Autism Stories Autism Stories: Helen San
Jan 12, 2026
Helen San, a licensed professional counselor specializing in autism and ADHD, shares powerful insights from her journey. She highlights how realizing her own autism helped her better assist others. Helen discusses the importance of understanding differences in executive functioning and advises against assuming tasks are simple for everyone. She emphasizes experimenting with personal strategies and recognizing unique work rhythms. Plus, she offers invaluable resources on her website for both autistic individuals and clinicians.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Late Self-Discovery Through Assessment Training
- Helen San realized she was autistic after training to administer the ADOS and recognizing herself in the test results.
- This self-discovery happened at age 55 and reframed decades of confusing experiences into a coherent story.
Autistic Brains As Data Hoarders
- Helen describes autistic brains as natural data-hoarders who seek patterns across environments.
- Growing up across cultures gave her abundant data to notice communication and behavior patterns.
Trust Self-Reported Autistic Experience
- Trust autistic people's self-knowledge when formal assessments are unaffordable or inconclusive.
- If a clinician lacks enough evidence in a single session, encourage self-exploration and return later rather than dismissing the person's experience.