Introduction of topics

Topic 1: Gender without obligation to explain – Autism and gender identity
Speaker: Kaleb Dahl

– clarification, gender transition, and finding one’s direction in life. Many autistic individuals describe that questions of gender, gender expression, and identity are very prominent – both because self-understanding is often deeply reflected upon, and because the body, senses, social norms, and belonging can be experienced differently. For some, it also becomes relevant to explore gender transition and everything that can accompany it: social steps, legal changes, bodily choices, encounters with the healthcare system – and the need for support before, during, and after.

In this presentation, we focus on how gender identity can be felt and understood from within by autistic individuals, and how to support a clarification process that is safe, respectful, and without pressure, while also allowing for doubt, pace, and complexity.

Topic 2: Adventures with clear boundaries – Dungeons & Dragons and autism
Speaker: Vigga

– community, structure, and freedom (told from within). In this presentation, an autistic speaker explains why Dungeons & Dragons means so much to many on the autism spectrum. We zoom in on what the game can offer when social interaction can otherwise be unpredictable and energy-demanding. D&D creates a community with clear boundaries, distinct roles, and a shared narrative, where one is allowed to be active. D&D provides a safe structure while also allowing for imagination and creativity, and explains why it can feel easier to be social through roles, rules, and turn-taking.

Topic 3: Between overload and addiction – Autism, dual diagnoses, and substance abuse – what actually helps
Speaker: Sasia

When autism, ADHD, or other neurodivergent profiles coexist with substance abuse or problematic consumption, the path to help often becomes uneven: One can fall between treatment options, be misunderstood in conversation, or be met with demands and methods that inherently increase stress and shame. In this presentation, we focus on what dual diagnoses look like in practice – and what is needed for support and treatment to become possible, safe, and effective.

Topic 4: What can be felt can be shaped – Art and autism: when the inner world takes form
Speaker: Nicoline Stieper

Art can be a language when spoken language becomes too narrow. In this presentation, we look at art as a form of expression, regulation, and identity in autistic individuals – and why aesthetics, repetition, details, and sensory experiences often become both a sanctuary and a strength. The presentation combines professional perspectives with an autistic voice, speaking from within: What makes art possible? What can it contain that conversation cannot? And how can we, as professionals, educators, and relatives, create frameworks where art is not just an “activity,” but a way of being in the world.

Topic 5: Sex, senses, and consent – Autism and sexuality
Speaker: Fie Kolding

Sexuality, intimacy, and closeness are important topics for many autistic individuals – and often also difficult to talk about, because the subject quickly becomes either too private, too norm-driven, or too imprecise. In this presentation, we focus on how sexuality can be experienced and expressed when living with autism, and how to create a safe and concrete language for needs, boundaries, and desires. The presentation is aimed at autistic individuals, partners, and relatives – as well as professionals who wish to be able to approach the conversation in a respectful, neuroaffirmative, and practical manner.

Topic 6: Calm for a sensitive brain – Autism and hypnotherapy
Speaker: Nikolaj Bloch

In this presentation, you will get a down-to-earth introduction to how clinical hypnosis can be used neuroaffirmatively in encounters with autistic children, adolescents, and adults – not as “a cure,” but as a gentle method for self-regulation, pain relief, sleep calm, and reduction of anxiety and bodily hyperarousal. Clinical hypnosis can be understood as focused attention, internal imagery, and suggestion that supports the brain’s ability to shift states and access resources. We also look at why many autistic individuals have challenges with interoception (bodily signals) and emotional regulation, and how hypnosis can be adapted with concrete language, predictability, sensory considerations, and full voluntariness.

Topic 7: When life hurts too much – Autism and suicidal thoughts
Speaker: Physician, cand. med. Kate Aamund

– understanding, prevention, and hope in practice. Unfortunately, suicidal thoughts and behavior are common among some autistic individuals, and this calls for both greater professional precision and more human support. In this presentation, we explore why thoughts of disappearing can be pervasive – not as “attention-seeking,” but as a signal of overload, hopelessness, loneliness, shame, repeated failures, masking, and a nervous system in constant alarm.

Topic 8: Micro-calm in a macro-world – Autism and nervous system regulation
Speaker: Psychologist Kirsten Callesen

– a practical guide to calm, stability, and increased capacity. Many autistic individuals live with a nervous system that has been overworked for a long time. Stress responses, repeated overwhelm, and experiences that manifest as trauma can make it difficult to find calm, sleep, socialize, learn new things, and function in everyday life. In this presentation, you will get a practical introduction to how the autonomic nervous system works – and how, as an autistic individual affected by stress, one can learn to recognize their own states and regulate themselves more gently. The presentation is a hands-on guide with concrete examples and many small exercises that can be used immediately.