Autism Stories

"I'd had this burning desire, or I just knew it was my destiny to do something at the intersection of dance and disability, and I saw a gap. More than anything, I saw a gap. I was like, wow, I didn't know that one in four Americans had a disability, and that's 61 million Americans", says Marisa Hamamoto. Marisa joins this episode to discuss her dance company that employs disabled and non disabled dancers, being a stroke survivor, and artistic roller skating. To learn more about Marisa and her dance company visit https://www.infiniteflowdance.org. If you could subscribe on your favorite listening platform we would really appreciate that. If you are looking for extraordinary support support to live self-sufficient and purpose-driven lives through customized coaching then visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  If you would be interested in being interviewed on Autism Stories or would like to be a sponsor send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doug.blecher@autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

"I want to eliminate the shame and stigma of autism. That's really the goal here is to help people understand what it is. Neurotypical people- they don't understand it. And a lot of autistic people don't really acknowledge or understand what we can do to have better lives", says Scott Steindorff. Scott joins this episode to discuss directing and producing the feature-length documentary Understanding Autism. To learn about and watch Understanding Autism visit https://www.pbs.org/show/understanding-autism/ If you could subscribe on your favorite listening platform we would really appreciate that. If you are looking for extraordinary support support to live self-sufficient and purpose-driven lives through customized coaching then visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  If you would be interested in being interviewed on Autism Stories or would like to be a sponsor send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doug.blecher@autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

"At Autistic Minds, at the directory, we help families, individuals, to find autistic groups and events and articles related to autism. So we've recently come close to 35,000. So we're the biggest in the UK, the second in the world. So that's our aim, to be the biggest in the world", says Andrew Moore. Andrew joins this episode to discuss overseeing a directory of  resources for autistic people. To learn more about Andrew visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-moore-2a2959127/ If you could subscribe on your favorite listening platform we would really appreciate that. If you are looking for extraordinary support support to live self-sufficient and purpose-driven lives through customized coaching then visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  If you would be interested in being interviewed on Autism Stories or would like to be a sponsor send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doug.blecher@autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

"It would be an essential part of any decent person-centered care to find out what co-occuring conditions are there. Any good midwife would know those. But I think the rates of how much more likely autistic people are to experience those issues, I think having a care plan without taking those things into consideration would be quite risky, at best", says Haley Morgan. Haley joins this episode to discuss being the co-author of Supporting Autistic People Through Pregnancy and Childbirth. To learn more about Haley visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-morgan-562501209/ If you could subscribe on your favorite listening platform we would really appreciate that. If you are looking for extraordinary support support to live self-sufficient and purpose-driven lives through customized coaching then visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  If you would be interested in being interviewed on Autism Stories or would like to be a sponsor send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doug.blecher@autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

"  The hiring process is so, so old today and it's not always inclusive. So please do take care of the hiring processes. That's the first thing that a business should do. And accommodations, there are so many different kinds of accommodations, but I don't see that happening everywhere, at least in my personal experience. And so to just evaluate, assess and like innovate with your aaccommodations would mean a lot to your organization and to your employees", says Navya Adhikarla. Navya joins this episode to discuss  psychological safety in the workplace, differences in her autistic experience in India and the United States, and frustrating aspects of the job search process. To learn more about Navya visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/asnbhhanu5/ . If you could subscribe on your favorite listening platform we would really appreciate that. If you are looking for extraordinary support support to live self-sufficient and purpose-driven lives through customized coaching then visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  If you would be interested in being interviewed on Autism Stories or would like to be a sponsor send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doug.blecher@autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

"I do think everyone needs a financial plan and I would say those that have precarious income or inconsistent income need a plan even more so. This has been one of the huge challenges in the industry. The way I say it is, the people that need advice the most are the ones that can't really afford to traditionally get it. One of the things I'm doing to give back as well, in addition to my own personal practice," says Drew Adamick. Drew joins this episode to discuss being a financial planner and his podcast Divergent Finances. To learn more about Drew visit https://divergentfp.ca . If you could subscribe on your favorite listening platform we would really appreciate that. If you are looking for extraordinary support support to live self-sufficient and purpose-driven lives through customized coaching then visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  If you would be interested in being interviewed on Autism Stories or would like to be a sponsor send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doug.blecher@autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

"Their nervous system's been dysregulated for such a long time, everything gets thrown off, including the circadian rhythm. So, it makes sense that someone might need to be eating at times they didn't before, and that includes overnight, in order to keep their blood sugar at a decent level so that way they can sleep", says Laura Hellfeld. Laura joins this episode to discuss sleep differences in autistic people, being an independent nurse, and creating safe spaces. To learn more about Laura visit https://www.instagram.com/laura.nd.nurse.consulting/ If you could subscribe on your favorite listening platform we would really appreciate that. If you are looking for extraordinary support support to live self-sufficient and purpose-driven lives through customized coaching then visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  If you would be interested in being interviewed on Autism Stories or would like to be a sponsor send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doug.blecher@autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

"I'll be honest, I've had a really great journey so far.  ASD Band has its ups and downs. And on top of that, being autistic has a unique dimension to our creative process. For example, we're bouncing ideas for our original songs left and right with, you know, effective communication and we want to overcome the stigma of autism", says Rawan Tuffaha. Rawan joins this episode to discuss being the lead singer in a band and about their upcoming album. To watch a documentary about ASD Band visit https://watch.showandtell.film/watch/asd-band-enjoy-the-show  . You can also check out Jake's House a charity that brought the band together and that provides support to the autistic community. If you could subscribe on your favorite listening platform we would really appreciate that. If you are looking for extraordinary support support to live self-sufficient and purpose-driven lives through customized coaching then visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  If you would be interested in being interviewed on Autism Stories or would like to be a sponsor send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doug.blecher@autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

"So I was in the corporate world at this time about a year ago, working about 13 to 16 hours a day and just really not enjoying something that I thought I would. I got into research. I thought I would love it. I still do, luckily. But I was just so burnt out. And I was looking for something that could really bring me back to what it felt like I was. And so I stumbled across birds again. [...] It was a love that I had as a child that I was able to reinvigorate and pulled me out of some very dark, dark periods", says Stephanie Minaya. Stephanie joins us to discuss her love of birds and working for a neurodivergent led company. To learn more about Stephane visit https://www.tiktok.com/@learnaboutbirds . If you could subscribe on your favorite listening platform we would really appreciate that. If you are looking for extraordinary support support to live self-sufficient and purpose-driven lives through customized coaching then visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  If you would be interested in being interviewed on Autism Stories or would like to be a sponsor send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doug.blecher@autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

"To me, the key is the manager, honestly. When you think about somebody's experience with a company, their direct supervisor provides about 80% of that experience with the company. So, if the company's fantastic, but you have a manager who isn't understanding, helpful, or inclusive, then it doesn't matter what the values are of that company. Because the person who is directly responsible for how you interact with the workplace...it can't make up for that", says Jessica Michaels. Jessica joins this episode to discuss neurodivergent leaders leverage their talents and being a stand-up comedian . To learn more about Jessica visit https://coachjessicamichaels.com . If you could subscribe on your favorite listening platform we would really appreciate that. If you are looking for extraordinary support support to live self-sufficient and purpose-driven lives through customized coaching then visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  If you would be interested in being interviewed on Autism Stories or would like to be a sponsor send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠doug.blecher@autismpersonalcoach.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.