Autism in the Adult

Join Dr. Regan for the second episode of the series "Talking About Autism." This episode focuses on how the thoughtful navigation of emotions during conversations about autism can create space and freedom for more discussions. New Course for Clinicians - Interventions in Autism: Helping Clients Stay Centered, Connect with Others, and Engage in Life New Course for Clinicians: ASD Differential Diagnoses and Associated Characteristics Dr. Regan's Resources Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians Read the transcript: 00:00:05,740 --> 00:00:06,480 Hello, 3 00:00:06,490 --> 00:00:12,460 This is Dr Theresa Regan. Thank you for joining me for this episode of Autism in the Adult. 4 00:00:13,140 --> 00:00:19,260 I am happy that you're joining us for this series called Talking about Autism. 5 00:00:19,270 --> 00:00:37,150 This is the second episode, and I had originally predicted it was going to be about talking to others when you see autistic characteristics in them and you wonder if a diagnostic evaluation would be helpful for them? 6 00:00:38,740 --> 00:00:44,170 What happened is that, as I'm mulling around the topics for the series, 7 00:00:44,180 --> 00:00:49,560 I really couldn't get my mind off what was going to be the 3rd episode -- 8 00:00:50,140 --> 00:00:56,260 which I'm going to call "navigating emotional atmospheres"... when we're talking about autism. 9 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:13,790 And I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to cover that topic here in the second episode because I feel like it's really important to consider before we talk to other people about autistic characteristics. 10 00:01:13,790 --> 00:01:20,860 How would we navigate the emotions that are sometimes present around the topic itself? 11 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:39,160 Last episode we talked about Talking About Autism when you are on a journey toward evaluation yourself ... when you're considering that, or when you have a new diagnosis and you might want to talk to people about your diagnosis and about autism. 12 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:40,960 So, 13 00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:50,260 this episode is going to be focused a little bit more on navigating the complexity of people's emotional responses. 14 00:01:50,740 --> 00:01:54,850 And as we talked about in the first episode, 15 00:01:54,850 --> 00:02:03,690 it really is an emotionally charged topic and in some ways that's a bit mystifying to me. 16 00:02:03,700 --> 00:02:12,650 ... the amount of emotion people have about a topic that sometimes they're not even really impacted by on a personal level, 18 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:22,160 but talking about autism often does involve navigating emotional atmospheres. 19 00:02:22,780 --> 00:02:23,000 Um, 20 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,760 and it's hard to predict what the atmosphere is going to look like or how complex it is. 21 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:38,010 Sometimes the atmosphere may be charged because we would like to talk to someone about the topic and how it impacts, 22 00:02:38,010 --> 00:02:38,690 let's say, 23 00:02:38,690 --> 00:02:40,110 our own family, 24 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:44,600 or how it impacts someone in the family or how it impacts you. 25 00:02:44,610 --> 00:02:51,730 And there can just be this unusual response of 26 00:02:51,740 --> 00:02:53,630 a lot of emotional charge. 27 00:02:53,640 --> 00:03:04,360 I spoke with a young woman recently who was saying that she was shocked at how angry people in her family were when she brought the topic up. 28 00:03:04,940 --> 00:03:10,160 And that is not an unusual thing for someone to share, that 29 00:03:10,170 --> 00:03:12,310 it can really charge people up. 30 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:13,660 And um, 31 00:03:14,350 --> 00:03:17,440 sometimes you're not just bringing up a topic, 32 00:03:17,450 --> 00:03:22,560 you're bringing up all this emotional processing and content. 33 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:25,270 Other times, 34 00:03:25,270 --> 00:03:30,560 people on this journey toward an autism diagnosis or self awareness, 35 00:03:30,940 --> 00:03:33,150 they may feel other emotions too. 36 00:03:33,150 --> 00:03:39,460 They might feel relief that they finally understand how they're wired. 37 00:03:39,940 --> 00:03:40,330 Um, 38 00:03:40,330 --> 00:03:51,550 they might share that this is such a meaningful and important thing to them that they really have a lot of emotion about the value of the diagnosis. 39 00:03:52,140 --> 00:03:55,130 Other people may really be in a different spot. 40 00:03:55,130 --> 00:03:59,150 They might be in this spot where they're processing. 41 00:03:59,160 --> 00:03:59,740 Um, 42 00:03:59,750 --> 00:04:01,040 just surprise. 43 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:05,950 Like they were not expecting it, processing maybe grief or fear. 44 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:06,730 Um, 45 00:04:06,740 --> 00:04:24,830 a lot of emotions can come with this diagnosis or this di

Join Dr. Regan for this first episode of the new series "Talking About Autism." This episode focuses on talking about autism when you are on a journey toward diagnosis and after you have received a diagnosis. New Course for Clinicians - Interventions in Autism: Helping Clients Stay Centered, Connect with Others, and Engage in Life New Course for Clinicians: ASD Differential Diagnoses and Associated Characteristics Dr. Regan's Resources Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians Read the transcript: 1 00:00:03,540 --> 00:00:07,840 Hello and welcome to this episode of Autism in the Adult. 2 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:09,020 I am your host, 3 00:00:09,020 --> 00:00:10,510 Dr Theresa Regan. 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:12,600 I'm a neuropsychologist. 5 00:00:12,620 --> 00:00:15,060 I am a certified autism specialist, 6 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:23,750 the director of an autism diagnostic clinic for adults in central Illinois, and the mother of a teen and the spectrum. 7 00:00:24,550 --> 00:00:27,630 I am starting a new series of episodes today. 8 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:33,040 I think this may end up being a 3-4 part series. 9 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:34,330 We'll see how it goes. 10 00:00:34,340 --> 00:00:40,060 Um and basically the series is going to be called "Talking About Autism." 11 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:50,490 And this was a listener request... from multiple listeners that have emailed about "How do I talk about this to other people, 12 00:00:50,490 --> 00:00:52,570 whether that's my own diagnosis, 13 00:00:52,570 --> 00:00:56,720 whether that's talking to people that I think may be on the spectrum, 14 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:07,320 but they haven't been thinking in that direction... and how do I navigate all the emotion that sometimes comes with these kinds of discussions?" 15 00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:12,460 So we're going to take some time to sort through some of those topics. 16 00:01:13,340 --> 00:01:22,680 I believe that this topic is really important, and that's why I have set aside to do a series of episodes about the topic. 17 00:01:22,690 --> 00:01:31,780 I also feel like this is probably one of the most challenging episodes that I've put my mind to here. 18 00:01:31,790 --> 00:01:59,210 And that is because in some ways it's a lot easier to present some research and a list of facts and definitions of terms than to talk about these concepts and experiences and to wrap words around things that are perhaps more personal or experiential is a little more challenging, but worth it I think... 19 00:01:59,210 --> 00:02:00,260 but challenging. 20 00:02:00,270 --> 00:02:05,960 And one of the challenges is probably to make some organization of it. 22 00:02:06,750 --> 00:02:11,650 ... So there's some cohesion in what we're talking about in each episode. 23 00:02:12,140 --> 00:02:13,810 So in this first episode, 24 00:02:13,810 --> 00:02:22,700 I'm going to cover the topic of talking about your own autism diagnosis to other people, 25 00:02:22,700 --> 00:02:25,060 and I'm going to cover two things. 26 00:02:25,060 --> 00:02:37,560 One is if you're an individual who's thinking about starting a journey toward evaluation, and you're talking to people about your desire to do this, 27 00:02:37,940 --> 00:02:38,340 um, 28 00:02:38,340 --> 00:02:45,270 some of what we review will have to do with this kind of process ... this starting of that journey. 29 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:46,590 And also, 30 00:02:46,590 --> 00:02:50,800 then we'll finish by talking about once you have a diagnosis, 31 00:02:50,810 --> 00:02:51,930 um, 32 00:02:51,940 --> 00:02:54,270 who do you talk to about it? 33 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:55,960 How do you bring it up? 34 00:02:56,340 --> 00:02:56,890 Um, 35 00:02:56,900 --> 00:03:00,750 how does that go after you have a diagnosis? 36 00:03:01,140 --> 00:03:01,660 Um, 37 00:03:01,660 --> 00:03:13,960 so we're going to jump in first with that process that perhaps you're someone who's been thinking about yourself or been thinking about, 38 00:03:13,970 --> 00:03:14,870 um, 39 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:16,890 perhaps your loved one, 40 00:03:16,890 --> 00:03:28,020 Maybe your partner has been thinking about this and wants you to join them in this journey or you have a child or adolescent that you think may be on the spectrum. 41 00:03:28,020 --> 00:03:28,360 And, 42 00:03:28,370 --> 00:03:35,550 and this is just the beginning of a quest to figure out more information. 43 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:43,910 One of the really unusual things I think about autism as a diagnosis is that for some reason, 44 00:03:43,910 --> 00:04:00,060 and I don't really understand why, everyone really seems to have an opinion about this topic as far as whether you actually are or are not on the spectrum. 45 00:04:01,140 --> 00:04:03,120 And it's, 46 00:04:03,130 --> 00:04:03,780 again, 47 00:04:03,780 --> 00:04:09,280 mystif

Join Dr. Regan for the final episode of a four part series on regulation and dysregulation on the autism spectrum. This episode focuses on recognizing when an individual is attempting to regulate and using this information to partner toward the best outcome. New Course for Clinicians - Interventions in Autism: Helping Clients Stay Centered, Connect with Others, and Engage in Life New Course for Clinicians: ASD Differential Diagnoses and Associated Characteristics Dr. Regan's Resources Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians Transcript of Episode 1 00:00:00,340 --> 00:00:03,370 This is Dr Theresa Regan. 2 00:00:03,380 --> 00:00:10,830 I'm a neuropsychologist and I specialize in understanding the way that the brain is related to emotions, 3 00:00:10,830 --> 00:00:13,000 behavior, cognition -- 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:16,430 thinking skills -- and also personality. 5 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:18,910 I'm a certified autism specialist. 6 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:24,060 I'm the director of an autism diagnostic clinic for adults in Illinois. 7 00:00:24,070 --> 00:00:26,650 And I'm the mother of a teen on the spectrum. 8 00:00:27,740 --> 00:00:35,960 This is our final episode of a four point series on regulation and dysegulation on the autism spectrum. 9 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:37,640 In the first episode, 10 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,800 we talked about what those words mean. 11 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:49,130 So regulation has to do with the nervous system's ability to help us stay centered with alertness... 12 00:00:49,140 --> 00:01:02,480 whether we are able to wake up quickly and efficiently in the morning and are able to wind down to sleep in the evening ... that has to do with regulation of our alertness, 13 00:01:02,490 --> 00:01:04,900 Also regulation of attention... 14 00:01:04,900 --> 00:01:14,000 so sometimes we may feel spacey and inattentive and other times we may have too much hyper focus, 15 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:19,350 too attentive to details that aren't really helping our situation. 16 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:21,530 And also third, 17 00:01:21,530 --> 00:01:24,370 the regulation of emotions and behavior. 18 00:01:24,370 --> 00:01:35,970 And so this would be what we typically call fight, flight, or freeze modes when someone's overwhelmed and they may revert to an outburst or a meltdown, 19 00:01:35,980 --> 00:01:39,230 they may be an individual who has quieter struggle... 20 00:01:39,230 --> 00:01:41,930 So they may have flight reactions -- 21 00:01:41,930 --> 00:01:43,590 like I'm leaving school, 22 00:01:43,590 --> 00:01:46,580 I can't come out of my room, 23 00:01:46,580 --> 00:01:48,340 I'm withdrawing. 24 00:01:48,350 --> 00:01:52,880 I'm hiding ... psychologically or physically. 25 00:01:53,740 --> 00:01:57,440 And some people have freeze reactions that ... I'm physically present, 26 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:59,430 but I'm really shut down. 27 00:01:59,430 --> 00:02:07,660 I'm not psychologically present ... and it may even take the form of a dissociative episode like this person is shut down... 28 00:02:07,670 --> 00:02:10,520 They don't remember this conversation later. 29 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,360 They're really just not able to be fully present. 30 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,590 Another form of freeze reaction 31 00:02:18,590 --> 00:02:25,130 could be this expression of psychological stress through the physical body. 32 00:02:25,140 --> 00:02:29,330 So a person who's having what we call nonepileptic seizures. 33 00:02:29,340 --> 00:02:39,150 Those are seizures that are expressions of psychological struggle rather than based in electrical changes in the brain. 34 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,420 That would be in this category. 35 00:02:42,420 --> 00:02:49,150 People who have feelings of physical pain in the context of emotional pain. 36 00:02:49,540 --> 00:02:52,750 People who have headaches or stomachaches etcetera. 37 00:02:55,540 --> 00:03:02,510 So we talked about ways to prevent dysregulation in the second episode. 38 00:03:02,510 --> 00:03:06,960 How to reduce those episodes of feeling uncentered. 39 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:09,490 In the third episode, 40 00:03:09,490 --> 00:03:26,260 we talked about how to recover once dysregulation occurs, because it will ... it does for every human and there are just times in our life when we have more difficulties slipping into these dysregulated states. 41 00:03:26,270 --> 00:03:27,850 And then once that happens, 42 00:03:27,850 --> 00:03:30,760 we need to have strategies to recover. 43 00:03:30,770 --> 00:03:33,360 And that was our third topic. 44 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:52,950 This is our fourth and final topic, and it's about how to recognize when the person you are with ... or how to recognize in yourself ... when you are attempting to regulate, because a lot of what we do as humans is say to ourselves, 45 00:03:52,950 --> 00:03:5

Join Dr. Regan for the third episode of a four part series on regulation and dysregulation on the autism spectrum. This episode focuses on strategies for recovering from dysregulated states. As referenced in the podcast: Exhaustion in Autism: Balancing Momentum for Daily Activities Gaining Momentum for Activities: Shifting from Sluggish to Active Keeping Momentum for Activities on the Autism Spectrum Dr. Regan's Resources Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians Transcript of Episode 1 00:00:03,540 --> 00:00:07,840 Hello everyone and welcome to this episode of the podcast, 2 00:00:07,850 --> 00:00:09,680 autism in the adult, 3 00:00:09,690 --> 00:00:10,910 I am your host, 4 00:00:10,910 --> 00:00:12,450 Dr Theresa Regan. 5 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:14,870 I am a neuropsychologist, 6 00:00:14,870 --> 00:00:20,640 which means that I specialize in understanding how the brain impacts things like thinking, 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:21,320 skills, 8 00:00:21,330 --> 00:00:22,410 emotions, 9 00:00:22,420 --> 00:00:24,560 behavior and personality. 10 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:30,460 I'm the founder and director of an adult diagnostic autism clinic in central Illinois. 11 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:40,560 And today we have the third episode in a series of four on the topic of regulation and dysregulation on the autism spectrum. 12 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:42,960 In the first episode, 13 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:51,080 we defined these terms where regulation is feeling just right in the area of alertness, 14 00:00:51,090 --> 00:01:03,630 attention and calm, and dysegulation is feeling too high or too low in these areas and when someone is not feeling centered with their emotions, 15 00:01:03,630 --> 00:01:11,960 they might have a fight, flight, or freeze reaction, and the freeze reactions might include shutting down, 16 00:01:12,410 --> 00:01:19,850 they might include physical expressions of stress, or what we call dissociation. 17 00:01:20,540 --> 00:01:31,760 Dissociation could include things like forgetting periods of time or feeling disconnected from the body or feeling that things around us are not real. 18 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:34,800 In the first episode, 19 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,030 we also reviewed that within the autism spectrum, 20 00:01:38,030 --> 00:01:43,360 dysregulation is more common than for those with different neurology. 21 00:01:44,540 --> 00:01:46,760 In the second episode of this series, 22 00:01:46,760 --> 00:02:08,760 we talked about how to reduce the number and intensity of dysregulation episodes by taking care of the nervous system on a daily basis using things like sensory inputs and other strategies and also watching how intense a life schedule the person is diving into. 23 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,120 For our third episode, 24 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:16,460 our focus will be on what to do when dysregulation hits. 25 00:02:16,940 --> 00:02:21,650 We all have dysregulated states... for the person on the spectrum, 26 00:02:21,650 --> 00:02:28,970 they may be more likely to have these and, even when we do all that we can do to support the nervous system, 27 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:38,260 we're going to have periods where we're really not just right with regard to alertness or attention or emotional status. 28 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:40,860 So when someone is dysregulated, 29 00:02:40,860 --> 00:02:47,170 they might appear to be sluggish or have difficulty getting going or unmotivated. 30 00:02:47,180 --> 00:02:53,360 That would be when their motor is running too low in the area of alertness and activation. 31 00:02:54,040 --> 00:03:04,330 This type of dysregulation is covered in previous episodes about exhaustion and autism, and momentum within autism. 32 00:03:04,330 --> 00:03:10,290 And I will post the links to these episodes below today, 33 00:03:10,290 --> 00:03:15,530 We're going to focus on the dysregulation that looks like anxiety, 34 00:03:15,540 --> 00:03:17,310 upset, anger, 35 00:03:17,310 --> 00:03:18,360 restlessness. 36 00:03:18,930 --> 00:03:24,570 These things that may manifest in fight, flight, or freeze reactions. 37 00:03:28,540 --> 00:03:37,480 So once there's a dysregulated state, there are things that I would recommend not doing and things that I would recommend doing. 38 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:41,650 So we're gonna start with this category of what not to do. 39 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:49,540 Many of the things that we have an instinct for when someone is dysregulated actually may make things worse. 40 00:03:49,550 --> 00:03:51,270 So what do we tend to do? 41 00:03:51,270 --> 00:03:51,470 Well, 42 00:03:51,470 --> 00:03:55,010 we might ask the person to talk about how they're feeling, 43 00:03:55,010 --> 00:03:56,760 why they're feeling that way, 44 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:01,320 what triggered this really strong emotional reaction. 45 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:08,

Join Dr. Regan for the second episode of a four part series on regulation and dysregulation on the autism spectrum. This episode focuses on three strategies to help reduce the frequency and intensity of dysregulation episodes for the autistic individual. Zur Institute webinar Feb 2022: ASD Interventions Across the Lifespan Dr. Regan's Resources Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians 1 00:00:03,540 --> 00:00:07,840 Hello everyone and welcome to this episode of the podcast, 2 00:00:07,850 --> 00:00:09,680 autism in the adult, 3 00:00:09,690 --> 00:00:10,910 I am your host, 4 00:00:10,910 --> 00:00:12,450 Dr Theresa Regan. 5 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:14,870 I am a neuropsychologist, 6 00:00:14,870 --> 00:00:20,640 which means that I specialize in understanding how the brain impacts things like thinking, 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:21,320 skills, 8 00:00:21,330 --> 00:00:22,410 emotions, 9 00:00:22,420 --> 00:00:24,560 behavior and personality. 10 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:30,460 I'm the founder and director of an adult diagnostic autism clinic in central Illinois. 11 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:40,560 And today we have the third episode in a series of four on the topic of regulation and dysregulation on the autism spectrum. 12 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:42,960 In the first episode, 13 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:51,080 we defined these terms where regulation is feeling just right in the area of alertness, 14 00:00:51,090 --> 00:01:03,630 attention and calm, and dysegulation is feeling too high or too low in these areas and when someone is not feeling centered with their emotions, 15 00:01:03,630 --> 00:01:11,960 they might have a fight, flight, or freeze reaction, and the freeze reactions might include shutting down, 16 00:01:12,410 --> 00:01:19,850 they might include physical expressions of stress, or what we call dissociation. 17 00:01:20,540 --> 00:01:31,760 Dissociation could include things like forgetting periods of time or feeling disconnected from the body or feeling that things around us are not real. 18 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:34,800 In the first episode, 19 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,030 we also reviewed that within the autism spectrum, 20 00:01:38,030 --> 00:01:43,360 dysregulation is more common than for those with different neurology. 21 00:01:44,540 --> 00:01:46,760 In the second episode of this series, 22 00:01:46,760 --> 00:02:08,760 we talked about how to reduce the number and intensity of dysregulation episodes by taking care of the nervous system on a daily basis using things like sensory inputs and other strategies and also watching how intense a life schedule the person is diving into. 23 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,120 For our third episode, 24 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:16,460 our focus will be on what to do when dysregulation hits. 25 00:02:16,940 --> 00:02:21,650 We all have dysregulated states... for the person on the spectrum, 26 00:02:21,650 --> 00:02:28,970 they may be more likely to have these and, even when we do all that we can do to support the nervous system, 27 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:38,260 we're going to have periods where we're really not just right with regard to alertness or attention or emotional status. 28 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:40,860 So when someone is dysregulated, 29 00:02:40,860 --> 00:02:47,170 they might appear to be sluggish or have difficulty getting going or unmotivated. 30 00:02:47,180 --> 00:02:53,360 That would be when their motor is running too low in the area of alertness and activation. 31 00:02:54,040 --> 00:03:04,330 This type of dysregulation is covered in previous episodes about exhaustion and autism, and momentum within autism. 32 00:03:04,330 --> 00:03:10,290 And I will post the links to these episodes below today, 33 00:03:10,290 --> 00:03:15,530 We're going to focus on the dysregulation that looks like anxiety, 34 00:03:15,540 --> 00:03:17,310 upset, anger, 35 00:03:17,310 --> 00:03:18,360 restlessness. 36 00:03:18,930 --> 00:03:24,570 These things that may manifest in fight, flight, or freeze reactions. 37 00:03:28,540 --> 00:03:37,480 So once there's a dysregulated state, there are things that I would recommend not doing and things that I would recommend doing. 38 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:41,650 So we're gonna start with this category of what not to do. 39 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:49,540 Many of the things that we have an instinct for when someone is dysregulated actually may make things worse. 40 00:03:49,550 --> 00:03:51,270 So what do we tend to do? 41 00:03:51,270 --> 00:03:51,470 Well, 42 00:03:51,470 --> 00:03:55,010 we might ask the person to talk about how they're feeling, 43 00:03:55,010 --> 00:03:56,760 why they're feeling that way, 44 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:01,320 what triggered this really strong emotional reaction. 45 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:08,560 We may reason with them about why they should be feeling or reacting differently. 46 00:04:08,940

Individuals on the spectrum who are going through a season of struggle often describe episodes of dysregulation (not feeling centered in their alertness, attention, or emotions). Join Dr. Regan for this first episode in a 4 part series on dysregulation to learn how to recognize a dysregulated state and why these states are often misinterpreted or mishandled. The Alert Program: Your Best Self The Testing Psychologist podcast: Best of 2021 Zur Institute webinar Feb 2022: ASD Interventions Across the Lifespan Dr. Regan's Resources Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians Episode Transcript 1 00:00:00,340 --> 00:00:17,760 Welcome to autism in the adult podcast. 2 00:00:17,770 --> 00:00:18,750 I'm your host, 3 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:20,290 Dr Theresa Regan, 4 00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:22,560 an adult neuropsychologist. 5 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:28,050 I specialize in brain behavior relationships for those 14 and older. 6 00:00:28,540 --> 00:00:35,050 I'm the parent of an amazing teen on the autism spectrum and a certified autism specialist. 7 00:00:35,740 --> 00:00:38,200 I am deeply grateful to bring validation, 8 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:42,850 hope and purpose to individuals and their families living on the autism spectrum. 9 00:00:43,540 --> 00:00:45,430 With this mission at its core, 10 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:52,580 I founded and currently direct the OsF healthcare adult diagnostic autism center in central Illinois. 11 00:00:52,590 --> 00:01:10,560 My books include Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults and Understanding Autistic Behaviors. For more information and to join my online community for free visit www.adultandgeriatricautism.com. 12 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:13,550 Please join me in helping individuals, 13 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:18,550 couples and families thrive while living life on the autism spectrum. 14 00:01:20,540 --> 00:01:24,460 Hello and welcome to this episode of Autism in the Adult. 15 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:29,460 And I'm glad you joined me for this first episode of 2022. 16 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:35,050 I just want to highlight a few things that have gone on recently. 17 00:01:35,050 --> 00:01:44,680 I was happy to be named in the episode Best Of for 2021 that The Testing Psychologist produces. 18 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:46,520 This is a podcast by Dr. 19 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:47,550 Jeremy Sharp 20 00:01:47,940 --> 00:02:02,790 talking about issues related to assessment in psychology, and my episode in august Identifying Adult Autism was the second downloaded episode of the season. 21 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:03,290 So, 22 00:02:03,290 --> 00:02:14,720 I was so honored to be among many very accomplished people talking about important topics and assessment of Autism in the adult was right up there at # two. 23 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:14,990 So, 24 00:02:14,990 --> 00:02:16,900 I was happy about that. 25 00:02:16,900 --> 00:02:19,920 I'll put the link below if you or someone you know 26 00:02:19,920 --> 00:02:22,800 would like to learn more about assessment. 27 00:02:23,340 --> 00:02:29,160 This episode of the testing psychologist was produced for clinicians. 28 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:36,450 So people who are trying to understand how to assess and evaluate autistic characteristics in their clients. 29 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:44,660 I also have an exciting opportunity for clinicians coming up in February on the 26th of 2022. 30 00:02:45,100 --> 00:02:50,030 This is a two hour live interactive webinar with Zur Institute. 31 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:50,480 And again, 32 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:52,330 I'll put the link below. 33 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:58,210 This is entitled Autism Spectrum Disorder: Interventions Across the Lifespan. 34 00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:05,150 So not everyone on the spectrum will need support or intervention at all seasons of life. 35 00:03:05,540 --> 00:03:26,890 But for those who are clinicians, we have people come to us asking for assistance during a tough period or about a difficult thing that they're grappling with and to understand the neurology of the client is so important to drive the strategies that will be most helpful for them. 36 00:03:27,140 --> 00:03:42,770 So I'll be talking specifically about strategies that are likely to help the autistic client and ... things that we typically do in a counseling sessions, will highlight those that wouldn't be likely to be as helpful. 37 00:03:42,770 --> 00:03:45,730 So that's February 26, 38 00:03:45,730 --> 00:03:46,340 2022. 39 00:03:46,350 --> 00:03:48,850 And I'll go ahead and put that link below. 40 00:03:51,540 --> 00:03:55,260 Today's topic is dysregulation. 41 00:03:55,840 --> 00:04:00,240 I envision this to be the first episode in a four part series. 42 00:04:00,250 --> 00:04:04,160 And so today we're going to talk about what this regulation is and 43 00:04:04,170 --> 00:04:06,060 how to rec

Take a moment to listen again to this holiday episode originally published in 2020. Celebrations may be draining or overwhelming to the individual on the spectrum. A little advanced awareness and planning can make a big difference! Enjoy ~ Dr. Regan's Resources Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians

Autism is found at higher than expected rates in those with eating disorders or problematic eating patterns. Join Dr. Regan to hear about this link and why it is important to understand. article: Autism Spectrum Disorders in Eating Disorder Populations. A Systematic Review Dr. Regan's Resources Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians article: Autism Spectrum Disorders in Eating Disorder Populations. A Systematic Review

In this episode, hear why repetitive fears about social interactions may chase the autistic individual and learn four strategies for escaping those worries. Dr. Regan's Resources Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians

Individuals on the spectrum may have more difficulty than others finding and staying in a "just right" state for activities and tasks. Join Dr. Regan to hear recommendations for keeping momentum without crashing into an exhausted state. Related Resources Dr. Regan's videos on using sensory input for regulation Dr. Regan's Resources The Understanding Autism book series (paperback, hardback, ebook) Audiobook Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians

Individuals on the spectrum may have more difficulty than others shifting from a stopped state (exhausted, "lazy," sluggish) to a "just right" active state for daily activities. Join Dr. Regan to hear three recommendations for getting past the stuck state. Related Resources Dr. Regan's videos on using sensory input for regulation The Vestibular System The Effects of Spinning Vestibular Activities Dr. Regan's Resources The Understanding Autism book series (paperback, hardback, ebook) Audiobook Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians

Resiliency for daily life can be a difficult state to achieve on the autism spectrum. Individuals may struggle to gain momentum for tasks while still finding the recovery time they need to avoid coming to a complete stop. Join Dr. Regan to understand why this occurs, and look for the next episode to cover strategies for balance. Dr. Regan's resources The Understanding Autism book series (paperback, hardback, ebook) Audiobook Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians

One of the most requested podcast topics relates to neuro diversity in relationships: family units, couples, friendships, and partnerships. Dr. Regan discusses how to understand behavior and communication, acknowledge differences, and work toward unity. Dr. Regan's resources The Understanding Autism book series (paperback, hardback, ebook) Audiobook Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians

Females on the spectrum are more often missing a correct diagnosis than their male counterparts. Join Dr. Regan in learning why this occurs and how to recognize autistic characteristics in women across the lifespan. Also check out this link for a live, interactive webinar she will be hosting through Zur Institute on this important topic on August 14, 2021. Autism in Females: Overlooked and Underserved Dr. Regan's resources The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Autism in the Adult website

Ever been stuck in a loop of discussions about how someone else should change their behavior? Whether on the spectrum or neurotypical, your biggest success will come from a shift in mindset from policing to detecting and strategizing. This concept and others are discussed in Dr. Regan's book about understanding autistic behaviors and working toward improved well-being: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Dr. Regan's other resources The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Autism in the Adult website

Individuals on the autism spectrum are at risk for abuse and relational pain. Join Dr. Regan as she discusses the importance of diagnosing trauma conditions and/or autism correctly. She also reviews some contributing factors to relational pain and abuse in social situations for those on the spectrum. Dr. Regan's resources The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Autism in the Adult website

An ASD partner may be very attentive during a dating relationship but struggle in the context of family life with children. Join Dr. Regan as she talks about why this disconnect may occur and offers tips for connecting in a complex family environment. Dr. Regan's resources The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Autism in the Adult website

Many individuals on the spectrum are passionate about topic, data, and facts. However, attention to the social context of communication may take a back seat. Join Dr. Regan to hear about the two pillars of communication and why attention to person can help the ASD individual better achieve his/her personal goals. REGISTER NOW: Dr. Regan's live webinar on Feb 16, 2021 through Zur Institute: Dr. Regan Webinar: Could I or Someone I Know be on the Autism Spectrum? Dr. Regan's resources The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Autism in the Adult website

Many are on a journey in adulthood to determine whether they (or someone they love) is on the autism spectrum. Dr. Regan talks about the importance of finding a professional who uses multiple sources of information (rather than one cut off score) to make a diagnosis and provide individualized recommendations. Register for Dr. Regan's live webinar on Feb 16, 2021 through Zur Institute: Dr. Regan Webinar: Could I or Someone I Know be on the Autism Spectrum? Dr. Regan's resources The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Autism in the Adult website

One of the defining characteristics of autism is a neurologic "leaning toward" repetition. In relationships, this can lead to "conversational persistence" (i.e., being unable to let an argument or topic go). Join Dr. Regan to hear three tips for helping the individual release a topic that has already been discussed. Dr. Regan's resources The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Autism in the Adult website Podcast References Winn, Beverley, Gameiro, Sofia, Shelton, Katherine Helen and Leekam, Susan R. 2016. Conflict management in couple relationships: the experiences of individuals with Asperger syndrome and their partners. Good Autism Practice 17 (2) , pp. 72-80. Link to Article

For many on the autism spectrum, coming together for the holidays is overwhelming. The adrenaline rush that brings anticipation and excitement for most may be experienced as a restless anxiety for those on the spectrum. Join Dr. Regan to hear four tips to make the holidays peaceful and connected for all ... on and off the autism spectrum. Predictable Fear article 2014 Dr. Regan website The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook

Communicating through technology may have a bad rap. But in the autism spectrum, there are times when emails and texts can enhance social-emotional exchange and strengthen relationships. Join Dr. Regan to learn some of the benefits of written communication on the spectrum. Dr. Regan resources: The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Website: Autism in the Adult

Self-advocacy is an often-used term in higher levels of education, community agencies, and medical settings. It describes the commitment to encourage students, clients, and patients to take an active role in communicating their needs and plans. There are aspects of self-advocacy that are inherently challenging to those on the spectrum. Join Dr. Regan to learn ways to make self-advocacy empowering rather than overwhelming for those on the spectrum. What is Self-Advocacy? Dr. Regan's resources: The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Website: Autism in the Adult

Grief reactions can look different for the individual on the autism spectrum than for the neurotypical. Join Dr. Regan to learn how to detect signs of grief in the ASD individual, and how to provide support during seasons of loss. Dr. Regan's resources: The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Website: Autism in the Adult

For those on the autism spectrum, a diagnosis clarifies which of their characteristics are brain-based. This understanding breaks the cycle of relying on repetition, reasoning, and will-power to "do better." Instead, the individual can focus on the strategies that are most likely to improve his/her well-being and relationships. Dr. Regan's resources: The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Website: Autism in the Adult

Although many on the spectrum describe sensitivity to emotional atmospheres, the ability to detect specific emotions, understand what triggered the feelings, and identify how to shift emotional states can be a struggle. Join Dr. Regan for this podcast as she breaks down some of the particular challenges and identifies recommendations for relationships. Dr. Regan's resources: The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Website: Autism in the Adult

Many individuals on the spectrum feel a deep commitment to facts and truth. This passion can lead to problems when also trying to navigate the relational aspects of a conversation. In this podcast, you'll learn four strategies you can use to protect relationships while remaining committed to the truth in conversations. Dr. Regan's resources: The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Website: Autism in the Adult

Dr. Regan answers a listener's questions about communication with her adult son on the spectrum. Have you ever wanted to have better exchanges with someone you know on the spectrum? Or perhaps you're an autistic adult who would like to understand social exchanges and make them more effective. Listen to this podcast to hear why the ASD individual may struggle during conversations, and how to engage in more gratifying exchanges. Learn about sequencing and speed from I Love Lucy Autism and Communication in Relationships blog posts What is Theory of Mind: videos Dr. Regan's resources: Books: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults and Understanding Autistic Behaviors Website: Autism in the Adult

Estimates indicate that about 25% of school children on the autism spectrum are missing a correct diagnosis, and over 90% of adults on the spectrum remain unidentified. In this podcast, Dr. Regan busts the myth that if autism is present, it will be accurately detected and identified in childhood. Additional resources: PDF downloadable document outlining rates of missed diagnosis and the DSM -5 manuals rules about diagnosis in adulthood Video Content on Autism Diagnosis in Adulthood The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Website: Autism in the Adult Autism Diagnosis in Adulthood: blog posts Zur Institute CEU course: Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Every Clinician Needs to Know (including 10 reasons a diagnosis is important at any age) For the Clinician: Training Courses for Diagnosis of Autism in Adulthood

In this podcast, Dr. Regan busts the myth that someone who is talkative cannot be on the autism spectrum. It is important to understand the difference between "talkative" and "social." Individuals on the autism spectrum may talk A LOT, and, in this respect, may be described as "social." However, the autistic struggles to know who to connect with, how to take turns in conversation, what not to say, and when to walk away. Dr. Regan's resources: The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Website: Autism in the Adult

Dr. Regan explains the differences between intellect and autism, and why the distinction is important for providing the best support to those on the spectrum. Dr. Regan's resources: The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Website: Autism in the Adult To learn more about why the term "high functioning autism" and important distinctions between cognitive skills and adaptive behavior, check out this article: Study Calls for an End to High Functioning Label For a laugh, check out these Pinterest Fails: Twenty Hilarious Pinterest Fails

This podcast will explain the similar anatomy and behavioral characteristics in ADD and ASD while emphasizing the differences in critical features. Have you been diagnosed with ADD and wonder if you are on the autism spectrum? Dr. Regan explains why the diagnosis of ADD often comes first and why specific assessments are vital in finding the most accurate diagnosis. Want more information? Try these resources: Autism diagnosis in adulthood: blog posts Free and Paid video content about autism diagnosis in adulthood The Understanding Autism book series Audiobook Website: Autism in the Adult