Tourette's Podcast

She freestyles her life experience. She holds rhythm. She's a self-taught musician. She owns her Tourette. She's 8 years old. Ky'lee Da Kid has so much in her command, but she lives in an area lacking on Tourette awareness, and so her coprolalia and other aspects don't get proper regard. But her mom, Sparkle, has something to say about it. She's the advocate, knows what Ky'lee has to offer, and won't negotiate less. They're both on this episode of Tourette's Podcast, which goes long on the power of creativity and letting people be their best selves.

Ky'lee Da Kid

Virtual National Advocacy Day 2021 (Get on board now!)

Jan. 20, 2021 - Just for Dads: A Discussion on Tourette Syndrome and Parenting

Tourette's Podcast is made possible by the Tourette Association of America, tourette.org. Support!

You can give Tourette's Podcast individual support at https://www.patreon.com/tourettespodcast

It hasn't been easy for Shikhar, an 18-year-old from India. New to N. America, he's been constantly bullied for his tics in school. "It's not easy for me to tell anybody that I have Tourette's," Shikhar says. To make it worse, the racism he experiences adds all the more painful weight. But he's pushing through to the clearing. He's found the Tourette community, a proclivity for music, a has a career-eyed higher education drive. It's not easy. At all. But he's doing it. Listen to how he lays it all out, with a really strong finish. To everyone listening, never doubt the power of your listening ear and role in the community.

Hichki (Indian movie about Tourette referenced in episode)

Virtual Teen Summit, Jan. 9

TAA Progress Made in 2020

Virtual National Advocacy Day 2021 (Get on board now!)

Jan. 20, 2021 - Just for Dads: A Discussion on Tourette Syndrome and Parenting

Tourette's Podcast is made possible by the Tourette Association of America, tourette.org. Support!

You can give Tourette's Podcast individual support at https://www.patreon.com/tourettespodcast

Fiscal 2020 Annual Report

Self-isolation. Social tension. Fighting sleep because we want to be productive. Being resistant to our own nature. Sounds like heavy stuff, and it is, but why is this episode such a pleasure? Our guest, a 54-year-old woman with Tourette and all the things that come with it, lays it out in such an accessible, nod-your-head way. We get into the compassion of art, the effect of mindblowing sights, and finding that oasis of contentment. And we really get somewhere.

Thanks to Christopher Mudie, new to the executive producer team (via support on Patreon.)

JEWEL . Z . on Instagram

TAA Virtual Teen Summit in January

Virtual National Advocacy Day 2021 (Get on board now!)

Jan. 20, 2021 - Just for Dads: A Discussion on Tourette Syndrome and Parenting

Tourette's Podcast is made possible by the Tourette Association of America, tourette.org. Support!

You can give Tourette's Podcast individual support at https://www.patreon.com/tourettespodcast

Hey, parents -- freaking out about your young child's future? Is his or her Tourette diagnosis all you can think about? Understandable, but give yourself a break and listen to TS parent Christina (who also happens to be a school teacher) describe what she found as her son got into his teen years and became someone she didn't have to worry about so much in that regard. But, indeed, she's been there: perceiving suffering, trying to figure it out, what to do to intervene, how to feel about it and whether anyone else out there had the same experience. This is one of those episodes of relief and comfort. Experiences vary of course. But, bottom line, there are lots of parents out there like you. Worry not.

TAA Virtual Teen Summit in January

Virtual National Advocacy Day 2021 (Get on board now!)

Jan. 20, 2021 - Just for Dads: A Discussion on Tourette Syndrome and Parenting

Clearing up the questions about strep and Tourette:

1. From the American Academy of Neurology

2. From the National Institutes of Health Tourette's Podcast is made possible by the Tourette Association of America, tourette.org. Support!

You can give Tourette's Podcast individual support at https://www.patreon.com/tourettespodcast

Disclosing Tourette for the first time in one's adult life is an experience. You ask yourself a lot of questions, maybe look over your shoulder a bit. But the revelations coming flying. Your host certainly knows. And now so does Ben Gardner, who contacted Tourette's Podcast just before he told the world for the first time that he had Tourette Syndrome. It was actually a pretty awesome unveiling. Gardner hosts his own podcast, called the TOTs Podcast, which he used to deliver the news. On this episode of Tourette's Podcast, he talks about what's happened since, how his friends and family reacted, and how rattlingly good vulnerability can be. The two Bens also reveal a giant goal they're going to pursue together, and you might be able to help.

As of this episode, Season 6 is dedicated to a masterful mom named Natalie. We share a message from her. Press play and listen.

TAA Virtual Teen Summit in January

Virtual National Advocacy Day 2021 (Get on board now!)

Ben Gardner's disclosure episode of the TOTs Podcast

Join the Tourette's Podcast Discussion Group

Tourette's Podcast is made possible by the Tourette Association of America, tourette.org. Support!

You can give Tourette's Podcast individual support at https://www.patreon.com/tourettespodcast

Considering he's going for the rare title of first professional boxing champ with Tourette Syndrome, Zack Rice has the perfect ring name: TicNTimebomb. We could pun the description of this episode as a hard-hitting interview, but it's so deep into the realities humanity that ... hard-hitting is probably appropriate, actually. Zack's a boxer, and while it's possible you're not into the sport, it's really just kind of an operative backdrop in this episode -- especially for the second half. Yeah, he answers questions about what got him into pugilism, how he trains and what it means to him, but from there it opens up wide into the philosophies of self acceptance and the personal punishment of being a people pleaser -- focusing on earning the admiration of other people due to insecurity, to the degree where you're subtracting too much from yourself. We talk about the motivation that gets him out of bed everyday with lots of good reminders for living a better life. This one just gets better as it goes. Hang out with us. You'll hear advice we haven't covered before.

Sign up for the March 3 Virtual National Advocacy Day 2021 (including March 2 kick-off with Ben)

TAA Teen Summit

Zack Rice on Twitter

On Instagram

On YouTube

Riyani Patel, 16, just came out with her second book and it's blowing up Amazon, showing up as the #1 new release in books in the category of disability for young adults. Solid. On this episode, Riyani tells us what led her to write "The 'Terrible' Bullies," what she hopes the public takes from it, and what advocacy -- a likely career value -- means to her. PLUS: Adult ADHD and reading -- your thoughts.

Ryani Patel, The "Terrible" Bullies

The Boy Battle

Danni's story is amazing. Tough upbringing, a younger brother to protect, a surprise introduction to tics, and finding a way to make total sense of the sometimes elusive thing that is identity through a kind of physical transformation. Danni is wildly smart about, and creative with, the journey through Tourette, even regarding Tourette as a distinct kind of personality -- with a name. Danni Jack on Twitter Ben with Amanda Talty as guests on the TOTS Podcast http://www.totspodcast.com/

Join the Tourette's Podcast Discussion Group

Tourette's Podcast is made possible by the Tourette Association of America, tourette.org. Support!

You can give Tourette's Podcast individual support at https://www.patreon.com/tourettespodcast.

This conversation with our guest this week, Gianna, from New York, was recorded on the night of Election Day in the U.S., meaning, yeah, it served as a much-needed break from the mud throwing. Gianna, who has a master's degree in psych and works with disabled children, was a lot of fun to talk with and we did so like a regular hangout, the kind we'd probably have if we weren't recording. We talk Tourette analogies, self-accepting, being queer but finding it harder to come out as having TS, how to find relatability, frames of reference, and how to roll it all into real advocacy work. Sounds kind of serious, but it's fun.

But, first, a deep, vulnerable word from a listener named Jackson.

Scrunchies for Tourette shoptoni.co / https://shoptoni.co/collections/scrunches/products/gianna

First thing -- a THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the 2020 Tourette Association of America Virtual Gala. Lots of great post-gala talk and Tourette's Podcast appreciates all the support before, during and since.

On this episode, we hear from MMAJunkie.com writer and martial artist Dan Tom, who brings us a long, steady conversation with lots of vulnerabilities, candidness and analogies best described as Quentin Tarantino inverting Disney. Get ready to go deep. This one's great.

Plus: Your responses to the question from last week -- when's it okay to laugh about Tourette Syndrome?

Dan Tom on Twitter

At MMAjunkie.com

Protect Ya Neck Podcast

Join the Tourette's Podcast Discussion Group

Tourette's Podcast is made possible by the Tourette Association of America, tourette.org.