Carla Swan - Harley Street Therapy

12/09/2026

Autism in girls can sometimes look different from the picture many people still have in their heads.

The core autistic differences are the same, but some girls become incredibly skilled at observing, copying, rehearsing and masking their way through social situations. They may appear quiet, capable or simply “a little anxious” while putting enormous effort into getting through the day.

And that can mean their needs are missed.

This post explores why autism may be less obvious in girls, what it might look like, and why recognising it matters. It is also important to remember that there is no single “girl presentation” — these patterns can be seen in autistic boys too.

Understanding is not about teaching a child to look less autistic. It is about recognising what sits beneath the surface and giving them support that actually fits.

This is one of four posts exploring Autism in Girls:
What Is… • Signs Of • How Can We Help • From the Inside

12/09/2026

Interoception is one of those hidden sensory systems that can explain so much.

It is the sense that helps us notice what is happening inside our body — hunger, thirst, tiredness, needing the toilet, a racing heart, a tight chest, butterflies in the tummy.

And importantly, interoception is part of sensory processing.

That makes this particularly relevant for many neurodivergent children — including autistic children, where sensory differences are extremely common.

Some children notice internal signals very strongly. Others barely notice them until the sensation has become intense. A child may therefore appear to go from “fine” to overwhelmed very quickly, when in reality the earlier body signals were difficult to notice or interpret.

So if you are parenting an autistic or otherwise neurodivergent child and find yourself thinking, “They never seem to realise they’re hungry/tired/anxious until everything suddenly explodes” — interoception may be something worth understanding.

12/09/2026

Next week our focus is MASKING.

Some children become incredibly skilled at hiding how hard they are working to cope. They may copy others, suppress stimming, force eye contact, stay very quiet, rehearse what to say or hold everything together until they get home.

From the outside, it can look as though they are coping well.

Inside, the effort can be enormous.

Next week I will be sharing a new FREE Bite Size Guide to Masking, looking at what masking is, what it can look like, why children mask, what happens when the effort becomes too much and how we can help them feel safe enough to mask less.

I will also be sharing the full four-part masking series across the week.

12/01/2026

15/12/2025

Inside our minds, BBC iPlayer - fantastic insight into ASD and ADHD. Everybody should see this.

08/09/2025

https://youtu.be/5aBmmH97JGQ?si=FpO678Fd5-7GTQz_

Your thoughts will slow, your body relax, and the day fade as you fall asleep quickly with tonight's guided sleep meditation. Now is your time to let the rhy...

08/09/2025

https://youtu.be/o0BWxU9pktM?si=2vuKQkciJJi0zKyZ

How can you face anxiety without being consumed by fear?In this special 3-part compilation, Eckhart Tolle offers profound insights on how to move beyond worr...

03/06/2023

Unexpected surprise!