Autism Knows No Borders

Discover what’s possible when challenges are woven with joys. Have you found it challenging to navigate all the paperwork to get the support your autistic child needs? Whether you know from personal experience or through someone else in your life, you’ll want to listen to this episode with Kelley Coleman.  Kelley Coleman is the mother of two boys, one of whom has multiple disabilities (including a...

Are you a late-diagnosed autistic, or are you considering getting an evaluation? Autistic Self-Advocate and podcast host Sara Bradford talks about why she decided to seek an autism diagnosis as one of her new year’s goals. The following clip is from a roundtable discussion with our Global Autism Community where community members shared their personal and professional goals for the new year. Welcom...

Discover what’s possible when a great day starts at bedtime. Have you ever struggled with poor sleep? Or do you know of anyone who does? Whether you’re autistic or not, this episode with sleep specialist Emily Varon can help you sleep better, starting tonight. Emily Varon is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst from California who focuses on sleep-related behavior. With more than 20 years in the fie...

Have you had to learn to accept your child’s autism? What was that journey like for you? Bobby Rubio talks about how accepting his son’s autism led to the inspiration for his award-winning Pixar SparkShort film, Float.  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 membe...

Discover what’s possible when communication is properly aided. Are you the parent of an autistic child with an Augmentative and Alternative Communication device? Or maybe you’re just curious about how AAC devices can help? If either applies to you, you’ll want to listen to this conversation with Vidya Banerjee, an autism mother and the creator of the Autism Family Story blog and podcast. Today’s c...

How can children on the spectrum benefit from practicing yoga? Cheryl Albright, an occupational therapist, certified yoga instructor, and autism sibling, shares how she uses yoga to help her autistic clients learn new skills.  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 famil...

What are some autistic traits that can be underlying causes of crime among people on the spectrum? Tom Oliver, an autism self-advocate, TEDx Speaker, and aspiring lawyer from Australia, shares his ideas on this topic. Tom has dedicated his career to helping autistic individuals who got caught up in the justice system. Welcome to Autism Tips & Tools, where we highlight the best practical guidan...

Do you struggle with managing your finances? Listen to how Andrew Komarow helps his autistic clients with budgeting, encouraging them to acknowledge their present financial capabilities and maintain a positive attitude.  Andrew Komarow is a Certified Financial Planner and Certified Neurodiversity Professional. He’s also the Founder of Planning Across the Spectrum, a company that specializes in hel...

Discover what’s possible when a fresh start brings a new perspective. This week’s episode is part 2 of our 2025 Highlights. Today we’ll continue to review some of our favorite moments from this year’s episodes, specifically from 230-240.  As we were reflecting on these past episodes from 2025, we were overcome with immense gratitude for our community. A huge thank you to our guests for sharing the...

What strategies do you have in place to deal with stressful situations?  The late David Sharif talks about managing conflicts and how he found a group of friends who supported him through tough times. The following clip is from a roundtable discussion with our Global Autism Community where Autistic self-advocates shared how they cope with stress and sensory overload. Welcome to Autism Tips & T...

Discover what’s possible when a fresh start brings new perspectives. We’ve reached the end of 2025! To celebrate, we’ll be reviewing some of our favorite moments from this year. Part 1 will highlight episodes 216 through 228, and Part 2, episodes 230 through 240.  We want to thank you for your support and patience during the first half of the year, when we released throwbacks due to my maternity l...

Why are autistic people given a censored version of sex education?  Michael John Carley shares his thoughts on this topic as well as the influence that culture has over attitudes towards sexuality. Michael John Carley is an Autistic Self-Advocate, author, and consultant. He was the Founder of GRASP — the largest organization in the world comprised of adults on the autism spectrum — and the Foundin...

Discover what’s possible when what you give makes a difference. This time each year, our team at the Global Autism Project takes some time to reflect on what we’re grateful for. First of all, we’re grateful for you, our listeners, and your continued support. We’re also grateful for our podcast guests and their willingness to share their stories with us. And of course, we’re grateful for our growin...

How can you turn your passion into a career? Dani Bowman, an Autistic Self-Advocate, animator, illustrator, teacher, and public speaker, talks about how she empowers her autistic students to turn their passion for animation into a career. The following clip is from a roundtable discussion with our Global Autism Community where Autistic self-advocates shared their ideas on how to prepare autistic y...

Discover what’s possible when representation opens the door. What are the biggest factors influencing why Black men are underrepresented in the field of applied behavior analysis and what can be done to increase that? Stick around for this episode and listen to Jeron Trotman share his ideas.  Jeron Trotman is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and the Founder and President of Black Men in B...

How does masking affect autistic mental health and well-being? Terra Vance shares her ideas about autistic masking and identity. Terra is an Autistic Self-Advocate and the Founder of NeuroClastic , an autistic-led non-profit organization that publishes articles by autistic writers and professionals advocating for autistic representation and human rights. The following clip is from a roundtable dis...

Discover what’s possible when your calm becomes their anchor. Does your autistic child struggle with regulating themselves?  If you’d like to learn how to stay calm in order to help your child in stressful situations, stick around for part two of my conversation with autism-mom coach Lisa Candera, where she talks about what it means to be a solid object for your child. Among other things, we discu...

Do you struggle dealing with the pressure of societal expectations? Russell Lehmann, an Autistic Self-Advocate, motivational speaker, author, and poet, talks about how being autistic makes this pressure uniquely challenging.  Russell is an Autistic Self-Advocate, motivational speaker, author, and poet. He travels the world spreading hope, awareness, and compassion, while striving to erase the stig...

Discover what’s possible when you shift from blame to resilience. Although many myths about the causes of autism have been thoroughly debunked, misinformation continues to take a toll on mothers. Whether you know from personal experience or through an autism mom in your life, you’ll want to listen to this episode with Lisa Candera.  Lisa Candera is a single mom, attorney, ADHD-er, autism-mom coach...

How can autistic individuals cultivate a meaningful life?   Gwen Palafaox, a licensed psychologist, talks about how autistic individuals can find a sense of belonging and cultivate a meaningful life across employment and relationships.   With a focus on helping teens and young adults find their most fulfilled and joyful lives, Gwen has been supporting disabled and neurodivergent individuals for ov...

Discover what’s possible when you really put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Are you the parent of an autistic child? Or are you in a relationship with an autistic partner? If you’d like to learn about how to better understand and support them, stick around for part two of my conversation with licensed professional counselor Meghan Ashley, where she talks about taking the autistic perspective. A...

What are some action steps towards true inclusion? Sangeeta Jain, an autism mother from India and one of our partners at the Global Autism Project, shares her thoughts on this topic. 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 som...

Discover what’s possible when dialogue opens the door. Unfortunately, cultural stigma around autism still exists. Whether you know from personal experience, or through someone who has been impacted by it, you’ll want to listen to this episode with Meghan Ashley. Meghan is a licensed professional counselor who has her own private practice, MPerfect Consulting, where she provides support to women, p...

What are some changes educators need to make when teaching autistic kids how to read? Reading specialist Lois Letchford talks about her teaching philosophy: MAPS, which stands for Mindset, Active learning, Play, and Student success. 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...

Discover what’s possible when you give room to grow. Can Applied Behavior Analysis ever be done safely? Dr. Shelby Dorsey –a BCBA, late-diagnosed autistic ADHDer and mother of two neurodivergent children– believes so. If you’d like to learn about a safe and personalized approach to autism services, stick around for part two of my conversation with Shelby. Among other things, we discuss: The harm t...