Conspirituality

241: Unravelling The Telepathy Tapes

Jan 23, 2025

In this insightful discussion, Janyce Boynton, a former facilitated communication practitioner, delves into the controversial practice that claims to give a voice to non-speaking autistic individuals. She candidly reflects on the seductive promise of the technique, but warns it undermines true agency and dignity. The conversation also critiques the illusion of telepathic communication and the emotional burdens faced by families seeking genuine support. Boynton emphasizes the need for accurate representation and effective therapies in the autism discourse.

01:15:58

Episode guests

Janyce Boynton

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The episode critiques Facilitated Communication, highlighting its potential to undermine the autonomy and dignity of non-speaking autistic individuals.

Public fascination with telepathy, as explored in The Telepathy Tapes, showcases a demand for unconventional narratives in autism discourse.

The emotional struggles faced by parents of non-speaking autistic children emphasize the necessity for improved systemic support and evidence-based practices.

Deep dives

Flexibility in Learning

The podcast discusses an innovative learning format that allows students to set their own deadlines and learn at their own pace. This approach facilitates education without requiring individuals to sacrifice personal or professional commitments. Learners can tailor their schedules to fit their lifestyles, providing a significant advantage for those balancing multiple responsibilities. The emphasis is on the ability to earn a degree while continuing with everyday life, promoting a more inclusive and flexible educational environment.

Intro

5min

Examining Facilitated Communication: Between Hope and Controversy

21min

Examining the Illusion of Telepathic Communication

5min

Challenging Myths of Language Acquisition in Nonverbal Individuals

2min

Language Acquisition and Social Interaction

5min

The Essence of Love and Spiritual Evolution

2min

The Controversy of Facilitated Communication

14min

Facilitated Communication: Belief, Dependency, and Community

17min

One of the top podcasts in the world—even beating out Rogan for a few hours—is popularizing a well-meaning intervention for non-speaking autistic people. Unfortunately, that intervention happens to be a proven failure, and may set autistic and disability rights discourse back by decades.

Filmmaker Ky Dicken’s The Telepathy Tapes podcast delves into the world of Facilitated Communication, in which non-speaking people are believed to miraculously gain access to complex written language after lives of silence. According to Dickson, non-speaking people can also gather in transdimensional spaces and channel spiritual knowledge.

But there’s a problem. Every controlled test shows that the messages produced through letterboards and iPads are coming from the facilitators—not the non-speaking persons.

In this episode, Matthew interviews experts in pseudoscience and autism, including Janyce Boynton, a former (now dissident) practitioner of Facilitated Communication who explains how seductive and promising it was to practice, but how it ultimately steals agency and dignity from the autistic client.

And... this is also a story about parents dealing with crushing levels of unpaid and invisible labour. They are already doing miraculous work. A fantasy is no replacement for true support and recognition.

Show Notes

Podcast About 'Telepathic' Autistic Children Briefly Knocks Joe Rogan Out Of No. 1 Spot

Ky Dickens Director | Filmmaker

Facilitated Communication—what harm it can do: Confessions of a former facilitator

MD25438 - Powell, Diane Hennacy, MD - OR License Verification - 01/12/2025 11:07:47 AM

The Telepathy Tapes: Separating Science From Pseudoscience In Autism Communication

Stolen Voices: Facilitated Communication Devalues Autism | Psychology Today Canada

Multiple method validation study of facilitated communication: II. Individual differences and subgroup results - PubMed

The Telepathy Tapes Prove We All Want to Believe

"The Telepathy Tapes" is Taking America by Storm. But it Has its Roots in Old Autism Controversies.

Mixed Messages: Validity and Ethics of Facilitated Communication | Disability Studies Quarterly

Is There Science Behind That? Facilitated Communication