Embracing Autism

Join us as we talk about the frustration we experience as parents when others deny our child’s autism diagnosis and assume it is misbehavior.

Join us as we discuss the hostility towards parents of autistic children from the online autism community and how we can continue embracing autism without losing ourselves in the process.

Today we reflect on the social rejection and isolation autistic children face, which often accompanies them into adulthood.

In this episode, we discuss the challenging topic of what happens to our children after we’re gone and how we can best prepare.

Today we look into the debate over the use of the term “disability” to refer to autism and whether or not it's considered appropriate.

In this episode, we reflect on the challenges of seeking an autism-inclusive Church and discuss how to advocate for simple changes at free or low-cost to your place of worship.

We chat about caregiver burnout and how to recognize the signs.

We delve into the challenging topic of judgment and shame, both as parents of autistic children but also from the perspective of growing up neurodivergent.

Welcome to Season 5! This trailer introduces the theme of "Wounds to Heal" and highlights a few topics to be covered this season. Season 5 premiers Friday, June 24th, 2022, on your favorite podcasting platforms.

We bring you the audio from another episode of our new video series, Embracing Autism IRL. In this episode, we meet with Kate Sallade, an Autistic adult, ABA practitioner, and the owner of Behavioral Foundation Centers to discuss her unique perspective on this controversial topic. Video available on YouTube by searching the key term "Embracing Autism IRL Kate Sallade".

Join us as we discuss the debate surrounding the proposed designation of the term “Profound Autism” in the DSM and its potential impact on the autistic community.

We re-examine ABA therapy and the diversity of the autistic perspective.

Tune in as we chat about the difference between disinformation and misinformation in the autism world and why intent matters.

We explore the role of community and how to approach autism with your neighbors.

Join us today as we touch on the topic of parental self-awareness and how it may impact our children.

Today we talk about potty training an autistic child and how we suddenly found success after a year plus of trying.

In today’s episode, we discuss the role of dads in autism and why they tend to be less vocal in the autism community.

In this episode, we speak on the struggles of making friends as parents of autistic children as well as the unique challenges our kids face when building friendships.

Tune in as we discuss prepping our kids for school, IEPs, and transitions. We answer questions such as, how can I make the transition to school easier for my autistic child? What are some things I should advocate for in my child’s IEP? And how can I help my child’s teacher see them as more than a diagnosis?

In the Season 4 premier, we discuss the importance of advocacy in the autism community and practical steps you can take as a parent to help create a more autism inclusive world for your child.

Season 4: Work To Be Done launches Friday, April 1, 2022, everywhere you stream podcasts! Keep yourself up to date with all things Embracing Autism by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @AutismWish to stay up-to-date with live events, giveaways, monthly support group access, and more! Want to show your support? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and drop us a voice message at speakepipe.com/embracingautism.

We are excited to share with you audio from the premiering episode of the Embracing Autism IRL (in real life) spinoff companion. In this video series, we interview guests from a variety of backgrounds who are all linked together through Autism discussing controversial yet critical topics in the autism community. In today’s episode, we interview Samar Waqar, Founder of Kind Theory on the topic of neurodiversity and autism acceptance.

In the Hearth & Home season three finale, we chat about how to determine if or when it’s the appropriate time to disclose your child’s autism diagnosis as well as with whom that information should and should not be shared.

Today we touch on how to navigate formal settings with your autistic child, such as going to church, attending weddings, and beyond.

Join us as we discuss the power of making memories as a family and why we as parents should remember that there’s more to life than autism.

We discuss why self-care should not be neglected and how making time for yourself can ultimately have a positive impact on your autistic child.

Today we will chat about expanding your family after an autism diagnosis and help you weigh the pros and cons.

We discuss sibling dynamics, building family bonds, and why it’s important not to forget to create special moments with your neurotypical children.

Tune in as we chat about the impact of mindfulness and how to change your child’s negative self-talk into self-love.

We discuss the importance of protecting your marriage or co-parenting relationship in order to build a stable foundation for your autistic child.

We cover how to work with your child to establish levels of independence, regardless of where they fall on the spectrum. This episode is sponsored by BehavioralFoundation.org

We touch on the importance of treating autistic individuals with empathy and kindness as well as keeping assumptions in check and learning to let go of self placed limitations. This episode is sponsored by KindTheory.org

Season 3 launches on Friday, January 7, 2021, with the theme "Hearth & Home". While you wait, feel free to send us your questions by visiting our website or leave us a voicemail on speakpipe.com/embracingautism for a chance to have your voice heard on an upcoming episode. If you’d like to support us and our mission, please leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @AutismWish.

We've got a very special bonus episode for you today as we introduce our girls! You will hear a little from them as well as gain some direct insight into how our girls communicate with us in this episode. Disclaimer: Due to the challenges of recording with autistic toddlers in the studio, the audio of this episode is raw and may not be the best quality, but the content is great!

Surprise! We've got a bonus episode for you as we near the holidays. We are often asked 'what's a good holiday gift for my autistic child'? Well look no further, we've got 8 gift ideas ranging from higher-priced to lower-priced, from sensory to fine motor, yet all equally valuable.

We discuss ADHD and how it may impact your child’s ability to focus and stay on task as well as some tips to help your child manage their inattentiveness or hyperactivity while sharing our firsthand accounts of growing up with ADHD.

Tune in as we chat about the dangers of elopement, steps you can take to minimize this risk, and where to find supportive community resources.

Tune in as we discuss proprioception, or the body’s sense of balance and spatial awareness and its relationship with autism as well as what you can do to help your child if they struggle with balance, movement, and body awareness.

We share insights on how to make transitions easier for your child to include tips on making holidays more autism-friendly as well as how to prepare your child for road trips, travel and more.

We will walk you through how to identify the differences between a meltdown, tantrum, and shutdown as well as tips on how to work through meltdowns and how to prevent them in the future.

We explore what it means to have Aphantasia, how it relates to autism, and how it may overlap with the other senses. 

Today we tackle our final sense, the sense of hearing, and how autistic children may react differently to sound than their neurotypical peers. We discuss the importance of completing a hearing evaluation as well as some adjustments or accommodations you can make to help your child cope.

Today we chat about the sense of smell and its newfound relationship with autism.  We discuss interesting findings from recent studies linking the sense of smell to social ability in autism as well as some activities you can do at home to help your child adjust to overwhelming smells.

Today we will talk about the sense of touch and how differences in this area can impact certain behaviors such as toe-walking, pressure-seeking, and headbanging. We will also touch on research surrounding the relationships between the vagal nerve, synesthesia, and therapies that may help.

We review the sense of taste and how autistic individuals may experience this sense differently than their neurotypical peers. We discuss feeding therapy, as well as pica, oral stimming, and transitioning to self-feeding.

Join us as we focus on the sense of sight and how it may be impacted by Autism. We discuss visual sensory symptoms, stimming behaviors, and related visual impairments.

Welcome to Season 2 of the Embracing Autism Podcast! In the premiering episode, we introduce this season's theme of Senses & Sensibilities and tease some of the topics we will be covering in the next few episodes with a fun, lighthearted tone.

We'll be right back! Sneak a peek into Season 2: Senses & Sensibilities launching Friday, September 10, 2021, everywhere you stream podcasts.

We conclude Season One with final thoughts on how to go from 'Weathering the Storm' to 'Embracing Autism' and how to transform negative perceptions of autism to one of positivity and acceptance.

In this episode, we will tackle contentious topics in the autistic community and talk about why topics such as the puzzle piece symbol, person-first language among others are controversial and hotly debated.