Autism Knows No Borders

Discover what’s possible when you become a better leader. 

If you’re a professional in the field of autism services, or interested in leadership in general, this bonus episode is for you. 

The Global Autism Project is committed to up-leveling the leadership capacity of those in this field. This is the only way we’re going to make the difference we want to see in the world: all children with autism having access to quality services.

Now, for the first time ever, our training is available completely online in our Leadership Series! 

In this episode, you'll hear directly from other graduates how this training has transformed their lives. 

Even if you’re still not sure these courses are for you, you can download the FREE Failproof Feedback Checklist so that you never have to fear feedback again.

Are you ready to take bold action to improve the way you lead? Are you ready to take charge of your life? 

Grab your Leadership Series course today at leadership.globalautismproject.org! 

As a valued podcast listener, take advantage of the promo code autismpodcast for an extra 10% off!

Discover what’s possible when you break the overwhelm cycle. 

Today we’re bringing back three special guests: the CEO of the Global Autism Project, Molly Ola Pinney; our partner from Saudi Arabia, Yaser Aljaaidi; and the founder of the DoBetter Movement, Dr. Megan Miller. 

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 and professionals to travel to our international partner sites and collaborate with their local teachers and therapists. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss:

• 2019’s Global Summit in Bali, Indonesia
• Yaser and Megan’s takeaways from that experience
• Burnout and overwhelm in the field of autism services
• Changing what’s not working in your life
• The evolution of Leadership Academy, a leadership training program created by the Global Autism Project 

To learn more about the Global Autism Project’s history and mission, please listen to my conversation with Molly Ola Pinney in episode 2. 

To hear more about Yaser Aljaaidiand his work in Saudi Arabia, listen to episode 25. 

For more information about Dr. Megan Miller and the DoBetter Movement, check out episode 35. 

This week we will be offering Black Friday deals for the Global Autism Leadership Series! These unique courses will never be sold at this low price again! Be sure to visit leadership.globalautismproject.org to grab your course today! 

Read the rest of this entry »

Discover what’s possible when the right tools are in your box. 

This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events! The topic of this roundtable discussion was Coping with Stress and Sensory Overload.

Participating in this event were autism self-advocates Thomas Iland, Robert Schmus, Mary Johnston, and David Sharif, as well as community members Colleen Dorsey, Danielle Terrell, and Kia Burton. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss:

• Triggers in public spaces 
• Making stores more neurodiverse-friendly 
• Halloween for children with disabilities
• Workplace stressors
• Requesting accommodations
• Conflicts with other people
• The Spoon Theory
• Tips for travelers 

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.

To learn more about the panelists in this discussion, please visit:

Thomas Iland - thomasiland.com 

Robert Schmus - schmus898@gmail.com 

Mary Johnston - IG @autisticrainbow15

David Sharif - IG @david_thetraveler 

Read the rest of this entry »

Discover what’s possible when you redesign the approach. 

Originally from Australia and currently living in the US, Lois Letchford is the mother of three young men, two of whom are on the autism spectrum. She has also personally struggled with dyslexia her entire life; however, she now uses it to her advantage as a literary spokesperson for learners who have fallen behind in the traditional classroom. 

In her book Reversed: A Memoir, Lois tells the story of her son’s journey of learning to read. Through coaching and workshops at international conferences, TV appearances, and radio stations, she teaches educators and parents how to create flexible learning environments using comprehensive and innovative teaching methods. 

In this conversation, we discuss: 

• What dyslexia is and how it affects Lois’ life
• Her sons’ autism and their interests
• How a teacher’s negative comment pushed her to become a reading specialist
• Some of the biggest mistakes educators make when teaching kids how to read
• The Deficit Theory
• Her teaching philosophy: MAPS
• Thinking outside of the box to teach autistic children how to read
• Tips to identify trauma in the learning environment

To learn more about Lois Letchford, please visit loisletchford.com. 

Read the rest of this entry »

Discover what’s possible when your response is in line with your truest intentions. 

With over 20 years of experience working with neurodiverse individuals, Lafaya Mitchell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the creator of The Lafaya Way, a relational approach that helps to build bridges for effective interactions in difficult relationships and social situations. She is also the mother of three children, two of whom are autistic. 

In this conversation, we discuss: 

• The types of families that seek her services
• The four core strategies of The Lafaya Way
• What she calls the “emotion soaking phenomenon”
• How a parent’s past experiences might impact their ability to make decisions now
• The different levels of acceptance and how they are tied to a parent’s personal growth
• Some common struggles of parents trying to understand their child’s needs
• The hidden effects of family dynamics
• Why the expression “problem child” is problematic
• Cultural sensitivity and how the Black community responds to her program
• One of the most rewarding experiences she’s ever had working with children on the spectrum 

To learn more about Lafaya, please visit lafayaway.com. 

Read the rest of this entry »

Discover what’s possible when we expand the meaning of independence. 

We’ve received great feedback about our previous Global Autism Community episodes, so we’ve decided to release another one! 

The topic of this roundtable discussion was Preparing for Adulthood, and its diverse panel included Dani Bowman, Robert Schmus, Cheryl Albright, and Cammie McGovern.

Dani is an autism self-advocate, animator, illustrator, teacher, and public speaker; Robert is an autism self-advocate, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and writer; Cheryl is an occupational therapist, certified yoga instructor, and autism sibling. Cammie 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. 

Other community members who participated in this event were Jeff Snyder, David Sharif, Kia Burton, and Karen Shapiro. 

As with previous community-event recordings, the sound quality is a bit inconsistent because we hadn’t originally planned it as a podcast episode. However, we’ve done our best to improve it, and I assure you that the stories and perspectives shared are really worth listening to. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss: 

• Support and programs to help transition into adulthood
• Essential skills that children and adolescents ought to learn
• Different adult services available across the US
• Living independently versus in communities
• Applying for college or a job
• Financial planning and budgeting 

To learn more about the panelists in this discussion, please visit:

Dani Bowman - danibowman.com 

Robert Schmus - schmus898@gmail.com 

Cheryl Albright - Soul to Soul Yoga 

Cammie McGovern - cammiemcgovern.com 

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 »

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. 

Read the rest of this entry »

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:

Anthony Ianni

Sangeeta Jain  

Vanessa Lista 

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 »

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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Read the rest of this entry »