Perspectives on Neurodiversity

How can parents support their disabled children into adulthood? Will our children find meaningful places in society? Sadly, workplaces don't always accommodate differences.

Mark Lyons and his wife are former teachers. With their son Samuel, they operate SammySocksEtc, an online store offering cozy socks, coffees, and teas. Like many disabled adults, Samuel struggled with traditional employment. The Lyons sought to provide Samuel with a safe and supportive work environment.

SammySocksEtc is online at:

• https://www.sammysocksetc.com
• https://sammysocksetc.com
• https://www.facebook.com/SammySocksEtc
• https://twitter.com/SammySocksEtc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXzwTs8IU9o

The Autistic Me

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Podcast 0108; Season 7, Episode 1; 15 August 2023

It's back-to-school season again, which also marks a new season of this podcast. Unfortunately, the new school year might be the busiest our family has experienced. I anticipate challenges producing new podcast episodes on a regular schedule.

What little free time we will have might be on weekends, and I don't wish to give up family weekends for anything else.

My impulse, whether from autism, ADHD, or something else, is to be productive. Yet, I constantly feel anxious because my to-do list grows faster than I complete the tasks. If I tell myself a podcast "must" be produced weekly, I feel horrible when that goal isn't met. Therefore, I am aiming for monthly episodes of Perspective on Neurodiversity. I believe that a single episode per month is what I can reasonably produce in the time available.

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/neurodiversity

https://autisticme.libsyn.com/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Dr. Bibi Pirayesh is an educational therapist and learning rights advocate based in Los Angeles, CA. She has spent the last 15 years working with hundreds of children, parents, teachers, and schools to enhance the lives of children with learning disabilities. She regularly speaks on neurodiversity, educational therapy, and learning disability as a social justice issue on podcasts and stages and as a university lecturer.

As a first-generation immigrant and English language learner, she draws on a unique multicultural perspective, years of specialized education on these topics, and over a decade of community experience and advocacy. Helping parents, students, and teachers recognize the power they hold is shifting our systems toward equity and inclusion is her passion. Outside of work, she is an avid traveler and dog mom to "Booboo," everyone's favorite therapy dog.

• https://www.oneofonekids.org/about/
• https://www.oneofonekids.org/community/

In 2020, in response the school shutdowns and the isolation and mental health crisis of the pandemic, Dr. Pirayesh launched the Difference is Not Deficit Project. This project aims to build community through the power of sharing stories

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Elizabeth Bennett, Life Coach for Families

With over 35 years of teaching, administration, and coaching experience, Elizabeth offers a unique blend of leadership, vision, and vast knowledge background. She is a retired award-winning school principal with a relentless passion for empowering people to take on their lives with joy and love. Elizabeth is dedicated to sharing her desire to create positive and connected relationships, focusing on community and business leaders, educators, and especially parents. (and yes, I even work with teens to help them see alternative perspectives.)

https://www.courageousnetwork.com/

Book: Courageous Conversations: A Guide for Parents to Understand and Connect with Their Teen, by Elizabeth Bennett

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

From Marinda K Dennis:

I wanted to share my story in hopes of helping others who are struggling with grief right now, especially those on the spectrum. My 15-year-old daughter took her life this past year. She was bright, vibrant, and full of life.

Her 12-year-old brother, Andrew, is autistic. It has been quite the journey attempting to navigate my own grief while helping him through his. She was his world. He was her little shadow who followed her everywhere and wanted to be just like her in everything he did. He is now lost without her.

I want to share what I have learned, what we have been through, and what has led us on this journey of trying to help others heal from pain.

Andrew was in a fatal car accident with his father five years ago, and Andrew sustained multiple life-threatening injuries. We had to ensure that he was stabilized before we could even tell him that his father did not make it. It has been a long and hard journey for him through the years, and yet he's thriving right now despite it all.

Links and books:

Website: www.energy-threads.com Grief Anthology: https://a.co/d/32mFIW5 Suicide Book Recommendation: Aftermath https://a.co/d/cvQq7eF

Marinda K Dennis

Energy Threads LLC, Owner, Author, and Editor

MA, MFA, Adjunct Professor of English, DA Student of English Pedagogy, MA Student of Publishing

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

SURJ BIO:

For as much as he's known for creating soundtracks to people's daily lives, SURJ asserts himself as a storyteller, first and foremost. His songs engage audiences everywhere by converting the magic around him into anthems we can all sing. After introducing himself with his debut album All Things True, he landed a global smash with band Space Between Us in the form of "Filter" & "Paris In Spring" SURJ is kicking off 2023 with a new chapter of music that celebrates the importance of living in the now and untangling the complexities of life. Hear his most personal story yet on his second full-length solo album, The Light Between the Oceans.

The Light Between the Oceans is an anthem of hope for uncertain times. So many of us are walking around with more than we can carry on. Being our adult selves can be so different from what we thought our adult selves would be like. Realizing growing up is not what we thought it was, life is not going to look the way we think it is, and even when it does, it doesn't make us happy. Realizing the ultimate light in our lives, it is crucial to avoid just running through the motions. "This snapshot, I pray, gives you a reservoir of hope based on a foundation full of light," says SURJ.

SURJ Links:

• https://www.instagram.com/surjsh_/
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEe_QBvfhknpr2BFtFiSHBA
• LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/spacebetweenus
• Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/surj/1532983812
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5zO88ESqebxRGgFBwcmeyD?si=wOqLa_jcQjyr0DrETH8AOA

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Josh Stehle is an autism author, speaker, advocate, and leader from Philadelphia, PA. His debut book, I am a Superhero Expert, explores autism awareness from his perspective as the brother of Zach Stehle, an autistic young adult.

Book: I am a Superhero Expert

• Tiktok: @thestehle.bros
• Instagram: @thestehle.bros
• Personal Instagram: @joshstehle
• Facebook: The Stehle Bros Autism Awareness
• Website: https://www.josh-stehle.com

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Allen Wolf describes The Sound of Violet:

The Sound of Violet is about a man who believes he found his perfect soulmate, but his autism keeps him from realizing she's actually a prostitute. The novel allows readers to experience a love story between two people who are unlikely to fall in love. The main character is autistic, and I mainly wrote the novel from his perspective. He's very trusting, so when he meets Violet, he believes she's an actress when she's actually a prostitute. I wanted the reader to experience the rollercoaster of the relationship mainly through his eyes with glimpses into Violet's world.

From Allen's website:

Allen is an award-winning filmmaker, novelist, and game creator based in Los Angeles. He is also the host of the Navigating Hollywood podcast. His debut novel The Sound of Violet was described as "Entertaining, well-paced, and highly visual," by Kirkus Reviews. Allen wrote, directed, and produced The Sound of Violet, the movie adaption of his novel that will be released in 2022. The screenplay won numerous awards and the film will bring awareness to human trafficking and autism. His previous film, In My Sleep, won multiple festival awards. Allen has also created five board games that won 39 awards.

Allen Wolf Online:

• The Sound of Violet: https://www.thesoundofviolet.com
• Website: https://allenwolf.com
• Navigating Hollywood Podcast: https://allenwolf.com/podcast/

The Sound of Violet information:

• Book / Movie Website: TheSoundofViolet.com
• Twitter: @soundofvmovie
• Facebook: @soundofvmovie
• Instagram: @soundofvmovie
• Media Room: AllenWolf.com/Media-Room

Allen's Previous Podcast Appearance:

• https://www.tameri.com/wordpress/autisticme/2021/11/16/podcast-episode-077-allen-wolf-and-the-sound-of-violet/

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/ https://autisticme.libsyn.com/neurodiversity
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Laura Hernandez is the CEO and founder of Mama Systems, a coaching business that helps moms create peace in their homes through systems. So many of us are simply reacting to life and surviving motherhood that we are missing out on the people we love and the things we want to be doing.

In this episode, Laura discusses Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), and other forms of neurodiversity.

Laura's family story of fostering, adopting, and special needs has shaped not only her life but has also brought about this company that has coached hundreds of moms to peace in their homes.

https://www.mamasystems.net/

https://www.mamasystems.net/creating-chores

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Recording Number 100! Of course, it's about education because that's what dominates my life. Specifically, this is a reflection on reaching the end of our homeschooling experience.

Children who have been in the foster care system and through the adoption process don't have the same sense of security other children often have. If we had raised the girls from birth, without the years of legal uncertainty, they'd know we're always here to support them. They'd be less risk-averse. They'd trust us to love them no matter what.

When your formative years were spent caring for yourselves emotionally and feeling like the adults might abandon you, school presents a lot of emotional challenges. Education practices themselves can be traumatic.

The Autistic Me

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme