Feeling stuck in your head? It might be time to listen to your body. In this powerful episode of Adulting with Autism, we’re joined by Ellen Slater, somatic therapist, author, and founder of the Head & Heart Healing Model. Ellen takes us on a gentle but transformational journey through somatic therapy, helping us understand how trauma, especially in autistic and neurodivergent bodies, lives not just in memory—but in our nervous systems.

We unpack trauma bonding, emotional shutdown, and the real reason talk therapy alone often isn't enough. Ellen also shares accessible tools to start your healing—like her favorite micro-practice: "Quiet the mind, open the heart" while brushing your teeth.

Whether you’re autistic, ADHD, highly sensitive, or just overwhelmed by life’s chaos, this episode is your permission to slow down, feel more, and heal deeply.

🎧 You’ll Learn:

• Why your body reacts before your brain
• How trauma bonding forms (and how to break it)
• Tips for integrating somatic awareness into everyday life
• Why neurodivergent adults often carry unprocessed sensory trauma

💡 Ellen’s Offerings:

• Learn more about Head & Heart Healing at ellenslater.com
• Join her monthly virtual community and retreats
• Follow Ellen on Instagram: @headandheartwise

🎁 BONUS: We’re still running our Discord giveaway! Be our 1,000th member and win a $100 Visa Gift Card + exclusive podcast merch. Join now: Discord

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• Buy Me A Coffee
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👉 Listen now and start your somatic journey toward healing. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

Hey guys, hey—happy Wednesday! Welcome back to Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we say goodbye to “normal” and hello to neurodivergent brilliance. This week, we’re diving deep into the power of self-talk—not the scary, spiraling kind, but the kind that unlocks real transformation.

We’re joined by David Alan Brown, a spiritual teacher, identity coach, and truth-teller who helps people move from stuck to soul-powered. In this episode, David shares how reclaiming your inner dialogue can lead to emotional clarity, freedom from perfectionism, and finally stepping into your purpose—no glitter, just grounded growth.

👉 Whether you’re navigating autism, anxiety, or just adulting, this episode is your permission slip to live with intention and truth. We’re talking practical tools, emotional honesty, and why authenticity isn’t just another buzzword.

✨ Plus! We’re celebrating our 1,000th Discord member with a $100 Visa gift card giveaway and exclusive podcast merch!

Join our Discord now → https://linktr.ee/adultingwithautism

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🎥 LinkedIn: thewriterdab

Facebook: david.a.brown.940

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🎧 Tune in now and discover how to rewrite your inner script, one truth at a time.

Grab your favorite drink, hit play, and let’s get into the real, raw magic of becoming YOU.

Hey there, friends! 💛 Welcome back to Adulting with Autism! Today, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Sylvia Moore Myers—the powerful voice behind GoldScars.com and author of Gold Scars.

After enduring unimaginable trauma, including the heartbreaking loss of her teenage son, Sylvia embarked on an 18-year healing journey that’s nothing short of inspiring. Her mission? To show us that healing isn’t about “getting over” pain—it’s about growing through it and transforming our scars into pure gold. 🌟

🎧 In this powerful episode, we dive into:

• How trauma physically imprints itself on the body and mind

• How grief intersects with neurodivergence

• Why owning, naming, and mending your scars is the ultimate act of self-love

• How young adults can heal without repeating painful patterns

Whether you’re navigating grief, trauma, autism, or just working on your own healing, Sylvia’s message is a reminder that brokenness isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of becoming something even stronger.

✨ Resources & Affiliates: 📚 Get your copy of Gold Scars here → [Affiliate Link] 🌐 Learn more about Sylvia’s work at GoldScars.com

🎁 Join our Discord Giveaway! 🎉 Be the 1,000th member and win a $100 Visa gift card + exclusive merch → linktr.ee/adultingwithautism ☕ Feeling inspired? Support the show at BuyMeACoffee

🗓️ Reminder: We’re back to our regular schedule—new episodes every Wednesday and Saturday starting May 3rd!

If this episode touched your heart, follow the show, leave a review, and share with someone who needs a little reminder that their story isn’t over—it's just getting golden.

Until next time... Keep adulting. Keep growing. And keep turning your scars into gold. 💛✨

Hey guys, hey, happy Wednesday! It's finally my favorite time of the year, fall. I love this time of the year. The only thing is it's still dark when I wake up. I'm not a 6 a.m. person. I don't ever claim to be a 6 a.m. person. I hate it when the sun is not up. It takes me forever to wake up when the sun is not up. And literally my fiancé has to push me out of the bed to get started.

And I'll be real, I am not an exercise type of person. I need to exercise. And the guest that I interviewed made it sound so easy. I asked him a specific question in this interview. I said, how can somebody get into the habit of a routine of exercise? And he told me, you don't need a gym membership, but this is hard. He said, all you need is 30 minutes, three times a week. And he said, it sounds easy, but it's really hard.

Now, I interviewed this guest a month ago. No, two months ago. And I still haven't done it. I have thought of every excuse in the world of why I haven't started this program. And he said... I would end up doing this. And he was totally right. So, Marc, I have to have him start this program. I'm getting there. I like your studio. I mean, I'm already. No, it's cool. I like it.

Okay, I'm going to get stung at eight. So I can be involved in the team. I promise, I'm not always in my day. I'm getting my body in shape. So I don't feel like I'm running a marathon every time I'm learning. Thank you for coming on to my podcast. I'm sure you're very diseased. Yeah, no, but this is, I love doing this. This is something I love doing. I love spreading the word and hopefully quashing any sort of stigma around mental illness and all the associated things that go along with it. So this is something I make time for, definitely.

So you have said on your bio that there's a personal trainer or a host of the Realty Rumors, the wrong word, podcast. Everybody's also the host of 6am.run. But really, you have to live with it. Don't even go there. 6amrun.com. Because I guess what a lot of people share is, oh, I can go to a therapist and get rid of anxiety and depression. But what you really have to do is hit head-on.

Yeah, no, I appreciate you asking that. I mean, I think that, I mean, perfect example. I mean, I've been doing work. I don't know how much you read through the book, but I've been working on myself for quite some time. And a lot of that was around this struggle with anxiety. And, you know, I think that you can get online and you can see people talking about, like, you know, 30 days it'll be gone or this or that. And I'm not saying that that can't happen to people. I imagine it can. And I don't think these people are lying, but I think that, you know, even if you don't have an anxiety disorder, you know, I tend not to call it a disorder in the book because I think it's just a challenge. To get healthy and it also leads to other extremes. But when you have a, even if you don't have a challenge, you're gonna run up against anxiety, just a normal part of life. Stress and anxiety are a normal part of life, right? So that will always be there. You have a different relationship to it i think that's the key that's what i'm trying to stress in the book is that that's why i keep saying dance all right don't worry about it at all right because welcome to my podcast and thank you so much for coming now my i still have that thank you so much for having me i appreciate it to kind of get busy or run from it or a lot of my power through it and sometimes that's necessary but other times it's maybe just sitting down showing up and go like what's going on what's going on in my body right now like what's my body trying to tell me um is there something that's coming up for me and i think that i totally understand for you know there's so many different there's a huge spectrum of people who struggle with anxiety it will make you feel better you know or disorder as they call it or someone dealing with everyday stress and everything that has been the truth and i don't think this is just with anxiety i think there's other things in life and still going through learn to dance.

The one thing we know for certain is that change will always be present. And if you learn how to dance with that and not, you know, just say, this is the way things are going to be for the rest of my life. And, you know, this is how it's going to be. And I figured out a way to deal with everything. But you're always going to have change in life. So I don't know if that answers the question, but I think it's more of a dance as opposed to just completely getting rid of it from your system. I think it'd be labeled as like an anxiety spectrum versus a disorder. I know there are some people that it'll come and then go away. But for some people, it's a lifelong thing. They've had it all their life and they're always going to end it. Today is my ultimate procrastination days.

I hope you guys enjoyed this episode as much as I did. Remember, it's all about taking small steps and being kind to yourself. Love you guys to death, and as always, keep adulting!

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Hey friends, welcome back to Adulting with Autism! I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, navigating life on the spectrum and raising an incredible young adult son with autism. This episode is a bit different and super important.

Today, we dive deep into being our true selves and tackling generational trauma, especially for BIPOC communities. Our special guest, Dr. Kareen Aristide, shares her wisdom on mental health, personal growth, and the importance of self-care. She’s an inspiring coach, author, and mother of five, ready to enlighten us all.

Grab your favorite drink, no judgment here, and join us for some real talk and valuable insights. Let's embark on this journey together. Remember to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, and Spotify. And don’t forget to like us on Facebook at Adulting with Autism Podcast. Check out our website for some cool merchandise – 20% goes to a nonprofit supporting housing and transition programs.

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Thanks for tuning in, and let's keep adulting!

Hey friends! Happy Wednesday! 🌞 It's your favorite podcaster, April Ratchford, here, melting away in the Kentucky heat but ready to dive into another insightful episode of Adulting with Autism.

Today's episode is a special one. We're talking about the push and pull of independence between young adults on the spectrum and their parents. I know firsthand how challenging it can be to balance independence with parental guidance. That's why we've got the amazing Rebecca Silence with us, a self-healing and relationship expert, to share her wisdom on improving communication and fostering a harmonious home environment.

Rebecca's insights are truly transformative, and I can't wait for you to hear them. We'll discuss everything from emotional regulation to navigating disappointment and supporting your kids' dreams. Trust me, you don't want to miss this!

As always, don't forget to subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, and Spotify. And show some love by liking our Facebook page, Adulting with Autism Podcast. Plus, check out our website, Adulting with Autism, for some awesome merchandise. Remember, 20% of the proceeds go to a nonprofit supporting housing and transition programs for those in need.

Thanks for tuning in, and let's keep this journey going together. Stay awesome, and keep shining bright! 🌟

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Love, April

If you have not yet done so, please subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, and Spotify. And also like us on Facebook at Adulting with Autism Podcast. Also, we have the website, Adulting with Autism with Merchandise. 20% will go to a nonprofit sponsoring those that need housing and a transition program. Thanks.

Hey guys, welcome to Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we dive into the roller coaster of adulthood through a neurodiverse lens. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Join us as we share stories, tips, and laughs, offering a supportive space for anyone navigating life's twists and turns. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment, and let's embark on this journey together. This is Adulting with Autism.

Hey guys, hey. Happy Saturday. I know I've been MIA the last week and I need to catch up. It's been a rough sort of week for the last couple of weeks, and I've been overwhelmed and having some doubts, and it's been tough. It's been really, really tough. Just like some of you guys, I do have doubts, and just like your moms and dads and other parental units, I get extremely exhausted and tired and the lack of community is hard.

And this leads me to my next guest. Kevin Johnson not only helped take care of his brother, he took care of another son he has that is on the autism spectrum. Now, his brother has an intellectual disability. He primarily helped raise his brother with his mom while his father was away. I think in the military, he'll give you more of an insight, but that helped him when his son was born and he and his wife found out that his son had autism, prepare for the difficulties that they had to face with everything, preparing their son for the hardships that we have to prepare you guys for.

And one thing he did say is that it's not a sprint. It's a marathon. And parents, we are going to be exhausted. And. We need to be a community. And that's what I'm trying to form is a community for us to lean on one another because it is a marathon and there's no other way around it. It's not going to be a sprint and it's going to take a while for our kids to launch and to find the resources that they need to be on their own. And there's nothing wrong with that, nothing at all.

And Kevin not only is raising his son with autism, he had two other sons while working, which is amazing and which all of us do. So we get exhausted. So kiddos, give us a break. Sometimes we zone out and it's only because we get exhausted as well. You got to remember, no matter how old you are, whether you're 18 or whether you're 25 or whether you're 30, we've been doing this your entire lives without a break. And we love you. We love you very much. But some of us are in our 40s. Some of us are heading into our 50s. Some of us may be heading into our 60s and it takes a toll. And we didn't plan for this and we thought we would always have a community and we didn't. So here I am trying to create a community so we can finish this marathon for you guys.

But let me tell you about Kevin. Kevin is the founder-in-chief, executive officer of the Johnson Leadership Group, LLC, and an independent certified coach, mentor, trainer, and speaker with the nationally recognized John Maxwell team, where he leads learning experiences that are tailored to meet the specific needs of the audience to help maximize efficiency, growth, awareness, and effectiveness. He's a native of Richmond, Virginia, and a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business. He earned a master's certification in government contracting from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C. He completed a 34-year career with the federal government in 2017 and has been married for 30 years and raised three sons. Since 2001, he has written 20 books as a principal or contributing author on such diverse topics as faith, book marketing, blended families, finance, and leadership. His current book series, Leadership with a Servant's Heart, has earned 15 literary awards and is a two-time new release bestseller on Amazon.com. Recently, Kevin was honored with a Leadership Award from Men Impact Change in 2020 and Outstanding Leadership Award from Education 2.0 Conference 2023. His life's mission is to create a generation of next level leaders around the globe.

So you guys take some advice from Kevin because he's done it not once, but twice. So here's my guest. Welcome to welcome him to the podcast, Kevin Johnson. Welcome to the podcast. Thank you so much for coming on.

Absolutely. My honor and my delight to see you this morning. So tell my audience all about how you actually have a brother that has special needs and now you have a child that is on the autism spectrum.

Yeah, it's been a lifelong journey for me. I am a native of Richmond, Virginia, and I don't have any sisters, but I have one younger brother, three and a half years younger than I am. And we are the sons of a United States Marine, my dad, and then my mom worked in the federal government. So we moved around quite a bit. And when I was three and a half years old, my younger brother was born on one of the Marine Corps bases, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. And the doctors advised us right after birth, when they examined him, that they were. Some issues with oxygen, sufficient oxygen getting to his brain during development in the womb. So he was born with a mental disability. And it was a challenge initially because it was primarily my mom and I at home helping to raise him, support him, negotiate on his behalf, love him, care for him because dad was away fighting in America's wars. Marines are on the front line. And so I learned a lot about this neurological disorder as a young boy helping to raise my brother. And then fast forward many years later, after I graduate from college, I meet this young lady who captures my eye. We start dating, we fall in love, we get married. And then from our union, we have three sons. And interestingly enough, they don't have any sisters, all boys again. The youngest son, Cameron, and he's 26 now, he didn't talk for his first two years. He didn't say a word. And something else was very odd about him as well. For his first three years, when the sun came up, he thought it was time to go to sleep. And when the sun went down, he thought it was time to get up and play. And so we finally had him diagnosed through one of the pediatricians. And sure enough, he was diagnosed at the age of two with autism. So here we go again, right? This time I'm educating my wife and my brothers on how to handle this situation. Again, negotiating on his behalf, advocating for him, serving him, and supporting him. And even to today, I'm doing both, more so with my son than I am with my brother. But it's just been an interesting journey to watch how these neurological imbalances and impact their lives and the lives of others around them. But at the same time, be laser focused on those areas where they're a genius. They're an absolute genius in other areas. It's just a matter of giving them opportunities and supporting them and loving them. So that's the two-minute executive summary version of how I've been involved in this process. Thank you.

What difficulties did you have with transitioning them from going from their school life to the adult world? Because I noticed that in some school systems that the transition is like rocky. Like you have, they guide you and then it's like a drop off.

Yep. Yep. There's no prep. You do fall off the cliff. Absolutely. So the biggest thing that I've been an advocate for and one of the primary messages that I send out to the community for parents that don't have children on the spectrum and parents that do, because we serve as mentors in that capacity, is to educate yourself. Get the education, heighten the level of awareness in terms of what's available, what services are available, what programs can we tap into to help them as best as we can become an all-around person. Because when they're in school, elementary, middle, and high, they have that infrastructure. It's in place. But once they graduate from high school and they start to move into that adult age, depending on what state they're in, 18 or 22, I'm sorry, or 21, it really becomes the challenge and the burden, the parent or the legal guardian. Or in our case, we're both. We're both legal guardian and parent. And just getting out there in a community, joining member organizations, partnering with other parents that are dealing with the same challenges, and you'll get access to information. And then from that information, you can start to use it and apply it to your son or daughter in terms of what works best. So we have our son actively engaged in a very, very well-run day program from nine to three every day, job training, therapeutic integration. He works with peers. He works with children. He gets a chance to go out into the community from time to time, social skills, sporting events. All of that is built in Monday through Friday from nine to three. And then every other Monday, he gets together with a group of 20 of his peers. And for about three hours, they go to the bowling alley and they bowl. They just have some fellowship and some bowling. Later this year, after the summer, we're going to enroll him in an art therapy where they do glassmaking, ceramics, portraits, pictures, and he'll be in an environment with his peers, but also older adults who are not on the spectrum and other peers who are. So to be a mixed environment, because he loves to do that. And so just kind of finding out what makes them tick as they move into those adult age. Sometimes we can just ask. You'll be surprised. They'll tell you in many cases, not all, but in many cases, they'll tell you what they're interested in. And then whatever we can do to find the information to help them out is always a good way to go. So that's what we've been doing day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year. It's a journey, but together we get there. We're working on independent living next. We're also working on getting him to be able to drive if that's possible. I share with him that's a four-phase process because you take your class, your learner's permit, and you take your written exam. Then you have to get behind the wheel with an official instructor. You have to pass that. And then you have to go back. Now you have to pass another written exam to get your license. So it's a process, but trying to get them to yes is always the key. So that's the journey that we've been on with our young assignments.

I know a lot of parents get really frustrated with their kids because it's like a tug of war because they want to be their own individual, but yet their maturity level isn't there quite yet. And they go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And sometimes it's a war zone. What advice do you have to give to parents that they will get there, but there's got to be some compromise?

Yeah, yeah, that's a good observation. We've all been there. Absolutely. I think it's a matter of really two things that come to mind. Number one, the more time we spend with them, the more we get to know them. And I'm not talking about just living in our household, being under the same roof. I mean, spending some time really, really observing what it is they gravitate toward, what is it they stay away from, and having that quality time, getting to know them that much better to help them to navigate the road. The second thing is just getting them as best you can. I know it's not easy. As best you can to try and do different things. We go to the swimming pool. We go to the movies. We eat a meal together. every other week we go together to get haircuts we go to certain restaurants because of his limited diet together we go to church together, And like I said, now he's been in his day program for a while, and we're going to be branching out and doing some other things, art therapy. And sometimes you'll get some feedback around, I don't really want to do that. And then other times they'll get involved in that activity and you'll discover that they absolutely love it. And that's a strategy that we can use to break through. But whatever it might be, we do have to be patient. It just takes time because neurologically, they're not processing like you and I process. It's just different. My son has been for years going through this thought that if we recommend something different or if we ask him to modify his behavior or if we make a recommendation that he could or should do something different, you know, whether it's washing clothes or cooking or cleaning up around the house, he interprets that as him making a mistake. And then he'll start to apologize. And I'm like, you didn't do anything wrong. I just want you to consider, you know, when you're cooking your food instead of turning the stove on high, put it on medium. But he interprets that as did something wrong. So it's the big things, it's the small things, but we just have to be patient over time. And I know it's not for everybody. Some of us have more patience than others. Some of us have more time than others. I get it. Some of us can handle pressure better than others. I get it. We're all over the place. But just try to be as patient as possible and get access to the resources for your local community. You'll find some good people that are part of these organizations who are willing to help.

How can you, like, because I know being on the spectrum, there's such a variety. How can parents best support other parents? Because I feel like when they're little, there's a good community out there for parents. But as they grow older it seems like parents kind of fall off the the leeway and it's just like there's not enough community support for as they grow older and i'm not sure if it's, once they grow older as they just get more difficult than when they're younger.

Yeah, there needs to be more groups. Yeah, it's a combination of everything that you just said, April, because what happens is by the time they grow up and move into adulthood, truth be told, you and I are tight. It has been a journey and we're tired. Right. And we're kind of throwing out that helpline. Can somebody please help me? I've dealt with this all of my life, and I'm just tired. I need some space for me. I think the way you ended your question is appropriate, and that's the key advice I'd give everybody. Get involved with some of the local organizations that are available, that have information for us to tap into, And then other parents who are dealing with the same thing that we are dealing with, whose head we can put on their shoulder and they can put their head on our shoulder, we can be there to support one another and give each other encouragement. I'm a member of our local autism society chapter here in Howard County, Maryland. I have been for years. And there are so many resources available. I'm a big proponent of the Best Buddies program. Really, really good. I'm a big proponent of local churches that have a special needs ministry because there's a lot of good resources there. Fortunately, because of where we live, we're in close proximity to all of these different programs and these different organizations. I have found that summer camps, summer camps can be helpful. That would be that person's opportunity to go away for about a week. I don't usually do it any more than one week. Just kind of go away for a week. Parents aren't there. Legal guardians aren't there. They're entrusted to a qualified staff that's there to support, and they're in the company of other peers, and they do all kinds of stuff. They do academic. They do social skills, therapeutic integration they swim they play volleyball horseshoes it's a great opportunity to kind of help them on their journey to become more independent as well but having those support network groups very very helpful for the parents and very very helpful for the legal guardians while we're also pouring into our sons and daughters to help them to be the best they can.

Have you found any vocational educational supports for the young adult if they decided they wanted to go on after high school? Because I know a lot of them want to. To do higher education, but it seems like some of them need extra support and a lot of the schools don't offer a lot of support.

Yeah. So two things come to mind. First and foremost, reach out to your local community college. Community colleges tend to be a little bit more focused in this area than the larger accredited four-year universities and colleges. They sort of have a different focus. But right after high school, my son went through a program called Project CERT. Project CERT. And it was available at our local community college, Howard Community College, here in Howard County, Maryland. And it was for a full year. They wore uniforms. They wore khakis. They had a blue long-sleeve khaki shirt that they wore. They did all types of different academics in the classroom. room. And they also boarded the bus periodically during the day to take different trips around the city. And they did that together as a peer group. It was part of their education for a full year that the county paid for as part of their services. And it was only for one year. I wish it was longer. But Cameron had an opportunity to work an internship for the Howard County government. He was an administrative assistant. He did filing and copying. He worked in an office environment. They liked him so much, they asked him to come back. So he did a second internship from there, and it worked out very well. It was an office setting, and it was in the confines of the Project CERT program. But that's a great way to launch our sons and daughters after they finish high school, whether they get an actual degree or they get a certificate. In my case, Cameron had a high school certificate. He participated and graduated. And the full high school graduation, cap town, all that good stuff. All of his teachers were there. And then he matriculated to Howard Community College Project Search Program. And that kind of launched him to what he's doing today from nine to three every day, Monday through Friday, with job training, social skills. They go out in the community periodically, therapeutic integration to prepare him for independent living. So try the community college right there in your area to see what academic courses are available for special needs students and enroll and get them involved. Absolutely.

Now, do you and your wife have any fears about, you know, once Cameron is ready to live on his own and finances the apartment that he may want to be independent, the driving? Do y'all think about those things? Because I know my son is not too far behind Cameron. He's 22. And God love him. He works at Kroger,

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Hey friends! Welcome back to Adulting with Autism. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, and today I've got some exciting news to share. We're diving into an incredible story of transformation with our amazing guest, Ken Rabow.

Ken Rabow is a mentor extraordinaire who has worked magic with my son, Z. After just a couple of mentorship sessions, Z is like a different person. Seriously, it's night and day! Ken's unique approach has been a game-changer, and I can't wait for you to hear all about it.

In this episode, Ken shares his insights on helping young adults navigate the complexities of life. From addressing anxiety and school failures to finding the right career path, Ken's action-based strategies offer practical advice and inspiration. Whether you're a parent or a young adult, this episode is packed with valuable tips and heartwarming stories.

So grab your favorite drink, get comfy, and join us on this journey of discovery and growth. And don't forget to check out our Facebook group and website for more resources and updates. Let's keep supporting each other and making a positive impact!

Love you guys, keep shining, and I'll see you on Saturday!

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Hey, guys! Happy Saturday! I hope you all had a fantastic week. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Welcome back to another episode of Adulting with Autism, where we dive into the roller coaster of adulthood through a neurodiverse lens.

This week, I had the pleasure of chatting with the incredible Michaell Magrutsche. Michael has made a spectacular mark on the world with his art, books, and wisdom, all while navigating life with dyslexia and dysgraphia. For those who might not know, dyslexia is difficulty reading, and dysgraphia is a neurological disorder affecting writing. Despite these challenges, Michaell has discovered three inherent superpowers we all should embrace: creativity, healthy dialogue, and adaptability.

Michaell is fluent in both English and German, completely self-taught, and has achieved so much, from being an author and artist to hosting his own podcast. He's even been a former art commissioner and co-produced with the late American film producer Robert Evans, known for classics like "The Godfather" and "Chinatown". Amazing, right?

So, grab your drink of choice (no judgment here), sit back, and enjoy our conversation. We discuss everything from the importance of recognizing our unique strengths to the need for systemic updates in education and employment for neurodivergent individuals. Michaell's insights are truly inspiring and remind us that each of us is one of a kind in this vast world of 8 billion people.

If you haven't yet, please subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, and Spotify. And don't forget to like us on Facebook at Adulting with Autism Podcast. You can also check out our website, Adulting with Autism, where we have some cool merchandise. Plus, 20% of the proceeds go to a nonprofit sponsoring those in need of housing and transition programs.

Thanks for tuning in and until next time, keep shining bright!

https://michaellm.com/

Podcast-https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michaellart

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaellart/

https://x.com/michaellart

https://www.facebook.com/michaellstateofart

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVoYLf4psWlWvtBYPksHAIw

If you have not yet done so, please subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, and Spotify. And also like us on Facebook at Adulting with Autism Podcast. Also, we have the website, Adulting with Autism with Merchandise. 20% will go to a nonprofit sponsoring those that need housing and a transition program. Thanks.

Hey guys, welcome to Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we dive into the rollercoaster of adulthood through a neurodiverse lens. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Join us as we share stories, tips, and laughs, offering a supportive space for anyone navigating life's twists and turns. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment, and let's embark on this journey together. This is Adulting with Autism.

Hey guys, happy Wednesday! Welcome back to Adulting with Autism. Don't come for me, I know I didn't do anything that I said I was going to do last week. It's been a hectic week between Z, my kid, being in Nashville and working two places. Listen, I'm not organized some of the days, just bear with me, I'll get back to being my organized self. However, the nice lady that I'm going to introduce you to is named Randi Lee Bowslaugh, and she was amazing.

Randi Lee is an author and a mental health advocate. Her book is called Embracing Me, and she has been an outspoken advocate for mental health, sharing her true story with honesty. She's spoken at events that promote wellness and compassionate stories and her experiences with her own mental health. Not only that, she has raised a son on the autism spectrum as well. She's also a grandmother, a wife, and a competitive kickboxer. Yeah, that's what I said. She is a certified personal trainer who has represented Team Canada internationally. Even after battling cancer, she returned to coaching and competing. She also has her own podcast as well, and I'll list everything in the show notes.

She was amazing to talk to simply because the education systems are completely different in Canada and the United States. But there's a lot of similarities, even though we're in different countries. So it was nice to speak to somebody in another country to see how their system is set up and to get their perspective because her son is going off to college and to get her side of the story was awesome. So give a warm welcome to the podcast to Randi Lee.

As we wrap up another awesome episode of Adulting with Autism, just remember, we're all in this together. Keep being your amazing self, celebrating wins big and small and facing whatever life throws your way with a smile. Thanks for tuning in. And until next time, stay awesome and keep shining bright. Oh, and if you want to help our podcast grow, don't forget to share it with your friends. Leave us a review and hit that subscribe button.

This is April Ratchford signing off from Adulting with Autism.

http://www.rbwriting.ca/

book-Embracing Me

https://www.facebook.com/rbwriting

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSTmVQUW8K8r1sBDchLyTwA

If you have not yet done so, please subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, and Spotify. And also like us on Facebook at Adulting with Autism Podcast. Also, we have the website, Adulting with Autism with Merchandise. 20% will go to a nonprofit sponsoring those that need housing and a transition program. Thanks.

Hey guys, welcome to Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we dive into the rollercoaster of adulthood through a neurodiverse lens. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Join us as we share stories, tips, and laughs, offering a supportive space for anyone navigating life's twists and turns. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment, and let's embark on this journey together. This is Adulting with Autism.

Hey guys, I apologize for being late. It's been one of those weeks. Between work, getting Z into a mentorship, and dealing with bronchitis and exhaustion, I'm just now getting around to this episode. I dropped Z off in Nashville to see family, so expect an update soon. And let me tell you, not as young as I used to be!

Our next guest, JJ Flizanes, is an empowerment strategist specializing in emotional healing and rewiring core wound patterns. She’s been empowering people in health, relationships, and business since 2005. If you think therapy doesn’t work or are tired of the same old patterns, open your mind and listen to JJ. She has some groundbreaking insights on emotional intelligence. Welcome, JJ!

JJ shares how emotions drive our actions and the importance of understanding and processing them. She introduces a three-step process involving identifying feelings, recognizing needs, and strategizing to meet those needs. It’s about empowering yourself to get your needs met, not relying on others to change. This approach can transform relationships, reduce conflicts, and promote happiness.

We also dive into how parents can rethink their approach to their children, especially those on the spectrum, by fostering a sense of choice and understanding rather than imposing authority. It’s about creating a win-win situation where everyone’s needs are respected and met.

For more insights from JJ, visit her website JJFlazanes.com. She offers a free class on why traditional talk therapy might be ineffective and provides numerous resources for emotional empowerment.

Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed listening to JJ and some knowledge she dropped about how you can communicate a little bit better emotionally and get your needs met without arguing. It will help with the communication between you and your parents. And parents, it is a game changer. I promise it might limit the amount of screaming matches that you have at your kiddo and lessen the stressors on you. Sometimes there are not words that they're understanding emotionally and they just need those words laid out in front of them.

As always, I will put her information in the show notes so you can find her, take her masterclass for free. She was awesome. So if you need an in-depth view on for yourself or your kid or young adults, if you feel like you need an in-depth look at your emotional well-being, try it. You might like it.

So as always, thank you for being patient with me. Thank you so much for listening and supporting me. Thank you guys for building this community. I really appreciate it. And thank you for supporting one another. As always, support the Facebook group. Take a look at the website. I'll update the blogs. blogs and as I find more information on transitional programs that might be helpful, I'll put it up there and keep adulting.

As we wrap up another awesome episode of Adulting with Autism, just remember we're all in this together. Keep being your amazing self, celebrating wins big and small and facing whatever life throws your way with a smile. Thanks for tuning in. And until next time, stay awesome and keep shining bright. Oh, and if you want to help our podcast grow, don't forget to share it with your friends, leave us a review and hit that subscribe button. This is April Ratchford signing off from adulting with autism.

https://jjflizanes.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jflizanes

https://www.instagram.com/jjflizanes/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jj-flizanes/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu6dllSIfbEVtBKbpDBavKw

Hey friends! In this episode of Adulting with Autism, we’re chatting with Adam Levine (no, not that one!) about the fascinating world of flow states. Adam is the founder and CEO of InnerXLab, and he's here to break down how understanding the science of ultimate human performance can transform your productivity and creativity.

Despite some tech hiccups and a busy schedule, we managed to record this enlightening conversation where Adam shares his journey from an average performer to a high achiever, all thanks to flow states. He dives deep into the mechanics of how you can train yourself to get in the zone and maximize your potential.

Curious about how to boost your focus, minimize distractions, and achieve your goals more efficiently? Tune in to learn actionable tips and insights from Adam’s experience and expertise.

And hey, if you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, and Spotify. Also, give us a like on Facebook at Adulting with Autism Podcast. Your support means the world to us!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-levine-ia/

https://www.facebook.com/innerxlab

https://www.instagram.com/innerxlab/

Stay awesome, keep adulting, and I’ll catch you in the next episode!

Hey guys, happy Saturday! I know this episode is super late, and I'll tell you why. Thanks, Microsoft. Yesterday, I was late getting anything done because with the outage, everybody's computer at work was down. So we had to do all our paperwork by hand, and none of us have done that in a good 15 years. By the time the computers came back up, it was super late, and my computer crashed. So by the time I got things up and running, I'm just now recording this podcast. My apologies. That's just how life goes. It's never-ending, and you just got to roll with the punches. But I still thank you guys for tuning in.

I hope you're able to listen to the podcast and hope things are better by Monday. One can only hope, right? That's all we got. I do have a thing on charisma and contrary to belief, charisma, you're not born with it. You can actually create charisma and it's very easy because my next guest is a master of it. Her name is Milena Dalinaros, and she gets hired to teach people to be charismatic. She's got degrees in psychology and rhetoric and a background in the armed forces. Her journey began by teaching techniques for conversation, interviewing, and building relationships to military personnel. Charisma, although not explicitly named, played a crucial role in most of the successful implementations of the knowledge she conveyed.

Milena noticed how charisma transformed social interactions, networking, and conversations into superpowers. So, she decided to start coaching with science-backed classes that helped her students widen their comfort zones and develop their talents within the realm of interpersonal relationships. And now she's starting to write a unique book about charisma and exploring the many elements that constitute charisma. She's also building a charisma coaching program. You guys, she just finished her website. So you will be some of the first to see it and navigate it. I will put that in the show notes. So be a nice, warm, welcoming guest to Milena and listen about charisma.

Learning about charisma is not that hard. You can instantly learn and do with just simple body language, and it's an instant feedback. Not only will you build your own confidence, but people will also see confidence in you. I know communication is really, really hard for most of you guys to convey with your body language and your faces. That's why it's something you can practice every day by looking in the mirror. You can also role play with friends and with your parental units. They would love to help you out. It's something that can be learned and it's practice. It's just a part of communication. And sometimes you can learn it from just watching people because that's all it is, is people watching.

I hope you learned some great tidbits from Milena. Like I said, I'll post her website in the show notes. Please, please like the Facebook, check out the website. And as always, see you, well, not technically see you, check back on Wednesday for a new episode. And as always, keep adulting.

https://www.milenadalinaros.com/

https://www.facebook.com/MilenaDalinarosPage

https://x.com/MilenaDalinaros?prefetchTimestamp=1721505844728

https://www.instagram.com/milena.dalinaros/

https://www.tiktok.com/@milenadalinaros

Hey friend! Ever worked in a place that felt more like survival than success? You’re not alone—and today’s guest, Kelsey Neff, is here to flip the script.

Kelsey is the founder of By Design Consulting, author of 52 Weeks of Impact, and a former nonprofit professional who left the burnout hamster wheel to help leaders actually lead. After years of navigating toxic workplaces filled with favoritism, gaslighting, and burnout, Kelsey realized something big: she didn’t need to play the game—she could create a better one.

🎧 In this episode, we cover:

• The red flags of toxic work culture (and what to do about them)

• How neurodivergent employees are often the first to feel the cracks in poor leadership

• The power of conscious leadership and trauma-informed teams

• Why most companies confuse “policy” with “culture”

• How to quit with integrity and never lose your values

Whether you're an emerging leader, neurodivergent worker, or just ready to reclaim your energy, this conversation is full of validation, insight, and practical steps to build better workplaces.

📘 Grab Kelsey’s book 52 Weeks of Impact here → https://amzn.to/3YbT2fl 🌐 Learn more: https://bydesignconsulting.space 📱 Follow Kelsey on IG @bydesignconsulting_bdc 📩 Book a consult or leadership training → drm@bydesignconsulting.space

Support the podcast with BuyMeACoffee

🛒 Use affiliate code ADULTING10 for 10% off her digital resources!

✨ Don't forget to hit follow, leave a review, and share this episode with someone navigating their own leadership (or leaving) journey.

🗓️ New episodes every Wednesday + Saturday. Until next time... keep adulting—and keep building better. 💼🧠

Hey friends! Welcome to another episode of Adulting with Autism. Happy Wednesday! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. Mine was great and eventful—I'll have to share the story sometime this week.

This episode is specially for parents and caregivers. Our guest is Russ Solomon, a parent wellness mentor who's all about helping parents find their innate peaceful nature. Russ blends his lifelong spiritual journey with decades of experience as a musical therapist, drum circle facilitator, and Reiki practitioner. He offers a transformative experience called "In-Tune Parents," aimed at unlocking joy and well-being for both parents and their kids.

We had a fantastic discussion on why Russ focuses on parents instead of kids, the importance of parental support, and practical ways to bridge the gap in transitioning young adults into independent adults. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy this insightful conversation. You might even want to take notes!

And don't forget to check out Russ's free masterclass on his website. It could be a game-changer for you. Thanks for tuning in, and always keep adulting!

Love you guys!

April Ratchford

https://raisingspecialneedskids.com/masterclass/

https://www.facebook.com/InTuneParents

PS: Don't forget to subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, and Spotify. Like us on Facebook at Adulting with Autism Podcast and visit our website, Adulting with Autism, to check out our merchandise. 20% of proceeds go to a nonprofit sponsoring housing and transition programs for those in need.

Hey friends! Happy Saturday! 🎉 This week, we dive into one of our favorite (and most dreaded) topics: clutter! Whether you're transitioning to a new phase of life, like going off to college, or just need to clear out space, this episode is for you. 🏠

Join us as we chat with the amazing Kerry Thomas, owner of Conquer the Chaos, and a TEDx speaker on decluttering. Keri shares her unique insights on tackling all types of clutter—physical, digital, mental, and emotional. Get ready to feel motivated and learn practical tips to reclaim your space and peace of mind.

If you enjoy this episode, don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, and Spotify. Also, like us on Facebook at Adulting with Autism Podcast, and check out our website, Adulting with Autism, where 20% of merchandise sales go to nonprofits supporting housing and transition programs. 💖

Thanks for tuning in, and happy decluttering! 😊

https://www.conquerthechaos.com/

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https://www.instagram.com/conquer_the_chaos/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/conquerthechaos/

Hey friends! Welcome back to another episode of Adulting with Autism, where we explore the ups and downs of adulthood through a neurodiverse perspective. I'm your host, April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom on the spectrum, here to share stories, tips, and laughs as we navigate this journey together.

Today, I had the pleasure of chatting with Annie Delre, a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Annie shares her wisdom on stress management, goal setting, and digital wellness. We dive into techniques like neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and emotional freedom techniques (EFT), and she offers some fantastic advice on staying mindful and balanced in our busy lives.

If you're feeling overwhelmed or just need a fresh perspective on managing your time and stress, this episode is for you. Annie's insights on setting SMART goals and practicing digital detox are game-changers!

Don't forget to check out our new Adulting with Autism website for blogs, cool merch, and to join our Facebook group. Let's grow this community together! Share, like, and spread the love.

Thanks for tuning in. Until next time, keep adulting and stay awesome!

https://www.anniedelre.com/

https://www.facebook.com/anniedelrecoach

https://www.instagram.com/coachanniedelre/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-delre/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-delre/

Hey guys, welcome to Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we dive into the roller coaster of adulthood through a neurodiverse lens. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Join us as we share stories, tips, and laughs, offering a supportive space for anyone navigating life's twists and turns. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment, and let's embark on this journey together. This is Adulting with Autism.

Hey, happy Saturday, and welcome back to the podcast. I got a question for you. Yeah, I know I'm asking you a question on a Saturday, so deal with it. How are you guys breathing? Are you breathing through your mouth? Are you breathing through your nose? I'll wait. If the answer is you're breathing through your mouth, you might need to listen to this episode. And why? Because breathing through your mouth can have an effect on your mental health, your metabolic function, your posture, and your mood and your anxiety. And no, we're not talking about meditation today. So zip it. We're talking about something that can help you overall in changing the way you sleep and function. You're supposed to be breathing through your nose. and I'll tell you why.

Breathing through your nose is a common thing, not breathing through your mouth. You're losing valuable oxygen when you breathe through your mouth. Also, you're not getting enough oxygen to your brain when you breathe through your mouth. Number two, you're probably walking around sleep deprived and you're ruining your teeth when you breathe through your mouth, not breathe through your mouth, but breathe through your mouth. And you're probably pretty angry, like my son Z. My next guest, Anastasis Tzanis, is a nutrition therapist and a globally sought-after breathwork expert. He's helped countless individuals improve their mental, postural, and metabolic function through private consultations. So just changing your breath can change all those things.

Things even olympic athletes breathe through their nose when they compete and they've been training all their lives to do this it's not something you can do overnight and you this is something you have to start with little by little and train your retrain your body it's not something then you can just slap some tape over your mouth, and go on about your day. It doesn't work that way. If it did, you wouldn't be doing it now, now would you? So sit back, actually listen to this because this might actually change your mood and you might learn a little something. You might actually be a little happier because he hasn't learned anything yet because I'm his mom. He don't listen. So listen to Mama April. since you're probably not listening to your parental unit and learn some things from our guest Anastasis.

Hi, you can hear me now, right? I can see you now. All right. Sorry, it took me a little bit of time to unmute myself. But anyway, how are you? Good morning. I'm doing well. Thank you for coming on to my podcast. Thanks for inviting me. So can you tell everyone what you do and how you got into it? Sure. So what I do is I'm offering nutritional and breathing consultations. And they are primarily targeted for people that have chronic conditions. Some of them will be genetic with a genetic makeup, up or some would be like as a result of lifestyle challenges.

So how can breathing affect chronic conditions? So breathing, as I'm sure everybody hearing us knows, is a key component of life. We come to this life taking our first breath and the time we stop breathing, it's probably when life is over. And in the process of going about life, this is a function of the body that will happen automatically. It is very important for how we go about life as it is a key contributing factor to how much energy we have. So we breathe because it is helping us produce more energy. Humans rely on the air, on oxygen in order to breathe. But we can breathe efficiently or less efficiently. And depending on how we breathe, it will have a knock-on effect on our metabolism, our nervous system, even our posture.

How can breathing affect your posture? I never thought of that. So imagine you being in a sad place, me feeling grieving someone or feeling unhappy. What would your posture be like at the time? You probably will have rounded shoulders. You will be a little bit compromised. It will not be the same with when you are happy, when you're going about life, you know, in a more positive outlook. At the same time, how would your breathing be? You probably will be breathing more shallow when you're sad. Maybe it will not be there will be no rhythm in the way you breathe and maybe there will be like also like some abrupt changes in your breath so maybe there will be a big inhalation and then there will be a pause or no pause and in general they will like i said if we were to put it in a nutshell there would be no rhythm but this will also reflect reflect your posture and if you were to change your breathing at a time you would probably be forced to change the way you carry yourself. So another way you can think about it is if you think someone with a very strong kyphosis, someone like Quasimodo, rounded back, would you be thinking of this individual woman or a man be breathing well effortlessly? Or you would expect that he struggles with breath. He would probably run out of breath after running for a few meters.

Oh, I have a question. So when people start to exercise and everybody is like, you can't breathe through your nose when you're exercising. Are you supposed to breathe through your nose or are you supposed to breathe through your mouth or is it a combination of both? The way we would breathe, again, will be to a big extent automatic. And it will be automatic, but at the same time, it will vary from one individual to the other. So the best way for the listeners to perceive that is to think of two extremes, two individuals. One being an Olympic athlete, someone that has trained all his life. Let's for simplicity say that he has been a runner. And on the other side, next to him, we have someone unfit, someone that never exercised. Maybe he's a bit overweight. And we set them both to run for the same distance, let's say 1,000 meters, one kilometer. How would you expect each of them to run? I would probably assume that the athlete may be running quite fast, but still breathing from the nose effortlessly and maintaining a good posture, bringing it back to his posture. The second individual would probably be using a lot more his mouth. Now with these two extremes in in mind we know that there is not one way to breathe, and that there might be a more ideal way or a less ideal way but in order to end up breathing in a more ideal way it will not happen just because someone told us to do so but it will be the result of training so if we want to be more like the first man the one that is running effortlessly, he is only able to do that because of all the hours of training that he has done. A lot of the times, people don't perceive running or swimming as breathing training, but it is very much so. So a cardiovascular exercise is a way of breath training.

So just breathing in itself, we have to retrain ourselves just effortlessly to be able to breathe. Is this oversleeping as well? Exactly. You're touching on a very important point here, April. And that's because we are breathing not only during the day and during the night. And obviously during the day, we can be a lot more conscious of our breath. We cannot be all the time conscious as much as we may like. And as much as some people claim that we should, we cannot. I'm not paying attention to my breath now. I'm focusing on speaking with you. But in the night definitely we can you know we have way less awareness or no awareness at all of how we breathe but we still breathe and the way we breathe affects a lot our breath so our brain function and our body's function and in general the oxygenation of all of our organs so then again we cannot do things to encourage nasal breathing during sleep again something that some people will have to work towards, while others will find very easy.

What kind of things can people do that are simple to kind of correct this? Because I know for my son, I noticed at nighttime he snores really badly. But he's always complaining that he's tired, even though he can sleep 10 to 12 hours. Very good point. And he talks on so many things at the moment, and I will try to touch on a couple of them. And one being that it's not the more we sleep, the more rested we will be. Similar with not the more we eat, the more energy we're going to have, right? So as far as the things that we can do to improve our quality of sleep and better breathing through the quality of sleep. The main thing is, as I kind of hinted from a previous answer, is that we need to encourage nasal breathing only. And in order to encourage nasal breathing, we have to make sure we don't mouth breathe. The only way to ensure that is by taping our mouth. So this may come as a surprise to some of people in the audience, but there are tapes that are very safe and they are specific for mouth taping. But any 3M microporous tape, medical tape, 2.5 millimeters will be big enough to help us seal our mouth and as a result breathe through our nose.

At the risk, I don't want to oversimplify the whole thing, though, and say that everybody will find that easy or possible. A lot of people, because of their poor respiratory function, will find that suffocating. And again, in these cases, they will be not able to tolerate keeping their mouth shut for long periods of time. But it's only a matter of regular practice until they get used to that. The benefits that one will experience if he or she is to do that are many. But if I was to highlight some of the most obvious ones would be, like you said, snoring. It does not mean that snoring will be eliminated if someone tapes their mouth, but in some cases it does. And overall, the snoring reduces both in volume, because we cannot snore as loud from the nose as we can from the mouth. It will be like feeling more rested next morning. A lot of people experience the following. They wake up much sooner. And in the beginning, they feel confused because they are stuck in the paradigm of, I need to sleep more to get rested. But then they wake up and think, I woke up. Does that not make sense? I was hoping I would sleep more. No, no, no. You now got enough rest, the rest that you need. That's why your body wakes you up. And of course, less dehydration because obviously we lose water by keeping our mouth open, better mouth hygiene, less cavities in the mouth, better immune system, less likely to have blues and stuff as the nose functions as part of the immune system and a defense towards bacteria and viruses that are are in the air. There are more, but just these are some of the very evident ones.

So if someone wanted to try to tape their mouth, would it be better to try it while they're awake and just kind of do it in little increments? Absolutely, yeah. Some people will not find any problem with taping their mouth first night and sleeping through the whole night with the tape on. But not everybody is on the same starting place. And for sure, nothing prevents people from taping their mouth for 20 minutes at a time while they are awake, while they go about doing stuff at home, cooking, reading book. And once they get accustomed to that and they realize that they are still alive after 20 minutes of no mouth breathing, then they can start trying at night.

So once people start nasal breathing, how does that change the body and change their sanity? Very, very, very interesting question. Again, with each of these questions, we can go off and speak for hours. In a nutshell, in order for any organ, any system to function in our body, and I will try to keep it very basic in terms of the science, but I think even for all of our listeners, I think it would be good to bring it down to a little bit of the organs and systems level. It needs energy to function. Your liver needs energy to function. your brain. Actually, liver and brain are very energy expensive organs in the body. The heart, even the muscles, of course, which everybody would think of them in terms of exercise. But in order to produce energy, the organs need two things, oxygen and glucose or fatty acids. So these are the raw material. If one of the two is missing, then there will be less energy produced. used. So in order for us to encourage the good supply of oxygen into our organs, we need to ensure, okay, we take air in, which we do anyway, as we said, it's an automatic process, but the delivery is efficient. Now, in order for the delivery of the oxygen to be efficient into the organs, we need to have a good circulatory system. And if we have good circulation, of course, the supply will be more efficient. But we also need to control our blood gases. Now, we have three gases, one being oxygen. Everybody knows of that. The other one being carbon dioxide and the third one being nitric oxide. I will keep the analysis now at the basic level, but we can go a step further if you wish. Nitric oxide and carbon dioxide allow the oxygen to enter into to our cells to be used. So while everybody has plenty of oxygen into their blood, it does not mean that they have plenty of oxygen into their organs. And the more we breathe from the nose, we keep healthy levels of carbon dioxide and nitric oxide. And as a result, we are able to support our organs with oxygen. Let's say we have some people that like exercising. The more they manage to breathe from the nose during exercise, the more they will keep nitric oxide and carbon dioxide levels healthy, the more their muscles will have energy. Let's say someone is doing some mental cognitive activities. They are going through an exam. They are trying to think through a problem for work. If they want to be more efficient in terms of solving this problem, they need to supply their brain with oxygen. Again, they need to keep their mouth closed and maintain nasal breathing.

So could this be the reason why a lot of people tend to overeat? They're not efficiently breathing. Get energy and so they're just overeating to compensate for the energy they actually need. Yeah. So this is a theory that has been put forward by a few people and there might be some validity in that. The interlink between breathing and eating is on many levels. On a very biochemical level, the diaphragm, which is one of the primary breathing organs, sits just above the digestive tract. So, you know, it attaches to the liver. It sits just above the small intestines. So the movement of the diaphragm facilitates better digestion. Also, we have another link is how the breathing affects the nervous system. Them who listening to to to us now does not know that when they are stressed their eating will not be disrupted some people will end up eating more some people will shut down their appetite but definitely stress will affect everybody's eating habits so if they are calmer if they are breathing more efficiently and as a result they are calmer they are more likely to make better eating choices whether we will be confusing and we are not efficient in terms of any we will be confusing the lack of energy because of lack of glucose with the lack of oxygen because of poor breathing that's like as i said something that you mentioned is a theory that is put forward by some people i think it is not confirmed by science and not something that i have seen necessarily in practice but this does not mean that necessarily it's not true so it might be as well.

How can lack of breathing correctly affect our movement? So again, I like a lot of times to use parallelism, so I hope some of the listeners relate to that. And I would bring back this example that we said of the two individuals, the athlete and the unfit one. The way that one carries himself is going to be different from the other, and the way one breathes will be different from the other. If someone is staying in a calm state, his posture will be better. He will be able to pay attention to how he carries himself. The more unfit person will probably be panting more, breathing more heavily, also having a more stressed nervous system and as a result not be able to compose himself and carry himself efficiently enough. Actually, there were studies that they found that people that nasal breathe or people with good respiratory function, even if someone does not breathe nasally, if they have good respiratory capacity, they have better economy, running economy. Running economy is a term in science that is used in terms of how efficient one's movement is. It can be running economy is used also for swimmers. Of course, it's used for runners as well. So the better the breather is, the better his running economy. As a consequence of that, another study found that those that breathe efficiently, have good respiratory capacity, will also be less likely to be injured. Probably because of what we just said. If someone is carrying himself more efficiently, is paying attention to his posture, he's less likely to trip over or to do something that is not favorable. And as a result, injure himself.

That is amazing what your breathing can do if you're breathing properly. For sure. So say you're a young adult and you have figured out your breathing has been terrible. Just by correcting your nasal breathing, could you reverse all the damage you've done to your body? So as i'm sure you know there are many reasons why someone's someone someone may have symptoms, in in in in in his life so a lot of the times we spoke earlier about sleep we may you mentioned about someone that wants to improve his cognitive functions these are not going to be affected just from breathing so sleep for example when i'm consulting people i may end up having to look into their nutrition. So to say that because of them improving breathing, that everything will be sorted out would probably be an exaggeration. But without a doubt, if breathing is really compromised, there will be an improvement in the symptoms and the individual will be a step closer to living a healthier life. The question in that case that a lot of the listeners may have is, so how do I become a better breather? And as you already hinted, nasal breathing more is a very good starting point. And I would definitely agree with that. One thing that is often perceived when people start hearing about the importance of nasal breathing is that they think that now that they know how good nasal breathing is, all All they have to do is just close their mouth. I want to highlight here that this is not that simple. You know, if that was the case, everybody that would have read a book on nasal breathing and its importance would be a nasal breather by now. But that's far from the case. It is in order for someone to be more of a nasal breather, and it's not a black or white, it's not that because you are aware of its importance or because you try

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Hey friends, welcome back to Adulting with Autism! I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom on the spectrum, sharing this amazing journey with my son. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment here, and let's dive into today's episode!

Have you ever wondered if you can retrain your brain? Spoiler alert: Yes, you can! It's called neuroplasticity, and today's guest, Dr. Rebecca Jackson, is here to tell us all about it. Dr. Jackson, an industry leader in brain health, joins us to share her insights on how to enhance brain function for a happier, more productive life.

We talk about everything from the power of sensory input to the importance of physical movement. Plus, Dr. Jackson offers practical tips and exercises to help strengthen your brain at any age. Whether you're on the spectrum or not, there's something valuable here for everyone.

Don't miss this enlightening conversation! And if you want more, check out Dr. Jackson's book, "Back on Track," filled with tips to help kids and adults thrive. Find all the details in the show notes. Until next time, keep being your incredible self and keep adulting!

Oh, and if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and hit that subscribe button. Let's grow this community together! You can also join our Facebook community at Adulting with Autism Podcast for more support and resources.

Thanks for tuning in, and stay awesome! This is April Ratchford, signing off from Adulting with Autism.

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Back On Track-Dr. Rebecca Jackson

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Hey friends! 🌟 Happy Saturday and welcome back to Adulting with Autism! I just got back from a much-needed vacation and boy, did I miss you all (but not the humidity!). Big shoutout to Linda for taking care of our kitties and veggie garden while we were away. You rock, Linda! 🎉

Today's episode is all about embracing change, especially for us women hitting our mid-40s. Life might not be exactly where we envisioned it, and that's totally okay. Sometimes, it's time for a shake-up! Joining me is Elizabeth Cush, a licensed clinical professional counselor and women's life coach. She's here to share her wisdom on how we can navigate these transitions, set boundaries, and find our inner joy again. 🌈

Elizabeth dives into practical self-care tips, the importance of setting boundaries, and how to take small steps towards big life changes. Whether you're feeling burned out or just ready for something new, this episode is packed with insights to help you on your journey. 🚀

Grab your favorite drink, get comfy, and let's dive into this transformative conversation. And remember, it's never too late to start living the life you truly want. 💖

Stay awesome, keep shining, and see you next week! 🌟

Love,

April Ratchford

Awaken Your Wise Woman Podcast

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Hey guys, welcome to another episode of Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we dive into the rollercoaster of adulthood through a neurodiverse lens. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Join us as we share stories, tips, and laughs, offering a supportive space for anyone navigating life's twists and turns. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment, and let's embark on this journey together. This is Adulting with Autism.

This week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Anthony Kuo, a career satisfaction coach who transformed his life from a Juilliard-trained pianist parents to helping others find their true calling. Anthony shared some incredible insights on how parents can decode their kids' love for video games into valuable skills and career paths. Trust me, you don't want to miss this one!

As we wrap up another awesome episode of Adulting with Autism, just remember we're all in this together. Keep being your amazing self, celebrating wins big and small, and facing whatever life throws your way with a smile. Thanks for tuning in. And until next time, stay awesome and keep shining bright. Oh, and if you want to help our podcast grow, don't forget to share it with your friends, leave us a review, and hit that subscribe button. This is April Ratchford signing off from Adulting with Autism.

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Hey guys, welcome to Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we dive into the rollercoaster of adulthood through a neurodiverse lens. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Join us as we share stories, tips, and laughs, offering a supportive space for anyone navigating life's twists and turns. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment, and let's embark on this journey together. This is Adulting with Autism.

Hey guys, hey, happy Saturday. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm late and you're judging. Normally I get these things in the morning. It has been a busy week. I'm planning on going on vacation. Don't worry, my episode's up and running while I'm on vacation, so you will be hearing my lovely voice on vacation. However, in order to go on vacation, I had to scramble and get a lot of my paperwork in before going on vacation, which meant I didn't get a lot of recording done prior to this. So that's why I'm recording a little later and getting it up, brain fart, a little later than normal. However, I hope you guys had a great end of the week and that you guys are staying cooler due to the heat wave. It's still a mesmerizing 90 degrees, even though it's 8.30 here in Kentucky. I'm still melting.

However, I would like to introduce you to Metta Rebirk. She is an aspiring author and coach who has dedicated over two decades to helping experienced leaders realize their true potential and free themselves from anxiety. Her new book, The Twin Point Life Force, comes from questioning your thoughts and reveals how we can set ourselves free by questioning what we believe to be true. She has come to see that for all, the human life force emerges and inner peace reveals itself by questioning our thoughts about reality, which is true about anxiety.

So many of us sit there and have thoughts about ourselves that aren't true and run around and take up space in our heads without really questioning that thought. And she coaches into really breaking down that thought and wondering, is that thought really true, or is it something that we believe just because it's a lingering thought we have? So she talks about how to experience peace and joy in the present, no matter what your external circumstances look like. How to create a new life experience if the one you're in now isn't kind. How to break free from a negative thought loop when you inevitably get caught in one. I like both anxiety, self-doubt, self-sabotage, self-destructive habits, and how to feel free, how to feel inner peace regardless of not knowing and uncertainty. And that's the thing about anxiety. We're so busy worrying about the future and not focusing on the now that it gets us all ramped up.

And all we can do is take advice from Metta and really think about reading her book. Even you parents and caregivers, sometimes we get so caught up in worrying about our kids' futures and our futures and how it's going to relate to our kids that our anxiety ramps up, which ramps their anxiety up. So, sit down, take a moment, have your drink of choice, and of course, always no judgment, and welcome our guest. Hello. Good morning. How are you? Fine, thank you. And you? I'm doing well. Lovely, lovely. And I'm so sorry for the inconvenience for our last scheduled meeting. That's quite all right. Where are you in the world? I'm in Denmark, in Copenhagen. And you, my dear, where are you except apart from being in a car? Listen, sometimes the car is my best office. I am in Kentucky in the United States. Wow. I know Kentucky Fried Chicken. That's the only thing we're known for except for the derby. I'm so sorry, but now maybe you will enlighten me a little bit more about your lovely area. Now I want to go to Denmark. I'm like, I'm ready to travel.

Oh, it's a beautiful little country. You know, there are not many people living in Denmark. We are only 5 million. That's still a good portion. I was like, only 5 million? Yeah, one big family, you know. I know, just joking. But yeah, you're welcome and if you come, I will love to cook for you. You can even stay over here. I have a spare place. It's a deal. You just let me know a little in advance and I will make everything ready. So tell me, how is it that you got into letting people know that you can just revamp your life in later stages? Yeah. I don't know actually where to start, except from that I work with a lot of very successful people, actually. Apparently, they have achieved almost everything. But still, they were not very happy. And they were very insecure about what they had achieved. If, for instance, their father, they were proud of them or they had a lot of thinking going on that didn't really make them very happy. And then also myself, my own thinking about life and my kids and the world and everything. And then I started to be a little curious about what is a thought and what is a feeling and what comes first, emotion or the thoughts. And then I dived into that five, six years ago.

And actually, while biking in Copenhagen, I got a little epiphany that when I believed my thoughts, I had stomach problems. I had a lot of different kinds of problems. But when I didn't believe them, I was actually okay. And then I started to gather a lot of details and information and knowledge about the brain and the heart and what does it mean to be a human? And then I decided to write a book about it. And this is this book here that I'm going to show you. It's actually also on Amazon. And for the last five, six years, my life has changed into something much more friendly. I work with very skilled people who want to change their career. I work with leaders who want to become better leaders for people. And I have also become a much better mom. I'm not always, you know, busy telling the whole world how they should behave. I let them behave like they want to. And then I focus on how me, myself, I behave. I know there are a lot of parents out there that have adult kids that are on the spectrum or neurodiverse. Yeah. And they have all their lives connected themselves to their kids and have no idea. They've kind of lost themselves and have no idea how to separate their issues from their kids. And now that their kids are adults, they need to kind of separate themselves in order to really live their lives. And I think you have some of the answers.

I don't know if I have some answers, but I have come to see that when we meet another person, we don't really meet the other person. We meet our story about the other person. That means that actually we meet ourselves. And then we start judging. And then when the behavior of the other doesn't really match what we had imagined it should be, then we become either very upset and we find it very, maybe not respectful. And it's just because in an innocent moment, we believed something that was not correct. And of course, you know all parents they want their kids to have a happy life and when we see that our kids they may not be like we thought them to be or we wanted them to be we may even think that they that the life they have was not as good as it could be but what do we know. So when we get to know that, when we can kind of silent our own mind and listen to the other person, regardless of it's, you know, a child with certain challenges or whatever, we can start to become more curious about, who are you? You don't need to be like me to have a good life. and maybe even I can learn something from you. I have a good friend and she has a son who is now 16 and maybe he has a mind like eight years old. And we had a very lovely talk a couple of days ago, Annamita and I, and suddenly she discovered that the reason why she had been so miserable and so sad about her son, was because she thought that he could not have a good life. But that was only because she met him from her perspective, not from his perspective. And I think that when we become aware of ourselves, we are very busy with all the others. So we tend to forget that we need to pay attention to ourselves and to get to learn ourselves and especially become aware of our thinking about the world because the world is not how we believe it to be because the world is actually much nicer than the stories we tell ourselves about the world. But we don't know that. And also, there's also another thing here is that when we believe our thoughts to be who we are, it can be very difficult to let go of the thoughts. Because, you know, a lot of parents with challenging kids, they also become kind of victims of, you know, life, what has now, you know, emerged. So without this victim kind of head, who am I? If I'm not a victim, who am I? But we are not, we have a kid with special needs, but it's not who we are. We just try to do our best to take care of our kids. The problem arises when we believe it to be who we are. I don't know if it's a little weird what I'm saying. And then maybe you will ask me, but when do we know that we are, you know, pulling our own leg with the stories, making up stories? And that is when we can feel it, when we become stressed and get stomach problems. Some have problems with the shoulders, you know, different spots in the body that doesn't feel nice. Then we know that we are building up a story that we in a moment believe to be true. Our thoughts create our feelings, and it's the feelings that we react upon. We are not at all rational beings. And the brain actually doesn't know anything. The brain guesses. A couple of days ago, I was watching out of the window and I saw a guy like with a yellow shirt on and stuff. And then I thought, okay, wonderful. Now the municipality is going to work on the streets because it's so bumpy. And I was so happy and I started to think, okay, in two months time, it will be so nice. And then I just turned my head. And then I saw that this guy with a long line behind him was out walking his dog. So our brain, you know, picks up small bits here and there and then put it together. And the brain doesn't mind if it's not 100% reality, the story that is, you know, putting together. Something that is approximately correct is okay but not really because then a lot of misunderstandings arise so so when we become more aware of what's going on inside of ourselves and don't think that it's something that someone has you know imposed on me then we can start to meet whatever lands on our plate with much more peace and much more strength.

Do you think by accident a lot of therapists and doctors accidentally feed into the stories that we tell ourselves about our kids and it makes us seem like we're victims that we have kids with special needs until we believe these stories in our heads. And how can we break this kind of victim mentality of these stories in our brains? I think that we can take responsibility for ourselves. I no one can hurt me except me and the story that I'm telling myself if if I, for instance sorry sorry not good. I'm 60 years old, and when I was almost 23 years old, my twin brother died in an accident, actually in the United States. And we were very close. I discovered that I really never said I and me. I always said we and us. And suddenly I had to learn how to say I and me. And in the beginning i didn't thought that i could ever be happy again but then after years and and also some introspection i started to see that everything was okay and even though that my brother, he only lived almost 23 years, he got a full life. And the gift he brought to my life for the time we had together has also been part of who I am today. So when we look at what happens from another perspective. Everything is actually okay. And it doesn't mean that we don't become sad and, you know, totally, you know, I really hope that everything will be okay. But we can meet whatever comes with more grace and with more trust that everything is going to, is okay. Okay. Actually, I have discovered also that we never really exist in the moment. Like, either we are somewhere yesterday, years ago, thinking about what happened and why it shouldn't, or we are in the future. But the only thing that exists is actually this small moment you and I, we have now, which the next small moment is created upon. And in this small moment, you and I together, are you okay? Yes. Me too. Okay. So when we become more aware of what we have, it's so difficult to be scared. And, you know, it's not just me. we all have the same kind of, we are created the same way. So this is not just something that counts for me, counts for you, counts for your kids and all the listeners and the listeners' kids and their family and the whole shebang, you know. So, and when we look, when we become aware of this, you know, we can meet our kids with curiosity because we don't want anything actually to change because it is what it is. And. And it is even better than we could, you know, because we never really very seldom think about something that will be. We always think about something that will be even, you know, worse. And if we are so busy not being present, we don't see actually the small steps that our son is taking in his manner. Because we are somewhere else. And therefore we also, you know, scare ourselves because there's so many things that we kind of don't get, don't see. And it's innocent because it's very difficult to see what you don't see until you see it. And we also complicate life, really complicate life by not being aware of what's going on in our own head. And we believe also that all the others, they are so busy thinking about judging us, but actually, a small secret, nobody cares. They are so busy with their thoughts and their stories. So when we start to focus a little bit more on our own thinking and not so much on what we believe others are thinking about us. We can breathe. We can smile. Life becomes kinder, more peaceful, and we become nicer. Does this make sense? It makes perfect sense. How can we stay in these small movements? Yeah, I would love to be there all the time. Yes. But I'm not, so it comes and goes. But I know that when I forget to be aware and to be present, I know how to come back. You know, when you lay in bed in the morning, you're not asleep, but you're not awake. It's just in between. There's nothing. thing. You're just there in your bed. Those small moments, they are, you know, behind. It's a little like, you know, the sky without all the clouds. It can be very cloudy, but above the clouds, always blue sky. And it's like you and me, behind all the thoughts, you know, there's always peace. So when we become aware of this, we can let go of the thoughts. You know, we have around 60,000, 70,000 thoughts a day. They come and go. We cannot control that. But what we can control is that we don't need to be attached to those thoughts. Let them go, regardless of how weird they are. Wow. Okay. But the problem arises when we try to keep on to the thoughts, and especially those thoughts that really create a mess inside us.

So how can we break negative thought loops? We can stop being attached to them. But it can be very difficult if we think that we are our thoughts. And we think that we are a victim because even though that he doesn't feel well, it can be even more difficult to get, you know, if we are used to having a stone in the shoe and we think that having a stone in the shoe kind of defines who we are. We are the one who is fighting against the world for my kids. I'm alone. So then we will not easily take out the stone and throw it away. Because without all that, who am I? Who am I? But you are the one experiencing all this that lands on your plate. You know, the kid you were when you were five years old and the full-blown woman you are today, there's nothing left. The cells have been, you know, changed so many times and everything has changed so many times. But what is still, you know, the same is the awareness of, you know, It's like being in a theater and seeing a lot of different plays passing. You are the one observing. And then again, become aware, self-aware. But this doesn't feel well. What did I think just before I had this feeling? Oh, what if I die and my child is going to be left alone? Who's going to take care? yeah, okay, if I die before my child, can I be 100% sure that no one is going to care? Ah, 100%? Ah, maybe not. Without this thought in this situation, how am I? I'm actually okay. We have a very strong network, and actually my kid, who is now 22 years old, is having a funny time where he's living and he has friends and maybe even a girlfriend. What is the problem? The problem is my thinking about reality, not reality.

What can people do when they decide they want to completely change their lives? Like, what's the first step? Like, they know their kids are going to do what they're going to do. And they've decided to let go. But they no longer want to be the person they are. They're like, okay, this is not the life I want. I want to be somebody different. What do they do first? They're like, I don't know, what do I do first? Do I go back to school to be who I want? Should I do personal development first? Do I learn to meditate? Do I take care of my health? Where would you start? Maybe I would go for a long walk. Be silent. Be together with myself somewhere. Somewhere not doing anything looking out of the window try to adjust to be me to be in me together with me i presume also that a lot of your listeners they they are very busy people because they have been busy taking care of the family and i don't know what and they don't know themselves. So maybe be silent and be curious about what is hiding in there. Of course, you can go to school and you can go to yoga and you can whatever. But that's nice. If you like it, then do it. Everything that you like and that makes you smile, go ahead, my dear. but really to get to know you be silent it doesn't cost anything be silent. Curious, curiosity. And then every time you kind of want to hold on to something, a thought about, this is me, you know who I am, boom, boom. Then be, you know, courageous to

Book-“The Tipping Point: Life Force Comes From Questioning Your Thoughts" 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mette-reebirk/

Hey guys, welcome to Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we dive into the rollercoaster of adulthood through a neurodiverse lens. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Join us as we share stories, tips, and laughs, offering a supportive space for anyone navigating life's twists and turns. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment, and let's embark on this journey together. This is Adulting with Autism.

Hey guys, hey, happy Wednesday. So glad you can make this podcast a song for you. It's called Friends. How many of us have them? Friends, ones we can depend on. Friends. Listen, you better be loving this song because it took me ages to get it right. And I used to sing that song all the time. If you don't know it, shame on your parents. And my cat, Peter, he's agreeing with me. He has all the opinions. Beats me into my next step. So I have Coach Lee Hopkins here, who is an expert on friendships.

Let's be real. You guys are out of high school. And making friends outside of high school is rather difficult because if you're not going to college and you're not working yet, how else are you guys making friends? And don't say the internet. That doesn't help. Because really, human beings are social creatures and you need to learn to do it face to face. We are not made to be looking at a little screen. That's a great beginning, don't get me wrong. And that's how a lot of you guys interact in the beginning. And I'm not faulting you for that. Not faulting you at all. But you have to get used to interacting with other people. And it's a healthy thing. And Coach Lee here can help you.

So he actually struggled with making friends himself because he was trying to find that perfect friend group. And we all struggled at one point of trying to find that perfect friend group. And he often felt isolated and alone. And it wasn't until he discovered the power of vulnerability that he began to break through the barriers that had held him back for so long. He learned that by speaking from the heart and being true to himself, he could have meaningful conversations that led to lasting friendships with other people. And now he's passionate about helping other people do the same.

So he helps people struggling to connect with co-workers, colleagues, friends, and family members to communicate in a way that feels authentic and true to who they are. So it's not just you guys. It can be anybody who wants an authentic friendship, even your parents or your caregivers. Because think about it. They've been helping you so much that they've lost friends along the way. And you guys have to learn that your parents just aren't your parents. Your parents were people prior to being your parents or caregivers. They had things, and I'm guilty of it too, that I generally forgot who my parents were prior to having me. We all do. We all forget who our parents were before they had us. And it's a thing. It's all a kid thing. We all forget at one point that they all had lives before we entered the picture. It's no big deal. You got to remember, your parents solely made you their focus to help you become the best version of you they could be. And along the way, they gave up things they wanted to do. Having friend groups and, and don't feel bad about it. They did this voluntarily and sometimes, you know, friends sometimes grow apart and sometimes that's okay. And sometimes they come back in your life.

I had a best friend in elementary school. Oh, she, Deborah, my best friend. We were like lit. And she went to another school in third grade. And just because life just happened, she went to a traditional Jewish Orthodox school. I continued on with traditional school because my parents were like, absolutely not. You're not going to Jewish. They weren't having it because I tried. And we reconnected during COVID. Friendships ebb and flow. People come in your life and they go out of your life. And that's just how friendships are. They're fluid.

So give a listen to Coach Lee and he's got some great ideas that can help you, especially if you guys are now entering the workforce for the first time. And those of you that are prepping for college, also think about it. He has some great ideas. So welcome my guest, Coach Lee.

As we wrap up another awesome episode of Adulting with Autism, just remember, we're all in this together. Keep being your amazing selves, celebrating wins big and small, and facing whatever life throws your way with a smile. Thanks for tuning in. And until next time, stay awesome and keep shining bright.

Oh, and if you want to help our podcast grow, don't forget to share it with your friends. Leave us a review and hit that subscribe button. This is April Ratchford signing off from Adulting with Autism.

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Hey there, friends! Welcome back to another exciting episode of Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we explore the highs and lows of adulthood from a unique, neurodiverse perspective. I'm your host, April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment here, and let's dive into today's episode!

Happy Saturday, everyone! It's been a whirlwind of a week for me, and I'm sure it has been for you too. Between managing our Facebook group, working on merchandise, and collaborating with friends who also have neurodiverse family members, there's never a dull moment. But hey, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Today, I have a fantastic guest joining us. Please welcome Darlene Greene, a Stem Cell Activation Technologist Consultant, retired U.S. Navy Commander, and co-author of the best-selling book, Powered Echoes. Darlene is here to share some groundbreaking insights into a technology that's changing lives—patches that can help with everything from pain relief to improving mental clarity. Trust me, you don't want to miss this!

Darlene talks about her journey discovering these patches after exhausting traditional therapies to help her husband with early Alzheimer's. The results were nothing short of miraculous—improved energy, better sleep, and even a return to his vibrant personality. And guess what? This technology is not just for Alzheimer's; it can help with ADHD, anxiety, systemic inflammation, and so much more.

What makes these patches so special? They're based on light therapy, a safe and non-invasive method that activates your body's own stem cells. Imagine improving your health without the need for drugs or surgeries! It's fascinating to hear how athletes like Tom Brady and Michael Phelps have benefited from these patches, and now this technology is available to all of us.

We also delve into the specifics of how these patches work, the various types available, and real-life testimonials from people who've experienced life-changing results. From reducing anxiety and PTSD symptoms to helping kids with autism become more independent, the possibilities are endless.

If you're curious to learn more, Darlene has a wealth of information on her website, I Am Reverse Aging. And don't worry, there's even a money-back guarantee if you're skeptical.

Thank you so much for tuning in today. As always, your support means the world to me. Be sure to check out the show notes for all the links and details mentioned in this episode. And stay tuned for an exciting giveaway coming up on July 15th!

Until next week, keep adulting, and don't forget to hit that subscribe button. This is April Ratchford signing off from Adulting with Autism.

https://iamreverseaging.com/

https://www.facebook.com/darlene.bennett.greene

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darlenegreene/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UjaLqrRInM

or

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/svb1-UWWA22TNcyiEWPi26H9k-pmkzMyEa_CBMn-fFKOu4-ko3V37zVBKWoGBPRa.7nqS7pbcFfKpcVOA

Hey there, friend! 💃 In today’s inspiring episode of Adulting with Autism, we step into a space where movement meets neurodivergent empowerment—the incredible Autistic Wings Dance Company, a nonprofit studio founded by mother-daughter duo Amanda and Leta in Colorado Springs.

Autistic Wings isn’t your average dance program—it’s a trauma-informed, sensory-aware space built by and for autistic dancers. From ballet to hip-hop, every class is designed with neurodivergent communication, learning styles, and sensory needs in mind—no masking, no pressure, just expression.

🩰 What we talk about:

• Why traditional dance studios often fail autistic dancers

• How Autistic Wings created the first IEP-style adaptive dance curriculum

• The emotional impact of being seen—and not shoved to the side

• Why therapists are now recommending dance as an alternative form of expression

• Their mission to expand into a larger, sensory-safe space to serve even more dancers

Whether you're an autism parent, educator, or just someone who believes in inclusion with soul, this episode will move you—literally and emotionally.

🌐 Support Autistic Wings Dance Company: 📍 autisticwingsdancecompany.org 🎁 Donate or sponsor a class to keep tuition affordable for ALL neurodivergent dancers 🎧 Listen to Amanda & Leta’s podcast: Leta's Tap Styles 📸 Follow on TikTok & IG: @AutisticWingsDance | @LetaTapStyles

☕ Love the show? Fuel us on Buy Me a Coffee 🎁 Join our Discord—1,000th member wins $100 + exclusive podcast merch 📲 Subscribe on Spotify | Apple | YouTube | Podbean

💬 COMMENT: What kind of support would you have loved as a neurodivergent kid? 🔔 FOLLOW for more episodes featuring neurodivergent creators, change-makers, and trailblazers

#AutisticWings #NeurodivergentDance #AdaptiveDance #AutismInclusion #LetaTapStyles #InclusiveMovement #AutismParenting #SensoryFriendlyPrograms #AutismSupport #SponsorReadyPodcast #AdultingWithAutism #PodMatch

Hey guys, happy Wednesday! Welcome back to another episode of Adulting with Autism. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Today, I've got a couple of furry co-hosts—my black and white cat, Severus Snape and the ever-talkative Peter Pettigrew. They’re here to help me dive into a topic that none of us love but we all need—exercise. And no, not extra fries, but actual exercise!

We've got a special guest today, Molly McNamee, an online fitness coach who specializes in helping individuals with high-functioning anxiety navigate exercise in a way that supports their nervous system and hormones. Molly's journey with anxiety and exercise is deeply personal and incredibly inspiring. She's here to share her story and some practical tips on how to get moving without making your anxiety worse.

We dive into why exercise is essential, even though it might not be the most fun thing in the world. Molly explains how the wrong kind of exercise can actually spike your anxiety and what you can do to avoid that. From baby steps to proper hydration, and even tackling sugar addictions, Molly's got the answers to help you ease into a healthier lifestyle.

So, grab your drink of choice (no judgment here), and let's embark on this journey together. By the end of this episode, you'll have some simple, actionable steps to start incorporating exercise into your life in a way that feels good and manageable. And yes, this goes for all you parental units and caregivers too!

As always, thanks for tuning in. Let's keep facing life's twists and turns together, celebrating wins big and small, and supporting each other every step of the way. Until next time, stay awesome and keep shining bright!

Oh, and if you want to help our podcast grow, don't forget to share it with your friends, leave us a review, and hit that subscribe button. This is April Ratchford signing off from Adulting with Autism.

Music

Hey guys, welcome to Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we dive into the rollercoaster of adulthood through a neurodiverse lens. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Join us as we share stories, tips, and laughs, offering a supportive space for anyone navigating life's twists and turns. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment, and let's embark on this journey together. This is Adulting with Autism.

Hey guys, hey. Happy Saturday. I told you guys I would end up doing two episodes a week for you guys. It just happens the second one's on a Saturday. And I hear you guys judging me. Who does episodes on Wednesdays and Saturdays? This therapist does. Tried Fridays. It's a dumpster fire for therapists on Fridays. So I had to go to Wednesdays and it just so happens Saturdays are a great day for therapists.

I love you guys' feedback of what you like, what you don't, because you're pretty honest with me. I like honesty, even if it's brutal. One thing I do like to give you guys is a rounded out opinion, well, not opinion, but a rounded out view of different people on the autism spectrum. And my next guest is a guest who is on the autism spectrum and he's quite accomplished. And I want you to hear his perspective of how he grew up with autism because he wasn't really diagnosed until he was four. His grandmother was a big influence on his life. She just kept on trucking and kept reading and working with him until he started talking.

Let me tell you about Philip. Philip is an accomplished author, consultant, and entrepreneur who previously has worked with FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Chick-fil-A. He got his Master's of Divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, his MBA from Harvard Business School, and his bachelor's degree majoring in political science and economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Philip has previously been featured in Business Insider, Entrepreneur Magazine, Forbes, and LinkedIn, as well as a number of podcasts.

When Philip is not fulfilling his purpose to grow God's people, grow God's businesses and grow God's kingdom, he enjoys reading, cheering on his Tar Heels, and raising his twin daughters with his wife, Myra. Now, Philip has also written a couple of books: "Disagree Without Disrespect" and "Future Proof, How to Adopt and Master Artificial AI to Secure Your Job and Career."

So I would love for you to give a warm welcome to Philip and listen to his story.

Hey, April.

Hey, how are you?

Good, how are you?

Good. Thank you for rescheduling. My niece got married last weekend and it was a zoo.

I can imagine. Dealing with change can be difficult to handle regardless of whether you're on the spectrum or not. It was a beautiful wedding, but I'm so glad it was over.

No problem. I get it. Because I know you have two little girls.

Mm-hmm. How old are they?

Seven.

You got a long way to go. Just wait. Just wait.

I know. I know. I know. Walking them down the aisle, that's a whole other thing. But I'm kind of glad I got time on my hands, not having to worry about that anytime soon.

My dress doesn't fit or I don't like the way it looks. Okay, all right, we're dealing with dolls right now so I can handle that a little bit better right now. So welcome to my podcast, I'm so glad you're on. I looked at your bio and I want to be you when I grow up also. You've accomplished so much.

Thank you.

I was like, wow, I was like, I'm on only thing number three, hopefully Lord willing I got a little more I'd like to go so some more things on my list I'd like to accomplish as well. So I was like, oh, my gosh, I can't even get myself together just to get this podcast. There's one step at a time, that's all we can do, you know, just build on that.

So tell my audience a little bit about yourself and how you came to get here with all your accomplishments.

Yeah. So I think I started out just like any other human being that had to be born first, had to learn how to breathe, to eat, use the bathroom, all that sort of stuff. So the highlight there is, you know, my story started out like a lot of other people's stories.

I think from there, April, a lot of what was going on for me was something that I wasn't really aware of because I was so young, but it became apparent to my family that I was processing things, doing things a lot differently from other kids my age, even to the point where my mom has told me in the past that I didn't speak until I was four. Right. I can't comprehend what I was thinking or saying or doing when I was four. I have no recollection, right? So I can only imagine what that was like, being nonverbal at that point.

What I will say is I think a huge indicator for me to be on the right path, so to speak, was having early intervention from people in my family, like my grandmother, somebody who didn't see any difference as far as me versus other kids, but as far as being treated differently. You know, back then autism or autism spectrum wasn't held to the same regards it is now, nor was it really spoken of. It was more so like associated with like being special, right? Or special education. Right. And so it was almost a sense where it's like thinking that this kid is clearly not on the same levels of all the typical kids. So it's almost like you're grooming that family of a different way of teaching and a different lifestyle altogether, different life goals for that kid, even at an early age.

And my grandmother, for example, saw things really differently. She said, hey, my boy can read, my boy can do all these things, you just watch. And so I remember what I do remember a few summers when I was really young, sitting on her lap and basically tracing letters on those blue and white handwriting tablets that we used to have in school. I don't know if they still have them now, but I used to really learn how to actually write back then. And even now when people compliment me on my handwriting for the few times since we're all on the computer typing digital smartphone age texting, very few occasions we actually handwriting something. So the few times where that happens, a lot of people that compliment me, I just hold as a credit to my grandmother. Whether it was teaching me handwriting, multiplication, flashcards later on in life. I remember learning Chinese checkers with her. She really just, more than anything else, she taught me. She showed me a lot of love and dedication, irregardless of how I looked on the outside with regards to progress.

And I think the biggest thing from that, April, was when I was in seventh grade, it was more so the sense of thinking, you know, my mom's raising me and my sister on her own with the assistance of my grandparents. My father's not present during this time. So I'm not the only male role model I'm getting is from my grandfather who should be retired, but it's now taking part trying to help us. And the best way I could be of service or of gratitude to my family for all the sacrifices and things that they were doing to help give me the best education possible was not necessarily sign up for a part-time job. My job was to excel in the classroom. And so I remember that as far as the best way to show appreciation for my mom, my grandmother, and my grandfather was to do very well in the classroom. So I went from a young kid that was just trying to fit in, really wasn't trying to go above and beyond to being valedictorian in my class in eighth grade, going to a top college prep high school that following year, graduating top 10 percent, got accepted to every college I applied to, including the Ivy League, got a full scholarship to University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

I think from there it just kind of blossomed to, you know, I really want to do the very best with what's given in front of me because I realized that, you know, hey, you can only do so much if someone's giving you something. But if you're not maximizing, optimizing, or doing the best with what you have, you might not get much more out of that. And just excelling at what's on my plate, that was the best way for me to share my gratitude for my family, for all they've done up to that point for me growing up.

Do you feel like even now that autism has been, you know, accelerated into more than it has been, that kids, minority kids still are being diagnosed later than they should be? Because I know that even I had to fight for my son to be diagnosed. And it just seems like they're starting later and later and not getting that intervention that they need to kind of excel to where they need to be.

Yeah. So I can't speak in terms of like medical professional or somebody that works in that sort of realm as far as like, you know, whether it's diagnosing kids with autism spectrum disorder or working with kids with ASD. What I will say, though, is I think whether it's from my experience growing up or my experience here with two kids that are on the autism spectrum and the amount of effort my wife and I have been working on from an early intervention standpoint to help our kids close the gap or bridge the gap. Yeah, I definitely see the risk there. And I think, if anything, regardless of background, I think it really attests to, you know, for lack of a better word, just like a parent's love and fight for and advocacy for his or her kid. Because I think even for me as a parent, sometimes, you know, I could notice something, but I'm a first-time parent. I got two kids. They're twin daughters. I'm experiencing this for the first time. So there's some things that might pass over me I don't notice or don't see as something different compared to other kids. So sometimes you don't know what you don't know. And I think that, you know, one of those things that comes out of it is kind of seeing where your kids are and where they could be and getting that type of, you know, guidance or instruction or resources that other parents may get more so than others. And sometimes the tragedy of not knowing what you don't know can come back later on and really harm you later on.

And being autistic yourself, what challenges do you feel going through all the education that you've gone through did you have? Getting supports. Because I know a lot of kids going through higher education have a lot of difficulty getting supports that they need to actually excel with their courses.

Yeah, I think for me, like I remember having speech therapy in elementary school and doing certain activities and accommodations more so in elementary school than beyond. I think once I got into middle school and started really taking things to another level academically, I didn't have any accommodations at that point but what I would say is even with me being on inspection growing up in like middle and high school I did grasp or at least try to grasp the idea of just me looking at things differently from the rest of my classmates and trying to figure out why I process things or why I have, you know, even like from a social skills standpoint, which probably becomes more pronounced as you get into like middle and high school, how you approach things with your friends and, you know, love interests, if you want to call that or crushes back then. I probably went about things differently from your typical person to your typical adolescent boy. But I didn't know why, right? I didn't have a good sense of that. And I think to the best of their ability, my mom and my grandparents tried to fill in the gaps and answer questions when I was just curious, trying to figure out why I am the way I am or why I process or do things a certain way that I do that might be different or why I may be perceived or treated differently because of how I go about things. And I think that, you know, even just in reflection, that probably was more so the case. Like, why am I coming off so different? Why am I having a tough time fitting in? And then also getting to a point of just embracing my uniqueness, which honestly, it's something that followed me even to this day. Just kind of really acknowledging, hey, just I'm a different type of human being. I go about things differently. And some people understand this. Some people do not. And some people are fans of it. Some people are not. And, you know, that's something that I realize a lot of other people deal with, too, even if they're neurotypical.

Were you a lot like a lot of other autistic people, very much a loner? Or did you have like maybe that one best friend?

That's me. Listen, it's... Jeez. I, yeah, I can count on like half a hand at any given point in time of my life as far as like friends or people I trusted. I also tend to be the type of person that I can be very self-guarded as far as who I become vulnerable in front of, defensive in a sort. Because I've been burned before. And I think, yeah, like part of a loner is just like for me, like growing up, like my grandmother was my best friend. When she passed, there was a huge gap that, you know, I just didn't feel as comfortable around other people to the same degree I was with around her. I had one or two college friends. I had, you know, friends in high school, but like one or two. But yeah, I think how you describe April. Yes, I'm pretty much a loner, which was why, you know, when I got married was so important because, you know, when I got married eight years ago, it was more so not just the thought of getting married. It's just like, I feel like I have like a best friend that if I can't trust anybody else, I at least know I have that one person that understands me, warts and all, is an advocate for me, loves me unconditionally. And I feel like I can go the distance like for the rest of the life of my life, God willing, that I feel like supported and I can support her too.

So for those out there that I know my son tends to have all the questions about relationships and dating and sometimes I cannot answer all those questions for him. It's not always an easy task to open up yourself to somebody else or date. What would you say to everybody? Just take your time and just there's somebody out there, but it's OK to just take your time and just find that person. They're out there.

Yeah, I mean, I think it's kind of a similar thing. When I was going through it in my own experience, there's definitely questions I felt comfortable sharing or asking my mother. Questions I felt more likely to share with my grandfather or my grandmother and there are questions quite honestly I felt sad I couldn't ask my dad sad that my dad wasn't around, to really be open to having the type of relationship where I feel trusting to ask someone who is like a spitting image of right I came from you you are a man like me or a young man for me and I can't ask those questions or don't feel comfortable or trusting to ask those questions I think it's unfortunate and I think with regards to that it's like it really gets down to trust more than anything else to your point I think if it's if it's young men that have these type of questions it's helpful to have an older man that you trust like a father or a father figure. So we're not burdening our mom with questions. Either she may not feel comfortable sharing or honestly feels like somebody better can handle those type of questions. But outside of that, yeah, I think the key is if you can't find somebody on that level to trust and ask those questions, take your time for sure. Don't rush into it because you're learning. We also live in an age now that we have a lot of knowledge at our fingertips now with regards to the internet now with artificial intelligence where it's just like even just the curious person can just behind a computer screen at his or her leisure his or her privacy can ask just about any question that he or she has and get some sort of answer to go off of and that could be good and a little concerning too depending on the nature of the questions and the nature of the responses that come out.

How did you overcome being comfortable speaking in front of a lot of people?

So I think a lot of that came from both my mom and my grandmother. I think a good part of that was understanding that, you know, going from nonverbal to feeling comfortable speaking in front of groups of people, it definitely didn't happen overnight. It was something that I struggled with initially because a lot of the fears of public speaking come out for anybody. It's just like, you know, how I be perceived, you know, how, you know, I'd be able to deliver it. You know my voice squeak you know certain things like that I think it just came off in the sense where you had people that instilled in you a certain sense of confidence that they believed in you they believe you can do it they also give you the reality that this is not something that just comes easy you're gonna have to practice you're gonna have to get better at it you're gonna have to learn from things you don't do well at just like with any skill at the same time I think I've also learned just how powerful communication can be, not just to express yourself, but to further your own career. And so just kind of seeing like the incentive to get good at communication really started to become like more of a self propeller for me. Like you could see like the reason why it's helpful. And now it's not external coming from somebody else. Now it's like internally like, OK, I'm doing good so far and I want to get better

Hey guys, welcome to Adulting with Autism, the podcast where we dive into the rollercoaster of adulthood through a neurodiverse lens. I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. Join us as we share stories, tips, and laughs, offering a supportive space for anyone navigating life's twists and turns. Grab your drink of choice, no judgment, and let's embark on this journey together. This is Adulting with Autism.

Hey guys, hey, happy Wednesday. Welcome back to the podcast. As you can see, I have all the noises happening today. It's a day where I'm trying to be productive and every single noise that can happen is happening. I have cats, I have trucks, I have beepity beeps, you name it, I got it. Really, I am trying to be productive and belt out episodes, which is unusual for me. Usually, I'm a last-second Sally. Ask my sister. I'm going to have her on the podcast too. She'll tell you. I am last second. And today, it's just a big ball of mess.

I am happy to have you guys back for another episode. It is episode 20. I can't believe I made it to 20. Thanks, guys. I really appreciate you guys. And I enjoy doing these. And I hope you're getting some info out of this. As I was, again, my cats with all the opinions. As I was doing this episode, my son Z was like, why do you have so many mental health people on here? You got like a kabillion. And I looked at him and I said, well, because not everyone speaks the same language. He's like, what? I was like, some people don't understand the language unless different people say the same thing a different way. And that's why I like to present information. That's the same from different people because not everyone gets it in the same way.

For instance, when I went to OT school, I was taking a neuroscience class and it did not matter who I talked to in class. I could not understand it for the life of me. It was the teacher, my classmates, they all tried to explain it to me. And I finally was like, I need somebody who speaks April language. So who knew me better than my sister? So she just explained it in my language. She grew up with me. So she just explained it in my terms. Same thing. I bring different people on to help you professionally. Maybe that, personally grow. And one person may not grasp it with one professional, but maybe they grasp it with another. And that's all I want to do is help everyone kind of personally grow. Parents, caregivers, young adults on the spectrum, adult in the spectrum, that want to take it to the next level. This is a big crazy world. We all need some help. We all need a little help sometimes.

Bringing on my next guest is Constantine Moran. Constantine is a passionate advocate of personal growth, self-discovery, and a professional developer. Let's start this again, shall we? Shall we? Let's do this again. Constantine is a passionate advocate of personal growth, self-discovery, and professional development with over 15 years of experience. Through his journey from a fear-ridden man hiding his authentic self to embracing vulnerability and authenticity, Constantine demonstrates that self-discovery can unlock the keys to your personal and professional success.

As a holistic life empowerment mentor and coach, he inspires and empowers individuals on their unique journeys toward growth and self-discovery through both his professional and personal life, as well as his podcast, Unleash Thyself. Integrating his passion for technology, spirituality, and mentorship, Constantine helps individuals unlock their full potential, fostering a positive impact on the world around them. His mission centers on personal growth, spirituality, and self-discovery, dedicated to uplifting and empowering every member of the audience with his humble and sincere insights.

His call to action directs listeners to Unleash Thyself, which is his website that serves as a valuable resource for seeking personal growth and self-discovery, along with spirituality. By visiting his website, listeners can access insightful content, including podcast episodes, articles, and resources that aim to inspire, uplift, and empower them on their unique journeys. In the near future, the website will provide opportunities for community building, networking, and further engagement with his work as a holistic life empowerment mentor and coach. So would everyone please welcome my guest, Constantine, to the Adulting with Autism podcast.

Hey Constantine, welcome to the show!

As we wrap up another awesome episode of Adulting with Autism, just remember, we're all in this together. Keep being your amazing self, celebrating wins big and small, and facing whatever life throws your way with a smile. Thanks for tuning in and until next time, stay awesome and keep shining bright. Oh, and if you want to help our podcast grow, don't forget to share it with your friends. Leave us a review and hit that subscribe button. This is April Ratchford signing off from Adulting with Autism.

https://calmsuccesslive.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/constantin-bo-morun/

https://www.youtube.com/@unleashthyself

Unleash Thyself podcast

Welcome back to another episode of Adulting with Autism! I'm April Ratchford, your friendly occupational therapist mom, proudly on the spectrum and raising an amazing young adult son with autism. In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of leadership, especially through the lens of ethical leadership, as inspired by a recent experience my son Ahzerei had at work.

We are joined by the insightful Shana Francesca, a keynote speaker, consultant, and workshop facilitator with expertise in international and ethical leadership. Shana shares her unique journey from a challenging upbringing in an evangelical Christian cult to becoming the founder and CEO of Concinnate LLC, where she promotes intentional living through curiosity, respect, and accountability.

Shana enlightens us on the importance of building real-life relationships beyond the confines of social media, the essence of visualization over manifestation, and the critical difference between leadership and ethical leadership. She also provides practical tips for identifying ethical environments in workplaces and higher education institutions.

Unfortunately, due to a storm in Kentucky, our conversation was cut short, but the insights Shana shared were truly eye-opening. Don't miss her recommendations for books that challenge traditional views and promote a more inclusive understanding of leadership and relationships.

Thank you for tuning in, and remember, you don't have to be a natural-born leader to make a difference. Leaders can be created through dedication and ethical practice. Stay awesome and keep shining bright!

Until next time, this is April Ratchford signing off from Adulting with Autism. Don't forget to share, review, and subscribe to help our podcast grow!

https://www.concinnate.world/

https://www.facebook.com/Concinnate/

https://www.instagram.com/concinnate.world/

How We Show Up- Nia Birdsong

Untamed- Glennon Doyle

Author Bell Hooks

Thriving with Neurodivergence: A Deep Dive with Dr. Matt - Adulting with Autism Podcast

In this engaging episode of the "Adulting with Autism" podcast, host April Ratchford and renowned clinical psychologist and advocate for neurodivergent individuals, Dr. Matt, explore the challenges, strategies, and triumphs of neurodivergent adulthood. From tackling misconceptions about neurodivergence to illuminating the importance of self-advocacy for neurodivergent individuals, the conversation is both educational and inspiring.

The discussion navigates various topics in-depth, from the psychological and financial impacts of abusive working environments to the benefits of Vocational Rehabilitation (Voc Rehab). Emphasis is also placed on how medication and therapy can aid individuals in managing high levels of anxiety, and the necessity of finding a suitable balance between tech-time and social activities for children

The conversation highlights the evolving job market with companies restructuring their interviewing processes to create a fair environment for autistic individuals. The discussion also delves into the fears and difficulties confronting autistic individuals or their caregivers when pursuing independent living, emphasizing the need to celebrate achievements over focusing on skill deficits.

This insightful episode provides practical steps towards independence and self-reliance for autistic teens and adults. Topics range from teaching budgeting and life skills to addressing the significant differences between enjoying and developing video games. The importance of nurturing dietary habits and identifying strengths gets outlined, providing a blueprint for sustainable personal and career growth. The episode concludes with a profound message about harnessing interests and strengths to foster meaningful connections and successful careers.

https://www.theneurodiversitycollective.com/

https://www.facebook.com/drmattzakreski/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-zakreski-0a32358/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtp0JmQXsPZfDWtfbS2yRCw

Immerse yourself in the compelling episode of Adulting with Autism hosted by April Ratchford, an occupational therapist and proud adult on the autism spectrum. This enlightening episode delves into the intriguing world of face blindness or prosopagnosia, a condition affecting approximately 1% of the global population.

Ratchford welcomes special guest Sadie Dingfelder, a former journalist who discovered she had face blindness just before turning 40. Author of the revealing book “Do I Know You? A face-blind reporter's journey into the science of sight, memory, and imagination," Sadie offers valuable insight into the challenges of living with this condition. Her story, enrichened by captivating and humorous anecdotes, is a fascinating deep dive into neuroscience and the challenges of recognizing faces.

Ratchford shares her own experiences with face blindness, offering insights into other aspects of neurodivergence like aphantasia and severely deficient autobiographical memory. Celebrating some famous personalities like Brad Pitt and Jane Goodall, who also have face blindness, this episode highlights the solidarity and understanding in the world of neurodivergence

Listeners will also hear insights into Sadie’s experience with the Cambridge Face Memory Test, a diagnostic tool for face blindness. She relates the long-running mysteries of her life that unveiled with her diagnosis and discusses the unique strategies she employs to recognize people.

Sadie's story is filled with resilience and humor, offering a compelling testament to the rewards of embracing life's quirks. Listen to this captivating episode for a riveting exploration into the realms of face blindness and neurodivergence.

https://www.sadied.com/

Welcome to an eye-opening episode of 'Adulting with Autism', your go-to podcast for approaching the adventures of adulthood through a lens of neurodiversity. Dive into the intricacies of trauma and the effects it has on individuals' physical and emotional states, and explore the uniqueness of stress responses and trauma inflicted upon various aspects of life.

We're joined by Michelle Brown, a functional nutrition specialist, traditional herbal medicine practitioner, and Ayurveda expert. Michelle helps her clients globally address complex health issues like fatigue, mood issues, gut health, and hormones. Learn from her multifaceted healing approach combining functional nutrition and trauma-informed lens.

Explore a deep dive into nervous system resilience, the powerful shifts necessitated in overcoming personal health struggles, and moving forward in life. Understand the body's inefficiency and learn strategies to let go of harmful patterns locked in blame or guilt. Discover the steps that neurodiverse individuals can take to release nervous system 'freeze' due to past traumas and biochemical imbalances.

This episode shines a spotlight on the healing role of therapy and somatic experiencing and the importance of understanding our unique neurobiology and physiological balance. We discuss the fundamental role of Ayurveda in stress and trauma management, busting the myth of health being a one-size-fits-all and acknowledging everyone's unique mind-body types.

Discover the crucial role of diet, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory foods in supporting mental health and reducing nervous system overwhelm, which is often overlooked in conditions like autism and mental health. This potpourri of insights serves as a powerful resource for anyone seeking to understand nervous system biology and the mind-body connection.

Finally, wrap up with practical tips to avoid re-traumatization and enhance resilience, covering more than just talk therapy - it's about a holistic approach to well-being! Tune in to leverage Michelle's Ayurvedic guide and kickstart your unique journey into holistic health routines.

https://botanacea.lpages.co/mood-fix-assessment/

Welcome to another enlightening episode of 'Adulting with Autism'—a podcast celebrating the neurodiverse and fortifying its listeners with resourceful insights. Hosted by April Ratchford, a proud occupant of the spectrum, this episode delves into the transformative power of resilience and meditation.

In conversation with Natalie Bedard, founder of 'Lift OneSelf', we explore how she bravely fought a life-threatening illness and raised her children solo. Natalie's journey of self-healing allowed her to tap into the power of her nervous system and discard emotional blockages, inspiring others to do the same.

Listen as Natalie dissects her passion for helping others maximize their potential through incremental growth and transformation. Witness her lead listeners through a restorative meditation session—a testament to her compassionate, empowering approach towards helping others comprehend their unique experiences.

Natalie narrates her journey into meditation's soothing grasp following a series of unidentified neurological issues. She attributes a significant reduction of her trauma's energetic intensity to Transcendental Meditation and provides guidance for listeners on how to achieve tranquility in chaos by living purely in the moment.

She emphasizes the cruciality of self-care, stressing the importance of tending to individual needs by constantly engaging in mind-enriching practices such as meditation. Parents are especially urged to incorporate self-care into their schedules to build personal wellness and resilience.

Natalie also offers vital insights on accommodating the unique needs of neurodiverse individuals, be it sensory sensitivity, the need for movement, or a secure space to vent emotions. She suggests empathic ways of handling children's intense emotions, fostering a safe environment for expression.

The episode concludes with an invitation for listeners to visit Natalie’s website 'liftoneself.com' for further guidance on meditation practices. The host, April, ends on a hopeful note, encouraging listeners to remain steadfast in their journey, no matter the hurdles they face.

https//linktr.ee/Liftoneself

Ready to unravel the mysteries of magnesium? On this episode of "Adulting with Autism", host, April Ratchford, occupational therapist and mom on the autism spectrum, sits down with Natalie Jurado, expert on magnesium and founder of the therapeutic magnesium-infused moisturizer line, "Rooted". Learn about common symptoms of magnesium deficiency such as sleep problems, anxiety, muscle cramps, and chronic headaches and discover valuable tips and solutions for addressing these symptoms.

Don't just learn about magnesium, understand how to supplement it effectively through your diet or your skin. April and Natalie's intriguing conversation about the crucial role of magnesium in our bodies is not just educational, but offers solutions for anyone struggling with stress, anxiety, or sleep issues. Especially significant for health professionals, educators, and parents seeking alternative solutions for promoting healthier lifestyles.

In addition, they delve into the medical world's oversight on the importance of magnesium tests and how normal results can misleadingly point to an absence of deficiency. Furthermore, they highlight the critical link between magnesium and the proper utilization of vitamin D and calcium in our bodies, offering a fresh perspective on many prevalent health issues.

The episode wraps up with a look at lifestyle changes and home remedies to help balance your body's magnesium level and discusses the relationship between various forms of magnesium supplements and their absorption rates. Finally, future resources for maintaining your body's magnesium levels for better health are offered. Tune in to this enlightening episode to start this empowering journey towards better health and life.

www.berootedin.com

In this illuminating episode of Adulting with Autism, host April Ratchford engages in a profound conversation with renowned clinical expert, Dr. Michelle Maitenberg. The focus of their discussion is the underexplored concept of emotional avoidance, especially its connection with individuals on the autism spectrum. The duo draws upon real-life scenarios exhibiting emotional avoidance, offering practical advice for handling such situations effectively.

Dr. Maitenberg, known for her comprehensive knowledge in cognitive therapy and other therapeutic methods, helps demystify the complex nature of emotional avoidance. They emphasize the potential for intentional management of this aspect leading to an improved quality of life. This engaging conversation also delves into the distracting role of technology in perpetuating emotional avoidance.

The aim of this dialogue is to empower listeners to recognize emotional triggers and acquire strategies for better emotional management. The episode wraps up with an elaborative conversation on the concept of mindfulness, its wide-ranging definition, and how it serves as a tool to counter emotional avoidance.

Join April and Dr. Maidenberg on this emotionally rich and informative exploration designed to aid individuals and families involved with autism in leading a more fulfilling life. Don't miss this enlightening exchange in the realm of Autism, only on "Adulting with Autism."

Beyond autism, the episode offers a comprehensive understanding of mindfulness, anxiety and mental wellbeing. Listeners get to understand the neurological response to intense emotions and are presented with actionable techniques to manage stress and anxiety.

The podcast also provides guidance on setting realistic mindfulness goals and the necessary patience and commitment required for mental wellness journey. Techniques to overcome self-defeating thoughts and promote self-acceptance, self-compassion, and self-empowerment are also discussed in detail.

This episode urges listeners to approach life mindfully, fostering positive change through positive thinking, and persisting on the journey to mental wellness. Get ready to dive deep into the intricacies of emotional avoidance, mental wellness and mindfulness from experts in the field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq2ytRXX-J8

Ace Your Life-https://amzn.to/3Johims

Free Your Child from Overeating-https://amzn.to/3Johims

53 Mind-Body Strategies For Lifelong Health

www.michellemaidenberg.com

Hey there, friend! 🌟 Ever feel stuck in cycles of rumination, avoidance, or emotional shutdown—and wonder why you can’t just “snap out of it”? In this powerful episode of Adulting with Autism, we sit down with Dr. Foojan Zeine—renowned psychotherapist, international speaker, and the creator of Awareness Integration Theory (AIT) and the Foojan App.

Whether you’re autistic, neurodivergent, or simply navigating your own healing, Dr. Foojan offers science-backed insights into how trauma, negative self-talk, and masking affect our minds—and what we can do to reclaim peace and clarity.

🧠 In this episode, we explore:

• Why rumination and addiction are common coping mechanisms for autistic adults

• The real reason masking drains your mental health

• How AIT reduces anxiety and depression by up to 70%

• What happens when you turn your phone into your emotional regulation coach

• The power of journaling, reflection, and reframing—especially for neurodivergent brains

Dr. Foojan breaks down complex psychology into tools anyone can apply, making this episode a must-listen for therapists, caregivers, and anyone seeking emotional clarity and lasting transformation.

📲 Try the Foojan App: Available now on Apple App Store and Google Play 🧠 Includes 31 life modules, from trauma recovery to self-esteem 📘 FTC Affiliate Disclaimer: We may earn a small commission if you download using the links above—at no cost to you. Your support helps amplify neurodivergent voices!

📚 Learn more at www.foojan.com 🎧 Listen to Inner Voice: A Heartfelt Chat with Dr. Foojan 💼 Book her for trainings, workshops, or therapy consultation

☕ Love this podcast? Support via Buy Me a Coffee 🎁 Join our Discord—1,000th member wins a $100 Visa gift card + exclusive merch 🎧 Stream on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Podbean

💬 COMMENT: What emotion are you ready to finally process and let go of? 🔔 FOLLOW for more episodes blending real-life neurodivergence with radical healing tools

#DrFoojanZeine #AwarenessIntegrationTheory #TraumaRecovery #AutismAndMentalHealth #EmotionalRegulationApp #NeurodivergentHealing #SelfDiscoveryTools #SponsorFriendlyPodcast #AdultingWithAutism #MentalHealthTech #PodMatch

Welcome to a powerful and transformative episode of the 'Adulting with Autism' podcast hosted by April Ratchford. In this enlightening episode, April, an empathetic therapist, mother, and autism advocate, brings us into the intimate world of adults with autism, sharing their daily life struggles and victories. The episode's central theme is the pervasive issue of "people-pleasing," a common trap for parents, caregivers, and individuals alike.

We welcome special guest Kara Regas, a certified life coach, specializing in breaking the people-pleasing cycle. Delving deep into the complexities of this syndrome, Kara offers practical steps toward setting healthy boundaries and prioritizing self-care. She illuminates how people-pleasing often roots in childhood issues and impacts all aspects of our lives. Recognizing and understanding this tendency is the first step toward healing and positive change.

April and Kara engage in a stimulating conversation about the importance of self-awareness, boundary setting, and assertive communication. They highlight the crucial differences between therapy and coaching and how a coach helps individuals apply learned therapeutic strategies in real-life scenarios with effectiveness.

Further in the discussion, the episode explores the intricate connection between emotions, hormones, and the nervous system and their profound influence on our overall state of mind. Learn about the importance of a flexible nervous system, and how transitioning from sympathetic states to parasympathetic states can aid mental wellness.

The episode concludes with Kara sharing her experiences as a people-pleasing coach, her passion for her craft, and her clients' inspiring success stories. This episode brings to the forefront the prevalent issue of 'people-pleasing,' providing practical insights and strategies to overcome it. Listen now to embark on a journey of self-discovery, self-care, and personal empowerment.

www.kararegas.com

Welcome to ‘Adulting with Autism', the podcast that provides a unique neurodiverse perspective on life's challenges. This episode features a fascinating conversation between host, April Ratchford, and guest, Erin Rodgers, a renowned storyteller, writer, and workshop facilitator committed to helping people capture their stories.

Erin shares her personal experiences with autism and how she uses her insights to assist others in expressing themselves. With extensive experience working with notable organizations like UNIFOR, Ontario Federation of Labor, and Engineers Canada, Erin highlights how mastering self-expression can significantly enhance our ability to connect with others. Her work in the Pathfinders Collective also showcases her talent and passion for storytelling.

Covering the advantages of journaling and embracing individuality and interests, she motivates listeners to become the main characters of their stories. Moreover, she emphasizes the learning potential that lies within our mistakes, giving listeners the courage to step out of their comfort zones and take on new challenges.

This invigorating episode serves as an excellent avenue for those seeking to establish their tribe, preparing for college life, or eager for tips on dealing with the unpredictability of life. Stay tuned for engaging anecdotes and practical wisdom, as Erin provides a unique perspective on coping with obstacles, using daily affirmations, and confronting shame and ridicule—all while living a life that celebrates their uniqueness.

Settle in for an exceptional conversation with Erin Rogers, as she candidly shares her journey of discovery, mental health challenges, and the transformative power of storytelling. Don't miss this enriching blend of humor, valuable insights, and essential wisdom to aid neurodiverse listeners to confidently traverse the landscape of adult life.

If you wish to delve deeper into Erin Rogers' work, tune in to 'Adulting with Autism,' or find her at 'story star coaching' and '@AaronRodgersStoryPro' on Instagram. This episode is sure to inspire all adults with autism and neurodiverse individuals around the world to embrace their narrative and celebrate their unique journey.

In this remarkable episode of 'Adulting with Autism,' meet our inspiring guest, Kristof Morrow, a well-acclaimed author and late-diagnosed Tourette's warrior. Listen to his fascinating journey filled with resilience, determination, and strength that propelled him to an impressive writing career with his books distributed across about 50 countries worldwide.

This episode delves into the mechanics of  Kristof's writing process, his unique relationship with words, and strategies to tackle writers' block. He also discusses his best-selling fantasy-literature series 'The Second Sun' and reveals the interesting genesis of his novel's protagonist.

We explore how being on the autism spectrum and experiencing childhood trauma has enriched Kristof's narratives, helping him frame complex characters and craft profound stories. Despite the hardships and misunderstandings faced, Kristof firmly believes in the power of creativity and encourages listeners to persistently chase their dreams.

This episode is an intimate peep into the mind of a writer who passionately weaves intricate themes into his works and introduces a dialogue of Spanglish in his upcoming science fiction project. Hear how his current series affects him psychologically and get a glimpse of the upcoming third volume.

Feel the author's evident love and passion for writing; it's like hanging out with his favorite people! End this heartfelt episode with an important reminder to cherish reparations and uphold democracy. Tune into step into the intriguing world of a writer brimming with depth, humor and adventure!

Welcome to this exciting episode of our podcast, "Adulting with Autism: A Revolutionary Approach to Curing Anxiety". In this in-depth conversation, our host and veteran occupational therapist, April Ratchford, engages with special guest, Daniel Packard. Daniel, a mechanical engineer from UC Berkeley, shares his personal struggle with anxiety and the groundbreaking solution he developed from his 8-year research.

In this episode, Daniel talks about his decade-long battle with anxiety, investing a whopping $100,000 in various therapies that only provided him temporary relief. Sharing his own success story, Packard claims a staggering 90% success rate for his revolutionary approach, putting forward essential insights for anyone dealing with anxiety disorders or emotional pain.

Daniel illustrates the importance of treating emotional wounds rather than merely managing them, narrating his transformative journey towards emotional healing. He also reveals the truth about the prevalent mode of treatment in the industry and how his approach is set to alter it.

Through Packard's unique system, he aims to bring peace, happiness, and total liberation from fear, anxiety, or trauma to those in need. A clear example of reliability and efficiency, his unique pay-after-results model provides tangible results, eliminating any risks for those seeking help and offering an affordable, simple, and highly effective solution to mental health issues.

Tune in to this inspiring episode to learn from Daniel's determination to provide a better alternative for treating emotional pain, his dedication towards his clients’ success, and a system that leaves no room for confusion, guesswork, or failure. Discover the life-changing method that could be the solution you or a loved one needs to finally be free from anxiety.

As a mother, watching my son Z grapple with the seductive pull of digital addiction opened my eyes to the unique challenges faced by individuals with autism. It's a journey filled with intense battles and hard-won victories, and I'm here to share our story, hoping it resonates with yours. On our latest podcast episode, we wade through the entangled web of video games and social media addiction, shedding light on how the quest for digital dopamine hits can overshadow real-life achievements. We discuss the brain's role in fostering these compulsions and how self-regulation becomes a Herculean task. It's not just a narrative; it's an exploration of the changes that occur within, and a testament to the fact that stepping back from the screen can lead to profound personal growth. Yet, this episode isn't just about the struggles; it's a treasure trove of actionable advice for thriving as an adult with autism. From the importance of embracing new hobbies to the power of positive affirmations in conquering negative thought patterns, we chart a course towards a balanced and fulfilling life. I share strategies that have proven effective, such as crafting a schedule that respects both work and play, setting boundaries to prevent burnout, and celebrating every small win on the road to independence. Join us for a heartfelt conversation that not only highlights the hurdles but equips you with the tools to leap over them with confidence.

@adulting_autism adultingwithautism.podcast@outlook.com

Struggling to kiss insomnia goodbye and sail smoothly into dreamland? You're not alone, and we've got the ultimate bedtime companion in our latest podcast episode. Helen Sernett, the brain behind the 'Sleep List' podcast, joins us to share her personal voyage from sleepless nights to becoming a beacon for those in search of rest. We get up close and personal with the non-drug strategies that soothe the bedtime blues, especially crucial for our listeners on the autism spectrum. From crafting a serene nightly ritual to tweaking your phone settings for minimal disruption, Helen's tips might just be the missing puzzle piece in your sleep saga. Imagine a world where your dinner plate becomes a secret sleep agent, and a non-jarring alarm clock is your morning savior – we're not just dreaming, it's real talk in this episode. As we lay out the buffet of choices that can make or break your sleep health, you'll find practical advice to tweak your lifestyle for the better. I'll share my toolkit that ranges from a consistent bedtime routine to finding the right wake-up methods, all to help you rise and truly shine. It's time to ditch the nightcap myths and late-night snack traps, and instead, pick up habits that serenade you straight to the Land of Nod. As the night grows quiet and we draw the curtains on another show, we reflect on the profound dance between sleep and mental health. It's a heart-to-heart on the importance of our brain's night shift, tidying up the thoughts of the day for mental clarity and resilience. I even open up about my own tangle with sleeplessness during menopause, and how powering down electronics could be your ticket to the rest you deserve. So as you fluff your pillows and cue your sleep playlist, remember that every step towards conquering the night is a victory in the wild adventure of adulting with autism. Join us on this journey; we're all in this dream together.  Listed below is Helen's podcast for more juicy tips and her website with a free sleep quiz! Check them out! https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleep-lists www.sleeplists.com

@adulting_autism adultingwithautism.podcast@outlook.com

When my son Z transformed from someone who avoided loud crowds to a rock concert enthusiast, I realized the magic of embracing one's own journey towards independence and living a life that's authentically yours. That's what we're discussing on today's Adulting with Autism podcast—finding your life's purpose amid the beautiful chaos that defines our experiences, spectrum or not. Get ready to laugh and learn as we explore strength-based coaching, the insightful guidance of mentorship, and the stress-busting power of a good chuckle. My stories and the shared experiences of our listeners will make you feel like you're snuggled up with friends, chatting about the roller coaster of adulthood. This episode is all about cheering each other on as we navigate the zigzags of life, and I'm right here with you, sharing the wisdom nuggets I've gathered along the way. We'll get real about the challenges, celebrate the victories, and revel in the seemingly small moments that make up our grand adventures. There's no guest this time, just us and the open road of conversation, unpacking the messy, the marvelous, and the downright hilarious parts of growing up and getting it right, or sometimes delightfully wrong. So, pour your favorite drink, get comfy, and join me for an uplifting ride—you magnificent human beings!

@adulting_autism adultingwithautism.podcast@outlook.com

Overwhelmed by the ever-looming specter of procrastination? We've all been there, and I, April Ratchford, am no stranger to the battle against the clock, particularly when it’s crunch time for ACT and SAT prep. In this heartfelt episode of Adulting with Autism, we strip down the label of 'procrastinator' to reveal its true nature—a symptom rooted in anxiety—and I share how understanding our physiological responses can be the key to unlock productivity. Discover the remarkable role of the vagus nerve in stress regulation and learn actionable strategies to tackle that frozen feeling. From a simple, comforting hand over your heart to integrating the wisdom of thought leaders like Mel Robbins, we explore how initiating even the smallest steps can create a ripple effect towards achieving your goals. It's not just about getting things done; it's about managing priorities and ensuring you're on track with essential tasks, including the all-important FAFSA applications and embracing job opportunities that sharpen social skills. As we aim to balance life's demands, the conversation shifts to the essential dialogue between parents and their budding adult children. Setting clear priorities and understanding the weight of responsibilities are pivotal in the journey from dependence to independence. This episode is not just a talk; it’s a toolbox for managing time effectively, keeping life simple, and learning the invaluable lessons embedded in our missteps. We also delve into the heart of personal growth, encouraging listeners to share the insights gained and boldly face the challenges that come with adulting. Whether you're knee-deep in exam preparation or seeking to enhance your social repertoire, let's navigate this path together, one prioritized step at a time.

@adulting_autism adultingwithautism.podcast@outlook.com

Life has a way of shaking up our best-laid plans, and I, April Ratchford, am no stranger to this. After a short, unplanned hiatus, I'm back with a heartfelt apology and an episode that's near and dear to my heart—shedding light on accountability and grooming in adulthood for those on the autism spectrum. With a brand-new microphone in tow, I delve into the often-overlooked lesson of accountability that's essential for individuals like my son, Z. Through a personal story, I illuminate the struggles and triumphs of embracing responsibility, punctuality, and decision-making, emphasizing why it's crucial to foster these skills rather than depend on others. We also unravel the subtle yet significant role personal grooming plays in how the world perceives us. A simple routine of haircuts and beard trims might seem trivial, but for someone with autism, it's a powerful form of self-expression and respect. Join me in exploring these nuanced facets of adult life, and together, let's navigate the complexities of self-advocacy and presentation. Tune in every Friday to 'Adulting with Autism' on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, and Google Podcasts, and thank you for your unwavering support and patience.

@adulting_autism adultingwithautism.podcast@outlook.com

Stepping into the job market can seem like a daunting odyssey, especially for those of us on the autism spectrum. That's why this episode of Adulting with Autism is a vital guide, revealing how to navigate employment post-graduation with savvy and confidence. We delve into the power of resources like vocational rehab, the art of setting achievable job expectations, and the finesse required to handle a job market that isn't always inclusive. Zee's employment journey exemplifies the stigma and biases faced, but also the triumph of securing a role at Kroger – a testament to the resilience many of us share. Beyond the job hunt, deciding the right balance between part-time and full-time work is crucial, not only for your career but for managing government benefits too. From the dynamic environment of food service to the concentrated pace of warehouse roles, this episode unpacks the various landscapes you might find yourself in. As we wrap up, I'm thrilled to let you know that your support has catapulted us onto all major platforms, making our community stronger and more connected. Stay tuned for our next episode, where my sister joins us to demystify employment-related insurance options, ensuring you're equipped with the knowledge to make informed decisions for your future. https://www.youtube.com/@MinorityMindset/featured

@adulting_autism adultingwithautism.podcast@outlook.com

Hey there, friend! 🦋 In this powerful episode of Adulting with Autism, we’re talking all things parenting, identity, and transitioning into adulthood—with a twist.

Meet Hannah Bankier, career transition coach, mama of two, and founder of Birdie Launcher™, a movement that’s redefining what it means to be an “empty nester.” Because the truth is—the nest isn’t empty… you’re still in it.

💡 In this episode, we explore:

• Why “empty nesting” feels outdated and disempowering

• How to embrace the Birdie Launch™ phase with joy, not dread

• Tips for helping your autistic or neurodivergent young adult gain independence

• Reclaiming your own identity after full-time parenting

• The 3 stages of launching: Grief, Relief, and Joy—and why they’re all valid

Whether you’re preparing for your first launch or waving goodbye to your youngest, this conversation is full of warmth, wit, and wisdom to guide you through the next chapter.

🌐 Connect with Hannah Bankier: 📍 birdylauncher.com 🎁 Free Download: “From Empty Nest to Empowered Next” Starter Guide 📸 IG: @birdylauncher | LinkedIn: Hannah Bankier

☕ Support the show via Buy Me a Coffee 🎁 Join our Discord—1,000th member wins a $100 Visa + exclusive merch 🎧 Listen on Podbean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

💬 COMMENT: What does your version of “Birdie Launching” look like? 🔔 FOLLOW for more conversations that support neurodivergent families, empowered parenting, and midlife reinvention

#BirdieLauncher #HannahBankier #EmptyNestReimagined #ParentingNeurodivergentTeens #MidlifeReinvention #LaunchingYoungAdults #AdultingWithAutismPodcast #ParentingTransitions #SponsorFriendlyPodcast #EmpoweredMotherhood #PodMatch

Embarking on the college journey as an individual with autism presents unique challenges and opportunities—ones that we unpack with raw honesty in our latest podcast. Here, you'll uncover the real questions to ask yourself before making that leap into higher education, ensuring your choice is authentically yours and not just a product of external expectations. We dive into the nuts and bolts of financial savvy—from dissecting the disparities in tuition costs to sharing actionable strategies that keep you from drowning in student loans. I'll walk you through what it takes to conquer standardized tests with less anxiety and how your GPA can be your golden ticket or your stumbling block. And for those baffled by the labyrinth of financial aid and FAFSA, we're lighting the way to clarity. Choosing where to plant your academic roots is pivotal, and we don't shy away from the tough conversations about what that entails. Through personal stories and expert insight, we explore why the campus vibe during active sessions is a must-experience, and how community colleges, despite their perks, might fall short for those needing autism-specific support. We also confront the elephant in the room: financial management, and why some parents may need to consider wielding a power of attorney to safeguard their offspring's fiscal future. And lest we forget those for whom traditional college isn't the right fit, we shine a spotlight on the promising prospects of vocational and technical schools. This episode is your compass to navigating the complex terrain of post-secondary education as a teen with autism.

@adulting_autism adultingwithautism.podcast@outlook.com

A brief introduction into the many avenues of life after high school and that a gap year may be a benefit vs a hindrance

@adulting_autism adultingwithautism.podcast@outlook.com

Trailer to Adulting with Autism.  It will be a weekly show released on Fridays.  First full episode 1/5/2024!!!

@adulting_autism adultingwithautism.podcast@outlook.com