The exhaustion of masking both disability and identity
There are people walking through this world every single day carrying the exhaustion of constantly monitoring themselves. Monitoring how they speak. How they move. How they laugh. How long they make eye contact. How much emotion they show. Whether they stim in public. Whether they sound “too gay.” Whether they seem “too autistic.” Whether they […]
Caregiver Mental Health Matters Too
Mental Health Awareness Month often focuses on anxiety, depression, burnout, emotional regulation, and access to care. While these conversations are important, one group continues to be left out far too often — caregivers. As a parent, advocate, educator, and accessibility consultant, I know firsthand that caregiving is layered. It is emotional. It is physical. It […]
When Communication Barriers Impact Mental Health
Communication impacts every part of daily life. It impacts relationships, safety, self-advocacy, emotional regulation, education, healthcare, independence, and connection. Yet when conversations surrounding mental health take place, communication access is often overlooked. As an assistive technology and accessibility consultant, I regularly see the direct connection between communication barriers and emotional well-being. For many disabled individuals, […]
Supporting Mental Health in Disabled Students
Mental health conversations within education often focus on anxiety, depression, behavior, burnout, and emotional regulation. While these discussions are important, disabled students are frequently overlooked in these conversations. As an assistive technology and accessibility consultant, I often see how emotional well-being is impacted not only by a student’s diagnosis, but by the barriers surrounding them. […]
Mental Health and the Disability Community by the Numbers
Mental Health Awareness Month creates important opportunities for conversations surrounding emotional well-being, access to care, burnout, anxiety, depression, and support systems. However, one area that continues to be overlooked in many of these discussions is the direct connection between mental health and disability. As an assistive technology and accessibility consultant, I often see how emotional […]