Autism Knows No Borders

Discover what’s possible when you share the end goal. 

Harald Neerland is the President of Autism Europe, an international association whose main objective is to advance the rights of autistic people and their families and help them improve their quality of life. Originally from Norway, Harald is also a father of a young autistic woman. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss: 

• Harald’s daughter’s strengths, interests, and living situation
• How Harald assesses her quality of life
• The level of awareness and services available in Norway
• Inclusion vs integration
• Describing autism based on level of need rather than diagnostic criteria
• Autism Europe’s mission, policy work, and research initiatives
• Why researchers and practitioners need to work together
• Bringing mental and somatic health to the forefront of the political discussion
• Objectives Harald wants to complete before the end of his term 

To learn more about Harald Neerland and his work, please visit autismeurope.org.

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Discover what’s possible when we relate through emotions. 

A globally recognized thought leader, author, speaker, and social-cognitive therapist, Michelle Garcia Winner is the Founder and CEO of Social Thinking, a company devoted to helping individuals gain stronger social awareness and social functioning skills through the Social Thinking Methodology. 

Across her 30-year career, Michelle has created numerous evidence-based strategies, treatment frameworks, and curricula to help interventionists develop social competencies in those they support. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss:

• Grouping students based on social needs rather than diagnostic labels
• How to increase social competence through 4 main steps: attend, interpret, problem-solve, and respond
• Complex social concepts, like nuanced perspective taking
• What a typical session at Michelle’s clinic might look like
• Why small talk is embedded in most social situations
• Autistic empathy
• Navigating the dating world
• Maintaining friendships
• Tips for autistic people going into a job interview 

To learn more about Michelle and her work, please visit our show notes at socialthinking.com. 

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Discover what’s possible when peers connect. 

Originally from France, Stephane Guidon is an Autistic Self-Advocate currently living in the UK. He works for the National Autistic Society as a Senior Branch Engagement officer and Project Lead. The National Autistic Society is the largest autism charity in the UK, dedicated to creating a society that works for autistic people. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss: 

• Stephane’s journey of self-discovery
• His autistic strengths
• How he relates to his autistic son
• Autism awareness in France
• Stephane’s role at the National Autistic Society
• Key components of a successful peer group

To learn more about Stephane Guidon and his work, please visit our show notes at autism.org.uk.

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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.

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*THROWBACK EPISODE*

This conversation with Maria Davis-Pierre was originally released on February 4, 2021. We are re-releasing it today in honor of Black History Month to highlight the unique experiences of Black families with autistic loved ones. 

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Discover what’s possible when you start to examine your own biases. 

Maria Davis-Pierre is a mother to an 8-year-old girl on the autism spectrum, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and the Founder and CEO of Autism in Black Inc., an organization dedicated to raising autism awareness and reducing the stigma within the Black community. Maria is also a coach, speaker, advocate, and author. She has been featured in Forbes, the New York Times, and Counseling Today, and her book The Self-Care Affirmation Journal was published in 2018. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss: 

• The challenges Maria faced when receiving her daughter’s diagnosis
• Why Maria started Autism in Black
• How Parent-Child Interaction Therapy can benefit families who are dealing with behavioral challenges
• How religion, misunderstanding of autism, and distrust of the health care system contribute to misdiagnosis
• The lack of research on autism in the Black community and why this problem leads to culturally-insensitive assessments and treatment plans
• Maria's experiences as a Black parent, including dealing with stress and being judged according to stereotypes

For more information about Maria Davis-Pierre, please visit autisminblack.org and follow her on Instagram @autisminblack. 

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Resources:

Racialized Emotion Recognition Accuracy and Anger Bias of Children’s Faces  ----more----

Related Episodes:

17. Growth, Diversity, and Cultural Humility, with Brandy Collins and Crystal Thompson 

43. Social Media and Intersectional Advocacy, with Tiffany Hammond 

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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too. 

Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast

Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project

We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

Discover what’s possible when you move towards independence. 

This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events! 

The topic of this roundtable discussion was Transitioning into College, and it was hosted by community moderator Liz Castillo.

Liz began her involvement with the Global Autism Project in 2017 as a SkillCorps volunteer in Kenya, followed by trips to India, Nigeria, Czech Republic, and Poland. She has also completed our Leadership Academy program, served as a SkillCorps mentor to future travelers, and managed our social media and donor communications. Thank you, Liz, for your dedication to our mission and our community. 

Also participating in this event were Autistic Self-Advocates Corben Havener and Andrew Bennett, and community member Sofia Matalonga. 

What you’ll hear today is the first half hour of this roundtable discussion. Unfortunately, there was a technical error and the rest of the event wasn’t recorded. We thought it was still worth releasing, and I believe you’ll find many of the participant’s insights interesting. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss: 

• Transitioning from living at home to living in dorms
• Support available at school 

Round-table discussions like the one you’ll hear today are open exclusively for members of our online Global Autism Community. We select a different theme each month, and our moderators monitor posts daily to ensure that our online space remains safe and respectful.

If you’d like to attend and participate in any of our future events, you can sign up today at community.globalautismproject.org. 

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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.

Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast

Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community

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Discover what’s possible when you trust the process. 

In today’s episode, we’re continuing to share our recent SkillCorps trip to ASHA, our Global Autism Project partners in Bangalore, India. In our previous episode, I spoke with the staff at the school, and this week you’ll hear from our SkillCorps volunteers. 

Our team had a virtual reunion three weeks after returning from our trip. We reviewed what we had learned and reminisced about some of our experiences. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss:

• Moments from the trip that surprised, inspired or moved our SkillCorps volunteers
• How we immersed ourselves in Indian culture
• Community outreach
• Each team member’s personal and professional growth
• Advice for future SkillCorps travelers

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Related Episodes:

131. Meet Our Global Autism Project Partners in Bangalore, India

71. Changing Perspectives in India, with Jayashree Ramesh

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Our SkillCorps program is evolving into something new and exciting! If you’d like to be the first to know what SkillCorps will look like in 2023, make sure to join our waitlist at skillcorps.globalautismproject.org. 

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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.

Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast

Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project

We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

Discover what’s possible when every child becomes your own. 

These next two episodes will highlight our Global Autism Project partner site ASHA, from Bangalore, India. ASHA means “hope” in their local language, and it also stands for Academy for Severe Handicaps and Autism. The Global Autism Project has been partners with ASHA since 2018. 

For almost 20 years, the Global Autism Project has been providing sustainable clinical, administrative, and leadership training to autism centers around the world seeking guidance. Our SkillCorps® volunteer program has been an opportunity for self-advocates and professionals to travel to our international partner sites and collaborate with their local teachers and therapists. 

If you follow our work closely, you may already know that last October we sent 8 teams back in the field for the first time since the start of the pandemic. We were thrilled to see our partners all over the world again!

Our host Rachel led the SkillCorps trip to ASHA and documented some moments throughout the trip. Next week, we'll share stories from our SkillCorps volunteers. 

In today’s episode, you’ll hear excerpts from conversations with ASHA's staff about:

• Services provided at ASHA
• Collaboration among local staff 
• Teaching Indian culture through art, music, and dance

Related Episodes:

71. Changing Perspectives in India, with Jayashree Ramesh 

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As our organization continues to evolve and innovate, so does our SkillCorps program. We’ve co-created something new and exciting with our community, and we’ll be making some big changes to trips this year. 

If you’d like to be the first to know what SkillCorps will look like in 2023, make sure to join our waitlist at skillcorps.globalautismproject.org. 

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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.

Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast

Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project

We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

*THROWBACK EPISODE*

This conversation with Jamiel Owens was originally released on August 27, 2020. We are re-releasing it today to highlight one of Jamiel’s recent projects: Ausomecutz, an initiative in which Jamiel and another father have teamed up to provide free haircuts to children and adults on the autism spectrum. 

The inaugural event will take place on Friday, January 27, 2023 at We Rock the Spectrum in Philadelphia, PA. The event will provide at least 10 haircuts and will also allow children to play at the indoor, sensory-based playground.

For additional information, please visit the IG account @ausomecutz.

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Discover what’s possible when love transforms grief into acceptance. 

Jamiel Owens is the host and creator of The Ausome Show, a co-host of The Ben & Jay Show, and an all-around public server. As the father of a 12-year-old boy with autism, Jamiel encourages other fathers to open up about their feelings regarding their children’s diagnoses. 

In today’s conversation, discuss:

• What it was like for Jamiel to learn about his son’s autism
• How he’s evolved as a father
• What Jamiel's son has taught him about life
• The challenges of raising an autistic child in the Black community
• Possible solutions that could help improve communication between law enforcement and families impacted by disabilities

For more information about Jamiel Owens and his work, please visit his Instagram accounts @theausomeshow and @benandjshow. 

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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.

Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast

Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project

We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

Discover what’s possible when social barriers are removed. 

Kaelynn Partlow is an Autistic Self-Advocate and a Registered Behavior Technician, or RBT for short. She recently appeared on the second season of the Netflix reality series, Love on the Spectrum. 

In this conversation, we discuss: 

• How autism affects Kaelynn’s everyday life
• Kaelynn’s thoughts on how autism was represented on Love on the Spectrum
• Why she thinks autistic people struggle to find love
• What Kaelynn learned about herself from her experience on the show
• Tips for other autistic people in the dating scene
• Kaelynn’s job as an RBT
• Social skills programs
• Neurodiversity-affirming practices
• Greg Hanley’s Skill-Based Treatment
• Kaelynn’s ideas to improve the field
• Advice for other practitioners working with autistic individuals 

To learn more about Kaelynn Partlow, follow her on Instagram: @kaelynnvp.

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Related episodes:

52. Autism Representation in the Media, with Dr. Kerry Magro 

99. RTD | Dating & Relationships, with the Global Autism Community 

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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.

Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast

Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project

We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

Discover what’s possible when connections go deeper. 

This week’s episode features our recent cohort of Global Autism Community moderators: Self-Advocates Michelle Vinokurov, Corben Havener, and Mary Johnston. 

In June 2022, Michelle, Corben, and Mary joined our team of moderators, which also included Liz Castillo, who was unable to join this recording. The team usually meets to discuss the community’s monthly theme and decide which subtopics they will post about each week. Throughout each month, the moderators take turns monitoring posts daily to ensure that our online space remains safe and respectful. 

We are currently taking applications for our next round of moderators to join our team! If you’re interested in developing your leadership skills, expanding your network as an advocate, and stepping outside of your comfort zone, follow the link below to join our team. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss:

• Proud moments of 2022
• The team’s experiences as community moderators
• Goals and priorities for 2023
• Advice for future moderators of our community

Apply to join our team here ->>> Global Autism Community Moderator Application

This is a unique opportunity to grow personally, develop professionally, and make meaningful connections! 

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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.

Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast

Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project

We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey