Hannah Penner

  • Hyperempathy is exhausting and beautiful

    A few years ago, I was with my family watching the movie Cast Away for the first time. The main character’s happy ending was crashing down around him, and I was inconsolable.

  • The self-diagnosis debate

    In my last column, I wrote about the relief I experienced after receiving my adult autism diagnosis from a psychologist.

  • Seeing the Spectrum

    When my psychologist told me this past spring that she was diagnosing me with autism spectrum disorder, my immediate reaction was relief. I was desperate for a professional to confirm what months of self-reflection and research had pointed to, and it was confirmed.