In the latest Middletown Podcast, we speak to Charli Clement, autistic author and activist. They live with chronic pain and have written a book to support other autistic young people experiencing chronic pain.  

For more information about Charli’s book, All Tangled Up in Autism & Chronic Illness click here. To keep up to date on Charli’s work click here 

In our latest podcast, we speak to autistic psychologist and author, Maja Toudal. She has developed Energy Accounting, a system to help manage anxiety and support good mental health.  

You can find out more about Maja’s book, click here  

Maja is a keynote speaker at the upcoming Autism Europe Congress in Dublin this September. You can find out more, click here 

In the latest Middletown Podcast,  we chat with researcher Holly Sutherland about her ground-breaking work focusing on autistic communication. We discuss differences in communication between autistic and non-autistic people and practical ways for non-autistic people to make their communication more meaningful. We also discuss Holly’s experience as an autistic autism researcher. 

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we speak to Steven Murray - creative, storyteller and Engagement Officer with Aspire Ireland. We discuss his journey through education, his creative life and how he feels about autism representation.   

In this episode, we’re delighted to chat to professional athlete and Rugby Referee, Aimee Barrett-Theron. Aimee represented South Africa in the Rugby World Cup before becoming an International referee. We discuss the positives that being autistic brings to refereeing and how she shapes her sensory and communicative experience. 

To understand student needs, it’s essential that we give space for autistic students to share their experiences. On the latest podcast, Dr Finbar Horgan talks about his research, which gave space to the student voice.  

It can be difficult for parents to know how to best support their child as they explore their autistic identity. In this podcast, we chat to autistic author Niamh Garvey about her new book focused on children as they learn what being autistic means for them.  

For more information on Niamh’s book, “Being Autistic (And What That Actually Means)” visit: https://niamhgarvey.com/books-for-autistic-kids/  

For a long time, our understanding of autistic communication was based on assumptions made by non-autistic researchers. In this podcast, we chat to autistic researcher, Gemma Williams about her neurodiversity-affirming approach to communication.  

To find out more about Gemma’s book, visit: https://pavpub.com/health-and-social-care/health-autism/understanding-others-in-a-neurodiverse-world-a-radical-perspective-on-communication-and-shared-meaning?srsltid=AfmBOop9_uw9zqqjqGaWZ13uDPJvFbpM4h-iwQDJdNEip49dubFUbbCI 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to supportive learning that is growing in prominence. In our latest podcast we chat to Zarah Doyle, Training and Accreditation Manager with AsIAm. Zarah is an expert in the theory and practice of UDL. She shares her insight and we chat about her own experience as a multiply neurodivergent parent and professional.  

You can also find an interview with Zarah in our latest Research Bulletin:
https://www.middletownautism.com/research/research-bulletins

Double Empathy is a theory that many believe is central to understanding autistic experience. In this episode we chat to Dr Damian Milton, the autistic researcher and theorist who developed the theory. We discuss what Double Empathy means for other theories of autism and how it can shape practical supports.