The Squarepeg Podcast

Squarepeg is a podcast in which I talk to other late identified autistic women and nonbinary people about their lives, their autism journeys, and what they’ve learned along the way. I’m Amy Richards, and I was diagnosed autistic in 2016, when I was 37. I’ve been sharing my conversations with other autistic adults since 2020. I hope you’ll find these conversations inspiring and thought provoking, and that they’ll help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences.

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Episodes

8. S1, Ep8: Is autism a disability? And how does it relate to mental health?

Rachel Stelmach was diagnosed autistic in her 40s. She works for a disability arts organisation here in Wales, where she works with disabled artists in the fields of Creative Technology and Combined Arts. She’s also a Disability Equality and Mental Health First Aid trainer. Her career has included launching her own art and design agency, working for a women’s music festival and running holiday play schemes for disabled young people. In her spare time she’s a keen macro photographer and also runs...

Nov 07, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 8

7. S1, Ep7: Friendships, masking and getting counselling

Becca Kerl was diagnosed at 38 - after a lifetime of wondering why she didn’t seem to quite fit into the world - and three of her children are on the spectrum too. She has spent years supporting the autistic community and helping others advocate for services. She recently completed a Masters degree in Counselling and is in the process of starting a counselling practice in Las Vegas, USA. She’s also a musician and a semi professional poker player, and she met her biological father for the first t...

Oct 31, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 7

6. S1, Ep6: Self diagnosis, burnout and mental health

Stephanie Silvan is self diagnosed. Originally from Germany, she now lives in Finland with her teenage daughter, who is also autistic. ** Listen ad-free by joining my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast ** She has worked in many different fields: she has run her own business as a dog behaviourist, she is a linguist and biologist, has trained as a teacher and also spent several years as a farmer. Her most recent role saw her travelling all Asia, Europe, and the USA managing global t...

Oct 24, 2020•56 min•Season 1Ep. 6

5. S1, Ep5: Misdiagnosis and being autistic at home and work

My guest today has insights into life as an autistic person both personally and professionally: she works in a Local Authority Children's Home for autistic young people with high support needs, and received her own diagnosis at the age of 27. She was initially misdiagnosed, and it took years - and an unusual approach from a psychologist - to help her finally find an explanation for the things the medical profession hadn’t been able to find answers for. Despite being a bright and articulate perso...

Oct 17, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 5

4. S1, Ep4: Finding yourself through diverse communities

My guest today blew me away with their energy and drive to help marginalised communities flourish. Still only 25, they work full time in autism advocacy for an organisation in Washington, USA, and they are a writer, musician and playwright, as well as serving on the board of the Plus One Foundation, an organisation that funds life changing experiences for people with neurological disorders. They are also Executive Director and Co-Founder of a brand new inclusive theatre project, Rainy Day Arts C...

Oct 10, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 4

3. S1, Ep3: Creating opportunities from your special interests

Madge Woollard is a musician and teacher from Sheffield in the UK. A Cambridge graduate, she has run her own piano teaching business for the last 25 years, teaching privately and in schools. She was diagnosed autistic at the age of 44, and has since gone on to win an Autism Friendly Business Award from the National Autistic Society, for her work teaching music to autistic students. She has taken part in autism research, is involved with the autistic theatre group, Spectrum Theatre, and has playe...

Oct 07, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 3

2. S1, Ep2: Building a business that fits around autistic needs and disabilities

In this conversation I talk with assistance dog trainer Monique Juniper about the inspiration behind Capable K9s, and how she’s been able to build a business that allows her the freedom to work around her own disability and needs, so she’s able to enjoy her work, manage her workload and avoid burning out again; and the importance of serving our communities and being authentic in the work that we do. Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore nav...

Oct 03, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 2

1. S1, Ep1: Discovering you're autistic in adulthood - and finding work that fits you, when you don't fit work

Welcome to Squarepeg, the podcast in which neurodivergent women, trans and nonbinary people explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. ** Listen ad-free by joining my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast ** Lis Parsons is an Open University tutor from North Wales who describes herself as ‘the classic gifted student with no social skills’. Diagnosed autistic in her 40s, she says that in some ways she’s a ‘slow learner’, but despite exp...

Oct 03, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Welcome to the Squarepeg podcast

Welcome to the Squarepeg podcast! This is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the ag...

Oct 03, 2020•3 min

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