Nesting and safe retreat: the right to leave the world behind
By Helen Edgar and David Gray-Hammond · From the Re-Storying Autism workbook, Module 3
Nesting in AuDHD and Autistic life reframes retreat as a form of selfpreservation. Nesting is (in part) the creation of a sensory refuge; a place where control is returned to the bodymind, where external demands fall away, and where the nervous system can finally exhale. Families often misunderstand retreat as avoidance, regression, or unwillingness to engage. Nesting is neither unhealthy nor optional, iIt is a fundamental part of Autistic survival, especially during burnout or high demand periods. A nest might be: - A corner with a blanket and headphones - A bedroom with soft lighting - A favourite chair with a tablet and weighted blanket - A small tent or den inside the house - A ritual of retreat involving familiar objects, sensory comforts, or predictable routines When family members accept and protect this space, they can help to give their child a place where the world finally stops pressing against them where they feel safe to be themselves.
Keep going in the course
This is a short extract. The full lesson in Module 3: Sensory and Emotional Landscapes includes the video teaching, the rest of the workbook text, reflection questions for parents, carers and Autistic people, and progress tracking.