Wired to Feel: Autism as a Condition of Sensory Surplus

Autism is not simply a difference in thinking―it is an embodied experience shaped by heightened sensory awareness, nervous system sensitivity, and perceptual intensity. For many autistic adults, this can lead to sensory overwhelm, shutdowns, difficulty with social expectations, and challenges navigating a world designed for neurotypical minds.

In this groundbreaking guide, autistic psychologist Sarah Bergenfield offers a new way of understanding autism as a condition of sensory surplus, supported by both personal insight and emerging scientific research. Psychotherapist Martha Sweezy joins Bergenfield in adapting internal family systems (IFS) therapy alongside principles from neuroscience and polyvagal theory to help autistic readers better understand their internal experiences and nervous system responses.

With this neuroaffirming guide, you’ll learn how to:
• Understand autism as an embodied sensory experience rooted in the brain, body, and nervous system
• Recognize patterns of sensory overwhelm, shutdown, and emotional dysregulation
• Use adapted IFS tools to build inner understanding and compassion
• Apply insights from neuroscience and polyvagal theory to regulate stress and sensory overload
• Advocate for your needs in relationships, work, and daily life
• Cultivate lasting self-acceptance as an autistic person

Through compassionate guidance and evidence-informed tools, this book helps you make sense of sensory disorganization, social expectations, and internal conflict―so you can navigate the world with greater confidence and self-trust.

Rather than viewing autism as a deficit, this empowering guide reframes it as perceptual diversity, helping you move beyond stigma, shame, and marginalization toward a life of authenticity, resilience, and flourishing.