Matt and Erin come in hot this week after a 30-minute derailment caused by YouTube’s brand-account labyrinth. Which, of course, turns into a very on-brand deep dive into autistic executive dysfunction, bottom-up processing, and why chaotic systems wreck us more than most people realize.We cover:

• What executive functions actually are, and why autistic brains struggle when systems make no sense
• Signposting, scaffolding, and why clear structure helps reduce overwhelm
• The Google/YouTube “brand manager” disaster as a real-time case study in autistic frustration
• PDA (persistent drive for autonomy), emotional regulation, and the gremlin-with-an-air-horn analogy
• Invisible disabilities, judgment around “messiness,” and why demand avoidance is not defiance
• When executive dysfunction shows up in daily life: emails, cooking, home tasks, and shutdowns

Also: Godzilla as a non-mouse, ketchup as a sensory buffer, Lego bag numbering, microwave dinners, and Matt’s kid using “people” as the ultimate curse word.

Matt, Erin, and returning guest Hunter Hammersen (of Tiny Nonsense) are here this week — and we dive straight into the joy of doing small, “impractical” things that make the world softer. Hunter talks about the sensory comfort and connection of knitting, why autistic joy matters, and how choosing authenticity over “palatable” professionalism changed her life.
We also get real about burnout, capitalism, and the audacity of charging what your work is worth — even (and especially) as a disabled creator.

We cover:

• Knitting as stim, sensory joy, and social scaffolding for autistic folks
• The power of breaking complex tasks into approachable steps — and why that’s an autistic super-skill
• Letting go of “normal better” and embracing your own autistic brilliance
• How valuing your work helps you create from abundance instead of exhaustion
• “Autism sparkling,” or being one step weirder on purpose to find your people
• Why tiny nonsense, like knitted acorns or handmade clocks, keeps us grounded in joy

Also: garlic bread vs. white bread as a metaphor for authenticity, the politics of good zippers, and why scissors that don’t snick properly are a personal betrayal.

Matt, Erin, and guest Becca Lory Hector are here this week — talking about what it means to rebuild your life after a late autism diagnosis, why “shoulds” are poison, and how self-compassion can literally save lives. Becca shares her story of getting identified at 36, how autism gave her the information she needed to stay alive, and what she’s learned about self-defined living along the way.
We cover:

• What happens when you finally get an autism diagnosis after decades of masking and burnout
• The difference between self-esteem and self-compassion — and why the latter matters more
• How internalized ableism and “shoulding” ourselves lead to depression and suicidality
• Redefining success for autistic people: comfort, safety, and authentic connection
• Becca’s book Always Bring Your Sunglasses and why honoring your sensory needs isn’t optional
• Her course Self-Defined Living and how it helps late-identified Autistics rebuild life on their own terms
  

Also: Mexican Coke supremacy, wearing pants on Zoom, the myth of “high functioning,” and why a good autism eval is as refreshing as an ice-cold Coke.

Smokescale meets what appears to be a small human, until the Dragon saw through the mask.

Matt and Erin are back this week talking about mixed-neurotype relationships — what happens when one partner learns they’re autistic, and the other isn’t. They get into the messy, funny, and very real ways brains collide (and connect) when communication styles, sensory experiences, and love languages don’t quite match up.
We cover:

• The shock of realizing your partner *does* (or *doesn’t*) have an internal monologue — and what that means for communication

• How masking, burnout, and unmasking impact long-term relationships
• Power balance and privilege in neurodivergent/neurotypical pairings
• The “mismatch of salience” — why autistic love languages (like reorganizing your library) often go unseen
• Learning to ask for help, name needs, and bridge the gap *from both sides*
• Why autistic euphoria and shared enthusiasm are relationship superpowers
• The Addams Family as the original model for healthy neurodivergent romance

Also: cat pictures, hyperphantasia vs. aphantasia, moral-failing eyeballs, and why holding someone’s purse at the roller coaster absolutely counts as love.

Matt, Erin, and guest Shawn Coots (creator of the webcomic "Future Emails") are here this week — and we get into the weirdness of algorithms, the curse of self-promotion, and the joy of making art just because it feels good. From time-traveling emails to the autistic creative process, this episode dives into why making things matters even when capitalism says it doesn’t.
We cover:

• Shawn’s webcomic *Future Emails* — time travel meets autistic processing and therapy homework
• The paradox of autistic self-promotion (and why “clear invitations” help)
• PDA profiles and autonomy — when “you should” hits the nervous system wrong
• AI “art,” capitalism, and the myth that nobody likes making music
• The difference between art as process vs. product
• Crows, Peacemaker, and the eternal vengeance of birds (yes, really)
• Sunburns, medieval plague masks, and SPF for sensory-sensitive folks

Also: nerdy tangents about Lego riverboats, opera rehearsal flow states, and why Matt might one day become a bobblehead.

Matt, Erin, and guest Dr. Stacey Greeter (psychiatrist and fellow autistic human) get real about the chaos of telling your doctor you’re autistic. From medical gaslighting to communication breakdowns, they unpack what happens when autistic patients meet a healthcare system built for everyone else.

We cover:

• When (and whether) to disclose autism to medical providers
• How medical invalidation creates trauma and avoidance
• Why pain scales and vague advice don’t work for autistic or chronically ill people
• The gender bias baked into medicine—and why we need more autistic and nonbinary clinicians
• Misinformation, disinformation, and shark boobs (yes, that’s a thing)

Also: rheumatology jokes, medical trauma bingo, and Erin’s new Autistic Clinical Insights conference for neurodiversity-affirming care.

Matt and Erin sit down with psychiatrist and fellow Autistic professional Dr. Stacy Greeter to talk about what it’s really like navigating healthcare — as both the patient and the provider. Together they unpack why medical systems feel so broken, how shame and burnout shape the doctor–patient dynamic, and what it takes to actually be heard when you’re Autistic and chronically ill.
We cover:

• The physical side of autism — fatigue, pain, and “meat body problems” doctors often overlook
• Why medical culture trains doctors to hide uncertainty and disconnect from compassion
• How to talk to healthcare providers when you know more about your body than they do
• The reality of insurance burnout, accessibility guilt, and trying to do good care in a broken system
• Tools that help, including the ASPIRE healthcare toolkit and practical communication scripts

Also: moral injury, firing bad doctors (when you can), and learning to protect your energy while still getting the care you need.

Matt, Erin, and guest Tiffany Hammond (of Fidgets and Fries and A Day With No Words) are here this week — and we dive into the Tylenol conspiracy circus, the politics of distraction, and why autistic advocacy has to push past dehumanizing narratives. We talk about balancing anger with connection, what happens when parents are left isolated in “severe autism” groups, and how telling stories with dignity changes the conversation.
We cover:

• The absurd scapegoating of Tylenol as “the cause” of autism
• How political smoke bombs distract from gutting Medicaid, Medicare, and education
• Why dehumanizing language (“low functioning,” “destroyers of lives”) harms both kids and parents
• The trap of socially “acceptable” suffering vs. authentic autistic needs
• Using stories instead of slogans to actually shift hearts, minds, and policies
• Tiffany’s book A Day With No Words and the family practices behind it

Also: fangirling, Peppa Pig echolalia, the Bachelor as cultural proof, and why “awareness” without action is just noise.

Matt and Erin dig into the everyday architecture of autistic life — routines, habits, systems, and the sacred chaos buffers that keep us from falling completely apart when the coffee runs out. We unpack why neurotypical “just make it a habit” advice fails us, how to tell the difference between Herculean and Sisyphean tasks, and why living well often means burning the rulebook (and maybe the lawn mower).

We cover:

• The fragility of “The Order” and how a missing step can nuke your whole day
• Menu vs. strict-sequence systems (and why both are valid)
• Externalizing executive function with whiteboards, magnets, and chaos-time planning
• Rejecting useless expectations (separating laundry by color, wearing socks, ironing, etc.)
• Sensory preferences as valid life-design choices
• Internalized ableism and the lie that you “should” try harder
• Settling for good enough, baby steps, and wobbling toward your goals

Also: Dino nuggies as the pinnacle of predictable joy, clover lawns for zero mowing, Peppa Pig house tours, and why Marie Kondo changed her tune after having kids.