This week saw the publication by Springer of the latest book from Wenn Lawson, co-creator of the theory of Monotropism. Autism and Being Monotropic: What Medical and Other Practitioners Need to Know becomes the primary book-length exploration of the theory and what it means – a title previously claimed by his 2010 book The Passionate Mind, which was based on his PhD research.
Focused on practical suggestions aimed at medical and allied professionals, the new book brings in decades of research while centering the voices and experiences of autistic people (including the author).
Meanwhile, Helen Edgar, Marion McLaughlin and Felicity Goodhall have put together a free ebook, Words Inspired by the Experience of Being Monotropic, collecting resonant words from around the world, together with images that fit them.
Three more recently published chapters focus on monotropism – including Wenn’s open-access chapter, Autism: its Foundations and Practical Applications, from the IntechOpen volume Understanding Developmental Disorders (working title), edited by Professor John Glazzard.
Chapter 6 of Pamela Heaton’s The Psychology of Music and Autism, published by Palgrave Macmillan, is titled Monotropism, Flow and Musicality. It provides a very clear account of these ideas, together with a beautiful exploration of what they actually mean for autistic musicians like Elisabeth Wiklander, who describes her experience playing in symphony orchestras: ‘with music as an artform – you are living in the past, the present and the future at the same time’.
Finally, the opening chapter of On Being an Autistic Therapist, edited by Max Marnau and published by PCCS Books, is titled Autism in therapy: Monotropism, meditation and autistic flow. Written by River Marino, this chapter discusses their experiences with flow, first in terms of their own self-healing and meditation practice:
That night, all of my attention was focused on the meaningful conversation and the streaks of light from the meteor shower. It was like being inside a cosy, protective bubble where only the conversation, the stars and the meteor shower existed. My attention was entirely absorbed in the experience of each moment, and it was as if nothing outside of that ‘protective bubble’ existed. Only the moment, and then the moment after that…
They talk about how the theory of Monotropism helped them to make sense of those experiences, and go on to discuss their experiences as a therapist, working with autistic clients:
I’m simply present in each moment and the session becomes a meditation of all the details: every word, every movement, every sensation, every feeling. Therapy becomes a meditation on seeing someone in all their complexity: all the nuances that make up a person, moment by moment.
There’s a free online launch event for this book on the 14th of February at 13:00 GMT.
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