Autistic Licence

Leo reflects on watching a Netflix show which brought up a myriad of thoughts and feelings for him around not being understood by loved ones (the double empathy problem). Siana shares some current challenges with work and business planning.  We speak about success and what that means to us as autistic people and specifically as autistic therapists. We relate this also particularly to this time (in the midst of a polycrisis) when arguably people have never been so disconnected and in need of support.   We come to a place of greater acceptance and wider perspective, whilst also acknowledging the pain and disappointment that comes with this. As ever, we are available and keen to hear from you with any comments, reflections or feedback. Contact us at: autisticlicence@gmail.com 💛🧡 ----more---- LINKS You Can't Ask That - TV show Our Facebook Our website Podcast home Our socials Get in touch at: autisticlicence@gmail.com

In this episode we speak about "landing on our feet". In particular, we relate this to the double empathy problem whereby the processes "behind the scenes" are often missed entirely in our interactions with non-autistic people. We share examples of our experiences in the workplace and significant relationships, noting that in some aspects our ways of being can seem to collude with the apparent opacity of the bigger picture. As Siana says, "We prioritise getting shit done rather than going on about how difficult it is!" In this context we are not referring to the often variable amounts of things we get done or the speed or efficiency of this - that's a whole other issue! Instead we are pointing out that we tend to focus what energy we have on tasks rather than ensuring others understand how hard it is.  Although we name feeling uncomfortable with it, we also experiment with taking our capabilities and resourcefulness more seriously by not underplaying our contributions. This is new and the reason we haven't edited it out is an experiment in daring to let it hit the air and stay there! Which feels like a courageous act of resistance when you've spent a lifetime playing yourself down. We believe a version of this might resonate with a great many of our neurokin. As ever, we are available and keen to hear from you with any comments, reflections or feedback. Contact us at: autisticlicence@gmail.com 💛🧡 ----more----LINKS Book: The Luck Factor Our YouTube channel Our Facebook Our website Podcast home Our socials Get in touch at: autisticlicence@gmail.com

Welcome to the first "From The Vault" episode. Today we're going almost back to the beginning. We're going to listen to Season 1 Episode 2, which we called "Nothing Just Happens", from two years ago. Listening back to this not only brought back memories of the beginnings of Autistic Licence, but also sparked a conversation between Siana & I about what's changed for us, and what's been reinforced. You'll hear that conversation in our next episode - "The Luck Illusion - Nothing Just Happens Revisited" which we'll release later this week. 🧡💛 Siana goes to a Deacon Blue concert and talks about stimulation and over-stimulation. We compare notes on what that feels like and what we do to recover. This sparks on ongoing conversation about how autistic people spend and recoup energy and why this may be different to the experiences of others, and why processes around managing tasks and time can be such dominant features of our lives. We talk about how "nothing just happens" in our lives. Why "it depends" and "good enough" are such important concepts to us as autistic people. An interruption by Leo's dogs Molly & Woody provides a wonderful illustration of distraction and how this effects AuDHD communication and thought! ----more---- LINKS Deacon Blue Spoon Theory An article on demand avoidance Our YouTube channel Our Facebook Our website Podcast home Our socials Get in touch at: autisticlicence@gmail.com

Welcome to Season 3 💛 We recorded this a couple of weeks ago. We thought about cutting the bit at the beginning where we speak about Halloween in the interests of "keeping up" with the actual date of release. However, given that the rest of the episode traverses the general theme of our relationship with time, we thought we'd leave it in for context.   We speak about overwhelm and the processes we can go through around "getting things done". Leo introduces some theories around prioritising and task management which can be useful when we find ourselves feeling paralysed with task lists. Siana shares about the cyclical nature of her creative capacity to initiate new projects.   We also discuss the significance of "now" as a portal to memory and to the past ... and of the nature of our processing meaning that this circles around in very non-linear ways.    We're excited to be back for a new season and we look forward to connecting with you - all comments and feedback welcome at autisticlicence@gmail.com 🧡💛 ----more---- LINKS Odd One In group information Our YouTube channel Our Facebook Our website Podcast home Our socials Get in touch at: autisticlicence@gmail.com

Trigger warning for Christian evangelical culture, mention of suicidal ideation. If you have particular sensitivities around these subjects, please consider carefully whether and / or when you might listen to this episode.    This episode was recorded while Siana was visiting Leo in his new house in August. Most of the conversation ended up being a trip down memory lane, to 1995, with the usual tangents and some niche cultural reference points.    We speak about autonomy and independence, taking into account autistic needs and challenges. Themes such as the significance of justice, burnout and the toll of masking emerge through our discussion. The conversation finishes with a discussion about autistic needs verses wants, within the context of balancing ethical values with the limits of managing daily life and overwhelm as an autistic person. Thank you to our lovely listeners for all your support - we love to hear from you with comments, feedback and reflections: autisticlicence@gmail.com 💛🧡 ----more----LINKS Odd One In group information Black Books TV show Our YouTube channel Our Facebook Our website Podcast home Our socials Get in touch at: autisticlicence@gmail.com

This episode was recorded just a couple of days after Leo moved house from London to Suffolk, England. Leo highlights the benefits Leo of his ADHD meds in terms of maintaining focus and maximising efficiency during the move. We note wider factors and accommodations which help in managing setbacks and unexpected changes. We candidly speak about the challenges and limitations of being AuDHD - medicated or not - in western society. We pivot into an exploration of sleep, tiredness and the quite particular economy of energy we seem to share with our neurokin. Siana reflects on recent experience around neglecting special interests and how rapidly this led to exhaustion and struggle with getting things done. We reappraise again the value of detailed-focussed externalising, which while seemingly inconsequential, offers significant value and settling to us as autistic people.   Any thoughts or comments to autisticlicence@gmail.com 💛🧡 ----more----LINKS Group info Our YouTube channel Our Facebook Our website Podcast home Our socials Get in touch at: autisticlicence@gmail.com

This episode, on listening back, sounds a bit like a whistle stop tour of everything both of us has ever thought about our relationships with things and particularly about "moving" with them. We speak about moving house and / or office and the significance of replication and familiarity in our new environments. We noted how this can extend to holidays and even simply leaving the house. We differentiate between different types of attachments we have to things, from the sentimental to the practical, even to the existential. As we explore further we begin to notice some distinctive ways in which we relate to things as autistic people. The relationship / attachment autistic people have with inanimate objects has often been misunderstood, dismissed and even pathologised by non-autistic onlookers. We would love to hear from you if our chat resonates with you or if you have further thoughts or comments -  autisticlicence@gmail.com 💛🧡 LINKS Picture of Siana's buttons Group info Our YouTube channel Our Facebook Our website Podcast home Our socials Get in touch at: autisticlicence@gmail.com

This episode is mostly a light hearted autistic chit chat.  Siana's daughter has finished her GCSEs (national exams taken by 16 year olds in the UK). To celebrate, they have planned a trip to Scotland to see Lana del Rey in concert.   Meanwhile, Leo's parents' 80th birthdays are coming up over the summer. He shares the birthday card and watch he created for his Dad. In true autistic style we manage to explore all of this in minute detail, also touching on themes such as parenting an ND teen and hyperfocus alongside ADHD. As ever we'd love to hear from you with any comments, reflections or feedback at autisticlicence@gmail.com 💛🧡 ----more---- LINKS Watchmaking second-hand tool Episode photos Group info Our YouTube channel Our Facebook Our website Podcast home Our socials Get in touch at: autisticlicence@gmail.com

Leo is planning a move to Suffolk, England. This conversation took place when we visited the area as part of his decision making process. We speak about a delightful and symbolic experience we had while we were there. We then explore the value of "story" within therapy, the significance of re-contextualisation, and even the potential of deeper memory reconsolidation and healing processes. Our next discussion traverses echolalia, accents and imperial powers ... moving into culture, heritage, history and gender differences. We then segueway into disturbing political developments affecting our neurokin in the US. Quite a trip! Thank you so much for your ongoing company with us as we chat, connect and explore. We always value your comments and feedback on autisticlicence@gmail.com  💛🧡 ----more---- LINKS Episode photos Group info Our YouTube channel Our Facebook Our website Podcast home Our socials Get in touch at: autisticlicence@gmail.com

Welcome to the second half of our conversation with Meaghan Ray. This one begins with us speaking about the interplay between autism and ADHD, particularly in terms of executive functioning.  Meaghan Ray shares some specific areas of executive functioning which pose challenges for them in relation to parenting. Siana and Meaghan Ray discuss some of their experiences as parents, noting the widespread lack of support for autistic parents caring for autistic children (regardless of whether either parent or child are identified as autistic).  We also talk about navigating different sensory profiles with the family. Finally, Meaghan Ray delights us with their chainmaille and through this illustrates their metaphorical understanding of the melding and integration of the strands of their identity.  Video in the shownotes! Thank-you for joining us for this episode and please do get in touch if you have any comments or feedback you would like to share  - autisticlicence@gmail.com 💛🧡 ----more---- LINKS CHAINMAILLE VIDEO CLIP ACCOMPANYING PHOTO'S Meaghan Ray's chest binding support page Our YouTube channel Our Facebook Our website Podcast home Our socials Get in touch at: autisticlicence@gmail.com