Occupational Therapist and DIR-Expert Maude Le Roux and homeschooling parent Daniela Bishop discuss the importance of clinical reasoning in attuning to the child by being present, staying in the moment, sitting in discomfort and uncertainty and making inferences about the child’s internal experience in order to have an essential starting point for developmental work.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/04/17/presence/Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

KW is a Licensed Professional Counselor who was identified as AuDHD in his 30s. He lives with his neurodivergent spouse and five fur-kids in Midwest-USA. He is an artist, writer, photographer, and musician. At present, he is excited to be creating his first podcast: a music deep dive show that will air on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network this summer. He shares his diagnosis journey, his passions, and the process of "unbecoming" as he unmasks.

00:13 Introductions

01:28 KW's diagnosis journey including suicidality and trauma from being misunderstood * Trigger Warning *

04:45 KW's process of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor

05:12 KW's confusion about diagnosis despite being an LPC

05:28 The therapist that suggested KW should be assessed for ADHD

06:43 Why KW became a counselor

08:32 The necessity of unpacking your own "stuff" as a counselor

09:00 How becoming a counselor was rewarding for KW

10:08 KW's reflections on providing a safe space for his clients and being your authentic self

11:37 KW's first session conversation with his clients

12:12 KW's case load of Autistic middle and high school boys before he understood Autism and instinctually following the client's lead

15:28 KW's lived experience presentation to his co-workers *Trigger Warning*

17:42 Turrell's response to KW's list of personal characteristics he had accumulated

19:10 KW's response to the value of having supportive people in your life

21:13 KW's most powerful realization and best advice

23:03 Daria's response to KW's lived experience of having personal support

23:58 The importance of seeking out support

25:01 The importance of letting go of fear when it's necessary to move on from what doesn't feel right

25:55 KW reconceptualizing himself as a musician, writer, photographer, and an artist starting with his love of music and his favourite band

26:25 Daria's response to KW

27:25 Reconnecting with his creativity as he unmasks

30:30 Maya Angelou's inspiring quote and KW's focus on "unbecoming"

31:11 KW's passion for music

33:36 KW's upcoming podcast mini-series on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network

35:27 Turrell's upcoming podcast mini-series on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network

36:09 The Autistic appreciation of sharing passionate interests

36:47 Wrap-Up

KW on Substack: https://substack.com/@mraskmore?r=3cfq85&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=stories&shareImageVariant=light

DIRFloortime https://affectautism.com/what-is-dirfloortime/

The Late Diagnosis Club https://www.autisticculturepodcast.com/

Maya Angelou's most famous quote on creativity is: "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."

KW's favourite band The Color Morale

https://fearlessrecords.com/artists/the-color-morale/

Turrell's and my past episode on our love of the band Nirvana https://affectautism.com/autistic-viewpoints/

Another band KW is a fan of "Good Charlotte" https://www.goodcharlotte.com/

* Thank you to Hungarian recording artist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Post Analog Disorder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the intro/outro music permission: ⁠https://postanalogdisorder.bandcamp.com/album/still-i-rise

Returning guest, Licensed Professional Counsellor and  DIR Expert Training Leader, Mike Fields from Floortime Atlanta and Inneractions Therapy Services, joins us this week to discuss how we want to be creating opportunities for our children in Floortime rather than stealing opportunities from them.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2021/06/26/opportunities/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

In this episode, Turkish DIR® Expert Training Leader, speech-language pathologist, and physiotherapist Kemal Colay shares his theoretical framework integrating valence and arousal within a DIR®-informed approach to support connection in his work with children, and how he uses video review as a reflective tool to support parents in recognizing and responding to their child’s unique cues in order to facilitate developmental growth.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/04/03/video-review/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

Brookes Barrack⁠ is a Speech-Language Pathologist and ⁠DIRFloortime® Expert Training Leader⁠ who has a clinic just outside of Kansas City, Kansas with Occupational Therapist ⁠Emily Tritz⁠ called ⁠Kansas City Developmental Therapies⁠ where they offer ⁠DIR® services⁠. This summer they became an official ⁠accredited DIR® Organization⁠. She originally trained in Floortime at "the Bunker" with Drs. Greenspan and Wieder in Washington, D.C. and in ⁠the PLAY Project⁠ with Dr. Rick Solomon at his home. This episode we are discussing Gestural development : The D, the I, and the R.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2024/09/27/gestures/⁠

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

Çiğdem Ergül and Elif Akat are the pioneers of DIRFloortime® in Turkey. Both dedicated DIR® clinicians and Expert Training Leaders, they started at different times at ICDL’s DIR® Institute "back in the day" with Drs. Stanley Greenspan and Serena Wieder. They are deeply committed to preserving the integrity of the DIR® model and upholding the high quality of training and practice that shaped their professional journeys and enables them to serve families in their care. This episode, they share their stories.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/03/20/turkey/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

Every other week in 2026 so far, you've been hearing the audio only of one episode of the Floortime documentary, We Chose Play. This time it's Season 1, Episode 6, called, "Let's reflect" where you see an example of reviewing a Floortime video with a Floortime coach to highlight the reflection process.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/03/13/wcp-s1e6/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

On Episode 9 of ⁠AUTISTIC Viewpoints⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Turrell Burgess⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Daria Brown⁠⁠⁠⁠ interview Turrell's younger sister, Breanne!

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/autistic-viewpoints/

⁠Timestamps:

00:14 Introductions

01:28 Turrell's first question for his sister

02:27 What Breanne loved about Turrell

03:10 Turrell and his sister's schooling

04:45 Breanne's sense of patience, caring, and concern for others

05:20 What the siblings bonded over

06:40 Did Breanne feel like the big sister instead?

07:40 What Breanne loves about Turrell

07:57 Turrell's self doubts

08:13 Turrell asks his sister about making friends

10:34 Turrell asks his sister about the impact he's had on her life

12:58 Daria's reaction and question for Breanne about the family culture around the Autism diagnosis

17:21 Daria asks Turrell if he ever felt shame around his diagnosis

20:17 Turrell felt underestimated

21:05 Turrell asks his sister what lesson she learned from him

22:19 Breanne discusses Turrell's growth

23:59 Autism and black-and-white thinking

25:43 Turrell's personal development

26:23 Developing versus ruminating

27:41 Wrap-up

* Thank you to Hungarian recording artist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Post Analog Disorder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the intro/outro music permission: https://postanalogdisorder.bandcamp.com/album/still-i-rise

Princess Owens is parenting educator, writer, and mindfulness facilitator whose work uplifts neurodivergent families with compassion and intention. As the founder and lead consultant of Bloom Village Co., she helps family-serving organizations build more inclusive, culturally grounded, and community-centered spaces. A dedicated neurodiversity advocate and mother of five, she brings real-life insight, heart, and expertise to every conversation. Based in New Jersey, Princess blends mindful parenting, storytelling, and lived experience to guide others toward more supportive and human-centered care for children and families.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/03/06/bloom-village/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/

Every other week in 2026 so far, you've been hearing the audio only of one episode of the Floortime documentary,  ⁠We Chose Play⁠. This time it's Season 1, Episode 5, called, "Let's play!" that includes examples of our early experiences doing Floortime⁠. ⁠⁠We Chose Play⁠ is a series documenting one family’s Floortime journey.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/02/27/wcp-s1e5/

Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/support/⁠