Discover what’s possible when people connected to autism inspire change and build community
Episodes
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.
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Thursday Jul 13, 2023
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
Discover what’s possible when certification is just the beginning.
The CEO of Global Autism Project, Molly Ola Pinney, is joined by the Co-Founder of the International Behavior Analysis Organization, Dr. Michael Mueller. The IBAO certifies practitioners to ensure ethical practices, protect consumers, and maintain appropriate educational standards in the field of ABA around the world.
A board certified behavior analyst, Mike has authored 11 books, including Behavior Analytic Consultation to Schools, and the Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS), a seven-volume series to guide in the assessment of teaching everyday life skills to learners of all ages. He has also published dozens of research articles and served on the editorial board of several prestigious journals, including the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, the School Psychology Review, and the Journal of Evidence Based Practices for Schools, to name a few.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- What prompted the start of the IBAO
- Former barriers to certification, including cost and accessibility
- How the IBAO makes certification more attainable for practitioners who don’t hold a Master’s degree
- Ethical considerations to addressing cultural differences
- The distinction between certification and licensure
- Collaboration between Global Autism Project and the IBAO
- Tips for ABA practitioners
To learn more about Dr. Michael Mueller and the IBAO, please visit theibao.com.
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Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Discover what’s possible when your life is not defined by a single identity.
Tiffany Hammond is an autism self-advocate, a mother to two boys on the spectrum, and the voice behind the blog Fidgets and Fries. As a Black and autistic woman, Tiffany aims to educate others about autism and intersectional advocacy.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- How Tiffany became aware of her differences
- The guilt she felt after her first son was diagnosed
- How Tiffany finally accepted her own autism
- The journey of her advocacy work
- How she feels about being an Instagram influencer
- Why Tiffany felt conflicted about her sudden social media growth after the death of George Floyd
- The division within the autism community
- The overlap between intersectionality and neurodiversity
To learn more about Tiffany Hammond, please visit:
Instagram: @fidgets.and.fries
Twitter: fidgetsandfries
Website: fidgetsandfries.com
Patreon: patreon.com/tiffanyhammond
This conversation with Tiffany Hammond was originally released on January 14, 2021.
Tiffany's book A Day With No Words was released this last May and has since reached The New York Times #1 Best Seller for Children’s Picture Books. This colorful and engaging picture book for young readers shares what life can look like for families who communicate in a nonverbal way, utilizing tools (like tablets) to embrace their unique method of "speaking."
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Thursday Jun 29, 2023
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
Discover what’s possible when belonging allows us to be who we are.
An Autistic Self-Advocate and BCaBA from Texas, Andrew Bennett has been a dedicated member of our community since 2019, and currently serves as a moderator in our online Global Autism Community. He contributed to our Responsive Skills Training as a committee member, and has traveled on two SkillCorps® volunteer trips, first to the Czech Republic and more recently to Kenya.
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 to ensure that all autistic individuals around the world have access to quality education, services, and employment.
Responsive Skills Training, or RST, is a curriculum co-created with the Autistic community to transform the way in which services are provided across the world. If you’d like to learn more about RST, please listen to episode 139 with co-creator Ann Beirne and our CEO Molly Pinney.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Andrew’s special interests, which include cooking and writing poetry
- Why Andrew decided to join the RST committee
- His definitions of “inclusion” and “affirming,” and how they apply to neurodiversity-affirming practice in ABA
- How to help an autistic person unmask
- Situations in which Andrew has felt “dis-affirmed”
- Andrew’s experience as an autistic SkillCorps® volunteer
- Tips for other self-advocates thinking of going on a SkillCorps® trip
To learn more about our SkillCorps® program, check out episodes 100 and 132, featuring SkillCorps® volunteers that have been to our partner sites in Saudi Arabia and India. Listen to them talk about their transformative experiences and see what SkillCorps® can offer you!
Begin your journey today at globalautismproject.org/skillcorps. As a listener of our show, take advantage of the coupon code AUTISMPODCAST (no space and all caps) to waive the application fee.
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Thursday Jun 22, 2023
Thursday Jun 22, 2023
Discover what’s possible when you seek to understand.
Dr. Gwen Palafox is a licensed psychologist with a focus on helping teens and young adults find their most fulfilled and joyful lives. She has been supporting disabled and neurodivergent individuals for over two decades, and is also the host of the podcast Dr. Gwen Empowered.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- Why Gwen is passionate about working with autistic individuals
- Some common challenges autistic adolescents face when forming their identity
- How to find a sense of belonging in the right environments
- How neurotypicals can interact with autistic people from a trauma-informed perspective
- Characteristics of dually-diagnosed autism and ADHD
- Self-acceptance, masking and burnout
- The medical model vs the social model of disability
- Gwen’s podcast Dr. Gwen Empowered
- Her ideas to cultivate a meaningful life, including employment and relationships
To learn more about Dr. Gwen Palafox, please visit meaningfulgrowth.com.
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Thursday Jun 15, 2023
Thursday Jun 15, 2023
Discover what’s possible when a child can fly free.
Bobby Rubio is the writer and director of the Pixar SparkShort Float, which is a short animated film inspired by his relationship with his autistic son, Alex. Float is available for streaming on Disney+.
Bobby is known for his work on Hercules, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Incredibles 2, which earned him an Annie Awards nomination for Outstanding Achievement for Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production. Bobby is also the creator and owner of his independent comics and intellectual properties: Alcatraz High, 4 Gun Conclusion, and Neighborhood Legend.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- Bobby’s journey of accepting his son’s autism
- The creative process of producing Float
- The stigma of mental health within the Filipino community
- Tips for parents whose children have received an autism diagnosis
To learn more about Bobby Rubio, you can check out his Instagram: @bobbyrubio.
This conversation with Bobby Rubio was originally released on March 11, 2021.
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Thursday Jun 08, 2023
Thursday Jun 08, 2023
Discover what’s possible when family comes first.
This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events! The topic of this roundtable discussion was Family Dynamics.
Participating in this event were Autistic Self-Advocates Mary Johnston and Corben Havener, as well as autism sibling and occupational therapist Cheryl Albright.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- Parent-child relationships
- What it’s like to have neurodivergent or neurotypical parents
- Why divorce rates are high among parents of autistic children
- Sibling relationships
- How to support adolescents transitioning into adulthood
- Choosing a life partner
- Starting your own family
- Taking care of aging parents
- The importance of creating plans for elder adulthood
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 Jun 01, 2023
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Discover what’s possible when you listen before you practice.
Both Liz Lefebre and Amy Evans are Board Certified Behavior Analysts with specializations in Precision Teaching, Fluency Based Instruction, Instructional Design, and Assent Based Treatment. They are also the Co-Founders of Octave, an organization dedicated to improving skill sets of behavior analysts, teachers, and instructional designers.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- Why Liz and Amy decided to start Octave
- What Octave’s values and mission are
- What Precision Teaching, Instructional Design, and Assent Based Treatment are
- What Liz and Amy have learned from listening to autistic voices and how that has affected their programming
- Why practitioners should move away from “traditional ABA" and undo the training that they might have undergone
- What some of the potential barriers to ethical practices in ABA are
- How to increase a client’s appetite for learning
- Advice for other practitioners
To learn more about Liz Lefebre and Amy Evans, please visit octavetraining.com.
Related episodes:
35. The Do Better Movement, with Dr. Megan Miller
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