Two Sides of the Spectrum – Details, episodes & analysis

This episode dives deep into some of the more foundational questions around being Autistic and neurodiversity, tying this into the larger systems we are embedded in. Our guest, Dr. Devon Price, helps us explore the concepts of masking and authenticity and how we, as professionals supporting Autistic people, can push back against these pressures. Dr. Devon Price is a social psychologist, professor, author, and proudly Autistic person. He has written 'Unmasking Autism' and 'Laziness Doesn't Exist'.

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Our practice frameworks are supposed to guide our work…but what happens when their authors of our practice framework haven’t analyzed their biases?  In this episode, we discuss how ableism is built into the practice framework of occupational therapists, and what it looks like to do something totally different. Today’s guest, Dr. Bryden Carlson-Giving, wrote the first neurodiversity-affirming practice framework for OTs – and there’s something to learn from it no matter what field you work in. We also dive into the cultural model of disability, the limitations of evidence-based practice, and so much more. Dr. Bryden Carlson-Giving is a queer, neurodivergent, and disabled occupational therapy practitioner who developed The EMPOWER Model.  

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We talk a lot about neurodiversity-affirming practice…but what does this look like for physical therapists? Should their work be guided by developmental milestones? Is it ethical to use physical prompts and assistance? How do you know when toe walking is really a problem? And how exactly should we go about finding affirming physical therapists for referrals? Join Autistic PT Iris Warchall in episode 89 to tackle this and more. 

View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast

When this episode first aired, it was just directed at OT practitioners. But it’s simply too full of insight to not share again with our broader audience. Jen Schonger is the part time operations manager at Communication FIRST and the mom to two daughters, one of whom is Autistic. In this conversation, Jen shares her insight about the important blind spots many providers have, and the concrete ways we can support parents to develop an empowering understanding of their Autistic kids.

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As professionals, we are always working towards something with our Autistic clients. But are we working on the things that will truly help them lead the lives they want to live? In this episode, Autistic researcher Dr. Monique Botha helps us dive into the nuance, meaning, and impact of this question. They also help us identify what research should guide our practice as professionals, and what research we can leave behind.

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We all know by now that feeling safe is foundational for learning, healing, and growing. But what does it look like to cultivate safety for our Autistic clients who have experienced trauma? LPCs Sharon Hammer and Lisa Hoeme help us get into the nitty-gritty of what trauma-informed care looks like in the context of neurodiversity. Get on the waitlist for their new CE course at learnplaythrive.com/trauma

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Happy New Year! We're giving away a FREE 1.5 hour continuing education course by Autistic psychologist Matt Lowry to every professional who wants to watch it. It's called Understanding the Autistic Neurotype: A Deep-Dive from an Autistic Psychologist. It's registered for ASHA, AOTA, NASP, and ASWB CEUs and it's available on-demand from January 10 - February 21, 2024. Fill out the form at learnplaythrive.com/summit and to grab your spot! We'll be back in two weeks with a new episode.

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In this conversation, Karina Saechao helps us understand what it looks like now for multiply marginalized kids to try and access and use AAC, and what concrete steps we can all take to try and change that. Karina gives the best advice to therapists on the ground who are collaborating with parents and teachers to improve access to communication for our clients. Karina Saechao is an SLP, researcher, scholar, and activist who's really passionate about increasing equity, access, and outcomes related to research, clinical practice, and course curriculum. She’s also a PhD student and a speaker at the upcoming Learn Play Thrive continuing education summit. Check it out at learnplaythrive.com/summit

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So many therapists are grappling with how to reconcile our feeding therapy training with what we are learning from Autistic adults. On the podcast, we’ve heard that systematic desensitization - even when it’s play-based - can feel like torture. We’ve learned that what looks like progress towards accepting new foods can actually be Autistic masking. And we’ve learned that family meals simply aren’t best for every child. In this episode, Marsha Dunn Klein, creator of the Get Permission Approach, shares with us her own journey towards aligning her work with neurodiversity-affirming practices. We dive into what this looks like for her, what she’s learned from interviewing Autistic adults, and what affirming feeding therapy can look like in your work.

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At Learn Play Thrive, we are recognizing Native American Heritage month with an episode that centers how we can support the well-being of our Native clients. In this episode, Diné and Acoma Pueblo SLP Dr. Joshua Allison-Burbank helps us dive into Native views on disability, cultural responsiveness for therapists who are supporting Autistic people on reservation or off reservation, and ways that non-Native folks can build trust and connection in their relationships with their Native clients. To keep learning from Joshuaa, join us in the 2024 Neurodiversity CE Summit at learnplaythrive.com/summit. 

View show notes and transcript at learnplaythrive.com/podcast