Jeanette Purkis has a lived experience of autism and mental illness and is also the author of two books looking at aspects of autism. She holds a Master's degree in Fine Arts from RMIT University and works full-time in the Australian Public Service. Jeanette lives in Canberra, Australia.

Dr Emma Goodall has Asperger's syndrome and has had professional experience of mental health services. She has a PhD in the area of education and the autism spectrum and is the author of a text book for teaching AS children. Emma is a Senior Autism Advisor in South Australia and an executive committee member of the Australian Society for Autism Research (ASfAR), as well as an executive committee member for the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) of Australia and New Zealand. She lives in Adelaide, South Australia, with her partner.

Dr Jane Nugent is a Psychiatric Career Medical Officer with General Practitioner training. She has a special interest in mental health and a passion for psychopharmacology. She has a talent for taking highly technical information and making it accessible to non-specialists. Jane has been involved in pharmacology teaching for a variety of New Zealand and Australian institutions since 1997.

Introduction. 1. Diagnosis. 2. Anxiety Disorders. 3. Depression. 4. Self-harm. 5. Suicidal thoughts. 6. Psychosis. 7. Communication problems. 8. Stigma and discrimination. 9. Family incidence of autism and mental illness. 10. Strategies to aid sleep. 11. The value of pets. 12. Mindfulness. 13. Psychotherapy. 14. Medication. 15. Crisis measures. 16. Self-esteem and self-confidence. 17. Resilience. 18. Summary of strategies to maintain mental health. 19. Resources.