In early 2021, we launched our Practical Intervention Fund (PIF). The idea behind it was to provide a straightforward way for disabled, deaf and neurodivergent people to request small, practical items related to wellbeing or relaxation. This was especially important during the height of the pandemic, when accessing these kinds of items was particularly difficult for many disabled people.…

Tourettes is a surreal condition to live with – anything can become a tic, including stuff I’m not even conscious of knowing. For example, I had no idea that Keith Duffy is allergic to peanuts or what a marmoset is until my tics started talking about them.…

In April 2023 Touretteshero became an Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Organisation (NPO). This means we get funding for the next few years to support our creative activities. It also means we’re able to grow our team, making loads of exciting projects possible.…

At several key moments in my life, Occupational Therapists (OTs) have suggested tools or approaches that have transformed what I’ve considered possible. Occupational Therapy has a lot to offer those of us with tics and Tourettes, but this is often underappreciated and underutilised, so I sat down with Ione Georgakis, an Occupational Therapist with Tourettes, to talk all things OT.…

A few years ago an article was published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) about the relationship between social media and increased instances of tics. I had significant concerns about the article which I wrote about here. I ended that post by saying:

“I understand the impulse for clinicians to theorise and share ideas with others, but I’d also ask that this be done with care… Clinicians’ opinions often hold a lot of weight so I ask them to be aware of this and be thoughtful about how their views might impact people’s lives.”…

I love play! I loved playing as a child, and as a young adult I loved discovering Playwork and making play my job. Now I love being an aunty and playing with my niece and nephew. Play is a big part of who I am and it’s a central part of how we make art at Touretteshero.…

A couple of years ago the child of one of my colleagues got an official Tourettes diagnosis. When they told us over Zoom, we all cheered. My hope is that our joyful response will have sent the message that they’re perfect exactly as they are and that Tourettes doesn’t have to be something that’s sad or scary, but instead can be the start of an adventure of self-discovery.…

Happy World Book Day!

As a child I spent hours secretly scouring libraries, looking for stories and characters I could relate to. I was secretive about it for two reasons – I didn’t have the words to describe what I was looking for, and by the time I was eight I’d already internalised the idea that being disabled or neurodiverse was shameful and not something to be celebrated.…

Content Warning: This post includes discussion of ableism within theatre, negative depictions of mobility aid use by non-mobility aid users, and quotes from other sources that include ableist language and slurs.

Ten years ago this summer we took our first show Backstage In Biscuit Land to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh.…

I’ve never written an online dating profile. I did start one once but found the mix of expectation, self-promotion, and the pressure to be funny overwhelming. So, I abandoned the idea. But I’m also finding writing this post, which has some similar qualities, quite daunting.…