136 [S10 E8] 'Undercover autistic': shaping a more just and inclusive future for autistic care users & practitioners

Shazzy Tharby is a Disability & Neurodiversity Leader, Mental Health & Neurodivergence Consultant, counsellor and psychotherapist, the Founder of Positively Living, a worldwide therapeutic service, and Vice President of the Australian Clinical Supervision Association.

Shazzy describes herself as “Autistic, disabled, a wheelchair user, and Muslim”. They are 49, the parent of two autistic children, and they live in Perth in Western Australia, where their mental health leadership is transforming people’s understanding of neurodiversity, trauma, and inclusion.

A multicultural and multilingual neurodivergent Muslim woman, Shazzy sees disability and neurodivergence not as deficits, but as powerful forms of human diversity. Guided by lived experience, anti-colonial practice, and liberation psychotherapy and care, her aim is to ensure that advocacy, services and leadership reflect our realities, and help shape a more just and inclusive future.

In our conversation we talk about how neurodivergent people are treated in crisis and medical situations, and the changes that are needed; the need for distinct clinical supervision for neurodivergent clinicians; how autism is viewed among the medical profession, and the idea of autistic culture. Shazzy also shares the delightful concept of autism birthdays!

 Although there are difficult topics in this episode, the fact that people like Shazzy exist and are working in these spaces fills me with hope for us all. 

 CONTENT WARNING: 

There is mention and discussion of suicide at various points throughout this episode, so if this is a topic that’s difficult for you, you might want to give this one a miss.

Squarepeg is a podcast in which I talk to other late identified autistic women and nonbinary people about their lives, their autism journeys, and what they’ve learned along the way.

I’m Amy Richards, and I was diagnosed autistic in 2016, when I was 37. I’ve been sharing my conversations with other autistic adults since 2020.

I hope you'll find these conversations inspiring and thought provoking, and that they’ll help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences.

 

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EPISODE LINKS:

Website: www.positivelyliving.com.au 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shazzy-t-23752b9

 

If you'd like to connect with me, get in touch or follow Squarepeg, you can find me on:

Website: https://squarepeg.community/ 

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/ 

THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS!

 

A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast:

 

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