Perspectives on Neurodiversity

My name is Christopher Scott Wyatt and since 2007 I have been blogging as The Autistic Me. I launched this podcast during the 2017-18 school year. I assume you're listening to this trailer because you're interested in autism. I certainly cannot imagine another reason you stumbled into a podcast named The Autistic Me. Since I'm not known for my bright and cheery self-promotional nature, I'll stick...

Please let this end! Yes, it's yet another year of pandemic podcasting if we don't start enforcing mask mandates, social distancing, and vaccination. The Autistic Me loves the isolation, but I'm tired of the anxiety. Let's take responsibility for ourselves and our communities to end the COVID-19 experience.  I fear that COVID-19 outbreaks will divide this school year. There won't be anything norma...

Laura Reber is a school psychologist and founder of Progress Parade. At Progress Parade, they know what makes you different makes you strong. They provide 1:1 online tutoring with hand-picked specialists for students who have been diagnosed with ADHD, learning disabilities, executive functioning challenges, autism and more. Laura works with a team of school psychologists and specialized teachers t...

Gary Martinez is a fitness trainer and father of Monica, a 15-year-old autistic young woman. He describes his choice to leave a "Big Box" fitness center for independent fitness training as becoming "an athlete for life" focused on Monica. Gary integrates sensory activities into Monica's daily routine, balancing her mind and body to help her succeed. His experiences with exercise and overall fitnes...

Throughout the experience of pandemic parenting, I held onto the hope for productivity. However, my focus quickly shifted from my creative works to educating my daughters and their needs have remained my primary concern. As the pandemic seems to be waning, Susan and I now wonder if we might finally have some time for our interests. The Autistic Me on Social Media Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autis...

Our daughters and I have had a fair number of neuropsych assessments. The girls both have a list of official diagnostic labels. The three of us have ADHD in common. On her ninth birthday, we began yet another neuro-psychological assessment for Leigh, our eldest daughter. There's always another assessment, it seems. Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/ Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/ Fa...

John Ordover is a man of many talents. A creative consultant, a writer, an editor, and a stand-up comic. He's even appeared as an extra in some of my favorite television shows. John also advocates for the autistic community as the father of an autistic young adult and the partner of an autistic wife. I first met John virtually while he was finishing his book Lie There and Lose Weight: How I Lost 1...

It's my thirteenth annual rant about Autism Awareness Day and Month. If you're an autistic, let us promote Autistic Pride Month together. Join me. Do you want to be an ally? Tell people that April is Autistic Pride Month and a month for learning about autistics and their history. It's April 2 as I record this episode and I'm already tired of the ads I'm seeing on television, hearing on the radio,...

The Autistic Therapist, Kate McNulty, discusses her book Love and Asperger's . We also discuss gender identity, sexuality, and the challenges faced by autistics in relationships with neurotypical partners. About Love and Asperger's Kate McNulty is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and certified relationship therapist through the Gottman Institute of Seattle, Washington. She is a certified s...

Productive. I want to be productive. More precisely, I want to know I am contributing to our family by producing work that earns an income. I'm one of the 85% of autistic adults with a college degree and no full-time employment. That's our reality. Don't tell me we are accepted. Don't tell me everything is better with an education. The degree merely proves I'm capable, not that I have the social s...

One year. The novel coronavirus pandemic has dragged on long enough. I'm tired of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic. It's not that I have big plans for the end of the pandemic. We're not immediately taking or trip or attending a concert. It is the anxiety that accompanies basic tasks that exhausts me. I want that anxiety to go away. Needing a Break from this Break No matter how much you mi...

Catherine ("Cat") Guimard-Payen provides life coaching to autistic women, but that's not why I asked her to join us on The Autistic Me Podcast. Catherine is also autistic and the parent of four Neurodiverse children, two with autism and two diagnosed as multi-dis, which means they have multiple neuropsychological differences.  Catherine and her family live in France. As our casual chat reveals, Fr...

Every year on March 1, the disability community gathers across the nation to remember disabled victims of filicide–disabled people murdered by their family members or caregivers. Filicide, the murder by one's parents, is one of the top three causes of death in children under five. It is one of the top five overall causes of death among all children and teens. Autistic children are particularly vul...

Daddy tends to be a pushover when the girls ask to learn. This time, they wanted to learn how the podcasting gear works. So, we set up the Zoom R16, three microphones, and off we went. This episode is the product of our 90 minutes of learning together.  The girls discuss sensory processing, ADHD, therapeutic supports, and school. The classroom "wiggle tables" still upset me. Public school wasn't a...

Peter Joseph Gloviczki is the author of three collections of poetry: the weight of dandelions (Salmon Poetry, 2019), American Paprika (Salmon Poetry, 2016) and Kicking Gravity (Salmon Poetry, 2013). His fourth collection, What's Left to the Imagination is Everything, is forthcoming from Salmon Poetry in 2023. His poems have appeared in Beloit Poetry Journal, Hayden's Ferry Review, New Orleans Revi...

Roy Richard Grinker is a Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs at George Washington University. His books include Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism . I met Dr. Grinker in May of 2007 while he was promoting  Unstrange Minds , my favorite book on autism's history. The opportunity to speak to him about his new work,  Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental...

Misunderstandings about autistic traits have led to challenges most of my life. I blamed myself for the prejudices of others. I embraced and internalized ableism, disliking myself for being me. Enough. Five decades of feeling like I'm inferior? This must stop. I'm far from alone, as other autistics bring their energy to this cause. I hope to feature those voices on The Autistic Me platforms. The A...

The  Autistic Me struggles with friendships. Autism exists on a spectrum and so does introversion. I cannot separate my autism from my introversion. I am content sitting and writing alone. The Autistic Me projects connect me with many other people. I do appreciate that. Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/autistic...

Creating content for The Autistic Me isn't easy. I'm a perfectionist with low self-esteem, always certain the podcast and blog aren't good enough. Why do I continue producing new content? Because people tell me that The Autistic Me helps them understand autistic experiences.  Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/au...

Autistic masking and struggles to "fit" into groups leave us exhausted physically and mentally. Learn some tips for self-care and hear some honest reflections on autistic burnout.  Daniel Sansing and Ben Sorensen discuss the autistic need for self-care. Follow Ben at BenSorensen1 on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Ben: https://www.bensorensen1.com https://www.facebook.com/BenSorensen1/   https:/...

Daniel Sansing and I discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic encourages colleges and universities to reconsider how we support autistic students in higher education. Is online education an accommodation or does it leave out important life skills? Guest: Daniel Sansing, MEd., Literacy and Second Language Studies Adjunct Assistant Professor of English and Student Success University of Cincinnati Blue Ash...

I've learned a lot about teaching over the last 30 years. Like everyone else, I've been learning about teaching since my first day as a student. Unfortunately, the lessons suggest that education is broken, and so is the profession of teaching. Or, as a colleague once told me, "We don't need no stinking autistics."

Order matters to me, and it matters to many autistics. We like things done a certain way, especially if there are rules or guidelines provided. Directions offer rules, or at least some guidelines. Ignoring directions feels wrong to me.

This podcast is scheduled for Election Day in the United States, November 3, 2020. Though I have some interesting episodes with guests recorded, I decided this was not the week for episodes on education or general health topics. Instead, the election of 2020 is a reminder that this has been a challenging year around the globe. Sometimes, it's good to step back, take a deep breath, and realize that...

Halloween will be spent at home with our daughters. Thanksgiving, too. And Christmas. The holidays join birthdays and anniversaries as events we spend at home. Every year I post to The Autistic Me blog some thoughts on the holidays. I've also recorded a couple of podcasts about surviving the chaos of holidays. With the COVID-19 pandemic, this winter holiday season isn't like what I've blogged or s...