Inspired by community member interest in women’s health and autism, Felicity House hosted the “Autism and Menstrual Wellness” webinar on Monday, May 18th. This virtual event brought together community members, guests, caregivers, and service providers for an in-depth conversation about menstruation and autism. Discussion topics ranged from periods to menopause, with autistic panelists Samantha Garstin and Dr. Aimee Grant (Please see below for each speaker’s bio) explaining how a deeper understanding of your cycle can support wellbeing, energy management, and self-knowledge.

Samantha’s presentation focused on how knowing the menstrual cycle’s ‘seasons’ (winter, spring, summer, fall) can help individuals manage their energy and understand their monthly needs.

Dr. Grant shared her research on the experiences of autistic people during the transition from perimenopause to post-menopause. She noted that while many symptoms are similar to non-autistic people, autistic individuals might have more sensory sensitivities. She also offered scripts and tips for talking about cycle needs with partners, family, employers, and doctors.

Throughout the webinar, both speakers talked about the benefits of self-care, speaking up for oneself, and valuing personal experience. Attendees asked about comfortable menstrual products for sensory sensitivities, managing menopause symptoms, and handling difficult emotions during different cycle phases. One member shared, “For menstrual products for people with sensory sensitivities, I recommend Always Radiant pads. In fact I swear by them.” 

Felicity House thanks Samantha and Dr. Grant for sharing their time, research, and experience. Continuing these conversations helps raise awareness, validate personal experiences, and make sure wellness resources are accessible and supportive for the autistic community.

If you were unable to attend, a recording of the webinar can be found below.

Speaker Bios

Samantha Garstin

Samantha Garstin is a speaker, educator and coach specialising in menstrual and neurodivergent wellness. Late diagnosed as Autistic and ADHD at 42, she had one of those “well that explains everything” moments… including why she’d spent years building a career around understanding fluctuating capacity. Turns out that’s pretty important when your brain works differently from the rest of the world. Now she blends her professional expertise in cyclical health with her lived experience and specialist knowledge of neurodivergence to help people stop feeling like they need to shrink to fit… Because your body and brain were never the problem.

Dr. Aimee Grant 

Dr Aimee Grant is an Associate Professor and Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow at Swansea University. She is Autistic and has researched marginalised pregnancy and early motherhood for more than a decade, including those living in poverty, stigmatised locations and Disabled women. Aimee’s current research includes an 8 year Wellcome Trust funded study which interviews 100 Autistic people regularly for five years to understand Autistic experiences “from menstruation to menopause”. She is the author of The Autism Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, birth and the fourth trimester (Jessica Kingsley, 2025), is a Deputy editor for the journal Autism in Adulthood, and was added to the Disability Power 100 list in 2023.