Meet My Autistic Brain

Ever notice how nature calms you, music shifts your mood and soft textures make you feel amazing?Sensory processing plays a role in how autistic adults experience the world—yet it’s often misunderstood. In this episode, Donna Redman and occupational therapist Cindy Duffy unpack what sensory processing really is, how it affects emotional regulation and behavior, and why so many autistic adults spend years masking sensory discomfort.We talk about:What sensory processing is and how it works in the nervous systemHow sensory differences show up in autistic adultsMasking sensory discomfort and the emotional cost of “looking fine”The connection between sensory overload and anxiety, agitation, and burnoutHow environment, nature, and art support sensory well-beingWhy awareness alone can dramatically reduce stress and self-blameThe Secret Genius of Sensory Processing website The Secret Genius of Sensory Processing Quick Start Guide  Learn more about Sunsama!Support the showSunsama free trial: https://try.sunsama.com/xi4blkokndgk RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsite

Have you been told you’re “too sensitive?” Do you struggle to complete tasks or projects? Have you given up trying to find out why life seems hard?In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Gilly Kahn reveals why many women with ADHD are stressing themselves to appear normal and how the clinical world’s focus on young boys has left millions of women without answers.We talk about:The "Double Burden" of Success: Why high IQ and degrees often act as a barrier to diagnosis, leaving women to struggle in secret.RSD vs. Reality: Understanding Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria—not as a personality trait, but as a neurological response to a lifetime of negative feedback.Hormonal Interference: A look at how hormones affect ADHD and ADHD medicationsCreative Survival: Why habits labeled “quirky” might actually be high-level executive function workarounds.Dr. Gilly Kahn’s websiteBook: Allow Me To Interrupt: A Psychologist Reveals the Emotional Truth Behind Women’s ADHD  Dr Gilly Kahn on Instagram Learn more about Sunsama!Support the showSunsama free trial: https://try.sunsama.com/xi4blkokndgk RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsite

You’re done and you don’t know why. The brain is turned off and no words come to mind. You might not move. You might cry. You might be desperate to be alone. This is what shutdown feels like. How do you recognize a shutdown and is there anything you can do to prevent it? This episode has some answers.Support the showSunsama free trial: https://try.sunsama.com/xi4blkokndgk RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsite

What do you think of interoception? No, really, how do you feel about it? There are ways to get in touch with your mind, body and emotions. Learn how they’re connected and whether interoception is an issue for you.Learn more about Sunsama!Support the showSunsama free trial: https://try.sunsama.com/xi4blkokndgk RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsite

You must have heard the all-too-often repeated myth that vaccines cause autism. It doesn’t stop there. The faulty information that’s spread about autism is worth knowing. Listen now. Remastered.Contact me at info@theautisticwoman.com with myths you've heard!Support the showSunsama free trial: https://try.sunsama.com/xi4blkokndgk RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsite

Did you see that coming? At times an autistic person doesn’t have a clue about what can happen as a result of something they do. Here’s why it’s difficult to prepare for what may be obvious to others. The podcast benefits from each free trial of Sunsama. Sign up today!Support the showSunsama free trial: https://try.sunsama.com/xi4blkokndgk RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsite

In this conversation we break down what it really means to be perceptive and why highly sensitive people excel in this area. Rachel Radway—who is autistic with ADHD—shares her incredible journey and wisdom from her award-winning book, Perceptive. She tells about learning she's autistic, tuning into her senses and understanding how she makes choices. She reveals the challenges and benefits of being an autistic person living in a highly sensory world.In this episode you'll discover how autistics are wired to be highly sensitive and inherently perceptive.Rachel Radway's websiteRachel Radway's LinkedInBook: PerceptiveLearn more about Sunsama!Support the showSunsama free trial: https://try.sunsama.com/xi4blkokndgk RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsite

Autistics can sometimes feel as though their emotions are out of control. This is a brain problem rather than a behavior problem. Learn how an autistic brain is wired to be susceptible to “amygdala hijack” with some tips for handling it. (Remastered)Support the showSunsama free trial: https://try.sunsama.com/xi4blkokndgk RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsite

Decide to listen to this one again! It's all about making decisions.Should I or shouldn’t I? Now or later? New or used? So many choices, so little time. Learn why it can be hard for autistics to make decisions and what you can do that helps.RemasteredSupport the showSunsama free trial: https://try.sunsama.com/xi4blkokndgk RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsite

In this episode I’m talking with Briane Webb, a teacher who takes a unique approach to learning. Briane is dedicated to a special kind of school experience, one that values individual differences and neurodiversity. She created a school called Webbsprout where her ideas can thrive.Our chat focused on Briane and what it’s like to be an autistic person. I’ve picked some gems from the full interview to share with you. Briane is candid about getting her diagnosis and about autistic strengths and trauma. There’s a lot of information in this clip from a longer conversation with Briane Webb.If you want to the longer version of this interview contact me at info@theautisticwoman.com.Briane's website: WebbsproutSupport the showSunsama free trial: https://try.sunsama.com/xi4blkokndgk RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1,000,000 downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsite