Autism Knows No Borders

Discover what’s possible when your responses are truly aligned with your intentions.

How can understanding family dynamics transform parent-child relationships?

If you’re the parent of a neurodivergent child, you’ll want to listen to this episode with Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Lafaya Mitchell, where she shares her innovative relational approach to supporting neurodiverse children and their families. Lafaya is also the mother of three children, two of whom are autistic.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The four core strategies of The Lafaya Way
• What she calls the “emotion soaking phenomenon”
• How a parent’s experiences from the past can affect their decision-making now
• How to set boundaries with kids
• Navigating parental expectations

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

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What are some strategies to stay motivated when trying to reach your goals?

In this clip, Global Autism Community members share their ideas on this topic. This roundtable discussion about Self-Development and Accountability was hosted by community moderator Michelle Vinokurov, and participants included Christina Kaspersen, Robert Schmus, Danielle Terrell, Andrew Bennett, and Corben Havener. 

Welcome to Autism Tips & Tools, where we highlight the best practical guidance from previous episodes of Autism Knows No Borders. Whether you’re a self-advocate, a family member, or a service provider, there’s something here for you!

This conversation with our Global Autism Community was originally released on November 3, 2022.

Would you like to hear tips on how to embrace a growth mindset? Click the link below for the full conversation and be sure to subscribe to hear more from people connected to autism inspiring change and building community. 

Self-Development & Accountability, with the Global Autism Community

Let’s work together to transform how the world relates to autism.

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Discover what’s possible when you support from the start.

What factors make the biggest difference in the quality of life of autistic individuals? Whether you’re autistic yourself, or care for an autistic loved one, you’ll want to listen to this episode with Dr. Catherine Lord. She shares some of the findings from her own groundbreaking longitudinal study, which began in 1990 and continues to follow a community sample of over 200 autistic individuals. This is one of the largest and longest-running studies of autism ever conducted

Dr. Lord is an American psychologist and researcher credited for co-developing the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). 

This episode is part two of our conversation, and we discuss:

• Dr. Lord’s research tracking autistic individuals over decades
• Factors which predict positive outcomes in autism
• Autism across the lifespan when it comes to employment, relationships, and independence
• The importance of community support
• What’s next for autism research and what areas need more attention
• Tips for clinicians working with autistic children

To learn more about Dr. Catherine Lord and her work, please visit: Dr. Catherine Lord UCLA Profile

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What are some misconceptions about AAC and speech development?

AAC user Tiffany Joseph shares her ideas on this topic and discusses how to empower non-speaking autistic individuals.

Tiffany Joseph is the digital creator behind the IG account Nigh Functioning Autism. She uses her platform to promote the changes she wants to see in the world regarding disability and intersectionality. The voice you’ll hear in this clip comes mostly from Tiffany’s Alternative Augmentative Communication device, or AAC for short. And, in instances when she wanted to add more to her response or answer a follow-up question, you’ll hear her actual voice.

Welcome to Autism Tips & Tools, where we highlight the best practical guidance from previous episodes of Autism Knows No Borders. Whether you’re a self-advocate, a family member, or a service provider, there’s something here for you!

This conversation with Tiffany Joseph was originally released on October 13, 2022.

Would you like to hear Tiffany discussing what communication apps are most useful depending on each situation? Click the link below for the full conversation and be sure to subscribe to hear more from people connected to autism inspiring change and building community. 

My AAC Journey, with Tiffany Joseph

Let’s work together to transform how the world relates to autism.

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Discover what’s possible when diagnosis opens doors.

What are considered the “gold standard” tools for diagnosing autism? 

If you’re curious about the history of autism diagnoses and observational assessments, you’ll want to listen to this episode with Dr. Catherine Lord.

Dr. Lord is an American psychologist and researcher. She currently serves as a member of the International Advisory Board for The Lance Psychiatry, co-chair of the Scientific Research Council of the Child Mind Institute, and the George Tarjan Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Education at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. 

Credited for co-developing the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), Dr. Lord is also known for leading one of the largest and longest-running longitudinal studies of autism in modern research, which began in 1990 and continues to follow a community sample of over 200 individuals. 

Dr. Lord has authored numerous books about autism and hundreds of peer-reviewed journal articles, as well as received a considerable number of awards and professional recognitions. 

This episode is part one of our conversation, and we discuss:

• Shortcomings of early autism diagnosis
• Why autism was so hard to diagnose consistently
• How the ADOS assessment tool was developed
• What it actually does and does not measure
• Common misunderstandings of the ADOS
• Why a diagnosis involves more than a single test
• Training and cultural considerations for professionals who administer the ADOS
• The evolution of autism categories in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and why these changes matter
• How families can explain an autism diagnosis to their child
• Early detection in infants
• Misconceptions about regressive autism
• Self-diagnosis and access to autism assessments 

To learn more about Dr. Catherine Lord and her work, please visit: Dr. Catherine Lord UCLA Profile

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What’s the understanding and level of awareness of autism in Rwanda?

Evas Kyomugisha, our Global Autism Project Partner from Rwanda, talks about the stigma around autism in Rwanda, the different levels of autism acceptance among parents at her center, and how she tries to inspire hope for their children’s futures.

Evas is the founder and owner of Silver Bells, an autism center in Kigali. Silver Bells offers comprehensive services for families, including Applied Behavior Analysis, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Music Therapy.

Welcome to Autism Tips & Tools, where we highlight the best practical guidance from previous episodes of Autism Knows No Borders. Whether you’re a self-advocate, a family member, or a service provider, there’s something here for you!

This conversation with Evas Kyomugisha was originally released on July 21, 2022.

Would you like to hear Evas talk about how the Rwandan government has helped provide services for families? Click the link below for the full conversation and be sure to subscribe to hear more from people connected to autism inspiring change and building community. 

Inspiring Hope for Parents in Rwanda, with Evas Kyomugisha

Let’s work together to transform how the world relates to autism.

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Discover what’s possible when values inform the method.

How can we bridge the gap between autistic communities and traditional therapies?

If you’ve ever wondered, you’ll want to listen to part two of my conversation with Autistic BCBA Mari Cerda, which was originally released on April 22, 2021.

Mari provides professional-development training for teachers and schools on various neurodiversity-affirming topics. She is the co-founder of The LEAP Institute, a US-based non-profit whose mission is to increase equitable access of marginalized groups to ABA (applied behavior analysis). 

Among other things, we discuss:

• Mari’s collectivist approach to providing services
• Ethical considerations and addressing the harm historically caused by ABA practices
• The importance of approaching services from a neurodiversity-affirming perspective
• Strategies for inclusive, community-based support
• Ideas to bridge the divide between the Autistic community and ABA

To learn more about Mari Cerda, please visit her Instagram account @autie.analyst, where she aims to educate and mediate between the worlds of autism and ABA.

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What does it mean to affirm someone’s identity?

Here’s Andrew talking about the importance of affirming autistic identity and supporting people who might be masking.

Andrew has been a dedicated member of our community since 2019. He served as a moderator in our online Global Autism Community, contributed to our Responsive Skills Training, and traveled on two SkillCorps® volunteer trips, first to the Czech Republic and later to Kenya.

Welcome to Autism Tips & Tools, where we highlight the best practical guidance from previous episodes of Autism Knows No Borders. Whether you’re a self-advocate, a family member, or a service provider, there’s something here for you!

This conversation with Andrew Bennett was originally released on June 29, 2023.

Would you like to hear more about accessible technology? Click the link below for the full conversation and be sure to subscribe to hear more from people connected to autism inspiring change and building community. 

SkillCorps Spotlight: Inclusion and Affirmation, with Andrew Bennett

Let’s work together to transform how the world relates to autism.

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Discover what’s possible when values inform the method.

What does a culturally-informed approach to ABA look like?

If you’re interested in the intersection between neurodiversity, race, and community, you’ll want to listen to this conversation with Autistic BCBA Mari Cerda, which was originally released on April 22, 2021.

Mari provides professional development training for teachers and schools on various neurodiversity-affirming topics. As a Latina Mestiza, she’s passionate about supporting migrant families and their children with disabilities trying to enroll in the American school system. Mari is also the co-founder of The LEAP Institute, a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase equitable access for marginalized groups entering the field of ABA, or applied behavior analysis. 

This episode is part one of our conversation, and we discuss:

• Mari’s process of discovering and accepting her late diagnosis
• Cultural perspectives on autism in Native American and Latinx cultures
• The intersection between neurodiversity and race
• How Mari’s family reacted to her diagnosis 
• How her husband acts as her social compass
• The Double Empathy Problem

To learn more about Mari Cerda, please visit her Instagram account @autie.analyst, where she aims to educate and mediate between the worlds of autism and ABA.

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What’s the difference between explicit and implicit autistic characters?

Here’s Corben Havener discussing explicit and implicit (or “coded”) autistic characters as two different ways of portraying neurodiversity in media. 

The following clip is from a roundtable discussion with our Global Autism Community, where Autistic self-advocates shared their opinions on how autism is represented in the media.

Welcome to Autism Tips & Tools, where we highlight the best practical guidance from previous episodes of Autism Knows No Borders. Whether you’re a self-advocate, a family member, or a service provider, there’s something here for you!

This conversation with our Global Autism Community was originally released on April 14, 2022.

Would you like to hear more about accessible technology? Click the link below for the full conversation and be sure to subscribe to hear more from people connected to autism inspiring change and building community. 

Representation in the Media, with the Global Autism Community

Let’s work together to transform how the world relates to autism.

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