The Squarepeg Podcast

My guest today is Jess Hendrickx, owner of Hendrickx Associates, a company in East Sussex, UK that provides non-clinical adult autism assessments and support for autistic young people and adults. Jess was diagnosed herself in 2018, aged 30, and her partner is also autistic.  Jess supports autistic adults to build self-awareness, identify their goals and come to terms with their diagnosis. After working in the business as an administrator for several years, and then as an autism coach and mentor, she took over the running of the company from her mum, Sarah Hendrickx, in the autumn of 2020.  In my conversation with Jess we talk about: ➡ Her difficult teenage years ➡ Finally finding her purpose, after a series of abandoned courses and various different jobs ➡ Her work with Hendrickx Associates, and what she’s learned through coaching and mentoring other autistic people ➡ The challenges and positives of being in a relationship when you’re both autistic ➡ Her takes on special interests and late diagnosis  Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Hendrickx Associates website: www.asperger-training.com  Invisible I: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_a05o1pW4fr9SzlyMv8OA  Women & Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder - Sarah Hendrickx   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website:  https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Corinne CariadKatharine RichardsLea LiLilli SimmonsSarah Hardy If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast

Deborah Cullinan was diagnosed autistic about 10 years ago. She is a psychotherapist in her early 60s, working in a busy CAMHS clinic (that’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) in Hertfordshire in the UK. She started her career as an artist and art teacher, before retraining and qualifying in Psychoanalytic Child Therapy in 1992, a very different time in terms of mental health. She has gone on to create a role for herself as an autism specialist in CAMHS. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Her experience of psychoanalytic therapy ➡ Growing up in a dysfunctional (and possibly autistic) family ➡ How autistic people are accommodated in schools and workplaces ➡ How autism is viewed by psychotherapists and psychologists - and how attitudes have changed in the last 30 years ➡ Her hopes for autistic young people now and in the future. Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Deborah’s website: www.autism-psychology.co.uk   Article on trauma and autism - transformingautism.org Differentbrains.org    Books: A Spectrum Girls Survival Guide -  Siena Castellon Autism in Heels -  Jennifer O’Toole    If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website:  https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A huge thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Corinne CariadKatharine RichardsLilli SimmonsSarah Hardy If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast   

Tara was diagnosed autistic last year, after a conversation with her husband prompted some research into autism. She is 49 and lives in the northern United States, where she works as an visual artist and online education coordinator. Her childhood was unusual, and she now believes that her parents were probably both undiagnosed neurodivergent, and that this impacted on their behaviour and her own upbringing. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Her childhood, and why she believes her parents were neurodivergent ➡ Having a difficult relationship with food ➡ Autism and a lack of spacial awareness ➡ The interplay between physical health, diet and autistic traits Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: If you relate to Tara’s experiences with food and would like to connect with her to share your experiences, you can email her using this address: neurodivergent1971@gmail.com Vegan Luke: https://www.tiktok.com/@veganluke  And the name for lack of spatial awareness? I couldn’t find a specific term for this, but it is common to both autistic people and those with dyspraxia.   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website:  https://squarepeg.community/    THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS! A huge thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast: Corinne Cariad Katharine Richards Lilli Simmons Sarah Hardy If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

Beth Rees is currently waiting for her autism assessment after being initially diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. She’s a mental health blogger in her thirties, and lives in Caerphilly in South Wales, where she also works for a local charity. She’s hoping that sharing her story will help other autistic people who have been misdiagnosed with BPD. In my conversation with Beth we talk about: ➡ Being diagnosed with BPD, then realising that the diagnosis doesn’t fit ➡ The journey of discovery - discovering all the things about ourselves that are actually autistic traits ➡ Questioning mental health diagnoses - is it depression or autistic burnout? ➡ Experiencing imposter syndrome when you don’t yet have a formal diagnosis ➡ Why parents need to be asked better questions during the diagnosis interview Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Information about BPD from Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/borderline-personality-disorder-bpd/about-bpd/  From Mind UK - What to do if you suspect your diagnosis is wrong: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/personality-disorders/why-is-it-controversial/#CouldMyDiagnosisBeWrong    Beth’s blog: www.justasquarepeg.com   Her Instagram: https://instagram.com/justasquarepegblog Facebook page: https://facebook.com/justasquarepeg Twitter: https://twitter.com/justasquarepeg   Books:  Women and Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Sarah Hendrickx) Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism (Barb Cook and Dr Michelle Garnett) Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum (Jennifer Cook O'Toole) I Think I Might Be Autistic: A Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis and Self-Discovery for Adults (Cynthia Kim)   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/  Become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast   

Hannah Smith is 43 and was diagnosed last year - and her husband and two daughters are also autistic. She lives in Hertfordshire in the UK, where she unschools her children at home, while also running her own face and body art business. She recently trained to be a mindfulness practitioner, and in the future hopes to combine this with therapeutic arts and use her skills and knowledge to serve the autistic community. She wants to share her family’s experiences in order to help other families make sense of their own autism journeys. Today I’m delighted to share my conversation with Hannah Smith. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Her family’s diagnosis journey ➡ The impact of intergenerational undiagnosed autism ➡ Meeting the needs of autistic children - and creating an environment in which they can thrive ➡ The benefits and impact of taking her children out of school and teaching them at home Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Hannah’s website: www.theglitterbox.co.uk  Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegltrbox/  Her zentangle Insta: https://www.instagram.com/the.mellowbox/  Find out more about the late, brilliant Ken Robinson and his progressive ideas about education: http://sirkenrobinson.com/ Find Katherine May, the autistic writer Hannah mentions, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_katherine_may_   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/  Become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast   

Max Marnau is an autistic counsellor in her sixties. She realised she was autistic seven years ago, and was diagnosed in 2019. She was born in London, the daughter of Austro-Hungarian Jews who escaped Nazi persecution just before World War 2. She now lives in the Scottish Borders, where she runs a thriving private practice counselling both neurotypical and autistic people. She also works for Edinburgh University Student Counselling Service. She has degrees from both Cambridge and Oxford universities but says she later "lurched from one disastrous admin job to another", and experienced workplace bullying. She had been a nightline and Samaritan volunteer in her youth but it wasn't until a difficult relationship made her reassess her life that she started training as a counsellor and built a new life for herself on her terms.   In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Feeling like an alien growing up ➡ Gravitating towards other neurodivergent people - and knowing one when we meet one! ➡ Why autistic people make good counsellors ➡ Counselling autistic people and what works best for us ➡ Why the spectrum is not a straight line ➡ Why it’s not our responsibility to educate neurotypical people about autism Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Find Max's coaching page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EttrickCounselling/  Her Facebook group for autistic counsellors: https://www.facebook.com/groups/219116049856887  Her Counselling Directory profile: https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/counsellors/max-marnau  Max's article, You don't look autistic: coming out as an autistic therapist: https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/memberarticles/you-dont-look-autistic-coming-out-as-an-autistic-therapist   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/  Support Squarepeg on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

Noheli Rosas is 28 and was recently diagnosed, after first recognising she might be autistic two years ago. She lives in Puerto Rico in the Caribbean, where she runs her own eco salon specialising in henna body art, ayurvedic hair care and incense making. Her salon allows exposure space for over 30 artists, including many queer and neurodivergent people. Through her business she has found a way to explore her special interests, work to her strengths, meet her needs and make a living - while creating a vibrant and supportive community of like minded people. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Cultural attitudes to autism in the Carribean ➡ The positives and negatives of masking ➡ Relating to others - both neurotypical and neurodivergent ➡ Turning special interests into a thriving business ➡ Creating a life and work that plays to your strengths and support your needs as an autistic person ➡ The importance - and power - of community Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Instagram: https://instagram.com/hennaturalpr  https://instagram.com/bruma.incense  https://instagram.com/lapimpitud  Website: http://hennatural.com     If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/  Support Squarepeg on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast  

Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. My guest today is 30 and was diagnosed autistic about five years ago. She is Indian-American and lives in the US, where she works full time in tech and also as a freelance writer, after spending years moving quickly between different jobs. She has experienced various forms of counselling and other interventions, including medication, and says “I don’t allow my diagnosis to stop me from doing things that one may not expect of someone on the Spectrum.” In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Social skills training and autism career counselling ➡ Cultural attitudes to autism - and how parents can react to an adult diagnosis ➡ Executive function, masking and burnout at work ➡ Getting counselling and taking medication for anxiety ➡ Functioning labels, and different presentations of autism in a family I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Her blog: www.aspergrl.wordpress.com  Her article in ADDitude magazine:  https://www.additudemag.com/mental-health-stigma-asian-stereotype-adhd-asd/  Autism Career Coaching: https://www.forwardmotion.info/   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/  Support Squarepeg on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

Ella Pitt is 26 and was diagnosed autistic very recently. They’re an English Literature graduate with a first class honours degree and they live and work in Brixton, London, in the UK. They also have a blog and write poetry. They struggled with an eating disorder in their late teens and early twenties, and they were eventually sectioned under the Mental Health Act as their health deteriorated. They spent some time as an inpatient in a specialist hospital, where their then undiagnosed autism impacted on their treatment and recovery. In my conversation with Ella Pitt we talk about  ➡ Growing up without an autism diagnosis ➡ The interplay between autism and anorexia nervosa ➡ How accepted treatments for eating disorders play out with autistic patients ➡ The impact of finally getting an autism diagnosis - and what it means for the future I’m aware that this conversation might be triggering for some listeners. In the first few minutes we chat more generally; the conversation about disordered eating begins at 00:12:10. If the issues we discuss in this episode affect you or someone you know, you’ll find some links below where you can get more information. Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Ella's blog: https://whatsthetimeconfessional.wordpress.com/ Their poetry Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatsthetimepoetry/ Their twitter: https://twitter.com/smellaarmpitt Information about anorexia’s link to autism: https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/anorexias-link-to-autism-explained/  https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/the-invisible-link-between-autism-and-anorexia/  Useful information from Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/eating-problems/useful-contacts/  Beat Eating Disorders Helpline (UK): https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/support-services/helplines  Helpline and support (USA): https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/    If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: http://squarepeg.community/  Support Squarepeg on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast 

Sophie Longley is an English teacher and reading specialist. She was diagnosed autistic in 2020, aged 28 and is based in Singapore, where she works with children with reading difficulties. She has spent the last four years living and working in Asia, after suffering from severe burnout from a corporate career in London.  Her recent Autism diagnosis and the ongoing struggles she has faced being autistic in the workplace have prompted her to change careers to become a clinical psychologist. She will be pursuing a Master's in Experimental psychology at the University of Sussex in 2021, with a goal to improve how clinicians diagnose autistic women.  She has a special interest in researching autistic women's experiences in the workplace. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ What it was like getting a diagnosis in Singapore ➡ Her experiences of working in corporate job roles, including losing a series of jobs due to her undiagnosed autism, masking in interviews, and the pressure to be social at work ➡ The challenges of being autistic at work ➡ Achieving diversity in the workplace ➡ What it’s like being autistic in the classroom - for teachers and students Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Sophie’s blog: https://sophielongley.medium.com/ Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophlongley28/    Books mentioned in this episode: Neurodivergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn't Designed for You, Jenara Nerenburg  Born on a Blue Day, Daniel Tammet Quiet, Susan Cain   If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: http://squarepeg.community/  Support Squarepeg on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast