158 [S11 E13] Listening to myself at last: autistic midlife, grief and new beginnings

Lucy Hogg was formally recognised as autistic in 2018. She describes her life as 'messy', impacted by PTSD from an accident and years of trying to convince therapists that she is autistic, as well as lifelong struggles with not feeling heard or seen, and difficulty making herself understood at work

Now 55, Lucy lives in Norwich, where she works part time in the charity sector as a Director of Partnerships and Influencing, after a varied career as an au pair, research associate, gender equality campaigner, and nonprofit director. She has a degree in Business Studies, a Masters in Philosophy and a PhD in workplace culture change. Her specialist interest is participation and change, and a lot of her work is about advocating for smaller charities, volunteers and communities with decision makers. But she says that she pays financially and in energy terms for the privilege of doing an interesting job.

In this conversation, Lucy shares her journey to recognising she is autistic after years of being unwell, unseen, and disbelieved. She talks about growing up as an identical twin, challenges getting through student life, and how hindsight has reshaped her understanding of those years. Lucy also reflects on working in the charity sector, the toll of work and burnout, and the midlife crossroads of trying to build a future that honours her instincts, creativity, and need for rest.

Squarepeg is a podcast in which I talk to other late identified autistic women and nonbinary people about their lives, their autism journeys, and what they've learned along the way.

I'm Amy Richards, and I was diagnosed autistic in 2016, when I was 37. I've been sharing my conversations with other autistic adults since 2020.

I hope you'll find these conversations inspiring and thought provoking, and that they'll help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences.

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EPISODE LINKS:

Lucy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-hogg-641ba817/

Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucyjchogg

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