Discover what’s possible when people connected to autism inspire change and build community
Episodes
Thursday Oct 05, 2023
Thursday Oct 05, 2023
Discover what’s possible when the person is at the center.
This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events! This roundtable was facilitated by community moderator Korey Taylor, and its topic of discussion was Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices.
The participants were Autistic Self-Advocates Thomas Iland, Brian Middleton, Andrew Bennett, Corben Havener, and Robert Schmus, and community members Rosetta Walker, Danielle Terrell, and Tj Larum.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- What “affirming” means
- The harms of being forced to mask
- Best practices across disciplines
- Client dignity
- Autonomy
- Assent
- How to identify an individual’s values
Roundtable discussions like the one you’ll hear today are open exclusively for members of our online Global Autism Community. We select a different theme each month, and our moderators monitor posts daily to ensure that our online space remains safe and respectful.
If you’d like to attend and participate in any of our future events, you can sign up today at community.globalautismproject.org.
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Thursday Sep 28, 2023
Thursday Sep 28, 2023
Discover what’s possible when bonds are rebuilt.
Anthony Sevieri is autistic and Alexis, his older sister, is neurotypical. Some of Anthony’s special interests include music and roller coasters.
Alexis is a member of our SkillCorps Alumni community, having traveled with the Global Autism Project to India and Kenya. To learn more about our SkillCorps program, check out episodes 150 & 151.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- How Anthony and Alexis’ parents explained autism to them when they were children
- Their family dynamics growing up
- How Anthony would feel during moments of aggression
- An incident from high school that led Anthony to writing music
- Anthony’s journey of self-awareness and self-acceptance
- Alexis’s experiences as a sibling
- How they came to understand each other’s perspectives as adults
- Fun activities they like to do together
- The risks of using food as a coping mechanism
- Autistic strengths that Anthony uses at his YMCA job
- His recent album, including a teaser of one of his songs
- Alexis’ goals to help families with autistic loved ones
- Tips for autistic and non-autistic siblings
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
Discover what’s possible when sensory needs are met.
David McIntyre is the Founder and CEO of Cubbie, an immersive personal space of sound and vision that uses Personalized Sensory Regulation (PSR) technology to regulate people with autism and sensory needs. Based in Ireland, David is the father of two autistic girls and also neurodivergent himself, diagnosed with dyslexia.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Autism awareness, acceptance, and services in Ireland
- David’s early fears of being diagnosed and how he came to accept his dyslexia
- How autism presents differently for David’s two daughters
- The potential problem of with using diagnoses as excuses
- David’s inspiration for developing Cubbie
- The four different types of sensory needs the Cubbie team has identified
- How occupational therapists use Cubbie to regulate student sensory-processing systems
- What kinds of audiovisual media come with a Cubbie experience
- Tips for other parents of autistic children
To learn more about David McIntyre and Cubbie, please visit cubbie.ie.
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Monday Sep 11, 2023
Monday Sep 11, 2023
Discover what’s possible when you take the leap.
We’re continuing to highlight our recent SkillCorps® trip to India! Our SkillCorps® volunteer program is an opportunity for self-advocates, family members, and professionals to travel to our international partner sites and collaborate with local stakeholders on employment initiatives in their communities.
In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from some of our SkillCorps® team members about their personal experiences and takeaways. I led this professionally diverse team of 21 global visionaries who were complete strangers before they met for orientation in New York. During our trip, they formed friendships that will last a lifetime.
The following testimonies are from Abi Chambers, Cheryl Albright, Danielle Terrell, Hailee Perez, Melissa Badertscher, Morgan Ferguson, Natalie Woods, Belen BuenRostro, Kelsey Larsh, TJ Larum, Jennee Niemeijer-Heaton, and Angie Gilmore.
In today’s episode, you’ll hear excerpts about:
- Moments from the trip that surprised, inspired and moved our SkillCorps® volunteers
- Global collaboration
- Sustainability
- The Global Autism Project’s model of Do With Not For
- Personal and professional growth
- Leadership
- Each team member’s post-trip commitment to their own community
- Tips for future SkillCorps® travelers
We’re currently taking SkillCorps® applications for travel in 2024!
Join us today at skillcorps.globalautismproject.org and use the coupon code “AUTISMPODCAST” to waive the application fee.
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Friday Sep 01, 2023
Friday Sep 01, 2023
Discover what's possible when employment is made accessible.
We’ve made it to episode 150! To celebrate this huge milestone, we are dedicating the next two episodes to our SkillCorps® volunteer program.
For almost 20 years, the Global Autism Project has been providing sustainable clinical, administrative, and leadership training to autism centers around the world seeking guidance. Our SkillCorps® volunteer program is an opportunity for self-advocates, family members, and professionals to travel to our international partner sites and collaborate with local stakeholders on outreach initiatives specific to their communities.
Last July, I led our SkillCorps® team to visit our partners at SOREM in Chandigarh, India. SOREM has been a partner with the Global Autism Project since 2010. For this trip, we focused on employment initiatives for autistic adults.
In today’s episode, you’ll hear from our CEO, Molly Pinney, our partner at SOREM, Sangeeta Jain, and several community members who attended two outreach events we hosted in Delhi. There, we met with Autistic Self-Advocates and their family members, as well as various NGO representatives who are doing incredible work in order to make employment accessible for Autistic adults in India.
Next week, you’ll hear from some of our SkillCorps® team members about their personal experiences and takeaways.
As you probably know if you follow our work closely, we’re sending two teams out in the field this October to collaborate with our partners in Kenya and Rwanda, and we’re currently taking applications for travel in 2024!
Join us today at skillcorps.globalautismproject.org and use the coupon code “AUTISMPODCAST” to waive the application fee.
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Thursday Aug 24, 2023
Thursday Aug 24, 2023
Discover what’s possible when someone fosters motivation by encouraging autonomy.
Today’s guest is Katerina Cizkova. Katerina is a psychologist and a previous Clinical Director at ABA Centrum, an autism center in Prague, Czech Republic.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- The types of services available for individuals with autism in the Czech Republic
- The potential harm of implementing interventions that are not evidence-based
- Some of the ethical considerations to review when designing programs
- How Katerina became involved in the field of ABA
- Why ABA is sometimes misunderstood by parents and professionals
- How she views the changes to the BACB’s international credentialing
- ABA Centrum's transition to online services and how they keep parents engaged from a distance
Here is a link to view the documentary Katerina mentions about autism in the Czech Republic: Children of the Full Moon.
For more information about Katerina Cizkova and ABA Centrum, please visit their website: ABA Centrum.
This conversation with Katerina Cizkova was originally released on June 11, 2020.
Since this recording, Katerina co-founded a therapy center for children with neurodevelopmental disorders in her community. Two years later, she decided to work in a different sphere, but she still collaborates with the therapists occasionally on a supervision level.
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Thursday Aug 17, 2023
Thursday Aug 17, 2023
Discover what’s possible when the shadow of stereotypes is illuminated by humor and art.
Timothy Boykin is an autism self-advocate, author, singer, and influencer. With almost 40K followers on TikTok, Tim uses his platform to promote autism acceptance and bring attention to racial inequality.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- What it was like for Tim to learn about his diagnosis
- How he dealt with bullies throughout school
- Why he wants to shine a positive light on autism
- Strategies Tim’s mother taught him to stay safe during encounters with police officers
- Experiences in which Tim felt he was discriminated against because of his race
This conversation with Timothy Boykin was originally released on June 25, 2020.
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Thursday Aug 10, 2023
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
Discover what’s possible when students lead the beat.
Stephen Flinn has been teaching music for over three decades. As a master trainer of the Rhythmic Arts Project curriculum, Stephen facilitates percussion-ensemble classes to students of all diagnoses.
He has been featured in many international publications, including the Modern Drummer and DownBeat magazines, and published his first book, Contemporary Urban Percussion, in 2016. Stephen has also appeared on over 40 commercial releases of creative music and has toured extensively throughout Europe, Japan, and the United States.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- The benefits of learning a musical instrument, such as increased focus, listening, communication, confidence, motor strength, stress management, and cognitive development
- Generalizing skills outside music class
- Stephen’s alternative notation system on piano
- How to use drums to communicate with non-speakers
- What Stephen has learned from working with autistic students
- Why he decided to spend 6 months as a monk in Thailand and how that experience influenced his teaching
- The biggest mistake many musicians make
To learn more about Stephen Flinn, please visit specialneedsmusic.com.
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Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Discover what’s possible when you create what you’re looking for.
Sangeeta Jain is the mother of a 21-year-old young man with autism, Suvrat. Her older daughter Shreya was featured in episode 6 of this podcast, where she talked about growing up with a sibling on the spectrum. Sangeeta is also the principal at SOREM, a school for children with disabilities in Chandigarh, India.
The Global Autism Project partnered with SOREM in 2010. We have since sent close to 30 SkillCorps volunteer teams to provide hands-on sustainable training to their teachers and staff.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- The level of understanding of autism in India and the lack of standardization in the services available there
- What Sangeeta envisions for Suvrat's future
- The relationship between her two children
- How SOREM has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
- What Sangeeta has learned about leadership over the years
- A special anecdote from when a particular SkillCorps volunteer team visited India
For more information about SOREM, please visit their website http://soremspecialchildren.org and follow them on Instagram @soremcare36.
This conversation with Sangeeta Jain was originally released on November 5, 2020.
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Thursday Jul 20, 2023
Thursday Jul 20, 2023
Discover what’s possible when identity is fluid.
This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events! This roundtable was facilitated by community moderator Andrew Bennett, and its topic of discussion was Autistic Identity.
The participants were Autistic Self-Advocates Thomas Iland, Sara Bradford, and Michael Gilberg, and community members Rosetta Walker, Vanya Umenjoh, and Korey Taylor.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- What is identity and what gives us ours
- Person-first vs. identity-first language
- Autistic with a capital “A”
- Why autistics value identity
- What is “normal”
- Respecting someone else’s identity
- Masking
- The difference between fitting in and belonging
- How to encourage society to be more inclusive
- The importance of empowering young autistics to become self-advocates
Roundtable discussions like the one you’ll hear today are open exclusively for members of our online Global Autism Community. We select a different theme each month, and our moderators monitor posts daily to ensure that our online space remains safe and respectful.
If you’d like to attend and participate in any of our future events, you can sign up today at community.globalautismproject.org.
Read the rest of this entry »