A special thanks to the Center for Optimal Brain Integration for inviting me to write about my story and originally publishing this post on their website here! “It’s been validating to learn that I’m autistic,” I said to my therapist. “Can I offer a way to reframe that?” I knew what was coming. “Sure!” Commence a well-intentioned suggestion of thinking of myself as having autism. I wasn’t upset, knowing my therapist’s training had all made one thing unarguably clear: always u