Mitchell's Life with Autism
131 FOLLOWERS
My name is Mitchell and I am an autistic teen. I want to share my life with the world in hopes that I can bring awareness of what it is like to live with autism. I believe spelling as a form of communication is not well understood and I hope to bring awareness to this lifestyle and change that for autistic people everywhere. I am on the move a lot because it helps me concentrate and apply myself.
Mitchell's Life with Autism
1w ago
I have been taking college classes online at Arizona State University. It has been a positive experience overall. I have changed my mindset about college since I graduated high school, which has made it more enjoyable. I initially put a lot of pressure on myself to be like a neurotypical student. I wanted to be ..read more
Mitchell's Life with Autism
3w ago
Working with new people used to be one of my biggest barriers. The second a new person would sit down to work with me I would freeze. I would lock up, and I couldn’t even spell; sometimes I couldn’t even follow directions well. My anxiety often led to criticism of any new staff. Fortunately, I ..read more
Mitchell's Life with Autism
2M ago
I want people to feel comfortable with wearing headphones whenever they need them. They make it possible to attend loud events. The wedding of Taylor Janish and Mitchell Janca was really loud with music, but I was able to dance. Without headphones this would not have been possible. Some people restrict people with autism from wearing headphones. They want autistics to ..read more
Mitchell's Life with Autism
3M ago
In the last year, I have learned a lot about friendship. Prior to this, it wasn’t really on my radar because I was so focused on medical stuff. I always wondered how people chose their friends, maintained friendships, and knew how to spend their time together. I am seeing that in the non-speaking community, many ..read more
Mitchell's Life with Autism
5M ago
I recently started Occupational Therapy with Amplifying Potential Therapy‘s new OT, Kayla Adams. I have not done intensive OT in several years and I am so excited to start. I am still able to do many life skills tasks that I learned back when I was still attending along with my other therapies. This time ..read more
Mitchell's Life with Autism
6M ago
I was interested in reading Happiness Falls because the main character is non-speaking, which is unique and a really good way to see how another person would react to a crisis who is like me. I usually read books about speakers. It was interesting to look at the story from the perspective of a non-speaker’s ..read more
Mitchell's Life with Autism
7M ago
One criticism I have heard about autistic people’s intelligence is that they watch “baby” shows and movies. There are a few reasons for this. I do still enjoy watching some cartoons and kids movies even though I’m 20. They provide a sort of mindless comfort. They are predictable and require little to no thought, unlike ..read more
Mitchell's Life with Autism
8M ago
Over the years, I have encountered many professionals from different backgrounds. My encounters have varied from speech therapists to neurologists and school administrators. I have noticed a pattern in those interactions that is indicative of their view on disability, specifically autism. There are some professionals, most of which I’ve encountered in schools, who are in ..read more
Mitchell's Life with Autism
10M ago
Trying new things is challenging for people with autism. While it is a common belief that we are inflexible, for me that’s not the problem. In my opinion, the biggest challenge for trying new things is the motor and sensory demand. I have to face new and unexpected sensory experiences that can be dis-regulating. New ..read more
Mitchell's Life with Autism
10M ago
This week, my family opened Amplifying Potential Therapy in collaboration with my friend and SLP, Taylor. I am very excited about this venture because it is in line with my life goals to make letterboard more accessible to non-speakers. I have a unique opportunity to both receive services and inform services offered for other people ..read more