The concept of neurodiversity and its application is currently one of the hottest issues of discussion and consideration, both within and outside autism and disability culture. Barry and Dave have a wide-ranging conversation that addresses the origin of neurodiversity, current debates about boundaries and terminology, and how the concept has evolved in recent years. They go onto discuss implications of our evolving understanding of neurodiversity for education, employment, and supporting a more ...
Nov 11, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep 65•Transcript available on Metacast It is well known that a major challenge for autistic and neurodivergent individuals of all ages is developing a healthy lifestyle that supports fitness, and emotional well-being. Belden Long and Rosie White, NCAA and Olympic elite athletes, with additional expertise in occupational therapy, yoga, and movement approaches to fitness, have dedicated their current careers to helping neurodivergent individuals and their families live healthier lives. They discuss their motivations for doing so, and t...
Oct 28, 2022•51 min•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast As autistic individuals become increasingly involved in contributing to the performing arts, a relatively new role is that of autistic playwrights developing bodies of work admired for their creativity and impact. Dave Osmundsen, one such playwright, is experiencing success and recognition for his contributions. Dave discusses his development as a playwright, and the themes that he finds most exciting to explore in his plays. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy...
Oct 14, 2022•49 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast Autistic individuals are more likely to attempt suicide at rates alarmingly highly than in the non-autistic population. In this episode, Barry and Dave discuss critical issues regarding suicide and mental health with autistic professional, Lisa Morgan, based on her personal experiences and her professional mission to educate others around the risk factors and prevention. In particular, Lisa advocates for approaches that are based on the unique experiences of autistic people, she challenges appro...
Sep 30, 2022•58 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast Lauren Ober is an award-winning podcaster and journalist, and also is incredibly insightful (and funny) when discussing her late diagnosis of autism, her early years of being mistreated in school, and how her strengths have led to a successful career. She and Dave discuss similarities in their experiences, and what she hopes to accomplish in her new podcast, The Loudest Girl in the World. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#d...
Sep 16, 2022•54 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast Thrilled to announce a new collaboration with Pushkin Industries, we’re sharing a special preview of a new podcast, The Loudest Girl in the World. For years, journalist and podcast host Lauren Ober wasn’t all that jazzed about herself. She was always getting in trouble, she had a lot of sensory issues and her anxiety felt off the charts. And then, she found out why — she was autistic. The Loudest Girl in the World tells the story of Lauren’s journey to understand what it means to be on the autis...
Sep 13, 2022•13 min•Ep 60•Transcript available on Metacast There is a significant divide between autistic advocates and parents of autistic children. Parents may feel attacked for their lack of understanding, and autistic adults who offer insight and guidance may also be met with rejection. Professionals face their own challenges in supporting autistic people. Limited by information that often excludes autistic perspectives, professionals may inadvertently contribute to this divide. Meghan Ashburn, a mother of two autistic boys of color, and Jules Edwar...
Sep 02, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep 59•Transcript available on Metacast Supporting successful transitions back to school is critical for maximizing success for the whole school year. Join us as we throw back to episode 31st, where Dave and Barry shared a lively discussion about challenges and creative strategies to help children of all ages to get off to a good start in this coming school year. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Aug 19, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast For many years, parents of autistic children and family members, and autistic people themselves have expressed concerns about how they have been misunderstood, and even mistreated by medical professionals and the traditional medical systems they work within. Dr. Mel Houser has experienced this personally as a physician trained in the medical establishment, as a late diagnosed autistic woman, and as a mother of an autistic child. She discusses the need for change and the changes she is actually i...
Aug 05, 2022•1 hr•Ep 57•Transcript available on Metacast It is widely accepted that many autistic children and adults may have difficulties feeling comfortable in social interaction and social relationships given neurotypical expectations. Non-autistic people also may also feel uncomfortable and may have difficulty adjusting their style of communication and social interaction to support successful social engagement. Dave and Barry discuss these issues from a neurotypical and autistic perspective, looking, in part, through the lens of cultural differen...
Jul 22, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast It is widely accepted that autistic individuals often experience co-occurring mental health challenges and conditions. However, the specific relationships between autism and mental health conditions remain an area of debate and even significant disagreement. Sean Inderbitzen, an autistic Behavioral Health Therapist, holds specific beliefs that vary from views of autism grounded primarily in a social model of disability framework. In this episode, Sean, Dave and Barry have a lively discussion abo...
Jul 08, 2022•51 min•Ep 55•Transcript available on Metacast Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an invaluable framework that has great relevance in addressing the varied needs of autistic and neurodivergent learners, and supporting active engagement in learning environments. We discuss the basic concept of UDL with Emily Rubin and Lindee Morgan, experts on UDL, and its great value for developing individualized programs and for addressing social emotional as well as pre-academic and academic goals for children who may think and learn differently. We al...
Jun 24, 2022•55 min•Ep 54•Transcript available on Metacast Traveling for vacations and for other purposes provides great opportunities for learning, for creating wonderful memories for families and for growing socially and emotionally. However, for autistic and neurodivergent children and adults, and their families, traveling can also present unique challenges. In this episode, we discuss challenges and many helpful strategies to support positive traveling experiences with Dawn Barclay, an expert on travel for families who have neurodivergent family mem...
Jun 10, 2022•58 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast Michael Gilberg, an attorney specializing in educational law, discusses his varied experiences he brings as an attorney involved in legal issues for individuals with disabilities, including autism. These experiences include his being a student who received a late diagnosis of autism, as well as numerous and varied experiences working with families and school districts as a lawyer. He provides advice to school personnel and to parents about how to navigate through the through the oftentimes conte...
May 27, 2022•51 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast Zhara Astra’s mission is to communicate the vital importance of early and accurate diagnosis of autism and neurodivergent conditions in girls and women. Drawing from her own experience as an autistic woman diagnosed in adulthood, as well as her knowledge of the research in this area, she argues for a different set of criteria for diagnosis in females. Zhara discusses the debilitating impact of not being diagnosed, some of which she experienced personally, as well as the how receiving a diagnosis...
May 13, 2022•54 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast From each of us at Uniquely Human: The Podcast, thank you for listening and contributing to this show. As we look back on our first 50 episodes, Barry and Dave share some of their favorite moments. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Apr 29, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast An issue of increasing interest and concern in the autism community is that of masking. Masking or camouflaging is when an autistic person or neurodivergent person consciously, or subconsciously seeks to hide or minimize their autism or neurodivergent traits to fit in with the neurotypical world. Individuals with autism, especially ones who have a history of trauma, frequently feel they need to mask their autistic traits in order to fit in. Dr. Devon Price, a social psychologist and transgender ...
Apr 15, 2022•59 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast Debbie Steinberg-Kuntz, a marriage and family therapist and parent, discusses the development of the Bright and Quirky community, that she founded to support 2E children who are twice exceptional, and their families. That is, they excel in some aspects of development, typically verbal and cognitive abilities, but may also experience challenges in social-emotional development and specific areas of learning. These children may receive various neurodevelopmental diagnoses including autism, ADHD, an...
Apr 01, 2022•51 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast Interoception is a relatively new concept as it pertains to the experiences of autistic children and adults. Described as the eighth sense, it has to do with being able to understand and interpret sensations that come from one’s own body. There is increasing evidence that problems related to interoception are common in autism, and are related to capacities in the development of self-regulation. In this episode, Kelly Mahler, an OT and a leader in bringing awareness of interception to autism, and...
Mar 18, 2022•52 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Michael Hannon is an Associate Professor of Counseling at Montclair State University. Dr. Hannon earned his doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from The Pennsylvania State University. As an award-winning counselor educator and scholar, Dr. Hannon is a highly sought after lecturer, consultant, and collaborator. He also is the father of a teen-age son on the autism spectrum, and co-facilitates support meetings for Fathers of autistic children through Drexel University. Dr. H...
Mar 04, 2022•52 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast Echolalia has a very special place in Barry’s life. It became a topic of fascination and an enthusiasm in his very early work with a group of wonderful young autistic boys. His deep interest resulted in a federally funded dissertation that challenged and overturned misinformed and disrespectful views of echolalia disseminated by Ivar Lovaas, the father of ABA. Rather than seeing echolalia as meaningless parroting and psychotic speech that needed to be “extinguished”, Barry’s research demonstrate...
Feb 18, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast Barry and Dave have a lively discussion with Yasmine White, music therapist, and Jonathan Chase, autistic professional musician and self advocate. Yasmine discusses her approach to music therapy and the VOICSSⓇ together model, and her new book focusing on helping parents connecting with their children through music. Jonathan talks about his journey as a person with autism, career as a professional musician, and his current career focus on providing supports in various ways to autistic individual...
Feb 04, 2022•52 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast Anlor Davin, an autistic Zen meditation practitioner discusses her journey to finding her authentic self from her upbringing in France, to her immigration, autistic diagnosis and life in the United States. Since she has found her calling, she shares how she now provides the gift of meditation to autistic individuals through online service and weekend retreats. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jan 21, 2022•44 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Amy Laurent, a Development Psychologist and OT, and her autistic colleague, Dr. Jacquelyn Fede, a Developmental Psychologist discuss how their relationship led to the development and evolution of Autism Level Up, a joint venture that provides a variety of services and supports to the autism community nationally and internationally. As a SCERTS Model Collaborator, Amy describes how Dr. Jacquelyn’s perspective as an autistic self-advocate encouraged them to build on the foundation of SCERTS, w...
Jan 07, 2022•52 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast The holidays can be such a fun and spiritual time of year for a lot of us, but there are also challenges, especially if you or a family member is autistic. In this special throwback episode, Kristy Forbes joins us from Australia, and Dave’s wife Kristen spills the tea on their own family’s strategies for enjoying the holidays together. And, hear a special performance from our autistic friend, Conner. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.c...
Dec 24, 2021•56 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast For 25 years, Barry and his colleagues have conducted a unique retreat weekend in a beautiful setting in New England in partnership with Dr. Elaine Meyer of Harvard University, and Barbara Domingue, founder and Executive Director of Community Autism Resources, a parent founded and run family support agency. The retreat welcomes 50-60 parents each year, to share experiences and wisdom, and to refuel in a “non-judgmental zone”. In this podcast, we discuss the philosophy, the goals, and the nuts an...
Dec 17, 2021•50 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast Barry and Dave welcome Scott Steindorff, a highly accomplished international television and film producer and writer. In their riveting discussion, Scott shares the many challenges he faced in life resulting from his autism and ADHD, especially in the early years. He describes the torment he experienced as he was misunderstood and misdiagnosed by people who knew him well, as well as professionals. He also credits the many gifts and talents that being neurodivergent has brought to him, and how th...
Dec 03, 2021•42 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast Barry and Dave discuss human rights issues with their guests, Jordyn Zimmerman and Tauna Szymanski, from both a personal and policy perspective. Jordyn Zimmerman is a nonspeaking autistic woman who was denied access to an effective AAC system well into her teen years. She experienced misunderstandings, discrimination, and psychological abuse as she was not able to communicate her sense of self, her opinions, and her basic needs. She is now a passionate advocate for non-speaking people, and their...
Nov 19, 2021•43 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast Jody O'Neill is the award-winning Director, playwright, actor, and mother on the autism spectrum. Her play, "What I (don't) know about Autism, has received critical Acclaim and is opening for the second time at the Abbey theater in Dublin and will be streamed online. Jody discusses how to play was designed to educate the public about autism, but also be an artistic work that all can benefit from seeing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art1...
Nov 05, 2021•46 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast Shelly Christensen brings a vast amount of experience in helping various faith communities be more welcoming and inclusive. As a professional with deep experience and expertise in faith communities and disabilities, and as a parent of a young man on the autism spectrum, and as a person with a disability herself, she discusses her experiences as a parent-professional and the need to work with the leadership of faith communities to create opportunities to families and individuals that allow them t...
Oct 22, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast 
