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/⁠

This episode's guest is Krithika, a Northern California mom to an 11-year-old Autistic son, who discovered DIRFloortime® after years of traditional therapy led to more frustration than progress. That shift changed everything. Now she is a passionate advocate for her son and a connector for other families, supporting parents through social groups and serving on a community advisory board to help improve systems of care for neurodivergent children and their families and shares her journey with us.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/02/20/pp-13/

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 4, called, "Let's start" that covers looking at your child’s individual profile to inform your play and features DIR-Expert and Occupational Therapist Gretchen Kamke. ⁠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/2026/02/13/wcp-s1e4/

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 8 of ⁠AUTISTIC Viewpoints⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Turrell Burgess⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Daria Brown⁠⁠⁠⁠ take a deep dive into one of their favourite bands, Nirvana.

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

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:58 This episode's topic

01:58 Turrell's favourite Nirvana album

02:31 How Daria heard about Nirvana

03:59 Daria's favourite Nirvana album

04:09 Turrell's favourite Nirvana songs

05:14 Daria's favourite Nirvana songs

06:52 Nirvana's allure and protest art

10:05 Turrell's reflections

12:08 Neurodivergence in Nirvana lyrics

16:41 Nirvana's impact on the world

18:00 Daria's regret

19:10 Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters

19:32 Kurt Cobain was a better singer than Celine Dion

20:22 Our favourite Nirvana lyrics

24:16 Nirvana's Unplugged performance

27:43 Dark hours where demons creep in

28:36 Our favourite musical parts of Nirvana songs

31:11 Kurt is untouchable for Gen X

31:25 Dave Grohl's success after Nirvana

32:48 Nirvana's legacy

33:13 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

In this episode, number 305, I interview DIR® Expert Training Leader and Occupational Therapist Maude Le Roux who has a DIR® clinic, A Total Approach, in Glen Mills, PA. She has her own online academy where she trains professionals and parents and recently launched a fabulous new Family Support Circle. She is an international trainer in many other modalities as well. We are discussing the importance of daily movement. Why should we move with our kids every day? How should we do the movements with interaction for sensory integration and motor planning?

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2026/02/06/movement/

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 3, called, “How do we start?” that covers understanding the most important thing you can do to support your child and features Dr. Ira Glovinsky and Dr. Stuart Shanker. 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/2026/01/30/wcp-s1e3/

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/