Meet My Autistic Brain

When she started her medical practice, Dr. Mel Houser quickly realized there was a lack of healthcare that addressed the needs of neurodivergent people. She set out to challenge traditional norms to make care accessible. Along with her success came something she never expected—a new way of growing a community built around more than just medicine.From chronic illness to employment support and beyond, that kind of healthcare exists and in this episode you’ll learn about the resources that will guide you toward getting it.Dr. Houser, author of A Failure of Imagination: How the Healthcare System Fails Neurodivergent People—And What We're Doing Instead, tells how you can be empowered to recognize how your body feels and trust your intuition about your health. She provides the tools for you and for your healthcare provider to understand each other’s language. She explains how involving her community of patients defines how she practices neuroinclusive medicine. In a world of growing isolation, Dr Houser reveals the serious health implications of loneliness and offers a solution.It’s time for a change and this is where you can make a difference in your own life. Find out how in this conversation with Dr. Melissa Houser.Website: All Brains Belong Book: A Failure of Imagination: How the Healthcare System Fails Neurodivergent People—And What We're Doing Instead Resources: All Brains Belong Digital Resource Library Project Candor: Ordinary People. Unexpected StoriesHow a dog taught Dr. Andy Neillie to lead. You don't have to be famous to be fascinating.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showRanked #1 in FeedSpot's 40 Best Adult Autism Podcasts RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.3 million downloads!If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help me continue making new episodes, you can support the show on Patreon, PayPal or KoFi. You can also give a gift to someone who can benefit from learning more about autism. If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at [email protected], PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: [email protected]

Menopause touches almost everyone eventually, whether you're the one going through it, supporting someone who is, or know it's coming someday. Most of us walk into it with almost no real information. This episode is here to change that especially if you're autistic or love someone who is.This conversation, with information drawn from a recent study and the book Dr. Rachel Moseley wrote with her co-author Dr. Julie Gamble-Turner, Autistic Menopause: A Guide to the Menopausal Transition for Autistic People and Those Supporting Them gives you the information that’s important to know for this significant time of our lives, including:why menopause can hit autistic people harder; the double impact on memory and executive function;why masking often becomes impossible to sustain;what it does to communication while managing eye contact, tone, and content all at once.Rachel talks about something rarely discussed—the genuine upsides many autistic women report once they're through it.This is an enlightening conversation with researcher and psychologist Dr. Rachel Moseley. Check the link below to learn how you can participate in a study about menopause and its treatment.About the guest: Rachel Moseley, PhD, Principal Academic in Psychology at Bournemouth University (PhD in cognitive neuroscience) co-author of Autistic Menopause: A Guide to the Menopausal Transition for Autistic People and Those Supporting Them.Rachel’s website: Science on the Spectrum Contact Rachel Get the book here: Autistic Menopause: A Guide to the Menopausal Transition for Autistic People and Those Supporting Them  *You’re invited to participate in a new study on menopause symptoms, treatment and neurodiversity. Use this link to get started.  This is an online survey about menopause and menopause treatment. The researchers are particularly interested in how experiences of menopause treatment might differ between neurotypical and neurodivergent people and need to hear from people of all neurotypes.Thank you for listening!Project Candor: Ordinary People. Unexpected StoriesHow a dog taught Dr. Andy Neillie to lead. You don't have to be famous to be fascinating.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showRanked #1 in FeedSpot's 40 Best Adult Autism Podcasts RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.3 million downloads!If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help me continue making new episodes, you can support the show on Patreon, PayPal or KoFi. You can also give a gift to someone who can benefit from learning more about autism. If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at [email protected], PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: [email protected]

Occupational therapy can empower autistics in our every day lives. Carolyn Gillen, an autistic occupational therapist working with neurodivergent women, breaks down how occupational therapy for autistic adults can help with: recognizing hunger, thirst, and nervous system signals your body may not flag clearly; navigating sensory processing that can swing between overwhelming and numb; advocating for yourself in a doctor's office when your pain doesn't match your expression;making small, practical shifts you can actually use;breaking burnout into function, not willpower;how OT treats these as functional, fixable friction points in daily life, not personality flaws to correct.She tells how to recognize a safe, supportive therapeutic space. She explains why coaching, burnout, and meditation might be worth a second look from an OT perspective. Find Carolyn at her website Contact page Project Candor: Ordinary People. Unexpected StoriesHow a dog taught Dr. Andy Neillie to lead. You don't have to be famous to be fascinating.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showRanked #1 in FeedSpot's 40 Best Adult Autism Podcasts RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.3 million downloads!If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help me continue making new episodes, you can support the show on Patreon, PayPal or KoFi. You can also give a gift to someone who can benefit from learning more about autism. If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at [email protected], PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: [email protected]

Why can therapy leave autistic people feeling worse? This conversation explores how vague questions, masking expectations, sensory overload, and one-size-fits-all CBT can miss autistic realities. It also examines neurodiversity-affirming care, the potential value of autistic therapists, and how to find a clinician who communicates directly and respects autistic needs.

Essy Knopf, therapist, author, and neurodivergent advocate, introduces the Neurodivergent Cultural Wealth Framework. They explore late diagnosis, shared neurodivergent culture, pattern recognition, community knowledge, resistance to limiting norms, embodied wisdom, passionate interests, identity, and meaning-making. A compelling shift from deficit-focused narratives toward the overlooked expertise built through adaptation and lived experience.

Season 12 is here with new episodes! Listen for a preview of what’s to come. Support the showRanked #1 in FeedSpot's 40 Best Adult Autism Podcasts RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.3 million downloads!If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help me continue making new episodes, you can support the show on Patreon, PayPal or KoFi. You can also give a gift to someone who can benefit from learning more about autism. If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at [email protected], PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: [email protected]

Self-help fails autistics but why? This episode reveals the not-so-obvious reason it can do more harm than good and provides some tips for what you can do instead. Hear it again.Support the showRanked #1 in FeedSpot's 40 Best Adult Autism Podcasts RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.3 million downloads!If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help me continue making new episodes, you can support the show on Patreon, PayPal or KoFi. You can also give a gift to someone who can benefit from learning more about autism. If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at [email protected], PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: [email protected]

This is a replay of an episode from 2024 where I talk to Jackie Schuld, author of What is Autism? Jackie shares her insights and knowledge about autism, how it affects her and what it was like learning she’s autistic. Listen and meet the autistic brain of author, artist and therapist, Jackie Schuld. The information is just as relevant as it was before and is a great refresher!Get the book! https://www.jackieschuld.com/booksFind Jackie on Medium:  https://medium.com/@jackieschuldWebsite: https://www.jackieschuld.comResource page: https://www.jackieschuld.com/artactivitiesProject Candor: Ordinary People. Unexpected StoriesHow a dog taught Dr. Andy Neillie to lead. You don't have to be famous to be fascinating.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showRanked #1 in FeedSpot's 40 Best Adult Autism Podcasts RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.3 million downloads!If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help me continue making new episodes, you can support the show on Patreon, PayPal or KoFi. You can also give a gift to someone who can benefit from learning more about autism. If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at [email protected], PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: [email protected]

The regions of the brain that play a role in resilience are the areas of the brain most affected by autism. Is it possible for an autistic person to be resilient? The answer may surprise you.Resilience assessment tool: https://www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/resilience/get-your-resilience-score/Support the showRanked #1 in FeedSpot's 40 Best Adult Autism Podcasts RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.3 million downloads!If you're enjoying the podcast and would like to help me continue making new episodes, you can support the show on Patreon, PayPal or KoFi. You can also give a gift to someone who can benefit from learning more about autism. If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at [email protected], PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: [email protected]

Explores why connection can feel so hard for autistic people and how social differences shape approaches to relating. Discusses practical ways to begin connecting, from messages to shared interests. Covers levels of connection, the importance of face-to-face contact, and how vulnerability unlocks deeper bonds. Offers tactics for connecting with other autistics and reflects on why relationships give life meaning.