Category Archives: Relationships & Connection

There’s something that has shown up in my relationship more than once, but it became especially clear recently when my partner was away for a number of days. We FaceTime’d a few times while he was gone, and objectively, everything about those calls was fine; we checked in, we talked about our days, we covered […]

April 2026 “You just don’t have empathy.” It’s a moment I see often. One partner is upset, maybe tearful, maybe sharp in their tone. The other is quiet, or responds in a way that feels too logical, too measured or too late. And in that gap, something painful takes hold: you don’t care. But when we […]

When Trust Hurts By Michelle Labine, PhD November 2025 I still feel embarrassed when I talk about this. Even after my autism diagnosis, even after years of reflection and learning, there’s a flush of shame that rises when I admit how often I’ve been tricked, misled, or taken advantage of. I know I’m not alone […]

Part Two: When Images Guide Connection Autistic Knowing in Relationships By Michelle Labine, PhD November 2025 What surprised me most, after finally understanding my autism, was recognizing how deeply my imagistic way of knowing shapes my relationships. I’ve always picked up on emotional shifts quickly often long before someone puts words to what they’re feeling […]

When Connection Feels Like Danger: Experience of Overload and Self-Protection By Michelle Labine, PhD October 2025 There’s a pattern many late-diagnosed Autistic women recognize only after years of confusion: the sudden urge to run, retreat, or cut off connection when relationships or social experiences start to feel too intense. On the surface, it might look […]