We chose play from Affect Autism

This episode, returning guest Occupational Therapist Stephanie Peters, DIRFloortime® Expert Training Leader and Clinical Director with Kinder Growth, discusses the developmental considerations around sharing.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: https://affectautism.com/2024/03/01/sharing/

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/

Rethinking Autism Therapy is a four-part mini-series for parents, caregivers, professionals, and Autistic individuals who want to learn about DIRFloortime®, a strength-based, developmental, relationship-driven approach to growth and connection.

What does DIRFloortime® actually feel like from the perspective of an autistic person?In this second episode of Rethinking Autism Therapy, Daria Brown is joined by autistic musician Cheyenne Erikson to explore what it was like growing up with situational mutism, anxiety, and an undiagnosed autistic neurotype, and how a relationship-based, developmental approach helped her feel understood and supported.

Cheyenne shares her personal journey from an early diagnosis of situational mutism to discovering her autistic identity as a young adult. Together, she and Daria discuss how DIRFloortime’s emphasis on relationships, individual differences, play, and emotional connection contrasts with more directive or compliance-based approaches. Through stories from childhood, teaching, parenting, and clinical practice, they illustrate how following a child’s lead, presuming competence, and supporting regulation can foster authentic communication and growth.

The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the world through a neurodivergent lens, recognizing the many ways children communicate, and creating safe opportunities for exploration, play, and emotional expression. Listeners will gain insight into how DIRFloortime® supports not only autistic children, but meaningful relationships across the lifespan.

Learn more:

Cheyenne Erikson’s website: https://www.cheyennepaige.com

Cheyenne’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheyennepaigemusic/

Situational Mutism: https://reframingautism.org.au/all-about-situational-mutism-a-guide-for-allies/

Cheyenne’s SLP mother’s Situational Mutism cards: https://www.bjoremspeech.com/products/dir%C2%AE-sm-a-developmental-approach-to-selective-mutism-intervention

Daria Brown: ⁠https://affectautism.com⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/affectautism⁠

X: ⁠https://x.com/affectautism⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/affectautism

Daria is the author of "⁠We Chose Play: Raising an Autistic Child to Thrive and Feel Understood⁠"

🎧 Rethinking Autism Therapy is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com ⁠https://autisticculture.supercast.com/⁠

🌐 Visit ⁠https://autisticculturepodcastnetwork.com/⁠

📲 Follow on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/autisticculturepodcast

Setting limits with development in mind with children who have developmental differences, including autism, means being firm with compassion, warmth, empathy and respect. Being attuned to our children's emotional experience is the key to seeing their behaviour as communication, which will help us be a helpful, empathic guide rather than a dictator around disruptive behaviour.

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2016/03/29/setting-limits/⁠

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/⁠

Rethinking Autism Therapy is a four-part mini-series for parents, caregivers, professionals, and Autistic individuals who want to learn about DIRFloortime®, a strength-based, developmental, relationship-driven approach to growth and connection. What is DIRFloortime® and why do so many families and practitioners find it transformative?

In this first episode of Rethinking Autism Therapy, Daria Brown is joined by DIRFloortime® Expert Training Leader, licensed professional counsellor, and ADHD adult parent Mike Fields to explore the foundations of the DIR® model and the practice of Floortime. Together, they unpack the developmental, individual-differences, relationship-based principles that make DIRFloortime® unique, while challenging traditional compliance-based approaches to autism support.

Produced for the Autistic Culture Podcast Network.

Daria Brown: ⁠⁠https://affectautism.com⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/affectautism⁠⁠

X: ⁠⁠https://x.com/affectautism⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/affectautism⁠

Daria is the author of "⁠⁠We Chose Play: Raising an Autistic Child to Thrive and Feel Understood⁠⁠"

🎧 Rethinking Autism Therapy is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com ⁠⁠https://autisticculture.supercast.com/⁠⁠

🌐 Visit ⁠⁠https://autisticculturepodcastnetwork.com/⁠⁠

📲 Follow on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/autisticculturepodcast⁠

David Raphael is a social worker and was the co-founder of the former Floortime Foundation, a national organization advancing relationship-based interventions. He is here to discuss his first book, A Miracle of the Heart: A Father and Son’s Autism Journey, co-written with his son Jacob and published on July 1 of this year. He has published essays on his family’s experience of autism in the peer-reviewed Zero to Three journal, and has delivered keynote presentations at national gatherings of autism professionals, educators, and parents, and has met with multiple parent groups on autism advocacy, DIRFloortime®, and finding meaning through caregiving. 

Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: https://affectautism.com/2026/08/07/miracle-of-the-heart/

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/

* Thank you to Toronto recording artist Ayria and Danish recording artists The Foreign Resort for the song permissions.

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/