Noncompliant - the podcast: Recent Episodes
Anne Borden King
Noncompliant is a podcast about autistic rights and neurodiversity. Host Anne Borden King interviewing authors, advocates and others working for human rights and autistic acceptance.
Image courtesy of the Alliance Against Seclusion & RestraintI was honoured to speak with the amazing Guy Stephens, founder of the Alliance Against Seclusion & Restraint about what’s new in human rights advocacy for autistic & developmentally disabled students.
AASR has a groundbreaking new program, Reframing Behaviour, in partnership with the Crisis Prevention Institute, rolling out across America–neuroscience-based training for educators to eliminate seclusion & stop the traumatization of our special ed students.
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, ApplePodcasts, Pandora, etc
Read the podcast transcript below the audio file.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Anne-Guy-Stephens-July-29-Mix-2.mp3
Transcript: NCP_Transcript_Guy Stephens
BioGuy Stephens is one of the best-known parent advocates in our community. Through his work at AASR, he has been helping to inform changes in policy and practice to reduce and eliminate the use of restraint and seclusion in schools and other settings. Guy promotes trauma-informed, neuroscience-aligned, collaborative approaches to working with kids–and in just a few years he’s led AASR to become a leader in the field, presenting their work across North America with groundbreaking education for educators, as well as toolkits for parents. Guy also currently serves on the board of directors for The Arc of Maryland and PDA North America.
Links
Reframing Behaviour: Neuroscience-based Training for Educators
More about the Reframing Behaviour program
Alliance Against Seclusion & Restraint: Parent Guide
I was so excited to speak with Dr. Ryan, a trailblazer in Canadian autism research! Her work was the first participatory autism research in Canada and it has inspired more. We talk about inclusion, autonomy, research methods, our collaborative work and how to improve services for intellectually disabled people in Canada’s west and throughout the world.
Listen to the audio below or on streaming services like Spotify, ApplePodcasts & Pandora.
Read the transcript below the audio file.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Anne-Podcast-May-23.mp3Transcript coming soon!
BioJackie Ryan is an autistic autism researcher with a PhD in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Alberta. Her recent doctoral research was about understanding self-determination and autonomy from the perspective of autistic adults with intellectual disabilities, using a community-based participatory research approach. Included in her research was the preparation of the Research 101 open-access training to build capacity for autistic people to collaborate more in autism research.
SourcesBeing able to be myself: Understanding autonomy and autonomy-support from the perspectives of autistic adults with intellectual disabilities. Ryan, et al. Autism. 2024.
Professor Carl Elliott’s new book The Occasional Human Sacrifice, is about whistleblowers in medicine. In this episode, we discuss the whistleblowers at Willowbrook, a residential institution for autistic and developmentally disabled people that was exposed for human rights abuses in 1972. We also talk about the experience of being a whistleblower and its impact on mental health, as well as strategies for reporters and whistleblowers.
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, ApplePodcasts, Pandora, etc
Read the transcript, below the audio.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Anne-Podcast-Apr-3.mp3Cw for institution survivors: Abuses in residential institutions discussed at 5:30-11:05 and 32:45-37:03
Transcript: Transcript_Carl Elliott_Noncompliant PodcastBio
Carl Elliott is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Minnesota. He’s a native of Clover, South Carolina, where his father was a family doctor and his mother was a librarian. Before moving to Minnesota, he taught at McGill University in Montreal. Among the awards he has received for his work are a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar Award, and the Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History at the US Library of Congress.
Resources
The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No, by Carl Elliott (W W Norton)
Former residents of Willowbrook recall its horrors as fight for disability rights continues. Times Union. March 27, 2023.
Willowbrook State School. Wikipedia.
Stop the Shock at Judge Rotenberg Center: Action Alerts. Autistic Self Advocacy Network (US).
Tony Spiridakis, Bobby Cannavale & Alex PlankI was thrilled to talk with Tony Spiridakis and Alex Plank about the new film Ezra, which Tony wrote and produced alongside director Tony Goldwyn, and which Alex associate produced, acted and consulted on.
Ezra is a comedic drama starring Bobby Cannavale, Robert De Niro and Rose Byrne and introducing William Fitzgerald as the 11-year old Ezra. (Read my review of Ezra here.) We take a look behind the scenes at how the film was developed and produced on set, and how the film is aspirational for new films with autistic characters.
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, ApplePodcasts, Pandora, etc
Read the transcript, below the audio.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Anne-Borden-Mar-8-Final-Edit-Mix-4.mp3 Transcript: Transcript_NCPodcast_Tony Spiridakis & Alex Plank
BiosTony Spiridakis is an award-winning screenwriter, director, producer, and actor with nearly four decades in the film and television industry. He is a father of two and a strong advocate for autism awareness. He supports a variety of autism-related schools and organizations, including The Help Group, The Center School, Birch Family Services, Exceptional Minds, and We’ve Got Friends.
Alex Plank is a producer and actor, known for Ezra, The Good Doctor, The Bridge and other works. He is also well known in our community as the founder of Wrong Planet, an online community for autistic people and a place where a lot of autistic people found each other and found out more about themselves. Alex is an associate producer of Ezra and consulted on the film from a neurodiversity perspective.
While the podcast is on a brief hiatus as I finish my book (yay!), I’m sharing this interview that Shawn Pickard hosted with me for Voices for Abilities radio. We discussed how Canadian autism policy needs to move from a charity perspective to a rights perspective and how the inclusion and neurodiversity movements are working for the changes that autistic people & families need.
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, Stitcher or ApplePodcasts.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Anne-Edit-Jan-8.mp3BioAnne Borden King is a Toronto-based podcaster, writer and human rights advocate. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Healthy Debate, FactKeepers and Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism, among other publications. She is the host of Noncompliant, a popular podcast about neurodiversity. A co-founder of Autistics for Autistics, the Canadian autistic self-advocacy organization, she has presented before the United Nations and the Canadian Senate among others, on autism policy.
Her upcoming book, The Children Do Not Consent: The search for autism’s “cure”—and the kids who pay the cost will be published in 2023.
I spoke with Dr. Molly Colvin and Dr. Tannahill Glen about their new book, Altered Trajectories: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Children’s Education, Mental Health and Neurodevelopment, co-authored with Dr. Jennifer Linton Reesman. We discussed the educational impact of school closures, as well as the mental health impact on kids. A crucial topic as we look for solutions today, both within and outside education.
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, Stitcher or ApplePodcasts.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Anne-Podcast-Dec-21-Remix.mp3BiosDr. Molly Colvin is director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. She is also Co-Director of the Child Psychology Internship program at MGH.
Dr. Tannahill Glen is a clinical neuropsychologist at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. She specializes in diagnosis and treatment planning for neurologic conditions with impact on thinking, mood and behavior. Most recently her publications have centered on the neuropsychological consequences of prolonged pandemic related educational disruption.
ResourcesMy interview with Jennifer Reesman: Middle-school minds in teenage bodies: The post-pandemic crisis in our high schools. Healthy Debate. November 2023.
Julie Kingstone & Keenan Wellar, co-leaders of LiveWorkPlayI had the honour of speaking with Keenan Wellar, founder of LiveWorkPlay about the organization’s work helping the community welcome and include people with intellectual disabilities, autistic persons, and those with a dual diagnosis in housing, work and leisure. LiveWorkPlay is a model for the paradigm shift that is needed in developmental services!
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, Stitcher or ApplePodcasts.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Anne-Podcast-Dec-6-Edit.mp3
Transcript: Transcript_KeenanWellar_NCP_Podcast
Bio
Keenan Wellar has served as Co-Leader and Director of Communications for charitable organization LiveWorkPlay since 1997. LiveWorkPlay helps the community welcome and include people with intellectual disabilities and autistic persons to live, work, and play as valued citizens. The organization has earned numerous accolades, including Ottawa Board of Trade’s Best Non-Profit of 2019. Keenan serves as LiveWorkPlay event host as well as media spokesperson. He currently appears monthly on the Weekly Roundup show on 580 CFRA talk radio .
I spoke with Dr. Andrew Whitehouse from the University of Western Australia about autistic life, gut hype, same-foods, the problem of pseudoscience and the shifting nature of autism research.
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, Stitcher or ApplePodcasts.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Anne-Podcast-Nov-14-Remix-1.mp3 Transcript: NoncompliantPodcast_trscrt_Whitehouse
Bio
Dr. Whitehouse is the Angela Wright Bennett Professor of Autism Research and the Director of Clini-Kids at the Telethon Kids Institute. He is Professor of Autism Research at the University of Western Australia and Research Strategy Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC). He has published over 300 peer-reviewed journal articles and is an advisor to State and Commonwealth Governments on policies relating to autistic children. He was awarded a Eureka Prize for his research and in 2023, he was a Western Australian of the Year award winner.
LinksWill Mozart Make My Baby Smart?
Autism-related dietary preferences mediate autism-gut microbiome associations
Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC)
I spoke with vaccine researcher and expert Dr. Paul Offit, whose book Autism’s False Prophets explores false narratives about autism, including the myth that the MMR vaccine causes autism. We talked about that history, as well as the present challenge of the current anti-vaccine movement and the need to speak the truth, even when it’s complicated.
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, Stitcher or ApplePodcasts.
Transcript below.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Anne-Podcast-Nov-9-EDITED.mp3Transcript: Transcript_P_Offit_NCPodcast_11_23
Bio
Dr. Offit is the Director of the Vaccine Education Center and an attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is an award-winning and internationally recognized expert in the fields of virology and immunology, and is a past member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to the CDC and currently a member of the Food and Drug Administration Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.
I talked with Dr. Lucy McBride about Covid anxiety, how it’s impacted us all and what we can do about it. We also talked about how family practitioners can make their practices more accessible for autistic patients–and all patients–by thinking outside the box. #AutisticHealthAccessProject
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, Stitcher or ApplePodcasts.https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Anne-Borden-Lucy-Mcbride-remix-1.mp3BioDr. Lucy McBride is a practicing internal medicine physician in Washington DC who has been seeing patients for over 20 years. During the pandemic, she came to prominence for talking openly about the importance of addressing mental and physical health together. She is the author of the newsletter, Are You Okay? and the podcast Beyond the Prescription. She is helping to redefine health as more than our cholesterol and weight but really about awareness, acceptance and agency for us as patients.
New! I’ve started a Substack with portions from my upcoming book about the problem of exploitative clinical trials on autistic children & the need to reform autism research and services. Check it out here.
I wrote this poem about the summer and our beautiful earth
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/summer-of-hell.mp3
I had an amazing conversation with Fergus Murray, a Scottish science educator, writer, autistic advocate and author of the Monotropism.org website.
We talked about the concept of monotropism, which was co-founded by Murray’s late mother, Dr. Dinah Murray, as well as Fergus’s experiences growing up in a neurodivergent household and the joys of Autscape! We also discussed the problems of the Spectrum 10k project and aspie supremacy, the future of neurodiversity and the importance of being weird.
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes.
Read the transcript below the audio file.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Anne-Fergus-Mix-1.mp3Transcript coming soon!
BioFergus Murray is an autistic science teacher, writer and community organiser–a co-founder, and the current chair, of AMASE (Autistic Mutual Aid Society Edinburgh). Fergus’s mom, Dinah Murray, was a pioneering autistic researcher and activist as well as co-creator of the theory of Monotropism. Fergus has authored the website monotropism.org and is the founder of weirdpride.day. They also create slow-motion videos of water, and giant puppets.
Links
http://oolong.co.uk
monotropism.org
weirdpride.day
Autscape
We need to talk about aspie supremacists
I had a fascinating conversation with Finn Gardiner, Director of Policy & Advocacy for the Autistic People of Color Fund about the incredible work of the Fund’s mutual aid project that positively impacts so many individuals’ lives. We also discussed institutional ableism, racism and “nice white lady syndrome”, as well as the troubling problems with racism in autistic self-advocacy organizations and how the Fund’s advocacy work is challenging this and making radical change in the neurodiversity movement.
Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes.
Read the transcript below the audio file
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Finn-Gardiner.mp3Transcript coming soon!
Bio
Finn Gardiner is Director of Policy & Advocacy for the Autistic People of Colour Fund. He is a Boston-based queer, Black, and disabled writer, designer, community organizer, speaker, editor, researcher, advocate, activist, and artist. Finn has a Master of Public Policy degree from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Tufts University. He’s spoken at the White House’s 2016 LGBTQ Disability Day, the United Nations’ World Autism Day event in 2019, and other venues. Before joining the Fund, he worked as a communications specialist for the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, and before that, he was a policy fellow at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.
Link
Autistic People of Color Fund
.
In this episode, I spoke with health historian Matthew Smith from the University of Strathclyde. We discussed his new book, The First Resort: The History of Social Psychiatry in the United States, as well as neurodiversity, the promise of Universal Basic Income and more.
Listen to the podcast on the audio link below or on streaming sites like Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes.
Read the transcript below the audio link.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Anne-Matthew-1.mp3Transcript available soon!
BioMatthew Smith is a professor at the University of Strathclyde and the Centre for the Social History of Health and Healthcare (CSHHH) in Scotland. He is the author of The First Resort: The History of Social Psychiatry in the United States (Columbia UP, 2023). He has also authored many articles and several other books and monographs including: Hyperactive, The Controversial History of ADHD; Another Person’s Poison, A History of Food Allergy; An Alternative History of Hyperactivity; and Pathologies and Politics, Dietary Innovation and Disease from the Nineteenth Century(co-edited by David Gentilcore).
I spoke with Guy Stephens, executive director of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) and Chantelle Hyde, lead Canadian Volunteer with The Alliance Against Restraint and Seclusion and co-founder of the Canadian Coalition Against Seclusion and Restraint in Schools, founded early in 2023. We discussed the high prevalence of the use of seclusion rooms (isolation rooms) and restraints on students with disabilities and the need for policy action to protect their human rights.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Non-Complient-Guy-and-Chantelle-Mix-1.mp3**.
Bios**Guy Stephens is the founder and executive director of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR), a non-profit organization he started in 2019. AASR is a community of over 20,000 parents, self-advocates, teachers, school administrators, paraprofessionals, attorneys, related service providers, and others working together to inform changes in policy and practice to reduce and eliminate the use of punitive discipline and outdated behavioral management approaches and end the school-to-prison pipeline. The vision of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint is safer schools for students, teachers, and staff.
Chantelle Hyde is the lead Canadian Volunteer with the Alliance Against Restraint and Seclusion. With the support of her husband Sheldon, Chantelle became an active advocate in New Brunswick and now nationally against restraint and seclusion after learning that their daughter was being locked in a room at school. Chantelle has been getting the word out across Canada, most recently being featured on W5, an investigative series on Canada’s CTV News, in their investigative report on seclusion and restraint. She is also co-founder of the Canadian Coalition Against Seclusion and Restraint in Schools.
Links cited:
Needed Change: Moving away from restraint and seclusion
Today I spoke with Julie Roberts, founder of Therapist Neurodiversity Collective (TNDC). We talked about the ABA industry’s troubling attempts to dominate autism services and funding, as well as the culture shift needed to increase support for neurodiversity-affirming autism supports and services.
Listen to the podcast on the audio link below. Also available on Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes.
Read the transcript below the audio link.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Anne-Julie.mp3. BioJulie Roberts, a formally late-identified Autistic woman, is a Speech-Language Pathologist, neurodiversity educator and activist who founded Therapist Neurodiversity Collective in 2018 and Public School Neurodiversity Collective in 2022. Her professional experiences include private practice ownership for 7 years, and being a multi-state Clinical Director, and National Field Director of Corporate Compliance for one of the largest post-acute rehab companies in the U.S. She currently works in her favorite setting: the U.S. public school system. Julie’s articles and educational resources have reached over three-quarters of a million people.
I wrote this short spoken word about the experience of grief after all we’ve been through in the pandemic. It’s really just a story, without a message except: we need to talk about our feelings, perhaps now more than ever.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Anne-Matt-Extra-File.mp3
Today I spoke with Professor Alan Levinovitz, author of Natural: How Faith in Nature’s Goodness Leads to Harmful Fads, Unjust Laws, and Flawed Science. We talked about the myth of the natural, pseudoscience, neurodiversity and post-pandemic life.
Listen to the podcast on the audio link below. Also available on Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Anne-_-Alan-Jan-9.mp3. Bio
Alan Levinovitz is associate professor of religious studies at James Madison University. He specializes in classical Chinese thought, as well as the intersection between religion and science. His most recent book, Natural, explores how the mistake of worshipping nature can lead to pseudoscience and injustice. We’re going to talk about the book today, in the context of neurodiversity, and also about the ideas of “natural immunity” and “natural medicine” that arose in response to the pandemic.
Link
Natural: How Faith in Nature’s Goodness Leads to Harmful Fads, Unjust Laws, and Flawed Science.
I spoke with professor Alan Levinovitz, author of the new book, Natural, about the myth of “natural.” We also talked about neurodiversity, science, the limits of quantification and the project of healing the cultural divides that arose during the pandemic.
Listen to the episode at the audio link below. Also available on Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes.
https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Anne-_-Alan-Jan-9-MIX-1.mp3Bio
Alan Levinovitz is associate professor of religious studies at James Madison University. He specializes in classical Chinese thought, as well as the intersection between religion and science. His most recent book, Natural, explores how the mistake of worshipping nature can lead to pseudoscience and injustice.
Note: Alan was also a guest of the show in a 2019 episode discussing his book The Gluten Lie and the ethical concerns around “autism cure” diets.
“Basically they’re slowly being poisoned with a corrosive agent.” It is difficult to hear about what happens to children who are trapped by the so-called bleach cult, a multi-level marketing scheme that has spread across the continents, promising “cures” for everything from broken bones and cancer to Covid-19 and autism. The 4 leaders of a … Continue reading The Genesis 2 “bleach cult,” past and present : A conversation with pseudoscience de-bunker Melissa Eaton
Most of us don’t even need to be on social media. So why does it feel like it’s our job? In this episode I talk with journalist Brennan Doherty about how we’ve both left Twitter and the impact it’s had on us. We also discuss the shifting landscape of social media platforms, disinformation and the … Continue reading “Reducing the signal to noise ratio”: Talking with journalist Brennan Doherty about quitting Twitter
I had such an inspiring conversation with Kristina House, who’s co-founded Passages, an experimental hybrid learning space for neurodivergent students and other students, in Toronto! Listen to the podcast on the audio link below. Also available on Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes. Read the transcript (available soon) below audio link. Bio Kristina House has been as … Continue reading Inclusive learning spaces for neurodivergent teens: Talking with Passages Centre founder Kristina House
I had a fascinating conversation with AutCollab co-founder Jorn Bettin about new approaches to autism; namely, thinking outside the box of the pathologizing approach of the DSM and moving towards a collaborative, de-colonizing, grassroots approach to autistic liberation—one that also helps to heal our broken world. (Just some light, chatty conversation amongst autists!) Listen to … Continue reading The power of international neurodivergent collaborations: Interview with AutCollab’s Jorn Bettin
This was such an interesting interview! Ben Ryan has been covering infectious disease and LGBTQ health for two decades and has a lot of insight into the monkeypox outbreak—the real info about the disease, as well as the web of health disinformation we’re currently seeing. We talk about the positive changes we can see in … Continue reading Understanding monkeypox–and social media misinformation: Interview with journalist Ben Ryan
My guest this episode is Alicia Broderick, author of the new book The Autism Industrial Complex: How Branding, Marketing, and Capital Investment Turned Autism Into Big Business. Her book traces the cultural, political, and economic history of autism. We talk about the history of autism services, how industry greed often gets in the way … Continue reading Is there an Autism Industrial Complex? Interview with Professor Alicia Broderick
In this episode I speak with the amazing Lei Wiley Mydske, founder of the neurodiversity library movement and creator of the Neurodivergent Narwals. We talk about neurodiversity libraries (including how to start one!), community-building, disability justice, activism, hope and more. Listen to the podcast at the link below. Also available on Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes. … Continue reading Neurodiversity Libraries, activism & community-building: Interview with Lei Wiley Mydske
In this episode, I interview Charles Arthur, the author of Social Warming: the dangerous and polarising effects of social media. We discuss the history of social media and current problems with social media, particularly disinformation on a global scale, as well as what we can do to combat this crisis. Listen to the podcast via … Continue reading Algorithms and Outrage: Talking social media with Charles Arthur, author of Social Warming
Podcast recorded on December 9, 2021. In this episode I spoke with suicidologist Dr. Tyler Black, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the Medical Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Emergency Department at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. Tyler and I discussed the pandemic, suicide rates during the pandemic, schools and mental health and … Continue reading “Kids need to play”: Talking about the pandemic and kids’ mental health with suicidologist Tyler Black
The Noncompliant podcast came out of hiatus this week to talk with autistic advocate Ryan Hendry about Spectrum10K, a currently-proposed project by UK business interests to collect DNA data on autistic children and adults for a database to sell to companies for commercial ventures. Ryan and I discussed the ethical implications of the project and … Continue reading “The most effective way to stop it is public pressure”: Talking about Spectrum10K with Irish autistic activist Ryan Hendry
I had an amazing conversation with Drs Anila D’Mello and Liron Rozenkrantz from MIT about their research review and other work about autism, rationality and cognition! Listen to the episode by clicking the audio file below or on Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes here. Read the transcript below the audio file. . . Transcript by Julie-Ann … Continue reading “There are a lot of areas autism researchers have viewed as deficits that can actually confer advantages”: Talking with MIT researchers Anila D’Mello and Liron Rozenkrantz
I had such a great conversation with autistic lawyer Haley Moss about her book Great Minds Think Differently. In this episode, we discuss neurodiversity in law and the workplace, autistic hyperfocus and Haley’s upcoming book, The Young Autistic Adult’s Independence Handbook (launching November 2021 & available by preorder)! Listen to the episode at the audio … Continue reading “If you look at how much has changed in the last 5 years, we’ve definitely made progress”: A conversation with autistic lawyer Haley Moss
In this episode, I talk with Professors Kristen Bottema-Beutel and Micheal Sandbank, who have done a systematic review and meta-analysis of 151 group design studies of interventions for young autistic children. For this work, Dr. Sandbank was awarded the Young Investigator Award in 2021 from the International Society of Autism Research. Drs Bottema-Beutel and Sandbank … Continue reading On conflicts of interest in autism research: Interview with Kristen Bottema-Beutel and Micheal Sandbank
In this episode, I talk with Occupational Therapist Greg Santucci about the problems with ABA from his perspective as a practitioner, as well as new and better approaches in schools and the challenges of the post-pandemic period in education. An interesting and inspiring conversation! Listen to the podcast at the audio link below or on … Continue reading “Co-Regulation is Key”: A Conversation with Occupational Therapist Greg Santucci
In this episode, we discuss the basics of stem cells, medical tourism, false claims about stem cells as an autism treatment, bioethical issues within the field of stem cells and methodological issues in autism research—with discussion of Duke University’s Marcus Center for Autism and The Stem Cell Institute of Panama among others. This is such … Continue reading “I worry FDA Expanded Access will become a new way of bringing products to market”: Talking with Jeremy Snyder and Leigh Turner about “stem cells for autism”
John Summers’ recent expose in The Nation looks at the relationship between private equity companies and the autism service Applied Behaviour Analytics (or ABA) in Massachusetts, where he lives. In this episode, John and I talk about the business of ABA and the problematic industries built around autism. His analysis is incredibly key to understanding … Continue reading The role of private equity and lobbying in ABA funding: Talking with investigative journalist John Summers
I had such a heartfelt and illuminating conversation with Melanie, first about autistic online communities, then about combating sexism in the world of breast cancer care. Listen to the audio by clicking the audio link below or on Stitcher here or iTunes here Read the transcript by lcicking the file below the audio. . … Continue reading “Letting people know that it’s ok to be your original self”: Talking about breast cancer & autistic community with Melanie Keiling
I wrote this about my year fighting cancer during the pandemic. Listen to the audio file below to listen. Read the transcript below the audio file. . Transcript: Pandemiversary .
I wrote this recently, about radiation treatment for cancer. To listen, click the audio file below. Transcript: A Neurodivergent Guide to Cancer Treatments .
I had a really interesting conversation with journalist Eric Garcia about his upcoming book, We’re Not Broken, which focuses on the social and policy gaps that exist in supporting autistic people. We talked about the current policy landscape, media bias and the challenges and recent triumphs of the autistic rights movement. Listen to the podcast … Continue reading “Often, autistic people are seen as inspiring for overcoming ‘autism,’ not for overcoming the obstacles that the world puts around them”: Interview with journalist Eric Garcia
I wrote this about the pandemic, cancer and what’s happened to time. Audio below. Transcript: Transcript_Time to breathe .
I had the great pleasure and honour of talking with Shabaaz and Pete from CripChat UK, on their podcast. We discussed autism pseudoscience, the Sia film controversy and much more. Listen to the podcast right here by clicking the audio link below or on Stitcher here or on iTunes here . Transcript: Transcript_CripChatUK_1 . . … Continue reading “The things we don’t talk about”: A Cross-Interview with CripChat UK!
. I wrote this after my recent surgery. Audio here, transcript below. . . Transcript: Transcript_Half a Woman_2020
I had a very informative and thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Marc D. Feldman, an expert on medical child abuse and factitious disorder. We talked about medical child abuse, including Munchausen-by-proxy and the abuse of autistic children through autism pseudoscience. We also talked about interventions and supports, the need for education and what we all can … Continue reading “Most of the victims have to move on from these pathological relations”: Interview with Dr. Marc D. Feldman about medical child abuse
I wrote this as I’m getting ready to start chemo. Audio file with transcript below. I can’t really imagine what heaven will be like. I did think about it when they walked me into the operating room, yeah, in Canada they just walk you right in to your surgery. There’s hot white light in there…in … Continue reading Heaven and earth
In this podcast, I interviewed Melissa Eaton, one of the first (and most effective) campaigners against autism pseudoscience. We talked about phony autism cures and what we can all do to stop the people selling them. Listen to the podcast right here by clicking the audio link below. Listen to this episode on Stitcher here … Continue reading “Everyone Can Do Something to Stop Autism Pseudoscience”: Interview with Melissa Eaton
In this episode, I talk with Matt Brignall, ND, about how the natural health movement has been co-opted over the past 3 decades by capitalist interests, as well as what we can all do to counter Covid pseudoscience and antivax. Listen to the podcast here by clicking the audio link below. Listen to this episode … Continue reading How “crunchy” got crushed: An interview with naturopathic doctor Matt Brignall
I always enjoy talking to Christopher and this was a wonderful and educational conversation. Chris and I talked about our rural upbringings and autistic relationships with natural world; what’s happening in neurodiversity communities in Alberta; school inclusion and the importance of class size; housing supports and neurodivergence; outreach to remote communities and so much more! … Continue reading Neurodiversity & Disability Rights in Alberta: An Interview with Christopher Whelan of Neurodiversity YMM
This is a fascinating interview with Alfie Kohn, who has been researching and writing about education, parenting, authority and co-operative learning for years, driving home a simple fact: rewards and punishment are two sides of the same coin –and they’re not helping us to raise the kind of children we say we want to … Continue reading “Punishments and rewards can get one thing, under certain conditions – temporary compliance” Interview with Alfie Kohn
In this podcast, Gaby and I discussed racism in the education system, the disability hierarchy, media bias and representations of the self-advocacy movement, eye contact and cultural norms, the power of social media, the situation in Ontario and more! Listen to the podcast at the audio link below. Listen to this episode on Stitcher here … Continue reading “Neurodivergent individuals challenge society to question exactly what normalcy is, if it even exists to begin with” –Interview with Gaby from A4A
In this broad-ranging interview, Dr. Milton & I discuss the theory of the “double empathy problem”; hyperfocus/flow state; autistic parenting; the medical versus social model of disability; the subjectivity of outcome measures; and the diverse ways in which autism itself is framed and defined. Listen to the interview at the audio link below or find … Continue reading “We need much better standards of research in autism intervention”: An interview with Dr. Damian Milton
I had a fascinating conversation with Shannon Rosa about parenting, autism pseudoscience and autistic acceptance. Listen to the podcast at the audio link below or on Stitcher here and on iTunes here Read the transcript. See link below the audio file. . EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Shannon_Rosa_transcription Bio: Shannon Des Roches Rosa’s writing and interviews … Continue reading “Creating a home environment that works for everybody”: Interview with Shannon Rosa
I recently talked with Sam Himelstein, the president of the Center for Adolescent Studies , about the pitfalls of pop-culture “mindfulness” and the importance of trauma-informed care. Listen to the podcast on audio link below, or on Stitcher here or on iTunes here. Read the transcript, below the audio file. . Transcript, by Julie Ann … Continue reading Trauma-informed Mindfulness, Teaching & Care: Interview with Dr Sam Himelstein
It was an honour to speak with Dr. Philippe Chouinard. Dr. Chouinard is a leader in the movement against autism pseudoscience and a protector of children’s rights. Listen at the audio link below –or on Stitcher here , or iTunes here Read the transcript (below audio file) Transcript, by Julie Ann Lee: Transcript_Chouinard_Noncompliant Bio Dr. … Continue reading “Regulatory bodies should not be hiding behind CAM policies” Interview with Dr. Philippe Chouinard
I interviewed 23-year-old comedian Michael McCreary about media portrayals, comedy & so much more! Listen to the audio link below or on Stitcher here or on iTunes here. Read the transcript, below the audio file. Transcript by Julie Ann Lee: Transcript_McCreary_Noncompliant Bio Michael began stand-up comedy at the age of 13. He has performed … Continue reading “Why don’t we work autistic people into inherently fantastic scenarios like a space opera or a globetrotting adventure story?” Interview with comedian Michael McCreary
This week I interviewed Ryan Armstrong of the pseudoscience watchdog group Bad Science Watch Canada. Listen at the link below or on Stitcher here or on iTunes here Read the transcript below the audio file. .. Transcript by Julie Ann Lee: Transcript_Ryan_Armstrong_Noncompliant Bio Ryan Armstrong is the Executive Director of Bad Science Watch Canada, an … Continue reading “There is an inherent conflict of interest in professional self-regulation”: Interview with Bad Science Watch’s Ryan Armstrong
Listen to the full podcast at the audio link below or on Stitcher here or on iTunes here Read the transcript, below the audio link. . Transcript by Julie Ann Lee: Transcribed_Noncompliant_Oswin_Latimer Bio Oswin Latimer is an indigenous, non-binary, Autistic adult, parent to 3 neurodivergent children and a disability advocate. Oswin is a founder of … Continue reading Disrupting the Autism Services Market: Interview with Foundations for Divergent Minds founder Oswin Latimer
Listen to the podcast at the audio link below or on Stitcher here or on iTunes here Read the transcript, below the audio file. . EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: Cal_Montgomery_Noncompliant_transcript Bio Cal Montgomery is a trans, queer, autistic, physically disabled activist and writer in the United States and a survivor of long-term institutionalization. He is a Director … Continue reading “We don’t even need to reinvent the wheel: the wheel’s there”: Interview with Cal Montgomery
Listen at the audio link below or on Stitcher here or on iTunes here Read the transcript, below the audio. . Transcript by Julie Ann Lee: Transcript_Noncompliant_Uditsky Bio: Bruce Uditsky, M.Ed., is the CEO Emeritus of Inclusion Alberta and its former CEO for over 25 years. He is internationally recognized for his leadership and advocacy … Continue reading Interview with Bruce Uditsky, CEO Emeritus of Inclusion Alberta
Podcast Listen to the podcast at the audio link below or on Stitcher here or on iTunes here Read the transcript, below the audio file. . Transcribed by Julie Ann Lee: Transcript_Noncompliant_Shields Bio Raya Shields just received her Master’s Degree from York University (Toronto) in the school of Critical Disability Studies. Her master’s thesis focuses … Continue reading “It models how to relate, in a way that’s not overwhelming and respects autonomy” Interview with autistic mentor Raya Shields
Listen to the podcast here at the audio file below or on Stitcher here, on iTunes here Read the transcript at the link below the audio file. . Transcript by Julie Ann Lee: Transcript_Matthew_Smith_Noncompliant Bio Matthew Smith is Professor of Health History within the Centre for the Social History of Healthcare. He … Continue reading “Window-watching Wendy” and the history of ADHD: An Interview with Matthew Smith
Listen to the podcast on the audio clip below, or on Stitcher here and iTunes here. Read the transcript, below the audio file. . Transcript by Julie Ann Lee: transcript_Dalmayne_Noncompliant_podcast Bio: Emma Dalmayne is a mom of six, a home educator and co-founder of Autistic Inclusive Meets, which organizes meetups for autistics of all ages, … Continue reading “It’s scamming parents–and through that the children are suffering”: Interview with Emma Dalmayne
Listen to the episode by clicking the audio link below, on Stitcher here on iTunes here. Read the transcript below the audio. . Transcript by Julie Ann Lee: transcript_Noncompliant_Alan_Levinovitz Bio Professor Alan Levinovitz is an associate professor of religious studies at James Madison University. He specializes in classical Chinese philosophy and the relationship between religion … Continue reading Eating in the 4th Dimension: Interview with Alan Levinovitz
For this episode, I interviewed Derek Burrow, an Ottawa-based librarian, writer and tabletop RPG player who is part of a movement to normalize AAC and increase accessibility to it. Listen at the audio link below, or on Stitcher here or on iTunes here Read the transcript (link below audio file). . Transcribed by Julie Ann … Continue reading “People have the right to communicate in the method that is best for them, period.” An Interview with Derek Burrow
Listen to the episode by clicking the audio link below or on Stitcher here, iTunes here Read the transcript below this audio file. Transcribed by Julie Ann Lee: Transcript_ SteveSilberman-Noncompliant.BioSteve Silberman is an award-winning science writer whose articles have appeared in Wired, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and many other publications. His book NeuroTribes became a … Continue reading “Neurodiversity is not an opinion. It’s a living fact” : Interview with Steve Silberman