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.  

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we speak to Allie Mason – author, advocate and adventurer! Allie has written a book, “The Autistic Guide to Adventure”. Her book is designed to support autistic folk of all ages to take part in new activities and find fun and adventure at their own pace. 

Find out more about Allie’s work here: https://alliewrote.com/ 

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we chat with Nessa Hill from Neurodiversity Ireland. We talk about the importance of practical autism-affirming supports and the positive impact that a neurodiversity-informed approach can have for everyone. Nessa chats about how seeing neurodiversity as a social justice movement informs her work. 

Find out more about Neurodiversity Ireland: https://neurodiversityireland.com/

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we speak to Joan McDonald, autism advocate, consultant, specialist teacher and trainer. Joan has a wealth of knowledge on many topics, but for this episode we’re chatting about Monotropism. Joan shares a practical perspective informed by research and lived experience. She explains exactly what Monotropism is and how we can support monotropic thinking.  

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