Please see our guide on accessing OverDrive/Libby resources for information on getting access to ebooks and audiobooks. You can also download the Libby app on your phone and use your Caltech credentials to access resources.
You can find additional books at the Autism Books by Autistic Authors Project. The project "is an ongoing attempt to catalog all books written about autism by Autistic authors." Plus the Ed Wiley Autism Acceptance Lending Library "offers books, resources and information on autism from a neurodiversity and disability rights and justice perspective."
"Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, and organizations with the opportunity to recognize the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual." See below for a list of virtual events hosted by the folks at Neurodiversity Celebration Week.
Caltech Student Wellness Services offers a series of workshops on campus covering topics like:
Please see Caltech Student Wellness Services' Workshops and Groups guide for more information.
Students can also join Neurodiversity @ Caltech: see the Clubs page for more information.
The Caltech Library has resources on a variety of neurodiversity topics. Please find lists of print books, ebooks, audiobooks, and articles below. If you don't see the resources you need, please feel free to Suggest a Purchase.
What I Mean When I Say I'm Autistic by 
The Adult Autism Assessment Handbook by
Adult autism assessment is a new and fast-growing clinical area, for which professionals often feel ill-equipped. Autistic adults are often misdiagnosed which has enormous implications for their mental health. This accessible and comprehensive adult autism assessment handbook covers the most up to date research and best practice around adult autism assessment, centering the person's internal experiences and sense-making in clinical assessment, rather than subjective observation, thus providing the clinician with a truly paradigm shifting Neuro-Affirmative approach to autism assessment. Traditional clinical assessment tools are comprehensively explored and unpacked to enable the clinician to have full confidence in aligning traditional criteria to the Autistic person's subjective experiences. Full of additional resources like language guidelines and an exploration of the common intersections between Autistic experience and the effects of trauma, mental health and more, this book supplies a breadth of knowledge on key areas that affect Autistic adults in everyday life. The mixed team of neurotypical and neurodivergent authors describe lived experience of Autistic adults, a how-to for conducting Neuro-Affirmative assessments and post-assessment support, alongside reflections from practice. This book also has a directory of further resources including downloadable forms that you can use to prepare for your own assessments and a downloadable deep dive into Autistic perception. This guide will also support professionals through every step of the assessment process.
Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by
A deep dive into the spectrum of Autistic experience and the phenomenon of masked Autism, giving individuals the tools to safely uncover their true selves while broadening society's narrow understanding of neurodiversity "A remarkable work that will stand at the forefront of the neurodiversity movement."--Barry M. Prizant, PhD, CCC-SLP, author of Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism For every visibly Autistic person you meet, there are countless "masked" Autistic people who pass as neurotypical. Masking is a common coping mechanism in which Autistic people hide their identifiably Autistic traits in order to fit in with societal norms, adopting a superficial personality at the expense of their mental health. This can include suppressing harmless stims, papering over communication challenges by presenting as unassuming and mild-mannered, and forcing themselves into situations that cause severe anxiety, all so they aren't seen as needy or "odd." In Unmasking Autism, Dr. Devon Price shares his personal experience with masking and blends history, social science research, prescriptions, and personal profiles to tell a story of neurodivergence that has thus far been dominated by those on the outside looking in. For Dr. Price and many others, Autism is a deep source of uniqueness and beauty. Unfortunately, living in a neurotypical world means it can also be a source of incredible alienation and pain. Most masked Autistic individuals struggle for decades before discovering who they truly are. They are also more likely to be marginalized in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation, class, and other factors, which contributes to their suffering and invisibility. Dr. Price lays the groundwork for unmasking and offers exercises that encourage self-expression, including: * Celebrating special interests * Cultivating Autistic relationships * Reframing Autistic stereotypes * And rediscovering your values It's time to honor the needs, diversity, and unique strengths of Autistic people so that they no longer have to mask--and it's time for greater public acceptance and accommodation of difference. In embracing neurodiversity, we can all reap the rewards of nonconformity and learn to live authentically, Autistic and neurotypical people alike.
Thriving with Adult ADHD: Skills to Strengthen Executive Functioning by
Proven strategies for strengthening executive functioning skills and overcoming adult ADHD symptoms Executive functioning skills--including focus, organization, stress management, and more―are critical to succeeding in all aspects of your life. Whether you've just been diagnosed with ADHD or you've lived with it your entire life, you know that developing these skills can be a challenge. Thriving with Adult ADHD offers a toolbox of information, assessments, and evidence-based exercises to help you build this mental skill set and take control of your ADHD. Make real, sustainable changes with practical guidance and activities for sharpening your memory and attention, learning to plan and organize, strengthening your mental flexibility, enhancing your emotional regulation, improving your impulse control, and living your best life. This adult ADHD book includes: Executive functioning overview--Learn what executive functioning is, how it relates to ADHD, and how these exercises can help you develop it. Solutions for all settings--Discover actionable advice for managing ADHD symptoms at home, at work, and in relationships. Self-assessments--Identify your personal strengths and weaknesses with quick self-evaluations. Don't let ADHD symptoms hold you back. Gain the skills you need to achieve your goals with help from Thriving with Adult ADHD.
Taking Charge of Adult ADHD: Proven Strategies to Succeed at Work, at Home, and in Relationships by
If you're among the millions of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you need the latest facts about the disorder and its treatment. You need practical strategies to help develop your strengths and achieve your goals, whether on the job, in family relationships, or in personal pursuits. From renowned ADHD researcher/clinician Russell A. Barkley, this is the book for you. Dr. Barkley takes you through the process of seeking professional help, addresses frequently asked questions about medications and other treatments, and offers a wealth of advice and tips--all science-based. Featuring the latest resources and medication facts, the revised and updated second edition includes new or expanded discussions of mindfulness, emotional self-control, time management, building a successful career, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and more. Finally, an authoritative one-stop resource to help you take back your life from ADHD.
Self-Care for People with ADHD: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Prioritize You! by
Destress, find your community, and practice self-love with these 100+ exercises to reinforce ADHD as a strength. When you have ADHD, it can be hard to stay on top of your wellness. Self-Care for People with ADHD is here to help! This book can help you engage in some neurodiverse self-care--without pretending to be neurotypical. You'll find more than 100 tips to accepting yourself, destigmatizing ADHD, finding your community, and taking care of your physical and mental health. You'll find solutions for managing the negative aspects of ADHD, as well as ideas to bring out the positive aspects. With expert advice from psychiatrist and clinician Sasha Hamdani, MD, Self-Care for People with ADHD will help you live your life to the fullest!
Neurotribes by
This New York Times-bestselling book upends conventional thinking about autism and suggests a broader model for acceptance, understanding, and full participation in society for people who think differently. What is autism? A lifelong disability, or a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference akin to certain forms of genius? In truth, it is all of these things and more--and the future of our society depends on our understanding it. Wired reporter Steve Silberman unearths the secret history of autism, long suppressed by the same clinicians who became famous for discovering it, and finds surprising answers to the crucial question of why the number of diagnoses has soared in recent years. Going back to the earliest days of autism research, Silberman offers a gripping narrative of Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger, the research pioneers who defined the scope of autism in profoundly different ways; he then goes on to explore the game-changing concept of neurodiversity. NeuroTribes considers the idea that neurological differences such as autism, dyslexia, and ADHD are not errors of nature or products of the toxic modern world, but the result of natural variations in the human genome. This groundbreaking book will reshape our understanding of the history, meaning, function, and implications of neurodiversity in our world.
Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD by
Organizing Solutions for People with ADD, 2nd Edition outlines new organizing strategies that will be of value to anyone who wants to improve their organizational skills. This revised and updated version also includes tips and techniques for keeping your latest technologies in order and for staying green and recycling with ease. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are prevalent in society today, afflicting about 4.4% of the adult population--over 13 million Americans. Four out of every five adults do not even know they have ADD. The chapters, organized by the type of room or task, consist of practical organizing solutions for people living with ADD: At work: prioritizing, time management, and organizing documents At home: paying bills on time, decluttering your house, scheduling and keeping appointments With kids: driving them to various activities, grocery shopping and meals, laundry, babysitters, organizing drawers and closets And you: organizing time for your social life, gym, and various other hobbies and activities Color photographs that capture the short attention span of the reader are featured throughout, as well as sidebars and testimonials from adults with ADD, providing numerous organizational tips, such as the importance of dividing time into minutes or moments, task completion, how to avoid procrastination, asking for help, and how not to be a pack rat. Get your life in order with this witty and sympathetic guide to organization.
Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD by
If you have ADHD, your brain doesn't work in the same way as a "normal" or neurotypical brain does because it's wired differently. You and others may see this difference in circuitry as somehow wrong or incomplete. It isn't. It does present you with significant challenges like time management, organization skills, forgetfulness, trouble completing tasks, mood swings, and relationship problems. In Your Brain's Not Broken, Dr. Tamara Rosier explains how ADHD affects every aspect of your life. You'll finally understand why you think, feel, and act the way you do. Dr. Rosier applies her years of coaching others to offer you the critical practical tools that can dramatically improve your life and relationships. Anyone with ADHD--as well as anyone who lives with or loves someone with ADHD--will find here a compassionate, encouraging guide to living well and with hope.