I am an Associate Professor at a well-regarded Australian university. I am also autistic, having been diagnosed at age 60 after suspecting I was autistic for a few years (mostly following the diagnostic process for my younger daughter, as is often the case for late-diagnosed parents!). My motivation for writing this blog post is to describe, to more than just my family and therapists, the effects on my mental health and professional performance during life as an autistic person, and particularly following my late autism diagnosis. Some readers may have had a similarly late awakening to their own neurodivergence, and I hope they find some encouragement and connection here.

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