Chloe Farahar (she/they) PhD
“I was diagnosed at age 32 after a lifetime of being told I am “weird”, “odd”, “stand-offish”, and “unapproachable”. I struggled to make friends, and experienced bouts of depression and constant anxiety. It was only once I realised I was Autistic that I found my “group of weird” – the Autistic community, and my new friend Annette. Together, Annette and I explored what being Autistic meant for us, and now we work together on projects and research to help other Autistics learn to find their “group of weird”. I hope that via Aucademy you too can find your place in the world.”
– Dr Chloe Farahar
Dr Chloe Farahar (they/she) completed a PhD in social psychology with a programme of research specifically attempting to improve the dominant discourse surrounding “mental illnesses” (neuro-divergences). Using social psychological theory, Chloe created, developed, and uses a play (Stigmaphrenia©; Farahar, 2012) about the neuro-divergent nature of what is currently (and incorrectly) referred to as “madness” and “mental illness” in order to improve public attitude and behaviour, but more importantly, perceptions of the self.
Chloe is a post-doctoral researcher (2021-2025) on the Oxford-led ATTUNE project, exploring young people’s experience of mental health and adverse childhood experiences through participatory arts-based research, with a particular focus on innately neurodivergent young people (e.g., Autistic).
In 2023-2024, Chloe is a specialist tutor on the National Autism Training Programme for NHS staff, an Autistic-led programme developed by Anna Freud and AT-Autism.
Dr Farahar has a chapter on the use of her play Stigmaphrenia to reduce mental health stigma in the July 2020 release of The Neurodiversity Reader: Exploring Concepts, Lived Experience and Implications for Practice, edited by Dr Damian Milton.
Dr Farahar writes about the importance of positive Autistic identity, culture, community, and space/s for wellbeing, in a recent university article and accompanying cartoon published by UCL and in Chapter 19 of the Milton & Ryan edited: The Routledge International Handbook of Critical Autism Studies.
Chloe and Annette contributed a chapter to Brown’s Lived Experiences of Ableism in Academia: Strategies for Inclusion in Higher Education, outlining the challenges Autistic academics are faced with.
Chloe and Annette joined Meghan Ashburn of Not an Autism Mom to talk about their chapter, and the interview can be watched here.
While PhD students, Chloe and her friend and colleague, Annette Foster, together developed So, You’re Autistic (SYA)? at the University of Kent. SYA? is a pre- and post-diagnostic support for Autistics: a support programme teaching those with a diagnosis, awaiting a diagnosis, or self-diagnosed HOW to be their authentically Autistic selves – to understand what being Autistic means for YOU.
Chloe and Annette developed the SYA? programme so that future Autistics do not have to figure out what being Autistic means alone – to explore what being Autistic means together.
More information can be found on her SYA? site.
Chloe’s play about the neuro-diversity of humanity has been performed in the UK and two educational establishments in the US. Chloe also carries out workshops educating diverse audiences about the power of language, and the need to move away from marginalising bio-medical language and the misconceptions it instils.
Chloe is always looking for collaborative endeavours to disseminate her play Stigmaphrenia©, as well as opportunities for academic collaboration, and is always happy to provide her workshops and talks for any audience.
Dr Chloe Farahar’s published work:
Farahar, C. (2021, June 25). A rose by any other name would smell…of stigma (or, the psychologically important difference between being a “person with autism” or an Autistic person). Retrieved from Unit for Stigma Research, University College London: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/stigma-research/2021/06/25/a-rose-by-any-other-name-would-smellof-stigma-or-the-psychologically-important-difference-between-being-a-person-with-autism-or-an-autistic-person-by-dr-chloe-farahar/
Farahar, C. (2021, May 13). How can we enable neurodivergent academics to thrive? Retrieved from London School of Economics and Political Science: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/highereducation/2021/05/13/how-can-we-enable-neurodivergent-academics-to-thrive/
Farahar, C. (2022). Chapter Nineteen – Autistic identity, culture, community, and space for wellbeing. In D. Milton, & S. Ryan (Eds.), The Routledge International Handbook of Critical Autism Studies (1st ed.). Routledge.
Farahar, C., & Bishopp-Ford, L. (2020). Stigmaphrenia©: Reducing mental health stigma with a script about neurodiversity. In D. Milton (Ed.), The neurodiversity reader: Exploring concepts, lived experience and implications for practice. UK: Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd.
Farahar, C., & Foster, A. (2021). #AutisticsInAcademia. In N. Brown (Ed.), Lived Experiences of Ableism in Academia: Strategies for Inclusion in Higher Education (pp. 197-215). Bristol, UK: Policy Press.
SOME OF THE ORGANISATIONS WHO HAVE HOSTED TRAINING DELIVERED BY DR CHLOE FARAHAR:
- Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg
- AT-Autism
- Barnet PRUs School
- BeYou
- BISnet
- Breakout Youth
- Broadstairs College
- Canterbury College
- Caremark (Thanet/Dover/Canterbury)
- CCCU
- Derby PCT
- Eagle House
- Edgebury Primary School
- Euroclear
- Family Voice Surrey
- Haringey
- Health Education England
- Herne Bay High
- InTune
- Kent Fire & Rescue
- KMPT
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- MENCAP
- NAS E Renfrewshire
- NAS Surrey
- Neurodive
- New School of Psychotherapy & Counselling
- North East Autism Society
- Nurture Programme
- Nurture the Nook
- Pinpoint
- RCP – Faculty of General Adult Psychiatry Annual Conference
- Reframing Autism
- Royal Holloway
- SEND Family Instincts
- Sligo
- The Autistic Collective
- University of Exeter
- University of Hertfordshire
- University of Kent
- University of Portsmouth
- University of Warwick
- University of Westminster
- We Are With You
- Yellow Lady Bugs
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So, You're Autistic (think you are)? 