Autistic Culture | Where autism meets identity! Autism and Grief (Episode 126)
Apr 25, 2025
Mady Snyder, a neuroaffirming therapist based in Pasadena, specializes in grief and neurodiversity. In this heartfelt discussion, she highlights how grief goes beyond the loss of a person, encompassing routines, relationships, and expectations. Mady shares insights on the unique ways autistic individuals experience and express grief, emphasizing the significance of special interests in the healing process. The conversation also touches on the impact of societal norms, personal rituals, and the need for understanding diverse expressions of grief, including the challenges of internalized ableism.
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Expanded Definition of Grief
- Grief extends beyond death to loss of routines, relationships, or expectations.
- It's a process of acknowledging painful feelings without needing to make them better instantly.
Mady's Early Grief Experience
- Mady lost her mother at 17 and started coping through intense research on grief.
- This data-driven approach to grief helped her understand and move through her pain.
Nonlinear Nature of Autistic Grief
- Traditional linear stages of grief don't reflect autistic experience.
- Autistic individuals often experience multiple grief emotions simultaneously, not sequentially.