Dr. Fisher sits down for a discussion with Kristin Walker to talk about diagnosing physical conditions in patients with Autism, troubleshooting side effects and symptoms in patients with Autism, and makes a point to educate listeners that Autism is a Neurological Condition. He is one of the speakers at the annual Converge Autism summit. Dr. Fisher completed his General Psychiatry residency at the University of Texas-Galveston and a Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at University of South Ca...
Feb 28, 2019•47 min
Sean Sullivan, founder of I Know Autism. Sean was born severely autistic, but has overcome many of his symptoms and built a life for himself. However, this was not without hardship. Listen as Sean shares his story about how he was forced to sleep outside and denied food at several facilities, but was able to find his way home, literally. Once he found his way home, he began building a life for himself and is now an inspiration to others who live with autism. Learn more about Sean and his journey...
Feb 21, 2019•29 min
Benjamin Lee, co-founder of www.laurasgreetings.com . Ben was born in Provo, Utah and is currently studying Global Supply Chain Management at Brigham Young University. He is the Director of Supply Chain and Sales at Laura's Greetings and has been on a mission to help those with different abilities for over 1 year. He has 3 siblings, is an eagle scout, and loves to spend time with his family. Laura's greetings features cards and artwork created by those with different abilities. For every purchas...
Feb 14, 2019•19 min
What does a doctor with Autism have to say about working with patients who also have Autism? Join Dr. Dan Edmunds and our host Kristin Walker as they discuss ethical treatment and his unique understanding of ASD. Dr. Dan L. Edmunds is an Internationally Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Psychotherapist, and Psychological Evaluator (working under supervision). Dr. Edmunds completed undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and received a Master of Arts in Theology from the U...
Jan 31, 2019•48 min
Your host gives a personal account of what it means to have a sibling with Autism Spectrum Disorder by interviewing her 17 year old son. Our host has two children, one who is 17 and one who is 7, and on the spectrum. They discuss the ways in which it has affected their family, how the older son's life has changed since his little brother was born, and what he has learned about anyone with disabilities.
Jan 24, 2019•24 min
Listen to our seasoned guest, Stephanie Holmes, MA, BCCC, discuss how to move past autism awareness and into acceptance. There is still stigma surrounding autism and the behaviors that are associated with it. With the help of many amazing advocates like Dr. Temple Grandin and others, we have come far on the path of autism awareness but true acceptance comes when we can look past the diagnosis and see there is a child or adult behind it. Stephanie discuss how we can start to accept those with aut...
Jan 17, 2019•41 min
Join Jeff Beck, co-founder of AnswersNow, an autism app that connects parents with real time BCBA therapists. Jeff Beck is the CEO and co-founder of AnswersNow. Jeff is a licensed clinician and entrepreneur who is passionate about helping families work through their unique challenges. In his previous role as a child and family therapist, he recognized that parents of children with special needs were lacking immediate, personalized, reliable and trusted help. That is when AnswersNow, a platform t...
Jan 10, 2019•35 min
Join attorney John Hickey to discuss the recent tragedy of a young man with autism who fell overboard on a cruises ship. He discusses maritime law and safety tips to keep your loved ones safe on vacations. John "Jack" Hickey of the Hickey Law Firm in Miami is a veteran in the maritime industry. For almost two decades, he represented cruise lines and is one of the nation's foremost experts on maritime law. For the past 19 years he has been representing plaintiffs in personal injury and wrongful d...
Jan 03, 2019•36 min
Kristin Walker discusses the top 7 myths and misconceptions about Autism: 1. Autistic People Are All Alike 2. Autistic People Don't Have Feelings 3. Autistic People Don't Build Relationships 4. Autistic People Are a Danger to Society 5. Autistic People Are Savants 6. Autistic People Have No Language Skills 7. Autistic People Have Little Potential for Success Join us to bust right through these myths and misconceptions so you can help us all be correctly informed about Autism Spectrum Disorder! h...
Dec 20, 2018•37 min
The holidays can be stressful for everyone but especially for families trying to navigate the season with a child on the Autism Spectrum. This time of year can be fraught with sensory overload for children with Autism. Take a listen with Kristin Walker as she gives some practical tips on how to make the end of this year enjoyable for your child, friends, family, and yourself!
Dec 14, 2018•27 min
Join Melanie Vann and Mary Margaret Crews as they talk about the importance of advocacy and education to raise awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder. Mary Margaret Crews is the Director of Marketing for Easterseals South Carolina. She started working for Easterseals as an intern during the summer of 2011. After graduating from Converse College in May 2013, Mary Margaret joined Easterseals full time as the Therapy Marketing Assistant and would put together booklets and make games. She worked c...
Dec 06, 2018•27 min
Join host, Melanie Vann, on the latest episode of Converge Autism Radio as she interviews Ray Hemachandra. He is advocate, author, and educator about the world of autism. Ray Hemachandra is the parent of an autistic son. He speaks, writes, and teaches about autism and disability from the perspective of neurodiversity, acceptance, and compassion. Professionally, Hemachandra is an organizational consultant and communications strategist. He serves on a half-dozen boards and committees for autism an...
Nov 29, 2018•47 min
Different Kinds of Minds Contribute to Society: Discovery Across the Autism Spectrum with Dr. Temple Grandin, Author, Speaker, and Professor of Animal Science is the keynote speech to be delivered by Dr. Grandin for Springbrook Behavioral's Converge Autism Summit held March 8-9th, 2019 in Greenville, South Carolina. Tickets are still available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/converge-autism-summit-2019-tickets-36079297149?aff=main or by going to www.convergeautism.com . Dr. Grandin gave us a sho...
Nov 22, 2018•27 min
Join Melanie Vann and Kristin Walker for a discussion about how aquatic therapy is fun, safe, and effective for children with Autism. Hydrostatic pressure Children with autism are known to crave deep pressure. Water provides this through hydrostatic pressure, or the pressure that a liquid exerts when it’s at rest. Water exerts 30x more deep pressure stimulation on the body than air. More importantly, unlike pressure vests or weighted blankets, water completely surrounds and envelopes the child’s...
Nov 15, 2018•26 min
Join hosts Kristin Walker and Melanie Vann as they discuss how dogs can benefit those with Autism. They both have first hand experience with the healing power of dogs. Kristin is the trainer and handler of several therapy dogs and Melanie has a service dog for her son that is on the autism spectrum. Join them as they discuss how they have seen dogs help ease anxiety, improve socialization, and decrease behavioral outburst or self-harming behavior. You can find more helpful resources at: https://...
Nov 08, 2018•26 min
Join one of the speakers at Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health's yearly summit: Converge Autism, Stephanie Holmes MA, BCCC, and Certified Autism Specialist as she discusses the journey of finding a child's potential when they have autism spectrum disorder. She and host, Melanie Vann, MA and Life Coach from MHNR Network both have children on the spectrum, so their knowledge is first hand. Anxiety seems to go hand in hand with Autism. Research has found that treating anxiety for those who are on...
Nov 01, 2018•56 min
Join one of the speakers at Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health's yearly summit: Converge Autism, Stephanie Holmes MA, BCCC, and Certified Autism Specialist as she discusses the journey of finding a child's potential when they have autism spectrum disorder. She and host, Melanie Vann, MA and Life Coach from MHNR Network both have children on the spectrum, so their knowledge is first hand. Discovering your child or loved ones potential can be a trying one, but it can also be one filled with magi...
Oct 25, 2018•38 min
Join host Melanie Vann and guest Lisa Raiford as they discuss Springbrook's Converge Autism Summit and her presentation on Putting Together the Puzzle: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder through Evidence-Based Practice. Lisa O. Raiford, Ed.D. began teaching as a special education teacher, certified in Emotional Disabilities. Her experience in working with individuals with Emotional Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder lead her to earn her National Board Certification as an Exceptional N...
Oct 18, 2018•30 min
Different Kinds of Minds Contribute to Society: Discovery Across the Autism Spectrum is the keynote speech to be delivered by Dr. Temple Grandin for Springbrook Behavioral's Converge Autism Summit held March 8-9th, 2019 in Greenville, South Carolina. Tickets are still available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/converge-autism-summit-2019-tickets-36079297149?aff=main or by going to www.convergeautism.com . This interview is a short discussion with Dr. Grandin about animal behavior (one of her favo...
Oct 11, 2018•13 min
There is nothing more frightening for a parent with a child that has Autism than the split second their child can be right by them and then they've disappeared. Eloping or wandering is something many children do but especially children with Autism. Melanie Vann, a counselor and mother of a young child with Autism talks about her experiences as a parent. She also discusses how her friends, family, and strangers have and can help people with special needs children. Education, compassion, and aware...
Oct 04, 2018•39 min
Stephanie Holmes joins to discuss her experience as a parent of a female child with Autism. Stephanie is a board Certified Christian Counselor and Certified Autism Specialist. She believes counseling begins with the an understanding that we are physiological, psychological, and spiritual persons. Because of this belief, Christian principles are blended with compatible psychological techniques and theories in order to promote psychological, relational, and spiritual growth through counseling. Cou...
Sep 27, 2018•33 min
Dr. Celine Saulnier has been a presenter at the annual Converge Autism Summit presented by Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health. She joins us today to discuss the often rocky road of correctly diagnosing Austism Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Saulnier obtained her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Connecticut, after which she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center under the mentorship of Dr. Ami Klin. After her postdoc, Dr. Saulnier joined the Yale facul...
Sep 20, 2018•23 min
Durante il dialogo tra il Dott. Molino, psicoterapeuta, e il Dott. Boccuto, ricercatore presso presso il Greenwood Genetic Center si passeranno in rassegna le ultime scoperte in tema di autismo con un occhio anche alla clinica e al contesto sociale. Join Dr. Luigi Boccuto to discuss the latest research on autism spectrum disorder with Dr. Paolo Molino. This show is in Italian. Dr. Boccuto is a clinical geneticist who trained for several years under Professor Neri in Rome with a focus on in hered...
Sep 13, 2018•50 min
Tune in we interview Amy Perry discussing how using technology such as the iPad with certain apps can be so beneficial for those on the Autism Spectrum. Amy Perry is an Autism Resource Specialist for the Autism Society of North Carolina covering the Fayetteville / Fort Bragg community and 8 surrounding counties. Amy is a former military spouse with three daughters; ages 23, 21 and 16. Her 21-year-old daughter was diagnosed with autism before the age of two; she also has two nephews with ASD. Bec...
Aug 24, 2018•22 min
Join host, Melanie Vann, as she interviews Dr. Luigi Boccuto to discuss the latest research on autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Boccuto is a clinical geneticist who trained for several years under Professor Neri in Rome with a focus on in hereditary cancer, overgrowth syndromes and intellectual disability (ID) syndromes. Dr. Boccuto is currently an assistant research scientist at the JC Self Research Institute of the Greenwood Genetic Center. His main projects are focused on the study of the geneti...
Aug 16, 2018•48 min
Kerry Magro is an award winning national speaker who is on the autism spectrum. A recent Masters graduate from Seton Hall University, he is CEO and Founder of KFM Making a Difference, a non-profit corporation focused on disability advocacy and housing. Kerry, a professional member of the National Speakers Association, has spoken at more than 400 venues across the country and Canada since starting college in 2007. One of his recent accomplishments was consulting for the 2012 motion picture hit "J...
Aug 09, 2018•26 min
Maggie Moore has been a Speech Language Pathologist since 2007. After graduating from Michigan State University with a bachelor of arts degree in Audiology and Speech Science, she attended the University of South Carolina where she obtained her Master of Speech Pathology (MSP) degree with a specialization in neurogenic speech, language, and swallowing disorders. Maggie was accepted to the neuroscience specialization track and completed an optional thesis entitled "Visual Speech Perception in Acq...
Aug 02, 2018•19 min
The face of autism is changing. And more often than we realize, that face is wearing lipstick. At the age of thirty-five, Jennifer Lynn Cook O'Toole, was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, and for the first time in her life, things made sense. Now, Jennifer exposes the constant struggle between carefully crafted persona and authentic existence, editing the autism script with wit, candor, passion, and power. Her journey is one of reverse-self-discovery not only as an Aspie but--more importantly...
Jul 26, 2018•56 min
A lifelong South Carolinian, Donald began his career in the insurance industry with a focus on financial planning. After working as a financial planner for E. F. Hutton, he founded Donald Bailey & Associates in order to offer independent advice and holistic planning to his clients. Donald is committed to community involvement, having served on the Board of Trustees at the University of South Carolina (USC) and most recently founding The College Transition Connection, Inc., a non-profit organ...
Jul 19, 2018•38 min
Join our guests Chase Bailey and his mother, Mary Bailey, for a wonderful show about living and thriving with autism. Chase is a food enthusiast, TV host and filmmaker, who loves great entertainment, meeting fun and interesting people, traveling to amazing places, and helping others achieve their own dreams. He also happens to have autism. You can learn more about his challenges with autism in The Official Chase ‘N Yur Face Cookbook. Chase hosts his own YouTube cooking show featuring prominent c...
Jul 13, 2018•56 min
