Discover what’s possible when people connected to autism inspire change and build community
Episodes
Thursday Oct 14, 2021
Thursday Oct 14, 2021
Discover what’s possible when rehabilitation fits the crime.
Tom Oliver is an autism self-advocate, a TEDx Speaker, and an aspiring lawyer from Australia who has dedicated his career to helping autistic individuals caught up in the justice system.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Autism acceptance in Australia
- Tom’s finding out about his diagnosis
- How autism affects his everyday life
- How Tom became interested in the law
- Three characteristics that are underlying causes of crimes among autistic people
- Challenges autistic people may face in the prison system
- Ideas to mitigate injustices against autistic individuals
To learn more about Tom Oliver, please visit tomoliver.biz.
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Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Discover what’s possible when everyone gets a chance.
This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events. The topic of this roundtable discussion was Navigating Social Situations, and its diverse panel included Anthony Ianni, Sangeeta Jain, and Vanessa Lista.
Anthony is an autism self-advocate, a former NCAA Division 1 basketball player, and a motivational speaker; Sangeeta is the mother of an autistic young man and she is also our Global Autism Project partner in Chandigarh, India; and Vanessa has an autistic brother and is a kinesiology and psychology student.
Other community members who participated in this event were Mary Johnston, Andrew Bennett, Priya Vijayan, Beverly Sujit, Happy Arora, and Anshul Sharma.
As with previous community events, we hadn’t originally planned to produce a podcast episode from this discussion, but we later thought it would be great to make this conversation available to our podcast listeners as well. We apologize for the inconsistent sound quality, but I assure you that the stories and perspectives shared by our guests are really worth listening to.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- Strategies to mitigate misunderstandings in social situations
- Respecting personal space and boundaries
- Teaching social skills to young autistic children
- Teaching peers how to communicate with autistic children
- Action steps towards true inclusion
To learn more about the panelists in this discussion, please visit:
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 23, 2021
Thursday Sep 23, 2021
Discover what’s possible when connection builds confidence.
Our guests this week are Gary Jesch and Leslie Baldwin. Gary is a live animation performer and the founder of Invirtua, a telehealth learning service that uses animated avatars to interact with autistic children. Leslie is Invirtua’s Senior Partner as well as a member of their Board of Advisors. She was previously a manager and special educator at Texas Children's Hospital.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- Gary’s inspiration for designing his characters
- Example goals they might target in a session
- Generalizing skills into everyday life
- Academic research that utilizes Invirtua’s technology
- Tips for parents wanting to improve the lives of their autistic children
Gary and Leslie also demonstrate a live interaction with one of Invirtua’s avatars, a fish named Marley.
To learn more about Gary, Leslie, and Invirtua, please visit invirtua.com.
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Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Discover what’s possible when success is measured in belonging.
Cammie McGovern is the mother of a 25-year-old autistic adult and has recently published a book titled Hard Landings: Looking into the Future of a Child with Autism. She has also authored three novels for adults, including Eye Contact; two books for young adults, Say What You Will and A Step Toward Falling; and two books for middle-grade readers, Just My Luck and Chester and Gus. All feature young people with a variety of disabilities at the center.
Cammie is also one of the founders of Whole Children and Milestones, a resource center for children and young adults with disabilities and their families in Hadley, Massachusetts.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- The “Disability Cliff” for autistic adults who turn 22
- Varying types of adult services available across the US
- The movement away from institutional settings and sheltered workshops
- The overlooked value of congregate settings
- Skills parents should prioritize when preparing their kids for adulthood
- Tips for parents whose children are approaching this stage in life
- Sex education
To learn more about Cammie, please visit cammiemcgovern.com.
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Thursday Sep 02, 2021
Thursday Sep 02, 2021
Discover what’s possible when awareness educates safety.
This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events. The topic of this round table discussion is Safety in Public.
The diverse panelists include autism self-advocates Rachel Barcellona and Thomas Iland, autism father and host of The Ausome Show, Jamiel Owens, and our Global Autism Project partner from the Dominican Republic, Maricarmen (Kaki) Hazoury.
Other community members present at the event and part of the discussion are Jeff Snyder, David Sharif, Kia Burton, Karen Shapiro, and Ben Sharif.
We hadn’t originally planned to produce a podcast episode from this exclusive event, but we later thought it would be great to make this rich conversation available to our podcast listeners as well. We apologize for the inconsistent sound quality, but I assure you that the stories and perspectives shared by our guests are really worth listening to.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- Navigating around the community
- Autism-disclosure ID cards
- Interactions with strangers and law enforcement
- Setting boundaries on social media
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.
Also, just a heads up that next week we won’t be releasing a new episode in observance of Labor Day in the US. September is a good time of the year to reset and prioritize your own well-being, and our team will be taking the week off to do just that. I encourage you to find a moment for self-care during this weekend, whatever that means for you. For those of you living in the US, have a safe, happy, and restful holiday weekend. We’ll be back on our regular release schedule on Thursday, September 16th.
To learn more about the panelists in this discussion, please visit:
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Thursday Jul 29, 2021
Thursday Jul 29, 2021
Discover what’s possible when constraint unlocks opportunity.
Jayashree Ramesh is the Founder and Director of Academy for Severe Handicaps and Autism, ASHA for short, in Bangalore, India. The Global Autism Project partnered with ASHA in 2018 and we’ve since sent three SkillCorps® teams to their center.
Founded by Molly Ola Pinney in 2003, the Global Autism Project provides sustainable clinical, administrative, and leadership training to autism centers seeking guidance. SkillCorps® is a volunteer opportunity for self-advocates and professionals to travel to our partner sites around the world and work directly with their local teachers and therapists.
We are currently accepting SkillCorps® applications for travel in 2022. 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.
In this conversation, Jayashree and I discuss:
- The varying perspectives of autism across India
- How Indian mothers and fathers accept autism differently
- What Jayashree loves about working with the autistic population
- Barriers she’s had to overcome when developing ASHA
- Leadership and encouraging teamwork among staff
- Effects of the pandemic on services at her center
- The partnership between the Global Autism Project and ASHA
- What she likes to share about Indian culture with our SkillCorps® teams
- Advice for other professionals interested in starting their own center
You’ll also hear us talk about Global Summit, which was our first annual conference held in Bali in 2019. It was a beautiful and inspiring week for all of our partners from around the world to connect and share ideas, stories, and resources. Global Summit was open for our SkillCorps® alumni to attend and receive continuing education credit as well. Watch our 2019 Global Summit video here.
To learn more about Jayashree and ASHA, please visit ashaforautism.com.
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Thursday Jul 22, 2021
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
Discover what’s possible when a mentor guides by example.
Robert Schmus is an autism self-advocate, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New Jersey, and a blogger for The Mighty. As a therapist, he currently provides individual and group sessions at a residential home for adolescents with autism and other co-occurring diagnoses.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- How Robert learned about his diagnosis
- His strengths related to autism
- Dealing with anxiety and covid uncertainty
- Dating on the spectrum
- His responsibilities as a social worker
- Ideas to help adolescents transition into adulthood and find a job
- Disclosing his diagnosis to employers
To learn more about Robert and his work, you can contact him via email at schmus898@gmail.com.
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Thursday Jun 17, 2021
Thursday Jun 17, 2021
Discover what’s possible when autism is not viewed as just a broken version of normal.
Jude Morrow. Based in Ireland, Jude is an autism self-advocate, TEDx speaker, and author. He is also the founder of Neurodiversity Training International, an autism mentoring, training, consultancy, and motivational platform. NTI works with non-profit and Fortune 500 companies using a strengths-based approach to change perceptions and attitudes. Jude’s first book, Why Does Daddy Always Look So Sad?, was published in 2020, and his second book, Loving Your Place on the Spectrum, is scheduled to be released in September of 2021.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Autism awareness and acceptance in Ireland
- What it was like for Jude to grow up feeling that something was wrong with him
- Why society should move away from the medical model and embrace the neurodiversity movement
- The problem with labels of disorders and disabilities
- Consultation services offered at NTI
- Advice for anyone interested in being an ally of the neurodiversity movement
To learn more about Jude Morrow and his work, please visit https://neurodiversity-training.net/.
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Thursday Jun 03, 2021
Thursday Jun 03, 2021
Discover what’s possible when the student’s interests lead the team.
This week’s episode is a recording of a roundtable discussion during one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events. The topic is Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs.
The panelists include Brian Middleton, an autistic Board Certified Behavior Analyst; Colleen Dorsey, a special education teacher; and Michael Gilberg, an autistic special education and disability rights attorney.
Other community members present at the event and part of the discussion are Jeff Snyder, Mary Johnston, Ryan Litchfield, Jessie Sheahan, and Morgan Ferguson.
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- The different roles on an IEP team
- How to reduce combativeness between professionals at IEP meetings
- Finding the sweet spot when writing goals and encouraging independence
- How to best support families throughout the IEP process
- Helpful accommodations suggested by self-advocates in the audience
Some acronyms mentioned in the conversation are IDEA, BCBA, and ABA. IDEA is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which is an American piece of legislation that ensures eligible students with a disability are provided with Free Appropriate Public Education that is tailored to their individual needs. BCBA stands for Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and ABA is Applied Behavior Analysis.
These monthly roundtable discussions are open exclusively to members of our Global Autism Community. A new topic is selected based on each month’s theme. If you’d like to attend and participate in any of our future events, you can sign up today at community.globalautismproject.org.
To learn more about the panelists in this discussion, you can visit:
Brian Middleton: https://beardedbehaviorist.com/
Colleen Dorsey: @autismausome
Michael Gilberg: https://www.michaelgilbergesq.com/
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Thursday May 13, 2021
Thursday May 13, 2021
Discover what’s possible when support includes all ages.
Ryan Litchfield is an autism and disabilities self-advocate from Massachusetts. Diagnosed with autism at the age of two, Ryan underwent Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Since his high school days, Ryan has been sharing his life journey with various agencies, communities, and organizations, and he is known by people around him to have a “fighting spirit.”
With a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies and a Certificate in Aging Services, Ryan specializes in older adults with disabilities, guiding and supporting them to pursue their goals while promoting compassion, empathy, and kindness. Ryan has also had several blogs published in the Organization for Autism Research (OAR).
In today’s conversation, we discuss:
- The services Ryan received growing up
- His perspective on ABA therapy
- How autism affects his life
- Communication breakdowns in social situations
- The need for research about older adults
- How professionals can provide better support for their clients
To learn more about Ryan Litchfield and his work, please visit his website ryansvoice.blog.
Resources:
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