Autism and trauma informed
Nervous System Regulation
“Supported.”
“Freeing.”
“Life changing.”
“Like magic.”
If…
You’ve been late identified (or self identified) as autistic…
…and you’re experiencing anxiety, feeling ‘shut down’, ‘numbed out’, finding it hard to slow down or access rest during the day, or switch off and unwind at night, or difficulty with your emotional regulation…
And you’d like to explore some accessible and enjoyable ways to alleviate these and feel more regulated, more of the time –
I invite you to work 1:1 with me over 6 weekly sessions.
Learn to work *with* your nervous system
Autistic people often have extremely sensitive nervous systems. We also tend to be carrying more than our fair share of ‘small t’ trauma from childhood and adult experiences. And these are factors that can impact our ability to regulate ourselves.
Some of us may also experience difficulties with alexithymia (finding it hard to recognise, identify and express our emotions), interoception (our ability to sense and interpret signals from inside the body) and connection with others.
All of this can mean that we can find ourselves feeling perpetually dysregulated. We might find it difficult to keep on an ‘even keel’ emotionally, often feeling panicky, numb, anxious or exhausted; we might experience frequent meltdowns or shutdowns. We can be particularly susceptible to stress, depression and burnout.
Nervous system dysregulation can also show itself as less healthy self-soothing behaviours, such as using screens excessively, disordered eating, skin picking etc., as our nervous system tries to find any way it can to help us feel regulated and safe.
What I’ve discovered is that there are things we can do to be more regulated, more of the time. To befriend and work with our nervous systems; to reduce anxiety; to bring in more joy, more energy and more connection. To feel safer in our bodies and in our environment.
This is a journey I’ve been on myself since 2024, and one I’d love to share with you.
So if you’d like to work with me 1:1 over the course of 6 weeks to…
- Have a better understanding of what’s happening in your nervous system
- Learn accessible and enjoyable tools and practices to help you feel more regulated, more of the time
- Experience a personalised approach, tailored to your particular situation and needs, as we work together 1:1 over 6 x 1 hour sessions
What people are experiencing as a result of doing this work with me
I already knew the power and effectiveness of this work from doing it myself, but the results for the people I’ve worked with since the autumn of 2024 are a joy to see!
People are telling me that doing this work is having a huge impact on them.
- Helping them feel calmer and happier.
- More patient with themselves, more relaxed, more connected, more present, more whole.
- Minds not as busy; not overthinking as much.
- Less panicky, more steady; not as phased by day-to-day life, or irritated by small things.
- Noticing the world around them more, noticing that things look clearer and colours seem brighter.
They’re telling me they’re noticing their bodies more; that the tension in their bodies is melting away; that they’re feeling like they fit better in their bodies, as if they’re being knitted back together.
It’s helping them to process their thoughts and feelings. They’re finding themselves standing up for themselves more. Being able to do more. Seeing benefits so tangible that they’re scheduling work meetings to fit around the practices.
“I’m surprised at how different it has made me feel, and how effective it is.”
“I like that the work has such depth.”
“I feel so supported by this work.”
“Freeing.”
“Life changing.”
“It’s like magic, isn’t it?”
Hi! I’m Amy Richards.
I was diagnosed autistic in 2016, at the age of 37, following a severe burnout and resulting breakdown. Ever since then, I’ve been seeking out ways to thrive as an autistic person and enjoy my life and work more.
I’m very much still on this journey! But in 2024 I found something that’s getting me a lot closer every day.
A bit of background…
In 2020, inspired when my autism blog prompted two people I knew to get diagnosed, I started the Squarepeg podcast.
Eight seasons and 150+ episodes later, I have spoken to and worked with a lot of late-diagnosed autistic people, and have learned (and am still learning) so much more about autism and the many different ways it can affect us and impact our lives, bringing with it both deep joys and many challenges.
In 2022 I launched my THRIVE program for late identified autistic adults (find out more here), and delivering this several times helped me see how many autistic people are struggling with nervous system regulation.
This realisation prompted me to take a deeper dive into this. The work has had such a profound effect on me that I wanted to share it, and in the autumn of 2024 I was certified in Trauma Informed Nervous System Regulation.
Testimonials
“As a late diagnosed autistic with ADHD, daily stress and anxiety have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’ve tried so many things to try and help myself, but nothing has done much for me up to this point.
In just a month, the regulation exercises Amy taught me have already helped me detect when I begin to struggle and to regulate in real time. This has reduced my exhaustion and physical symptoms of stress.
Having Amy as my instructor encouraged me to try these practices, knowing she has seen success with it. I’ve never learned anything like this from anyone, let alone a person who experiences the world similarly to me. I plan to continue to practice these exercises and I’m confident that I’ll continue to see improvement.
Thank you so much Amy!!!”
“I really recommend this Nervous System Regulation course. After only a couple of weeks, I already began to feel the benefits of being calmer and more grounded during the day, and having better sleep at night (I suffer from insomnia).
Particularly as a neurodivergent person, I think the exercises here are really helpful and can improve our quality of life. Amy is very supportive and was always capable of reacting to my questions and adapting the exercises to my specific situation.
Now that I have finished the course, I hope to continue carrying out these exercises in my daily life.”
“I loved working 1:1 with Amy to learn more about nervous system regulation. I had read about some of the practices Amy recommended, and I had attempted them on my own, but I got far more out of the experience with a dedicated guide and instructor like Amy. Amy was a patient and curious listener as she helped me experiment with the nervous system regulation exercises in this program. She helped me think through my responses and reactions to the activities and she helped challenge my thinking when I needed it.
It was nice to hear and feel the validation of my experiences as an autistic person and to recognize that aspects of the dysregulation I’ve experienced throughout my life are not necessarily defects or character flaws that need to be fixed, but rather are the result of some basic needs that have gone unmet for a long time. To be allowed to acknowledge and validate that was freeing.”
What’s included:
- Six 1-hour, 1:1 sessions with me, Amy Richards, on Zoom, in which we explore what’s happening in your nervous system and I guide you through a range of practices to support you becoming more regulated.
- Personalised sessions tailored to you and your particular needs, with guidance on how to approach doing practices between sessions, and a recap email after each session, so during the session you can focus on what we’re doing.
- Access to my bank of pre-recorded video and audio practices designed to support you between our sessions and beyond.
Please note…
This is not counselling; I am not a counsellor or therapist. If you are also looking for therapy or present with issues or needs that are best addressed in therapy, I will recommend that you seek the appropriate care and support alongside/outside of our sessions.
FAQs
I'm self identified as autistic - not 'officially' recognised/diagnosed. Is that a problem?
Absolutely not!
Personally I believe that self identification is 100% valid. Formal recognition can be unattainable for many adults for all sorts of reasons, and people don’t tend to identify strongly as autistic without good reason.
If you’re self-identified, you’re very welcome.
How many sessions will we have together? And when?
Six 1-hour Zoom sessions, one a week for 6 weeks.
These can be on a Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, between 11 am and 5pm GMT (UK time). You’ll be able to choose dates and times to suit you from my calendar.
You can start your sessions any time within 4 weeks of signing up.
What will happen when I sign up?
You’ll be taken to a calendar page where you can book your first session with me, and your payment (either for all 6 sessions, or the first instalment) will be taken.
You’ll then receive a booking confirmation email, with an option to add our first call to your calendar.
I’ll also send you a link to book your subsequent sessions.
On the day of your session, you can join via the Zoom link either on the calendar event or email. (You can join using your desktop computer, tablet/iPad or smartphone – any device with a camera/webcam and microphone.)
Do I have to have my webcam/camera turned on?
Yes. I need to be able to see you in these sessions, both to gauge your reactions and to help connect with you, as the relationship is part of the work.
What's your cancellation policy?
If you need to reschedule, please try to do so no more than 24 hours before the time of our call. If you reschedule within 4 hours of the call starting, you will need to book and pay again. You may reschedule a maximum of 2 times.
If you do not attend a booked call and have not let me know or rescheduled beforehand, that session will be forfeited. You will have the option to pay for an additonal session. This is so that I can manage my diary and my energy, and optimise my working day.
Changed your mind about doing this work? You may cancel any time up to 48 hours before the time of our first call and receive a full refund. Please allow up to 5 working days for any refund to be actioned.
Decide after our first session that this is not for you? Let me know and I’ll refund you, less the cost of the first session.
What time commitment is there?
Aside from our weekly 1-hour 1:1 Zoom session, when you sign up to do this work the expectation is that you will do a series of short practices (2-5 mins each) regularly throughout every day. There are also some longer practices (10-20 mins) which I will signpost you to, to explore 3-5 times per week.
I'm so busy and/or have so little energy/spoons. Will I be able to fit this in and make space for it?
If you’re feeling this way, chances are you really need this work! This is designed to support you, increase your capacity, energy and vitality, and help you prioritise yourself and your needs. The practices are designed to fit around your routine and be integrated into your daily life.
Is there any support for those who struggle to do the practices between sessions?
The question of motivation/procrastination (how to fit this in and get yourself to do it!) is addressed as part of our work together. I’ll work with you to find ways to encourage yourself to do the practices on your own and keep going. Different things work for different people; the important thing is for us to find a way that works for you.
One of the benefits of meeting once a week is that it helps with motivation, because the start of the next session will be reviewing how things have gone so I can see where we need to go next, or where we need to tweak things.
The idea is to build the practices into your day as naturally as possible, so they don’t feel like more ‘to-do’s’, but begin to feel like a natural and enjoyable part of your day. You will also be able to access and use them as tools when needed as well (part of the work is around starting to understand our states better, and know what to do to change them).
The practices feel good and are fun to do; once you start feeling the benefits you should find you are motivated to do them.
How long will I have access to the pre-recorded content and replays?
You’ll have lifetime access* to the pre-recorded content. If at any point I decide to stop offering this and remove the content library, I’ll give everyone plenty of notice.
* the lifetime of the programme
I have a question that you haven't anwered here!
Please email me: hello@squarepeg.community and I’ll reply with an answer.
Pricing & how to sign up
The six 1:1 sessions, plus lifetime access to the recorded video and audio materials, costs £450 (payment plans available)
Due to the 1:1 nature of this work, I need to make sure I have availability in my diary for new signups. To find out about availability, or if you have any questions about doing this work with me that aren’t answered in the FAQs, please contact me using the form below:
Not quite ready? Join the interest list
If you’re interested in working with me on nervous system regulation, but you’re not ready yet, you can join the interest list and get occasional reminders, as well as details of any special offers or new ways of working with me.
“Not only is this work extremely helpful, but it’s also really fun! I loved doing the practices together and I liked that we spent time talking through and personalising the practices. The sessions flew by and I always felt so calm afterwards. I did this work with Amy during an extremely busy period, and rather than feeling like I now had another thing to worry about, instead it helped me to cope with everything else.
Personally, so much of what I struggle with each day as an autistic person stems from nervous system dysregulation. This practice has given me the understanding and tools to help with that.”
“I think this work is probably the most important thing any of us can learn. Amy is a compassionate, enthusiastic educator and communicator and a great person to walk this path with, and I especially appreciated her enthusiasm for this topic.
For me, learning to regulate my nervous system allows me to be the best version of me and gives me tools to manage all the things that life might throw at us.
I feel my awareness of where I am ‘at’ has improved and therefore I’m more likely to use the appropriate coping tool in the moment to meet where I’m at. I also learned something new – that I can use tools to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system when I feel I am in freeze or need energizing.
This work has been especially important to me as a late-diagnosed autistic person as it has grown my capacity to recognize how my mind, body or nervous system is responding moment to moment and provided tools to respond in a way that is aligned with my values, health and wellbeing.
This has had a huge ripple effect, from helping me to strengthen my self-identity (and drop the imposter syndrome/mask), more self-efficacy in supporting myself, and creating more space and ability to experience joy and pleasure.”
“[Since doing the Nervous System 1:1] I am more readily accepting my own interpretation of my own experience. Learning to purposely turn my attention inward and to NOT shut out the body as a source of information has helped me be more open to accepting my own responses/reactions/interpretations as valid and worth noticing.
I appreciated the pace and the structure. There’s something so useful about having someone to bounce ideas and experiences off of. You gave me new perspectives on my own experience multiple times during the 1:1 sessions, and they were so valuable. You were able to point out examples of my literal thinking and help me broaden my understanding of some of the activities and exercises. I would not have been able to do that without the interactive, 1 on 1 component of this course.”
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