"By listening to other people's experiences, we can learn so much about ourselves" - Steve Slavin
Autism Podcast series: “Views from the inside”
In this series of autism podcasts, I will be interviewing people that are either on the autistic spectrum, or have a lot of experience of working with, or caring for people on the spectrum.
The autistic adults I will be interviewing, talk about their everyday experiences of having autism. Their stories go way beyond the headline definitions of autism as found on many websites. We hear about the reality of trying to live independently as an autistic person in a difficult neural-typical world.
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE
In thisepisode I spoke with Toni Boucher about her new book; "Autism Translated" Available on Amazon. Toni is an experienced autism professional in the US, working mainly with teens and adults on the autistic spectrum. She has over 27 years experience. Toni is also an adult with autism, she talks about being a female on the spectrum, and why females struggle to get an autism diagnosis. Toni's book features case studies to give a real world view on autism. She also talks about her own struggles and challenges as an autistic female, and provides a wealth of knowledge for anyone with an interest in autism spectrum disorder.
www.toniboucher.net
Buy Autism Translated on Amazon
Listen to the interview
PODCAST EPISODE 1
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE
Lucy, a woman with Asperger Syndrome
In this first interview in the series, I talk to Lucy. She is a thirty year old woman that was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at the age of nineteen. This diagnosis came after years of depression, auditory processing difficulties and social anxiety. I have worked with Lucy at the National Autistic Society in London for the past seven years, and have always admired her for the care, expertise and compassion she brings to the autistic adults we work with.
Like me, Lucy has been able to use her own experience as an autistic person, combined with years of experience and training, to make a real difference to many adults struggling with autism.
Lyn Demarksays
This is exactly what is required to mend the gap in our young struggling in mainstream schools. To have an adult mentor also on the spectrum I believe would resolve and minimise conflicts, misunderstanding and offer the young person the protection against the development of co morbid conditions which disable the young person from thriving in a mainstream community. Regardless if your 5 or 35 we all need someone on ourside to explain the complexity of rules, relationships and identifying our sensory assault and engage in problem solving . The teacher assistant is not of benefit to my son. I wished he had an ASD adult to support him to navigate his community without pretence, masking, and compromising self and confusing self to who he really is. To feel allowed to be different. That is normality, diversity and nurtures well being and combats the development of serious mental illness which will stay throughout adulthood. X