Autistic Culture 101: Pillar 8 - Predictably Comforting with Daria Brown

In this episode of Autistic Culture 101, Dr. Angela Kingdon explores Pillar 8: Predictably Comforting with special guest Daria Brown, author of We Chose Play: Raising an Autistic Child to Thrive and Feel Understood. Together, they unpack how predictability, routine, and familiarity are not about rigidity—they’re about emotional safety, sensory regulation, and identity coherence.

This conversation is essential for autistic adults, parents, and advocates who want to better understand the soothing power of sameness in autistic lives.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

• Why routine and repetition are cultural strengths in autistic communities
• How sensory regulation and emotional grounding depend on predictability
• The difference between rigidity vs. self-protection
• How repetition (like rewatching shows or eating the same foods) supports well-being
• Cultural icons—from Thomas the Tank Engine to Andy Warhol—who exemplify this trait
• Tools for supporting autistic children and adults through comfort-based design

👤 Featured Guest: Daria Brown

Daria holds a Master’s in Personality and Social Psychology and brings over 30 years of experience in research, education, and neurodiversity advocacy.

• 🌐 Affect Autism Website
• 📖 We Chose Play – Buy the Book
• 🎧 Affect Autism Podcast
• 📺 Affect Autism YouTube Channel
• 📸 Instagram: @affectautism
• 📘 Facebook
• 🐦 Twitter/X: @affectautism

Related Episodes:

Andy Warhol (Ep 33) - Repetition as art, ritual, and grounding

The Law (Ep 115) - Predictability through rules, order, and structure

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