Map of Monotropic Experiences: Autistic Culture Study Hub
The Map of Monotropic Experiences is the delightful result of a collaborative project by Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms) and the Stimpunks Foundation (Ryan Boren, Norah Hobbs, and Chelsea Adams). The original map was created in 2024 by Helen Edgar as a personal reflection of monotropic experiences, inspired by Gemma Correll’s Map of Procrastination. Since then, it has been developed further into a shared resource that invites Autistic and ADHD people to reflect on their authentic identities and explore how embracing the theory of monotropism can deepen self-understanding and support well-being.
Autistic Realms and Stimpunks deeply believe in telling our own stories and validating each other’s experiences. Their open source training reframes Autism through lived experience and Autistic voices. Grounded in the theory of monotropism — which describes the deep, focused attention patterns common among Autistic and ADHD individuals — this work positions our “interest-based nervous system” as a natural, valuable, and meaningful way of engaging with the world.
At the heart of this project is a radical, affirming reframe of Autism: embracing authentic Autistic identity as a vibrant and valuable way of being, while building strong community connections and validating lived experience.
It has been chosen as the first curriculum offering of Neurokindred’s new Autistic Culture Study Hub — a study and discussion space that will explore the legacy of resources created from Autistic lived experience advocates and educators. The Hub offers both newly identified and exploring Autistics a place to engage with new language and concepts, share personal nuances in response to explanations of internal experience, and immerse themselves in the richness of Autistic culture.
Learn more about Stimpunks and their work at stimpunks.org.
Helen Edgar
Autistic
Helen Edgar is a late-identified Autistic advocate, author, consultant, and former teacher, and a parent to two neurodivergent children. She worked for over 20 years in Early Years and SEND education, specialising in supporting children with profound and multiple learning disabilities. In 2022, she founded Autistic Realms, a platform offering neurodiversity-affirming resources, training, and consultancy. Helen’s work is grounded in lived experience and the theory of monotropism, exploring Autistic attention, flow states, and burnout. Her writing draws on neuroqueer theory, ethodiversity, and posthumanist thought to reimagine well-being, learning, and relational support beyond normative paradigms.
Helen is also Thriving Autistic’s Communication and Community Lead. Helen supports Thriving Autistics’ Discovery Programme for Autistic adults, post-diagnostic family support workshops, and community monthly meet-up events.