Aspieland

I can remember being in my early twenties.  It was a tumultuous time.  Trying to keep it all straight was a real mess for me because I am on the spectrum, but at the time did not know it.  I struggled and struggled with just about every aspect of the new adult life I was trying to live. Most of you who are past that time period in your life have gone through some rough times as well, regardless whether you are on the spectrum or not.

Young adults on the spectrum are constantly bombarded with new and widely different issues and conflicts of both mind and heart.  I searched for research on this topic and found little to really help me out for this podcast, but I have found two very delightful young adults who were willing to talk to us about what it's like when you are in your early adult life and on the spectrum.  Their names are Elek and Claire.  Come and listen to their story of life with ASD and with the NT world.

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Every so often during the course of my research I find a resource or organization that really stands out.  This podcast is about one such organization.  By most business standards this would be considered a small org (organization).  But it has a heart for autistic people and for those of us on the spectrum with a fierce stability. Even though their roster of employees is small, they have gone to great lengths to provide real help for those needing it.  In fact, they have Autistics working with them and for them.  

I invite you to learn all about my 'diamond in the rough' in this podcast called (and rightfully so) "A Small Org with a BIG heart"

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Diagnosing Autism can be a very daunting process.  In some cases, especially in adults, the process can take several doctors, a multitude of tests and questions, and in some cases a fair amount of out-of-pocket expense.

So why do we bother?  For some, it is a simple need to know for certain what we already suspect.  In the case of our children or a young adult, it could mean the difference between obtaining helpful services or having services that are possible but out of reach.

This visit we talk with Dr. Allison Burke, the director of the diagnostic clinic at Akron Children's Hospital.  We'll get a glimpse of the diagnostic process and how Akron Children's is working to make the diagnosis process a more pleasant and workable experience.

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It is always a good thing when we get to meet new people.  For those of us on the spectrum, it can be especially true.  Meeting new people enhances our view of life and helps us to understand one another regardless of whether we are Neurodiverse or Neurotypical.

For Aspies however, meeting another person on the spectrum is very much needed.  Not only do you engage in community, but you see just how different we all really are.  Even if we are on the spectrum.  Our differences teach us that finding others is not only good for us, but essential.

This episode is the first in what will be an ongoing attempt to help us all meet others who are on the spectrum. We will try to bring you more of these periodically throughout the course of these podcasts...

Enjoy!

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Have you ever been somewhere and felt like a puzzle piece was missing?  Almost as though you get this feeling in your gut that tells you that you don't belong there?  For those of us on the spectrum, that feeling troubles us a lot.  Not so much about places mind you - but about living.

In this episode I talk about changing your paradigm.  Shifting from one set of thoughts to another.  Finding that place where you can settle in and get things in order.  I'm going to try to help you understand why it is important to have a starting place that is uniquely yours. 

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This is the second part of our discussion on the struggles of NT spouses and their partners.  To re-iterate,  we (my wife and I) have received many messages regarding some strong issues and struggles of Neurodiverse couples and especially those of neurotypical spouses.

Our concerns for these issues brought us to make this two-part discussion.  If you have not yet heard the first part, please pause and listen to it before beginning this one.  We set out to help concerning neurotypical spouses and the suspicion of the significant partner's being on the spectrum.  Specifically  - the struggle to communicate in order to move to understanding if the partner really is on the spectrum.

Sometimes when faced with the issues of spectrum suspicion and possible discovery, the partner blocks off any communication from the concerned NT spouse.  We (Aspies) do this for a variety of reasons and in this episode we share our insights and give you some suggestions with this very thing and we hope we can help you (both partners) sort this out.  

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We have received many messages regarding the issues and struggles of Neurodiverse couples and especially those neurotypical spouses and some issues that they face.

We (my wife and I) have been so very concerned that we immediately set out to help with exactly this issue concerning neurotypical spouses and the suspicion of the significant partner's being on the spectrum.  Specifically  - the struggle to communicate in order to move to understanding if the partner really is on the spectrum.

Sometimes when faced with the issues of spectrum suspicion and possible discovery, the partner blocks off any communication from the concerned NT spouse.  We (Aspies) do this for a variety of reasons and in this episode (and the one next visit as well) we share our insights during our struggle with this very thing and we hope we can help you (both partners) sort this out.  

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In this, the second part of the topic "Getting Things Done" we continue to look at those executive Functions we all share (NT or ASD).  How do we manage to finish projects or begin new ones? These functions handle how we organize, prioritize, recall details, keep track of how where doing and even how we use self-control in our daily lives.  Which functions are more prominent for me?  For those of us on the spectrum, EF's can be a particularly sticky business.  While most Neurotypical folks have some minor operating levels of each function, those with ASD have very large and widening areas of function and deficit.

I will help you to understand EF's and help you out with some useful tips you can use to improve your executive functions.

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Ever wonder what gets you going in the morning?  How in the world do we manage to finish projects or begin new ones?  Most of these and a whole host of other things are managed by what are called "Executive Functions".  These functions handle how we organize, prioritize, recall details, keep track of how where doing and even how we use self-control in our daily lives.

For those of us on the spectrum, EF's can be a particularly sticky business.  While most Neurotypical folks have some minor operating levels of each function, those with ASD have very large and widening areas of function and deficit.

In this two-part podcast I will go over executive functions and what they are, how they work and how you can train yourself to make deficiencies into efficiencies.

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We continue our visit with Carrie Donnell about the needs of children on the autism spectrum  when it comes to being treated in a hospital  emergency room, an emergency clinic, or even in the doctors office.  Training in the understanding of stims, sensitivities and meltdowns is critical to quality care by the medical community.  

In this episode, we learn about ways to advocate for your child when in a medical community that perhaps does not fully understand the autistic support needed while in their care.  We also look into ways to help our autistic children to advocate for themselves as they grow into their teens .  The realization of the need is expanding, because there are so many children that have so many things to be advocated for.

Perhaps this episode can help you understand not only how to advocate for your son or daughter, but for all who are on the spectrum as well.

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