DIR-Expert Jackie Bartell returns this episode to discuss how to provide expectations for children with developmental differences in order to foster independence and developmental progress using a ⁠Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR®)⁠ approach. I present a few challenges we are currently facing at home and Jackie coaches me on how to implement some straight-forward practices to provide some relief for our family.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/2019/08/19/fostering-independence/⁠

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/⁠

AUTISTIC Viewpoints⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a podcast hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Turrell Burgess⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daria Brown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. On Episode 13, Turrell and Daria welcome extraordinary autistic guitarist Zayne Harshaw, leader of the band, Blue Spectrum, to discuss his autism journey, teaching himself guitar, discovering his musical gifts, and how music transformed his life from feeling like an outsider to finding confidence, community, and purpose. Along the way, they explore favorite guitarists, perfect pitch, improvisation, and the power of following one's passion.

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

Timestamps:

0:05 Introduction

0:32 Welcoming special guest Zayne Harshaw

1:01 Meeting Zayne at the ICDL DIR® Conference

2:30 Zayne's musical background and accomplishments

4:17 Turrell's admiration for Zayne's guitar playing

4:42 Growing up autistic and discovering differences

6:06 From trumpet to teaching himself guitar

7:03 Guitar Hero and learning to play by ear

8:38 Feeling like an outcast in school

9:15 Using his guitar as a comfort object

9:41 The high school talent show that changed everything

10:53 Forming Blue Spectrum and writing "Outcast Blues"

13:13 Why the band is called Blue Spectrum

14:13 Favorite bands and Nirvana discussion

14:58 Guitar heroes and musical influences

16:42 Promo for Turrell's podcast "Under the Lights" on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network

17:28 Learning guitar

19:02 Realizing music could become a career

21:28 Discovering perfect pitch

24:35 Favorite songs and artists to play

25:40 Canadian fun fact

25:48 What Zayne loves and still finds challenging about being autistic

26:56 DIRFloortime® connection: music, improvisation, and development

28:42 ICDL music and Floortime courses announcement

30:18 Feeding off the audience's energy during live performances

31:08 Learning by watching great guitarists perform

32:17 Blues musicians, concerts, and dream collaborations

33:37 Performing for large audiences

35:18 The latest "hot ticket" Canadian Quebecois duo Angine de Poitrine

36:43 Finding belonging through music and community

38:22 Turrell reflects on autistic gifts and inspiring others

39:17 Where to hear Blue Spectrum and closing remarks

Resources:

• Blue Spectrum Band website https://bluespectrumband.com/

• Blue Spectrum Band Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BlueSpectrumband/
• Blue Spectrum Band Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bluespectrumband/

• Yngwie Malmsteen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yngwie_Malmsteen
• Under the Lights on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network hosted by Turrell Burgess https://shows.acast.com/under-the-lights-podcast
• Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen https://youtu.be/fJ9rUzIMcZQ?si=LjJ8qhEfFEbHCmWu
• Wayne's World movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne%27s_World_(film)

• Course for practitioners: DIR 433 - Using Music in Floortime: Promoting Development through Music https://www.icdl.com/courses/433
• The Rebecca Center for Music Therapy https://www.therebeccacenter.org/
• Course for parents: DIR 110 - Using Music in Floortime: Promoting Development through Music https://www.icdl.com/courses/dir-110-using-music-in-floortime-for-parents
• ICDL's Courses: https://www.icdl.com/courses
• The Meters - Cissy Strut ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXI5Nuz6OHg⁠⁠

• Zayne's favorites: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Bonamassa, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd
• Zayne has met Eric Gales, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
• The movie Sinners https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinners_(2025_film)
• Quebecois Canadian band Angine de Poitrine https://anginedepoitrine.com/
• Primus (band) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primus_(band)

* Angine de Poitrine photo credit: https://www.cbc.ca/music/angine-de-poitrine-quebec-band-kexp-9.7120120

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

This episode features three psychologists from Rebecca School in New York City who discuss how psychological assessments can better reflect the true abilities of neurodivergent children when viewed through a DIRFloortime® lens. They explain that traditional testing often measures a child’s ability to tolerate unfamiliar environments, demands, and sensory challenges rather than accurately capturing their cognitive strengths. Our discussion challenges long-standing assessment practices and offers a more respectful, relationship-based alternative.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: https://affectautism.com/2026/07/24/assessments/

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/

Occupational therapist and Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR®) Floortime Trainer ⁠Keith Landherr of Little Buddies Pediatric Therapy⁠ in the Vancouver suburbs joins us this episode to discuss what sensory integration is and why emotional attunement and respecting the child's sensory experience is essential to it with helpful tips for parents.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/2021/02/27/sensory-integration/⁠⁠

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

This episode we're discussing supporting regulation through the body first versus leaning on cognitive strategies to support children with pediatric occupational therapist and Advanced DIRFloortime® provider Stephanie Gagnon.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/07/10/body

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/

The topic of this episode is trauma through a ⁠DIR®⁠ lens. ⁠Maude Le Roux⁠ recently did ⁠a course on this topic through the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL)⁠ and here she covers how to work with trauma clients through the ⁠Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities⁠ (FEDCs). This complements the previous trauma-related podcast episodes I’ve done with ⁠Galina Itskovich⁠, and ⁠Erin Forward and Taylor Anderson⁠, and focuses on the ⁠DIRFloortime®⁠ aspect of the 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/2024/08/16/trauma-dir-lens⁠⁠

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/

Kieran and ⁠Michelle Rose⁠ return to the podcast to discuss their new community at The Autistic Advocate and Kieran's latest book, ⁠Autism – A Collection of Essays⁠.  They reflect on nearly a decade of advocacy, how the autism landscape has evolved, and why meaningful change depends on compassion, connection, and a willingness to keep learning.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/06/26/essays/

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/

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Alex Klein, joins us this episode from Oakland, California where he is both in private practice and works at the Kaiser Oakland Medical Center assessing and providing therapy to both children and adults with neurodevelopmental differences. He trained with Dr. Stanley Greenspan, Jake Greenspan and Tim Bleecker, and also with Dr. Gil Tippy and Tina McCourt at the Rebecca School, where he was a Head Teacher and Floortime Coach before moving out west for graduate school. I invited him to share his presentation from the Rebecca School DIR® NYC Conference on Neurodiversity-Affirming Care.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠⁠⁠http://affectautism.com/2021/04/10/neurodiversity ⁠⁠

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/⁠

⁠AUTISTIC Viewpoints⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a podcast hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Turrell Burgess⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daria Brown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. On Episode 12, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," Turrell and Daria cover Michael Jackson: the new movie, the songs, the fandom, his intersection with DIRFloortime (what?!) and a few more surprises! Enjoy our special episode on the occasions of AUTISTIC Pride (June 18) and JUNETEENTH (June 19)! We hope you like it as much as we enjoyed making it!⁠

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

Timestamps:

0:14 Introduction

1:56 Turrell's first memories of hearing Michael Jackson

2:27 Daria's first memories of hearing Michael Jackson

3:07 The Jackson 5

3:45 Why the beginning of the movie Michael made Daria so emotional for more than one reason

5:50 Turrell's reflections on the movie Michael

7:05 Turrell's early experiences listening to Michael Jackson growing up

7:29 Daria's real-time experiences of listening to Michael Jackson growing up

8:28 The album OFF THE WALL: our impressions and memories

9:45 The album THRILLER: our impressions, including from the movie, Michael, and our memories

11:57 Thriller in the movie, Michael

12:17 Turrell's favourite songs from Thriller

12:40 Daria's favourite songs from Thriller

13:18 MOTOWN 25 and the movie

14:13 The album BAD: our impressions and memories

15:04 * AUTISTIC Pride tribute *

15:38 Turrell's Fun Fact and Daria's reflections on Bad's impact

16:23 The album DANGEROUS: our impressions and memories

18:10 Daria's concert book from the Victory Tour

21:55 Concert talk

22:50 History and Invincible and the Michael Jackson Experience video game

23:46 Memories of Michael Jackson's death

24:32 The movie's foreshadowing

25:23 What the fans wanted

27:43 Jaafar!

28:16 The movie's success

28:28 Michael Jackson Cancun show

29:52 * JUNETEENTH tribute *

31:07 Canadian connection!

31:46 DIRFloortime connection!

33:25 ICDL connection!

34:50 * Turrell's SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! *

36:27 Closing remarks

Resources:Wylie Draper: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSgOQKskT5x/ and https://www.instagram.com/p/DW7tFjija-o/

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

My guests this episode are Gwen and Gene Harshaw. At 4 years old their son Zayne was diagnosed with autism and his parents were told that he would never be able to read, button his shirt, zip zippers or tie his shoes, or connect with other people. His parents found strength through Zayne’s gifts instead of focusing on his weaknesses. Today, Zayne is a member of the band Blue Spectrum, which is the ICDL’s house band. The Harshaw family are autism acceptance advocates through their public speaking engagements and volunteer roles where they offer guidance, provide hope, and build families’ confidence and capacity, and a “vision of possibility.”

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/06/12/possibility/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/