Wired to Feel: Autism as a Condition of Sensory Surplus

“This is a groundbreaking and compassionate book, weaving together neuroscience, sensory experience, personal experience, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to shine a powerful new light on autism. With insight and warmth, the authors illuminate the inner landscape of sensory surplus and show how embracing every part of oneself can lead to healing, integration, and self-trust. A must-read for anyone seeking a deeper, kinder understanding of neurodiversity―from the inside out.”
―Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

“For years I’ve been asked how IFS works with autistic people. Not being autistic myself and not having a lot of experience with autistic people, I would tell them I don’t know. Now I happily refer them to this amazing book. Sarah is autistic and has extensive experience using IFS with autistics. In addition, she conveys her experience and those of her clients in ways that make it clear that while their brains process the world differently, and society’s reactions to those differences have been painful and forced parts into protective and exiled roles, they also have unusual strengths and access to Self. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is autistic, or is working with someone who is, or wonders whether they might be.”
―Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, founder of Internal Family Systems

“Wired to Feel invites a much-needed paradigm shift―from pathology to perception, from deficit to surplus. Grounded in neuroscience, IFS, and lived experience, it offers a wise, deeply embodied exploration of autistic reality. Few books have captured the lived texture of autism as vividly and accurately. It’s a gift to autistic readers―and a guide for those who wish to meet them not only with understanding, but with true clinical attunement and care.”
―Yoav Bartov, MSW, certified therapist and IFS Institute Co-Lead Trainer specializing in autism, ADHD, trauma, and family therapy

“A thoughtful take on autistic challenges with failure, prediction errors, the autonomic nervous system, and parts. Readers are challenged to reconsider assumptions about the autistic self.”
―Sean M. Inderbitzen, LCSW, member of Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), and author of Autism in Polyvagal Terms

“Wired to Feel offers a deeply personal and compassionate exploration of the autistic experience through Sarah Bergenfield’s journey as a late-diagnosed woman. Bergenfield and Sweezy present a groundbreaking reframe of autism―viewing sensory overwhelm not as deficit but as an abundance of connection with the world. This fresh perspective has the potential to transform the field. Essential reading for anyone seeking to better understand autism from the inside out!”
―Jenna Riemersma, LPC, Certified IFS Clinical Consultant and best-selling author of Altogether You

“Wired to Feel is a groundbreaking guide for understanding and embracing autism. Sarah Bergenfield and Martha Sweezy skillfully blend neuroscience with Internal Family Systems to empower autistic individuals to welcome the full experience of who they are. Validating, practical, and deeply compassionate, this book is a lifeline for anyone seeking clarity, calm, and self-leadership in a world that rarely makes room for neurodiversity. A must-read for healing and hope.”
―Michelle Garnett, PhD, clinical psychologist and cofounder and director of the autism awareness organization, Attwood & Garnett Events

“Wired to Feel shifts the paradigm of what it means to be autistic and what to ‘do’ about it. Fully neuroaffirming and fully engaging, this book enlightens the reader about how autistic brains and bodies work differently, and how sensory superconnectivity leads to alternative means of existence in the world. It also addresses approaches to the inherent difficulties in being autistic in the face of overwhelming sensory environments and situations that lead to uncertainty, confusion, and mental and physical overload. This is a must-read for autistic people and those who care about them.” 
―Lindsey Biel, OTR/L, occupational therapist, coauthor of Raising a Sensory Smart Child, and author of Sensory Processing Challenges
 

“This beautifully written, fiercely compassionate book is a must-have for autistic individuals and those who support them. Wired to Feel offers a liberating road map for expanding understanding, fostering connection, and finding ways to live authentically, with vitality, in a constantly changing world. The authors expertly interweave research and neuroaffirmative practices with Sarah’s lived experience to support each reader’s personal exploration and unique application of the material. A must-read!”
―Evelyn Gould, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist at the New England Center for OCD and Anxiety, and fellow of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS)

“This loving, depathologizing work helps autistic individuals recognize themselves and navigate their brains more effectively. The mix of knowledge of autism with expertise in IFS creates rich teaching for better therapists and more understanding family members. Sarah Bergenfield’s generous sharing of her personal journey transforms this book into something beautifully human―reading like memoir at times. Essential reading.”
―Paul Browde, MD, psychiatrist and relationship guide

“This book is a brilliant integration of IFS with the neurology of autism. Sarah and Martha illustrate how IFS is particularly well suited to autistic systems, offering processes that align with the needs of the autistic brain. Sarah’s approach honors the reality that suffering may arise not only from parts that need attention and care, but also from autistic neurology and the challenges of navigating a world designed for non-autistics. Game changer.”
―Alexia Rothman, PhD, IFS Institute Lead Trainer, speaker, and consultant, and cohost of the IFS Talks and Conversas IFS podcasts