double empathy problem’. The monotropic cognitive style will mean communication breakdown between differing neurotypes. Extra layers are added for intersectionality. Everyone is different and there will always be flaws in communication, but when one’s difference is totally dissimilar in cognitive style, processing, comprehending concepts (incomplete, not black & white) and sensory connection, such as that seen in autism and ADHD, that difference will lead to poor mental health and even suicidality. Up to 50% of Autistic adults think of/attempt suicide and experience poor to crippling mental health. Females, often late diagnosed in their journey towards an autism assessment, live lives governed by masking who they are and adapting their behaviour, to find work, a relationship or a community. Neurodivergent and gender diverse individuals struggle, often alone, to work out who they are and where they belong. This presentation explores being neurodivergent and living with intersectionality and how to build acceptance, self-compassion, understanding, resilience and mental fitness in one’s life through the lens of monotropism as it connects with interoception and object permanence. As an Autistic researcher involved with the ‘Autism & Mental Health MOOC’ (mass open online course) written for and by Autistic’s with Curtin University (WA), the evidence from participants demonstrates both the need for this understanding and the celebrated outcome of mental fitness when understood and applied to Autistic lives.
Biography
Dr. Wenn, an Autistic Researcher and British Psychologist whose work focus is Autism and Mental health, is internationally acclaimed. Wenn is well published, has won many awards, is a key theorist on the Monotropism theory of Autism, resides on the editorial board ‘Autism in Adulthood’, the Autism Research Institute (ARI) (US), and The American Autism Association. Dr. Wenn, a key member of the Autism Co-operative Research Centre, (ACRC) Queensland, is a Family man with Autistic ‘offspring’ and grandchildren. Wenn’s passions include neurodivergence, birds, animals, writing poetry and sharing his world with open minded and open hearted ‘Others’.
