In this episode, I connect with Tawd Dorenfeld, Founder and Lead Mentor of Tink Tank Animate, about the power of storytelling and the immense emotional value it brings to our neurodiverse community. We explore how the mentors at Tink Tank Animate follow strengths, support weaknesses, and include their artists in a process that empowers through doing and completing projects, which then creates a series of wins for individuals who don’t usually get this experience. Tink Tank provides a truly unique experience for self-expression and sharing voices through an artistic art form.

https://www.tinktankanimate.com/

In this episode, I welcome back Dr. Eileen Crehan, Assistant Professor at Tufts University. We discuss the big takeaways from a research article (Holmes and Himle, 2014) that evaluates parent-child communication surrounding sexuality with autistic children and adolescents. Eileen points our attention towards the chart in the article which can be helpful in identifying skills associated with sexuality (hint: it's not all that you think).

You can find the article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24854331/

In this episode, Jessica Patay, President and Founder of We Are Brave Together, a supportive community of moms of special needs children (of all ages), joins the show. She tells us why she started this organization, how it supports moms, and her first-hand experience of transformation when supported by human connection, especially when vulnerable. We also dip our toes into burnout and compassion fatigue and how special needs parents were hit hard during the pandemic.

To find out more about Jessica and We Are Brave Together, check this out. 

In this episode, I welcome back David Sharif, Global Autism Advocate and Motivational Speaker. He generously shares with us his experience of the various therapies he received and how they have helped him find success today.

Want to get in touch David? Pick a method...

https://theneurodiversetraveler.wordpress.com/ Instagram: @david_thetraveler Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theincredibletraveler YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctvl8y8bXaVUrULgSsGiqQ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/davidssharif/_saved/ Email: [email protected] Phone: 310-739-1272

In this episode, I have a conversation with Dr. Jared Schultz, Professor, and Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling at the Virginia Commonwealth University. We explore the importance of informed choice when helping an adolescent on the autism or disability spectrum transition to adulthood, when professionals can unintentionally derail person-centered planning, and the power of experience in self-driven motivation and empowerment. Jared is a wealth of information and his ability to share his expertise in a kind, clear, and relatable way is a true gift.

Find out more about Jared here. 

In this episode, I interview Dr. Laurie Stevens, the Senior Director of Autism Programming at The Help Group, a Licensed Psychologist in Private Practice, and one of my professional mentors. Laurie is well-known as a savvy, creative, and practical therapist, writing fun and effective curriculums that empower the lives of neurodiverse individuals. These days, Laurie is especially focused on the development of the theory of mind and how these skills work together to improve everyday functioning. We also touch upon the use of social autopsies, the importance of social repairs, and the greyscale of social functioning. I’ve had the honor of having so many of these conversations with Laurie over my professional career and I’m so excited to share one with you. It’s my hope that something you hear today will positively impact your life, even if in a small way. 

Email for Dr. Laurie - [email protected] 

About Dr. Laurie - ...

In this episode, I interview Erik Linthorst, producer of acclaimed Autism Goes to College, a documentary that follows 5 autistic students throughout their college journey. We talk about the many options for placement and support in the college setting and how important it is to be able to see what college can look like for our neurodiverse population. Erik also shares that Autism Goes to College has a new podcast and will be launching an online resource center to help autistic adults make college a successful reality. As a bonus, Erik shares his top consideration for parents who are evaluating college placements for their autistic teens.   

To find out more about Autism Goes to College, click here. 

In this episode, Dr. Jamie Barstein and I welcome Dr. Eileen Crehan from Tufts University. We discuss how to positively support sexual curiosity in our neurodiverse community and inevitably explore factors surrounding pornography and masturbation. I love that we can have a real conversation about sexual development, where we healthily disrupt social and societal norms and empower through good information. I hope that the information shared in this interview helps you navigate the complex waters of sexual development that are just right for you and your family.

In this episode, I interview Dr. Hilya Tehrani, a Clinical Psychologist and Founder of Connected Strides, a psychological practice dedicated to the therapy and assessment of individuals with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and trauma. Dr. Hilya and I talk about the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and deconstruct the best and worst applications for ABA in the treatment of individuals on the autism (ASD) and disability spectrum. As two clinical psychologists who have been in this field for a while, we can’t help but explore the importance of person-centered treatment, the role of trust and respect in a therapeutic relationship, paying attention to individual differences, and delivering treatment with intentionality. Having a conversation with Hilya is always been a grounding experience for me. Her expertise and deep care for what she does always shines through. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Hilya.

 To find out more about Dr. Hilya and Connected Strides, click...

In this episode, I interview Nadia Hamilton, Founder of MagnusMode, a company dedicated to making the world accessible to all. We discuss MagnusMode’s flagship product, Magnus Cards, which is an app that has visual and interactive card decks of skills and routines across 12 categories of living. While MagnusMode was initially designed for the autistic community, Nadia discusses other applications that fulfill her mission to make the world a more accessible place. For Nadia, creating MagnusMode has become more than just helping her brother, she’s now a mission to shift the attitudes and perceptions of the disabled and to remove the barriers that affect an individual’s ability to thrive in today’s world…and to drive home her seriousness of removing barriers and increasing accessibility…MagnusCards is free for users. Check out my interview with Nadia. She’s an inspiration.

To find out more about magnusmode and magnuscards, click ...