Autism and Barefooting
26th March 2022 - Guest Post by Tyler Leech
Tyler Barefoot in a Tree
April is Autism Awareness Month. As someone who’s autistic, I have experiences each day that some people may not understand. Things might be too loud, some foods might not have the best texture, the area might be too bright, some words could be interpreted wrong, or even clothing might be uncomfortable or restricting (particularly shoes and socks). Over the years as I grew into an adult I managed to outgrow some of those challenges but one thing we all can agree on is styrofoam squeaking is awful!!
People with autism may experience different sensory experiences or have trouble with proprioception (the neurological ability of the body to sense movement and position, for example, when you close your eyes and move your arm in the air, you have the ability to sense its location and you are able to feel your arm’s location in space). They may have a limited ability to connect with themselves because they cannot connect with the world around them when they are shod.
For many people with autism, walking barefoot helps calm down their nerves and lessens their stress while the varying textures awaken their world. Those with autism appear to be more alert and in tune with their surroundings while they are barefoot. I discovered at one point that people who are autistic prefer to be barefoot because it makes them more aware of their surroundings and calmer because of grounding and getting feedback from the earth. I tried barefooting in 2013 from a challenge put on by a shoe company and since then I haven’t passed down the opportunity to be barefoot. I love feeling the textures under my feet like grass, asphalt, mud, tile, you name it.
Tyler Barefooting
The Barefoot Autism Challenge
In 2017 I created the Barefoot Autism Challenge on Facebook. During the month of April you post a picture or video of you walking barefoot and share why you advocate for someone who’s autistic. It started out originally as a way to get more activity in a barefoot running group, but the founder helped me make a Facebook page and it grew into something bigger than I could imagine. My friend Suzanne Hackenmiller does Forest Bathing every now and again, and because of me she now incorporates being barefoot in her practices depending on the weather.
Before the Coronavirus pandemic hit, I had the idea of themed challenges to keep it interesting. Last year I even did a giveaway of challenge merchandise from my Zazzle store. This year the theme is ‘exercise’ as I prepare for the 2022 USA Special Olympics games in Orlando Florida. As we approach to the Spring warmth, it makes us all want to get outside and enjoy nature. Maybe even go on a barefoot walk. I also encourage you to take part in the Barefoot Autism Challenge by using #barefootautismchallenge and follow the challenge on Instagram and Facebook and check out my Zazzle store for challenge merchandise (all royalties are donated to the Autism Society of Iowa).
In the video below, Tyler explains more about the Barefoot Autism Challenge:
If you would like to learn more about the importance of terminology, then read this article on “A Shift from Autism Acceptance to Appreciation”.
If you are autistic or neurodiverse and interested in collaborating with me on further research and writing about neurodiversity and nature connection, please get in touch by emailing me at hugh@silvotherapy.co.uk.
Hugh
One hundred and seventeen steps from my front door, on an overcast day in early July, my feet come to an abrupt stop, and the knees above sink into the grass below. The neighbours’ house with its elegant portico evaporates from my peripheral vision and the hedge cutter’s convulsive droning recedes from my auditory consciousness. Instinctively, my right hand reaches out and my head juts forward in familiar fashion. It’s not the first time this has happened this week and nor will it be the last. Yet, I am strangely calm. This is not the onset of a shutdown that paralyses my body, sets speech on mute and eliminates rational thought. It is a rare moment of inner peace allowing the usual whirl of thoughts to settle like flakes in a snow globe.