The Understanding Autism Podcast

The lure of using a credit card is strong when you’re first living on your own; it’s like free money! Or is it? In this episode we tackle the sticky problem of using credit cards and the advantages and disadvantages they offer us in purchasing the things we need.

In our second of two episodes on taking charge of your own personal finance, we continue the conversation around basic budgeting practices through Simon Ray’s book, How to Budget For Beginners: A Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting, Saving Money, and Managing Expenses on a Low Income. We also reflect on how budgeting can be especially challenging for neurodiverse people.

A big challenge in transitioning to living alone is the experience of managing a budget. This can be especially difficult if you are neurodiverse and have no previous experience in running your own household. Dealing with limited income, bills, taxes, unexpected events; it all adds up. In this first of two episodes, we explore basic budgeting practices and reflect on our own experiences as we trie...

As young autistic adults prepare for living independently, it’s important to have a good grasp of money management. But how do schools prepare their neurodiverse students for the economic pitfalls that come with living on their own? We discuss this topic with Zach Nuttall, a life skills specialist at Scenic View Academy, about the unique challenges that his autistic students face when learning abo...

We know transitions can be difficult for those on the spectrum, but what if you are transitioning from high school to college and you just discovered you are autistic? In today’s episode, we interview Adam, a college student at Colorado School of Mines about his journey in navigating college life while discovering his true self.

With autism awareness surging online, more adults than ever are seeking answers. But is the current assessment process actually helping them, or just ticking a box? This week, we dive into the recommendations from The Adult Autism Assessment Handbook to find out what a truly supportive evaluation looks like.

As parents of autistic children who have moderate to severe needs, we worry about how our children can protect themselves legally as they become adults. In our second of two episodes on protecting our adult children, we interview Lila Kimel, of Kimel Psychological Services who specializes in psychological evaluations for medical and forensic determinations. She also offers her expertise in legal s...

One instinct that all parents share is the desire to keep their children safe. But what if you are the parent of a neurodiverse adolescent or young adult? How can you teach them how to be safe and have appropriate behaviors when you’re not around? What should they do if they encounter police? In today’s episode, we interview Ali Thompson, former police officer and CEO of Pulse Line Collaborative T...

In this episode, we continue our conversation about accessing government disability benefits. In today’s interview, we talk with Maureen Welch, founder of Navigating Disability Colorado. Together we examine the complex process of accessing Medicaid waivers.

With the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act, it can be difficult to plan for health care costs when you have a disability. In our interview with Richard Burk and Amy Woszczynski, Social Security Disability Determination Examiners for the State of Colorado, we explore the different aspects of accessing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

In our second of two episodes focusing on innovative schools that support life after high school for neurodiverse students, we interview Lindsay Wagner and Amy Faraone about the League School for Autism in Walpole, Massachusetts. They explain how they prepare students for independent living by helping students build self-advocacy strategies and through their innovative community-based vocational p...

There are several schools across the nation that are dedicated to educating neurodiverse students; a few of them address life after high school. One such innovative program in Utah is Scenic View Academy. This on-campus school creates living and working environments that supports students in developing life skills and executive functioning skills that will help them to live independently as adults...

As we continue to explore the connections between ADHD and autism, we interview Kara Fenton, Clinical Research Coordinator, at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She describes her own significant struggles and strategies with living independently given her ADHD diagnosis as an adult. In our post interview reflection, we talk about the parallels between the executive functioning ch...

Many people with autism struggle with executive functioning throughout their lives. Today we interview Brandon Slade, founder of Untapped Learning, as he describes how those with ADHD and autism can manage their executive functioning challenges. Brandon shares his firm belief that neurodiversity is a gift rather than as an obstacle to success.

In Part 2 of our review of the book The Healthy Deviant by Pilar Gerasimo, we examine the remedies, solutions and strategies that will help create a healthy and productive lifestyle that supports the mental health for those on the spectrum.

In our last of our four part series on autism and mental health, we review the book The Healthy Deviant by Pilar Gerasimo. Gerasimo addresses the unhealthy world we live in and offers advice on how to create a healthy and productive lifestyle. We explore how this approach can have a positive impact on one’s physical and mental health for those with autism.

In this episode, we continue our review of Lisa Morgan and Mary Donahue's book, Living With PTSD on the Autism Spectrum. Here, we focus on the impact that constant masking,  camouflaging, and the pressure to conform can have long term impacts on mental health. We also discuss strategies around setting boundaries and taking charge of your own mental health. 

In part three of our four part series on autism and mental health, we review the book Living With PTSD on the Autism Spectrum by Lisa Morgan and Mary Donahue. Lisa is an autistic adult and Mary is a therapist; together they describe how prolonged exposure to social pressures and environments can actually lead to PTSD. We explore this connection and other situations that might lead to PTSD for thos...

In this episode we continue our analysis of Gabor Mate’s book, In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts. We examine what behavioral addictions could look like from an autistic person’s point of view when trying to achieving adult independence.

In this episode we continue our mini series on autism and mental health by reviewing Gabor Mate’s book, In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts. While Mate looks at addiction and recovery through the lens of substance abuse, we examine what behavioral addictions and recovery could look like from an autistic person’s point of view.

People on the spectrum often have challenges around instant gratification, escapism, and addiction; all of which have been compounded by our interaction with cell phones. In this episode we explore the book, Dopamine Nation, by Anna Lembke in the context of adult independence and on maintaining mental health in the era of smart phones.

In this episode we interview Lila Low-Beinart, a licensed therapist in Boulder County, Colorado who specializes in neurodiversity-affirming therapy for sensory neurodivergent teens and adults. With her, we explore the challenges, stigmas, and obstacles that surround the topic of adult independence for neurodivergent people.  

Successful housing programs for neurodiverse people can be based on publicly funded initiatives. In 2002, voters in Boulder County, Colorado passed one such measure authorizing the building of housing units and supports for the intellectually disabled in their community. Our interview explores the goals and scope of this innovative program and how it aims to serve the needs of the autistic and int...

The Madison House Autism Foundation’s mission is to promote, model and advocate for the full inclusion of adults with autism in the life of communities everywhere. They also work to expand choices and opportunity in housing, employment and community life. In this episode, we interview Desiree Kameka Galloway, Director of the Autism Housing Network, and get her thoughts on the state of housing for...

Two of the biggest issues in moving towards adult independence are housing and transportation. This is especially difficult for those who are neurodivergent. In this episode we discuss the pros and cons of different types of housing and the transportation challenge. We also explore some innovative housing solutions, including supported independent living communities.