Today, I'm speaking with Helena, a retail worker and soon-to-be college student and fiction author. Helena came to Canada as a child, but wasn't assessed for autism or schizophrenia until her 20s. She talks about who the biggest bullies were in school and shares some activities that have helped her.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Check out Helena's Instagram.

Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.

All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to [email protected] through WeTransfer.

Buy me a coffee!

Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!

The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.

Are my traits or symptoms related to autism? Or are they caused by trauma? This is one of the top questions asked by individuals going through the process of identifying their neurodivergent identity in adulthood.

Join me as we explore how autistic and trauma traits intertwine and differ, with a focus on familial mental health challenges and their impacts.

Get clarity on trauma, autism, and PTSD with insights from researchers and therapists working in the field. Gain a deeper understanding of attachment disorders like reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) in children.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:

"Autism and Attachment Disorders — How Do We Tell the Difference?" by Claire Davidson et al.

"Parental Psychiatric Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders" by Elina Jokiranta et al.

"The Long-Term Impact of Parental Mental Health on Children’s Distress Trajectories in Adulthood" by Christina Kamis

"Exploring Potential Sources of Childhood Trauma: A Qualitative Study With Autistic Adults and Caregivers" by Connor M. Kerns et al.

"Autism and Reactive Attachment/Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorders: Co-occurrence and Differentiation" by Susan Dickerson Mayes et al.

"Genetic Overlap Among Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Neuropsychiatric Disorders" by Yoshiro Morimoto et al.

"PTSD and Autism" by Megan Anna Neff

"Family History of Mental and Neurological Disorders and Risk of Autism" by Sherlly Xie et al.

Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.

All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to [email protected] through WeTransfer.

Buy me a coffee!

Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!

The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.

By popular demand, I've released the first reading episode for Patreon paid members. Here is a sneak peak! We're reading Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and this is part 1, chapter 1: A Shifting Reef. To listen to upcoming reading episodes, you'll need to be a paid member of The Other Autism's Patreon.

Many listeners (especially those coping with autistic burnout) have written to me over the past couple of years asking for reading, meditation, or audio relaxation episodes. I've decided to do just that, but for Patreon members only. If you aren't a member yet, head over to https://www.patreon.com/TheOtherAutism where all reading episodes will be published!

Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.

All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to [email protected] through WeTransfer.

Buy me a coffee!

Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!

The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.

Here's a deep dive into the controversial topic of trigger warnings. I explore the ongoing debate surrounding the effectiveness and potential dangers of trigger warnings, particularly for those who have experienced complex trauma. I highlight the latest research on trigger warnings, their impact on emotional responses, learning outcomes, and more.

Don't miss this episode where I challenge the common usage of trigger warnings and explore trigger warnings' influence on those they're supposed to protect most.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:

"Trigger Warning Efficacy: The Impact of Warnings on Affect, Attitudes, and Learning" by Guy Boysen et al.

"A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Trigger Warnings, Content Warnings, and Content Notes" by Victoria Bridgland et al.

"I Was Wrong About Trigger Warnings" by Jill Filipovic

"Helping or Harming? The Effect of Trigger Warnings on Individuals With Trauma Histories" by Payton Jones et al.

"What Does It Mean to Be Triggered?" By Zawn Villines 

Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.

All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to [email protected] through WeTransfer.

Buy me a coffee!

Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!

The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.

Today, I'm speaking with Zoe Alexandra Glass, a Jiu Jitsu instructor and artist based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Zoe went from listening to The Other Autism while working in a warehouse to being a guest on the show almost a year after her own diagnosis. She shares the story of receiving her autism diagnosis after nearly losing her home and having considerable mental health challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zoe also discusses her stance on going undiagnosed for nearly four decades, the types of pragmatic successes she's experiencing in occupational therapy, and the disability assistance and tax credits that are available to autistic folks (with a focus on those in British Columbia and Canada).

Together, we talk about the overlap of autism and eating disorders, the problems with traditional sitting meditation for some autistics, and much more!

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Check out Zoe's TikTok, Substack, and YouTube channel.

And links mentioned in this episode:

Disability Assistance (for British Columbians)

Disability Tax Credit (DTC) (for Canadians)

Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) (for Canadians)

Episode outro music: "Unravel (instrumental)" by Zorro, Ooyy

Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.

All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to [email protected] through WeTransfer.

Buy me a coffee!

Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!

The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.

What aspects of the brain differ between autistic people and non-autistic people? Do these brain differences lead to things like synesthesia in autistic people? Synesthesia is when your senses or perceptions overlap, like when you think of a number and see waves of red or some other colour. Or when you can feel in your own body the sensations and physical pain of another, just by looking at them!

In this episode, I also talk about ableist perspectives in autism research, secondary autism, neurons, glial cells, early brain development, mirror-touch synesthesia as the basis of deep empathy, and much more!

Watch this episode on YouTube.

If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:

"What Is Synaptic Pruning?" by Jacquelyn Cafasso

"Astroglia in Autism Spectrum Disorder" by Kinga Gzielo and Agnieszka Nikiforuk

"Regional Differences in Synaptogenesis in Human Cerebral Cortex" by Peter Huttenlocher and Arun Dabholkar

"Microglia in the Pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders" by Ryuta Koyama and Yuji Ikegaya

"Astrocytes and Microglia and Their Potential Link With Autism Spectrum Disorders" by Francesco Petrelli et al.

"Balancing Excitation and Inhibition in the Autistic Brain" by Charlotte Pretzsch and Dorothea Floris

"Synaptic Growth, Synesthesia and Savant Abilities" by Martin Silvertant

"Neuroinflammation, Mast Cells, and Glia: Dangerous Liaisons" by Stephen D. Skaper et al.

"Lack of Neuron 'Pruning' May Be Behind Many Brain-Related Conditions" by Clare Wilson

"Microglia and Astrocytes Underlie Neuroinflammation and Synaptic Susceptibility in Autism Spectrum Disorder" by Yue Xiong et al.

Episode outro music: "It's Too Much" by Kristen Hovet 

Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.

All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to [email protected] through WeTransfer.

Buy me a coffee!

Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!

The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.

Today, I'm speaking with Trissa, an autistic parent with ADHD based in Washington State. Trissa talks about ways to regulate yourself as a neurodivergent parent and also give your neurodivergent children ways to self-regulate.

Trissa's helpful tips and suggestions are particularly useful for autistic, ADHDer, and otherwise neurodivergent parents of children who are both experiencing sensory and cognitive overload.

Find out some of the best strategies for neurodivergent parents and kids who are dealing with the ongoing possibility of burnout and meltdown at the same time.

"She would melt down and then it would send me into a meltdown, and because I wasn't thinking about how to regulate myself and what I needed to remain calm, we would cycle together frequently." —Trissa

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Check out Trissa's TikTok

And the Embrace Autism website mentioned in this episode

Episode outro music: "Wild Ride" by oomiee

Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.

All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to [email protected] through WeTransfer.

Buy me a coffee!

Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!

The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.

Autistic burnout is very different from the work-related burnout that non-autistics experience. In this episode, I cover the official definition of autistic burnout, how autistic burnout differs from non-autistic burnout, the latest research on this topic, how burnout relates to shutdown and social hangover, and more. I also discuss my own experiences with burnout and some strategies for avoiding it.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:

"Risk Markers for Suicidality in Autistic Adults" by Sarah Cassidy et al.

"Autistic Burnout Explained" by Sarah Deweerdt

"Defining Autistic Burnout Through Experts by Lived Experience: Grounded Delphi Method Investigating Autistic Burnout" by Julianne M. Higgins et al.

"'Having All of Your Internal Resources Exhausted Beyond Measure and Being Left With No Clean-Up Crew': Defining Autistic Burnout" by Dora M. Raymaker et al.

Episode outro music: "This Time Around" by oomiee 

Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.

All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to [email protected] through WeTransfer.

Buy me a coffee!

Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!

The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.

Dr. Kim Sage is a licensed clinical psychologist in southern California. Dr. Sage joins me to discuss her discovery that she may be autistic, the problem of autism underdiagnosis, and the close connection between autism and personality disorders (especially narcissistic personality disorder) within families.

Dr. Sage also talks about her early autistic traits, friendship challenges, autistic traits' impacts on romantic relationships, and more.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Check out Dr. Sage's website: Dr. Kim Sage

And her social media:

TikTok

YouTube

Episode outro music: "I Am Falling For You (Instrumental)" by Loving Caliber 

Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.

All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to [email protected] through WeTransfer.

Buy me a coffee!

Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!

The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.

Feeling like a fraud or a fake autistic is so common in those who are diagnosed as autistic in adulthood. In this episode, I talk about impostor syndrome and how it relates to autistic impostor syndrome. I also talk about the impact of impostor syndrome and some strategies for coping with it.

Be sure to stick around right to the end. Toby is super chatty. And so is Google... It gets weird.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:

"Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: A Systematic Review" by Dena M. Bravata et al.

The Impostor Phenomenon: Overcoming the Fear That Haunts Your Success by Pauline Rose Clance

"Introducing Autistic Impostor Syndrome" by Natalie Engelbrecht

"Feel Like a Fraud?" by Kirsten Weir

Episode outro music: "Spaceman in K-Town" by Kristen Hovet 

Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.

All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to [email protected] through WeTransfer.

Buy me a coffee!

Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!

The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.