On the latest Middletown Podcast chat to autistic parent and advocate, Amanda McGuinness. We talk about Christmas and how Amanda and her family navigate pressure, excitement and expectations around the holiday season. We try very hard not to spoil any of the magic of Christmas in our chat, but you might want to listen to this one away from the ears of little believers. 

More about Amanda: 

Amanda McGuinness is an Autistic advocate, Autism and Visual Supports Specialist, and Founder of Little Puddins. She is also the Director of Autism Advocacy and Professional Practice at Flourish Autism Consultancy & Training, an Autistic-led organisation providing neuro-affirmative training, consultancy, and professional development across Ireland. Through Flourish, founded by Bernie Smith,  Amanda and the team deliver evidence-informed, lived-experience focused learning for families, educators, and professionals, alongside a growing range of free community resources designed to promote understanding, inclusion, and authentic support for Autistic individuals and their families.   

On the Middletown Podcast we chat to playwright, accessibility consultant and community activist, Jody O’Neill. She discusses Neuroconvergence, a new initiative that is building community and celebrating autistic creativity.   

You can find out more about Neuroconvergence here: https://www.neuroconvergence.ie/ 

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we chat to autistic teacher, lecturer and author Dr Kara Dymond. Kara is passionate about creating truly inclusive classrooms and she shares her experience and her philosophy around teaching. We also discuss Kara’s new book “Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom”. 

You can find out more about Kara’s work here 

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we chat to researcher, Dr Sinead McNally about recent DCU research focused on the experiences that young, Irish autistic people have of bullying. We talk about how the team supported young people to feel comfortable enough to share their experiences and what we can learn from them. 

You can find out more about the bullying study here. 

Find out more about the Autism-Friendly Schools Project. 

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we chat to Occupational Therapist, Sorcha Rice. Sorcha brings her expertise and lived experience to discuss PDA (Persistent Drive for Autonomy). We discuss what PDA feels like and what supports might be useful at school and at home.  

You can find out more about Sorcha and her work here

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we chat to play therapist Gráinne Warren about building authentic connections rather than “training” social skills. Gráinne brings years of practice, research and lived experience to her work, and she has created a resource focused on supporting young people to create connections that make them comfortable. 

You can find Gráinne’s resources here: https://grainnewarren.com/

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we chat to Australian authors Clem Bastow and Jo Case about “Someone Like Me”, a new anthology of autistic writing that they have edited. We talk about how the book came about and the importance of real representation.  

📚You can find out more about the book here: https://www.vervebooks.co.uk/bookpage.php?isbn=9780857309266 

Festival season may be coming to an end for this year, but in the latest episode of the podcast we’re thinking about how festivals and events can be made more comfortable for autistic people. We’re joined by event inclusion expert, Adam O’Brien, who shares lived experience and expertise to help organisers create inclusive events. 

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we chat to CJay Smith, Assistive Technology and Communication Specialist with Neurodiversity Ireland. CJay brings their expertise and lived experience to share their knowledge on the benefits of technology and myths around its use. CJay also shares lots of advice for parents and educators who want to learn more about supporting communication. 

You can find out more about CJay’s work here: https://linktr.ee/CJay_NeurodiversityIreland  

CJay is speaking at the Your Voice Matters summit on September 27th: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/your-voice-matters-tickets-1445316152519  

In the latest Middletown Podcast, Adam Harris joins us to chat about the upcoming Autism Europe Congress. Adam and Cat are both involved in organising the Congress, and they discuss why hosting the Congress in Ireland is important, what they’re most excited about and what they hope the impact of the Congress will be.