John McIntyre

My wife is the beautiful lady in the photograph. Her name is Laura and she spent years, into her late 20s in fact, seeing one occupational therapist after another for her social anxiety until finally she was referred to one who very quickly came to the same conclusion Laura herself had reckoned was the case… that her anxiety actually stemmed from her being autistic. She was assessed and suddenly felt a huge weight had been lifted. Her autism diagnosis was this fantastic answer to so much for her, an emotional day indeed. It’s not often my wife lets me take her photo but this is one of my favourite shots of her. I feel it portrays the sheer exhaustion she feels from the social anxiety her autism gives her. I feel it shows the impact it can have on her. But please do not think this is all her autism gives her because autism also makes up all her little quirks and the awesomeness she has to give as a person. My wife’s autism has moulded who she is... and she is just wonderful as she is. I'd never change her because I love my autistic wife to bits :)