Autism In Real Life

In this episode Elise and I talk about creating a comprehensive team to help get the best services for your child as well as lots of tip and strategies for communication, what the school is responsible for and what options families may have. This is a great addition to the Special Education Mini Course! 

Elise Wulff, MEd
Program Manager, Child Services and Aspire Works

Elise Wulff has been working with the neurodiverse population in both the public and private sectors for over 15 years. With Aspire since 2008, Elise oversees Child programming, Aspire Works, and related services where participants engage in multi-disciplinary, strengths-based learning. Elise feels strongly that there is a mutual accountability of neurodiverse individuals and their environments (schools, communities, workplaces) to create safe, inclusive spaces that enhance the potential for success for all involved.

Prior to joining Aspire, Elise worked as an Inclusion Facilitator for a therapeutic intervention program for students with Asperger’s, NVLD, ADHD, and similar profiles. In collaboration with Aspire, Elise co-wrote a multi-year tiered self-awareness curriculum based on Aspire’s model ‘The Science of Me,’ as well as curricula to address enhancing Executive Functioning skills and supporting resistant writers.

In addition to managing Child Programming and Aspire Works, Elise provides parent coaching, school-based consultation, and professional development services. She is recognized for her work supporting school districts and other community organizations to enhance their inclusion practices and foster healthy social-emotional development and self-awareness. She has specific expertise in inclusive practices, program design, social-emotional curriculum, tools to build independence, and strategies for building Executive Functioning. Elise received her undergraduate degree in psychology and theater arts from Emory University and her master’s degree in special education from Lesley University.

I had a great conversation with Daman about their experiences with gender identity, gender expression, learning about their neurodivergency and so much more.  Listen in on this very open and heartfelt discussion. 

To learn more about Daman, go to their Blog at : https://nativeofnowhere.blog 

Simon and I have a great conversation about his most recent book which has us look at the human mind, its development, how we all process information differently and how the autistic brain could be tied to the greatest developments and inventions of our time thus far. 

Simon Baron-Cohen is the Director of the Autism Research Centre and a Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry University of Cambridge and Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge. He is Director of the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge. He is author of Mindblindness, The Essential Difference, Prenatal Testosterone in Mind, and Zero Degrees of Empathy. He has edited scholarly anthologies including Understanding Other Minds. He has written books for parents and teachers including Autism and Asperger Syndrome: The Facts. He is author of Mind Reading and The Transporters, digital educational resources to help children with autism learn emotion recognition, and both nominated for BAFTA awards.

He has published over 600 peer reviewed scientific articles, which have made contributions to many aspects of autism research, to typical cognitive sex differences, and synaesthesia research. Three influential theories he formulated were the ‘mindblindness’ theory of autism (1985), the ‘prenatal sex steroid’ theory of autism (1997), and the ‘empathizing-systemizing’ theory of typical sex differences (2002).

He created the first UK clinic for adults with suspected Asperger Syndrome (1999) that has helped over 1,000 patients to have their disability recognized. He gave a keynote address to the United Nations in New York on Autism Awareness Day 2017 on the topic of Autism and Human Rights. See http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/watch/toward-autonomy-and-self-determination-world-autism-awareness-day-2017/5380816054001

He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, the British Academy, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the American Psychological Association. He is Vice-President of the National Autistic Society, and was President of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR, 2017-19). He was Chair of the NICE Guideline Development Group for Autism (Adults) and was Chair of the Psychology Section of the British Academy. He is co-editor in chief of the journal Molecular Autism and is a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator. He is the Principal Investigator of the Wellcome Trust funded award investigating the genetics of autism, in collaboration with the Sanger Centre.

He serves as Scientific Advisor, Trustee or Patron to several autism charities including the Autism Research Trust, the Cambridge Autism Centre of Excellence, and to the company Auticon, which only employs autistic people. He has taken part in many television documentaries, including the BBC’s Horizon, and Employable Me. He received a knighthood in the New Year’s Honours List 2021.

You can learn more at https://www.autismresearchcentre.com/ 

The only constant in life is change - this is a saying that a great manager I had one told me 25 years ago.  He was so right! In this episode I share some insights I have had managing the every changing (and inconsistent) world that is around all of us right now. 

Morénike and I talk about gender assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression and sexuality. If you are unsure about what all of these terms mean or want to learn more or just want to check out an open and candid  conversation, listen now!!

Morénike Giwa Onaiwu is an educator, writer, public speaker, parent, and global advocate. A proactive, resourceful professional and disabled woman of color in a multicultural, neurodiverse, serodifferent family, Morénike, who is American-born to immigrant parents, possesses undergraduate and graduate degrees in International Relations and Education. She is passionate about human rights, justice, and inclusion.

She is involved in various social justice advocacy endeavors including HIV awareness, learning via technology, research, gender, disability, and racial equity and other issues. A prolific writer, Morénike has written for and/or been featured in numerous blogs, abstracts, magazines, books, and other platforms, often drawing from her personal experiences as a late-diagnosed Autistic adult woman, a person of color, an Autistic parent of Autistic and non-Autistic children, and a survivor of intimate partner violence. She is also involved in several projects in addition to her advocacy and writing; notably, she is one of the editors (along with Lydia X.Z. Brown and E. Ashkenazy) of a groundbreaking anthology on autism and race as well as a co-coordinator of the Fund for Community Reparations for Autistic People of Color’s Interdependence, Survival, and Empowerment.

Currently balancing her roles as a faculty member at a state college and as a doctoral student in an educational leadership program, Morénike considers herself a “lifelong learner” who is constantly growing and changing, hopefully for the better! She considers her wonderful children (biological and adopted and all of whom have various disabilities) to be her greatest accomplishment.

She can be contacted by making a direct appointment at MorenikeGO.youcanbook.me and/or by emailing her at [email protected]

(^This is derived from my “real” bio. For a more casual/”fun”/informal version, visit my About page.)

Want to know what to do If things aren’t working out with your IEP? Listening to learn what the best strategies are forgetting the best IEP you can get for your child or student.

Meet Peter:

Nothing is more important than your family.  

So when your child is denied an education, you get a call from the police, or DCF comes knocking at your door, you need an intelligent, experienced, highly effective lawyer committed to protecting your rights.

Attorney Hahn is devoted to successfully representing children and families.  He is sensitive and compassionate, clear and direct, efficient and strategic.  He knows the law, knows who you are up against, and knows his way around the courtroom.

He will fight for what is right for you.

Boston University School of Law - J.D., cum laude
Harvard College - B.A., cum laude

https://peterhahnlaw.com/

Building connections with people can be difficult under any circumstances however during a pandemic it can be even more challenging. Listen in as Ali gives us some ideas on how to meet people and learn about ourselves. Perhaps these strategies can lead to those connection that can lead to deeper friendships and romantic relationships.

Meet Ali:

Hi, I’m Dr. Ali Arena and I’ve dedicated my education and career to finding the best communication patterns and behavior changes required to navigate the ever-changing social world. I am both a Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. 

I have an Autism, Trauma-Informed Care, Level 1A Social Thinking Practitioner, UCLA PEERs, and Neurodiverse Couples Counseling certifications. Additionally, I provide supervision to SLPS, SLPAS, RBTS, & BCBAS. 

Lastly, My Doctorate focus was unique to say the least as it addressed the dating intricacies of those on the Autism Spectrum which lead me to develop unique 1:1 couples counseling for neurodiverse partnerships and social skills classes for individuals with social learning differences (including Asperger’s syndrome, high functioning autism, ADD/ADHD, and those without a formal diagnosis but who struggle in the social world).

https://aliarenacommunications.com/

I saw a Spectrum News article come across my email on Gender Identity and Autism and I was very interested in finding out more.  Having worked as the Director of Adult Services at AANE, there were many people I worked with who were exploring their gender and/or their gender expression.  I also worked with many parents and families  who were looking to find resources and  understand what their child was experiencing  so they could better support them.  

I think this is such an important topic and was able to get in touch with the lead researcher for this most recent study.  Join me for this interesting and informative conversation.  

Varun Warrier is a postdoctoral researcher at the Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge. He primarily works on using genetics to understand heterogeneity in mental health conditions, including the intersection between autism and other mental health conditions.

Here are links to the study and the Spectrum News article referenced in the podcast:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32770077/

https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/gender-and-sexuality-in-autism-explained/