Autism Stories

"Noise cancelling headphones? There's no noise in my house! I am all by myself- it's just me, the cats, and the dog! I put them on and I had this visceral, really strong reaction. I felt like I was going to cry. Because I realized I heard the lights, the neighbor mowing their lawn 3 houses down, the refrigerator...I heard everything", says Dr. Shannan Palma. Dr. Palma  joins us for the second part of our conversation to talk about helpful sensory tools and the social construct of gender. To learn more about Dr. Palma visit and the Autistic Self-Reliance Support Network visit https://autisticselfreliance.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.

"If their only images of what autism looks like are white, it can make them feel even more alienated. Even something as simple as when you're having autism awareness month in school, make sure not only highlighting Albert Einstein, but people like Stephen Wiltshire,  or Questlove. Just show people who look like your student body, so they don't sort of attribute those strengths to whiteness, which can affect their self-esteem", says Alysia . Alysia  joins this episode to discuss working as a speech language pathologist in a charter school and creating her spoken word poetry. 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 people who make assumptions about social norms and generalizability, are also the people who create generalizable standards, right? I say this as a curriculum developer in my day job. The way that I work to design curriculum tends to be the opposite of how I see a lot of other curricula; other forms of teaching. Because we are centering neurodivergent learning styles", says Dr. Shannan Palma. Dr. Palma joins this episode to discuss improving the wellbeing of autistic people and how everything we are taught about gender and sexuality are wrong. To learn about Dr. Palma visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannanpalma/. 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 decided to create this scale because I think it's important to know that autistic people are very diverse. What one autistic person experiences, doesn't mean another autistic person also experiences the same thing. That's why it was important for me to create a scale that probably covers large parts of the autism community, because there's not only one picture of an autistic person", says Hacki. Hacki joins this episode to discuss something they created to better express theirs and many others autistic traits. We also discuss how being part of a system impacts their life.. To learn more about Hacki visit ⁠https://www.instagram.com/neurodivergentsafespace/⁠ . 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.

"In the beginning of golf, I happen to know that there were only 13 rules made. Now, there's a whole thick, little rule book of when, and if, and that, and lawyer language that nobody understands. Do I drop it here or not? It's yes or no. It should be black or white, but it's not", says Tammy Mayfair. Tammy and Billy Mayfair talk about  how the rules of professional golf are really confusing,  their experiences as an autistic and non-autistic couple being married, and the challenges of being a public figure as an autistic person. 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 really felt that this was maybe my calling to give back, not just to the game of golf, but to sports and to the community. Something I'm very passionate about, I've learned over the past three years, I love discussing about this, helping people, and to see little things that I can tell people that might help them along. Coming out with it was never a big issue", says Billy Mayfair. Billy oins this episode to discuss being a public figure and  disclosing of his autism. We also talk with him about being a professional golfer and how processing information and understanding of rules has impacted his career. 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 was nice to have that regularity. I knew what podcasts were going to drop on what days. I can expect to hear those familiar voices and feel those familiar sensations on my familiar walks. That's a great comfort when you're an autistic person....my thanks to anyone who's done a podcast on Autism Stories over the last 12 months", says Christopher Banham. Christopher  joins Autism Stories to discuss navigating burnout, starting a tutoring business, and the impact of Autism Stories on his life over the last year. To learn more about Christopher and his tutoring business visit https://www.instagram.com/drhumanities/ 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 place that I'm currently working is a hotbed for neurodivergence. A lot of folks there that kind of just understand a lot of things that are happening everyday. You'll see folks in the hall taking a stim break, and it's totally normal. Nobody's bothering them, or worried about what they're wearing, or what they're doing, as long as they're not hurting anybody. They're doing their job and finding their way in a career that suits them and their technical needs and resources", says Shawn Thompson. Shawn joins this episode to discuss working at an organization with neurodivergent affirming support. To learn more about Shawn visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-thompson-âûdhd-ctss-31885a13a/ 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.

" As we look at wrestling as a society with the complications of this virus, it's essential that autism, developmental disability, neurodiversity, be at the table. We're one of the populations that's most at risk for negative outcomes for this virus, both mental and physical. Nothing about us without us! We are not disposable", says Nicole LeBlanc. Nicole returns to Autism Stories to discuss the impact of Long COVID on autistic people and what can be done to possibly reduce these challenges. To read Nicole's article on Long COVID visit https://ncapps.acl.gov/docs/NCAPPS%20Person-Centered%20Mental%20Health%20Care%20in%20the%20New%20Normal.pdf . 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 that we should definitely remind neurotypicals, gently, that it is absolutely okay to have autistic character headcanons. Because we don't have a lot of good representation for our groups in the media, whereas they get to see themselves represented in media almost all the time. It's not hurting you, or detracting from what you see in the character. If anything, it's actually a bridge", says Christiana Tunnicliffe. Christiana joins this episode of Autism Stories to talk about her podcast discussing how sociology of our real world translates to fantastical realms, Disney's representation of disabled characters, and her experience as the editor of the Autism Stories podcast. To learn more about Christiana and the Sociology Princess Podcast visit https://www.youtube.com/@SociologyPrincess2023 . 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.