On this week’s Off the Cuff with Danny LoPriore episode, Sara Harvey joins me to discuss her work as an autism and disability advocate and her autism diagnosis in her late 20s. As she shares her experiences growing up and how she views her childhood now that she has an official diagnosis, we unpack how she found freedom and pride in her identity and comfort in the scientific side of autism. 

 

“So stimming is so vital, even the ones that seem bizarre, they all have a function… And it looks weird. It looks socially bizarre, but it has a biological neuroscientific function. And when I learned that, that set me free. It stopped me from believing I’m broken.” (20:10)

 

We also explore how she moved through her son’s autism diagnosis, how it led to her diagnosis, how she and her son’s father are raising him, and why she is the best person for this job. 

 

“Now I do believe, yeah, I’m the best person for this. Not just because I’m his mum. Not just because I’ve gone through this before. But because I’m still willing to learn. I’m willing to learn new things and throw out old where it’s wrong.” (31:34)

 

Through her YouTube channel, Twitter, and other social media, Sara Harvey is working tirelessly to bring autism awareness and advocacy to the public while helping others, like her son, be heard, seen, respected, and understood. 

 

In This Episode: 

• (1:42) Sara’s autism diagnosis in her 20s 
• (5:16) Segregation in academic institutions 
• (9:19) The function of stims and how they present for different individuals
• (20:48) How neuroscience opens up our understanding of autism
• (25:37) Sara’s experience through her son’s diagnosis
• (30:33) Why Sara is the best person to raise her son 
• (34:35) Empathy is at the core of connecting with and understanding autistic children
• (48:18) The impact of social media on her work
• (54:34) Frank’s experience at school with fellow students and adults
• (1:03:05) “I had moments of happiness. Yes.” 

 

Our Guest

Sara Harvey, also known as Agony Autie to the community she’s built, is a speaker and advocate for autistic and disabled identity, health, wellbeing, culture, and pride. Through her work as a speaker and consultant and as a mother to an autistic child, she’s fostering empathy  and understanding across the globe to build a more inclusive future. 

 

Resources & Links

Off The Cuff

• https://www.offthecuff.fm/
• https://www.youtube.com/c/OffTheCuffwithDannyLoPriore
• https://www.instagram.com/1and1otc/
• https://www.instagram.com/dannylopriore/

Sara Harvey

• https://twitter.com/agonyautie
• https://www.facebook.com/TheSaraJaneHarvey/
• https://www.instagram.com/sara_jane_harvey/?hl=en
• https://www.youtube.com/c/AgonyAutie 
• https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sara-jane-harvey-602b0116a