My name is Kristen and I'm an openly autistic research communications specialist and Master of Health Studies student living with chronic medical conditions. This podcast explores some of my own experiences as a late-diagnosed autistic person, answers listener questions related to all things autism, discusses the latest in autism research, and more. Send your questions to kristen@other-autism.com
Most autism research still isn't about autistic adults. It's about children, and causes, and where autism comes from. But every so often, research surfaces that's actually about us — our health as we age, our burnout, our bodies in midlife, and even the question of why autism has been part of the human story all along. This is the first of my roundup episodes, where I bring you several of the most interesting recent findings in autism research, all in one place.
In this episode, I cover five recent findings: a Swedish study linking autism to a higher risk of early-onset Parkinson's disease; a hard look at where NIH autism research money goes, and how little of it reaches adults; a new qualitative study on what autistic burnout feels like, and why being late-diagnosed makes it worse; the emerging science of menopause and autism, and what happens when a lifetime of coping strategies stops working; and the compelling question of whether the same genetic changes that shaped the human brain also made us more neurodiverse.
If you'd like to read the research yourself, here are the sources:
The autism and Parkinson's study, "Risk of Parkinson Disease in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder," by Weiyao Yin et al. in JAMA Neurology (2025) and the Karolinska Institutet summary
The NIH autism research funding analysis from Autism Speaks (2026)
The autistic burnout study, "How Does 'Autistic Burnout' Feel? A Qualitative Study Exploring Experiences of Earlier and Later-Diagnosed Autistic Adults," by Dorota Ali, Will Mandy, and Francesca Happé in Autism (2026)
The autism and menopause study, "Common and Unique Menopause Experiences Among Autistic and Non-Autistic People: A Qualitative Study," by Martha A. Piper and Rebecca A. Charlton in the Journal of Health Psychology (2025)
On autism and evolution, "A General Principle of Neuronal Evolution Reveals a Human-Accelerated Neuron Type Potentially Underlying the High Prevalence of Autism in Humans," by Alexander L. Starr and Hunter B. Fraser in Molecular Biology and Evolution (2025), and the earlier "Widespread Signatures of Positive Selection in Common Risk Alleles Associated to Autism Spectrum Disorder," by Renato Polimanti and Joel Gelernter in PLOS Genetics (2017)
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions to otherautism@gmail.com
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The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
Julie M. Green's son was diagnosed autistic at three. She wasn't diagnosed until 44 — almost a decade of advocating fiercely for her child's needs while missing her own. In this episode, we talk about why that gap is so common, and what finally closed it for her.
For Julie, recognition didn't arrive in a single lightning-bolt moment. It came slowly, over years of small things adding up — until meeting another late-diagnosed autistic woman gave her a model she'd never had for what autism could actually look like. We talk about masking and why it's not a conscious choice, the survival strategy of becoming the "quiet girl" who stays small to avoid getting anything wrong, and the way that same people-pleasing can quietly open a person up to harm.
We also cover the things that often go unspoken: alexithymia, the difficulty of naming your own emotions even when you feel them intensely; face blindness and the social minefield it creates; and the particular weight of maternal guilt when you don't yet know why parenting feels so much harder for you than it seems to for everyone else. Julie shares how she's reframed burnout, why she now believes modelling rest matters more than martyring herself for her son, and what radical acceptance really looks like, including on the days it still feels out of reach.
If you'd like to know more about Julie M. Green's work, check out:
Her memoir, Motherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood, and Radical Acceptance
Her weekly Substack newsletter, The Autistic Mom
Her article in The Globe and Mail, "Receiving an Autism Diagnosis as an Adult Is Not 'Trendy'"
Julie M. Green on Instagram
Julie M. Green's website
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions to otherautism@gmail.com
Buy me a coffee!
Book a life-coaching session with me!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
And the evidence is catching up!
For most of autism's diagnostic history, clinicians have repeated some version of the same number: autism is about four times more common in boys than in girls. That number has shaped which children get screened, which symptoms get recognized, and which ones get explained away as anxiety or shyness or a hormonal thing. Generations of autistic women and girls have been missed because the people doing the looking were taught to look for boys.
In this episode, I walk through a 2026 study published in the BMJ that followed 2.7 million Swedish birth records over 35 years. The findings suggest the four-to-one ratio is collapsing — and in adolescent and adult diagnosis, it has either evened out or flipped. Autistic women were never rare. We were just being missed.
Topics covered include:
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"Time Trends in the Male to Female Ratio for Autism Incidence: Population Based, Prospectively Collected, Birth Cohort Study" by Caroline Fyfe et al.
"What Is the Male-to-Female Ratio in Autism Spectrum Disorder? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" by Rachel Loomes et al.
"'Putting on My Best Normal:' Social Camouflaging in Adults With Autism Spectrum Conditions" by Laura Hull et al.
"Clinical Characteristics and Problems Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder in Girls" by Hannah Young et al.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions to otherautism@gmail.com
Buy me a coffee!
Book a life-coaching session with me!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
A short, audio-only episode. No research breakdown this time — just a few honest things I wanted to say before getting back into the swing of things.
Some of you noticed the gaps in the feed over the last couple of years. This is a brief check-in about why, what I'm bringing back with me, and what's coming up next. It's also for the autistic listeners who have been through hard things at the hands of people who were supposed to love you. You're a big part of the reason this show exists.
The next regular research episode will be along soon. Thank you for sticking around.
If anything in this episode resonates and you want to reach out, you can write to me or send an audio or video recording to otherautism@gmail.com.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions to otherautism@gmail.com
Buy me a coffee!
Book a life-coaching session with me!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
Every few months, a headline lands that makes autistic people brace for impact. A young man does something terrible. Somewhere in the story, the word "autistic" appears. And the public conversation drifts, again, toward the idea that there's something inherently dangerous about how our brains work.
In this episode, I walk through a 2026 study from Autism in Adulthood that pushes back on that drift. Researchers interviewed family members, friends, and clinicians who watched autistic people slide into extreme ideologies up close. What they found is more complicated, more compassionate, and more useful than the headlines suggest.
Topics covered include:
Watch this episode on YouTube.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"Family and Clinician Perspectives About How Autism and Extremism Intersect" by Sachindri Wijekoon et al.
"Neurodivergence and the Rabbit Hole of Extremism: Uncovering Lived Experience" by Sachindri Wijekoon et al.
"Autism in England: Assessing Underdiagnosis in a Population-Based Cohort Study of Prospectively Collected Primary Care Data" by Elizabeth O'Nions et al.
"Understanding the Use of the Term 'Weaponized Autism' in an Alt-Right Social Media Platform" by Christie Welch et al.
"Social and Individual Grievances and Attraction to Extremist Ideologies in Individuals With Autism: Insights From a Clinical Sample" by Cécile Rousseau et al.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions to otherautism@gmail.com
Buy me a coffee!
Book a life-coaching session with me!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
Janet Walsh-Adams is a neurodivergent PhD candidate at Deakin University, researching a pattern that many autistic people have noticed for years: autistic adults may be more likely to pursue consensual non-monogamy (CNM). We talk about what CNM is (and what it isn't) and how stigma — not the relationship style itself — often creates the biggest risks.
Janet shares personal context alongside early findings from her work, including how autism, ADHD, gender diversity, and LGBTQIA+ identity can overlap with relationship structures like CNM, polyamory, kink/BDSM, and relationship anarchy. We also dig into what clinicians still need to learn (and unlearn) about autistic intimacy, and what Janet hopes her research will change — especially when it comes to safety and autonomy.
Topics explored include:
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Follow Janet on LinkedIn.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"Sexuality, Gender, and Autism" by K. Cooke et al. (chapter in The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Disability edited by Gabriel Bennett and Emma Goodall)
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions to otherautism@gmail.com
Buy me a coffee!
Book a life-coaching session with me!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
I've had so many jobs over the years — from babysitter to office administrator — and I didn't know until much later that my struggles in certain environments were connected to being autistic. In this episode, I talk about what it means to navigate workplaces that aren't built for neurodivergent minds, and how universal design could change everything. This is about moving from just "accommodating" us to truly including us.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"Workplace Accommodations and Neurodiversity" by Susanne Bruyère and Adrienne Colella (chapter in Neurodiversity and Work: Employment, Identity, and Support Networks for Neurominoritiesedited by Eric Patton and Alecia Santuzzi)
"Accommodations vs Universal Design" by CultureAlly
"Autistic Adults' Views and Experiences of Requesting and Receiving Workplace Adjustments in the UK" by Jade Davies et al.
Universal Design: Creating Inclusive Environments by Edward Steinfeld and Jordana Maisel
"How Can the Work Environment Be Redesigned to Enhance the Well-Being of Individuals With Autism?" by Michał Tomczak
"Autism and the Right to a Hypersensitivity-Friendly Workspace" by Bouke de Vries
"'It's Like a Ramp for a Person in a Wheelchair': Workplace Accessibility for Employees With Autism" by Michal Waisman-Nitzan et al.
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Buy me a coffee!
Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
Rebecca is a mental health counsellor in Australia. Diagnosed at 47 — with level-two autism and ADHD combined type — she shares her story of self-recognition, complex emotions around diagnosis, and the challenges of navigating neurodivergence in both personal and professional life.
Rebecca reflects on masking, internalized ableism, and how people-pleasing tendencies developed as survival strategies. The conversation also explores her work as a counsellor and how parenting neurodivergent children has shaped her own self-understanding.
Topics explored include:
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Rebecca recommends these resources:
Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q)
Embrace Autism website
Is This Autism? — A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else by Donna Henderson and Sarah Wayland, with Jamell White
The Neurodivergent Woman podcast
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Buy me a coffee!
Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
Dr. Brett Ranon Nachman is an autistic higher education researcher and co-lead of the PEACES study. We talk about what success means for autistic post-secondary students, the impact of internalized ableism and masking, and how campuses can better support marginalized autistic students, including LGBTQIA+ and late-identified individuals.
Brett shares insights from both personal experience and research, and we reflect on the importance of autistic-led scholarship and inclusive academic spaces. This conversation left me feeling hopeful — and I think it will do the same for you.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Dr. Brett Ranon Nachman's Instagram, BlueSky, and email
Learn more about topics discussed in this episode:
College Autism Network
PEACES Project
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Buy me a coffee!
Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
millie joins me to talk about autistic culture, creativity, surviving in a neurotypical world, and finding true community. We get into late-diagnosed autism and ADHD, harm reduction, AAC (augmentative and alternative communication), and why autistic spaces can feel like a breath of fresh air. millie also shares how surviving — and thriving — as a disabled, trans, autistic person reshaped their ideas about belonging, burnout, and joy. What if the world isn't made for us — but we could build something better? A rich, raw, and hopeful conversation you won't want to miss.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out millie's website.
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Buy me a coffee!
Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
Odosa Obasuyi is the founder and CEO of Autinerary, a positive, all-purpose hub for all things autism-related. Odosa is the brother of an autistic sibling, a student at the University of Toronto, and suspects he may be neurodivergent himself. He joins me for a quick chat about the ways Autinerary can help you on your autism journey — whether you're an autistic person or a sibling, parent, friend, or partner of an autistic person!
Watch this episode on YouTube.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
Autinerary
"Autism Is" merch
Autinerary's TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Buy me a coffee!
Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Michael Lenz, a physician specializing in pediatrics, internal medicine, lifestyle medicine, and lipidology. Dr. Lenz is the author of Conquering Your Fibromyalgia and host of the podcast by the same name. His passion for lifelong learning and holistic patient care has led him to specialize in chronic pain syndromes — conditions that are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and dismissed by the medical community.
Together, we explore:
Dr. Lenz also shares insights from his clinical experience, including real patient stories that highlight the need for greater awareness, compassion, and interdisciplinary care. If you've ever felt unheard or gaslighted by the medical system — or if you want to understand the complex relationship between neurodivergence and chronic pain — this conversation is for you.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out Dr. Michael Lenz's website: Conquering Your Fibromyalgia
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Buy me a coffee!
Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
Welcome to this guided meditation, created with autistic and neurodivergent brains in mind.
Meditation is often depicted a certain way — sitting still, cross-legged, eyes closed. But here, we do things differently. Here, you are invited to make meditation your own. Maybe that means sitting in a way that feels natural to you. Maybe that means allowing gentle movement, like rocking or fidgeting. Maybe it means simply listening and letting the words wash over you while you garden or play with an animal friend.
This meditation is a space for acceptance. A space for softening. A space for replenishing what you need in this moment, whatever that may be.
Together, we'll breathe deeply, reconnect with our bodies, and visualize the flowing river of a new year — steady, constant, full of possibility. You are exactly as you need to be. You are whole, just as you are.
Take a deep breath, settle in however feels right, and let's begin!
This meditation is brought to you by The Other Autism podcast's patrons. Thank you, dear patrons, for your ongoing support, and for workshopping this episode with me, trialing it before publication, and offering suggestions and feedback for further meditation episodes.
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Buy me a coffee!
Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
In this episode, I dive into rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) and how it connects to both ADHD and autism. I explore the intense emotional responses that come with RSD, the common triggers, and the ways it can impact relationships and self-worth. I also share some therapeutic approaches that might help and explain why it's so important to understand RSD — whether you experience it yourself or want to better support someone who does.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Take the Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria test. If your score is 45-60, the website recommends that you "see a trained mental health professional as there is a possibility that you may be experiencing symptoms of rejection sensitive dysphoria."
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in ADHD and Autism" by Debra Bercovici
"New Insights Into Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria" by William Dodson
"Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case Series" by William W. Dodson et al.
"Associations Between Autistic Traits, Depression, Social Anxiety and Social Rejection in Autistic and Non-autistic Adults" by Emine Gurbuz et al.
"Recognising and Responding to Physical and Mental Health Issues in Neurodivergent Women" by Clive Kelly et al.
"What to Know About Autism and Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria" by Amy Marschall
"Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria and Autism Unveiled" by Ralph Moller
"Effects of Rejection Intensity and Rejection Sensitivity on Social Approach Behavior in Women" by Violetta K. Schaan et al.
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Buy me a coffee!
Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
If you're autistic and you're diagnosed with cancer, will your care be impacted by your unconscious wish to be the perfect patient? Or will it be impacted by an abusive spouse or partner, the kind so many of us on the spectrum find ourselves with? We explore these questions and much more.
In this episode, we honour the life and legacy of Lindsey Carla Holmes, a late-diagnosed autistic woman, who passed away from metastatic ovarian cancer earlier this year.
Joining me is Dr. Paula Holmes-Rodman — Lindsey's sister, caregiver, and collaborator — to discuss aspects of Lindsey's life and the sisters' co-development of the Self-Advocacy Guide for Cancer Patients on the Autism Spectrum.
We explore Lindsey's journey of self-discovery, her resilience and sunshiny disposition, advance care planning, and some of the issues that may leave many autistic folks vulnerable to abusive relationships.
Dr. Holmes-Rodman shares stories from The Lindsey Interview Project, the cat- and snack-filled Sunday afternoon chats that sparked the development of the Self-Advocacy Guide for Cancer Patients on the Autism Spectrum — a Guide uniquely positioned to help autistic cancer patients everywhere.
This episode celebrates Lindsey's hopes for the autistic community, the continued importance of self-advocacy, and the ways listeners can help support Lindsey's vision for a better future.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Find the Self-Advocacy Guide for Cancer Patients on the Autism Spectrum on Autism Canada.
Watch The Lindsey Interview Project.
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Buy me a coffee!
Buy The Other Autism merch. Use code FREESHIP for free shipping on orders over $75 USD!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
Meet Dennis Bourne, a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD personal trainer and martial arts instructor. Dennis shares his journey growing up undiagnosed in New York with immigrant parents, recounts his experiences as a Hispanic neurodivergent person, and describes how ADHD and autism diagnoses reshaped his worldview.
Dennis also offers fitness and dietary tips for neurodivergent individuals and emphasizes the importance of adaptable routines. Tune in for insights on self-discovery, embracing neurodiversity, and finding strength in both body and mind.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Follow Dennis Bourne on Instagram and on YouTube.
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Become a patron on Patreon!
Buy me a coffee!
The views, opinions, and experiences shared by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions related to your health, fitness, or wellness.
Today, I'm speaking with Sarah, a musician, gardener, and former teacher based in Pennsylvania. Sarah spent much of her life in therapy and struggling with others' misunderstandings and insensitivities. Now, in her 60s and with a handful of mental health diagnoses behind her, she is finding that autism might explain so many of her experiences.
A series of back-to-back crises set the stage as Sarah wrestles with her newfound autistic identity.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Mindfully Gay Podcast
Hosted by Nick Walton, John Cottrell, and Jerry Buie
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Become a patron on Patreon!
Buy me a coffee!
Many think that autistic people lack empathy, but do they?
Join me as I explore empathy in the context of autism research and the origins of the autistic empathy deficit idea. In this episode, I cover the double empathy problem with help from a friend. How does the double empathy problem explain misunderstandings and communication breakdowns between autistic individuals and neurotypicals?
I also talk about how I personally think of empathy (and how my notions of empathy are surprisingly close to the very first usage of the word!).
Watch this episode on YouTube.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"A Reflective Guide on the Meaning of Empathy in Autism Research" by Caroline Bollen
"Autism and Empathy: What Are the Real Links?" By Sue Fletcher-Watson and Geoffrey Bird
"Autism in an Age of Empathy: A Cautionary Critique" by Patrick McDonagh (chapter in Worlds of Autism edited by Joyce Davidson and Michael Orsini)
"On the Ontological Status of Autism: The 'Double Empathy Problem'" by Damian Milton
"The 'Double Empathy Problem': Ten Years On" by Damian Milton et al.
"Object Personification in Autism: This Paper Will Be Very Sad if You Don't Read it" by Rebekah White and Anna Remington
"A Dual Route Model of Empathy: A Neurobiological Perspective" by Chi-Lin Yu and Tai-Li Chou
Tune in to the Patient Advocacy Voices Podcast today
Join Sanofi's Eric Racine to meet the unsung heroes leading patient advocacy organizations
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio or video recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio or video clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Become a patron on Patreon!
Buy me a coffee!
Today, I'm speaking with Helena, a retail worker and soon-to-be college student and fiction author. Helena came to Canada as a child, but wasn't assessed for autism or schizophrenia until her 20s. She talks about who the biggest bullies were in school and shares some activities that have helped her.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Send us a Text Message.
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
Send in your questions or thoughts via audio recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio clips to otherautism@gmail.com through WeTransfer.
Become a patron on Patreon!
Buy me a coffee!
🎙️ Don't miss out on this deep dive into trauma, attachment disorders, and autism! Join me as we explore how these intertwine and differ, with a focus on familial mental health challenges and their impacts.
🎧 Send in your questions or thoughts via audio recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio clips to kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Your voice matters.
🔍 Get clarity on trauma, autism, and PTSD with insights from researchers and therapists working in the field. Understand the overlapping traits and characteristics between these conditions and gain a deeper understanding of attachment disorders like reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) in children.
🌈 Delve into the impact of mental health challenges in families, explore the connection between autism and attachment disorders, and uncover the unique traumas that autistic individuals may face. Learn about the resilience displayed by autistic individuals in the face of adversity.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"Autism and Attachment Disorders — How Do We Tell the Difference?" by Claire Davidson et al.
"Parental Psychiatric Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders" by Elina Jokiranta et al.
"The Long-Term Impact of Parental Mental Health on Children’s Distress Trajectories in Adulthood" by Christina Kamis
"Exploring Potential Sources of Childhood Trauma: A Qualitative Study With Autistic Adults and Caregivers" by Connor M. Kerns et al.
"Autism and Reactive Attachment/Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorders: Co-occurrence and Differentiation" by Susan Dickerson Mayes et al.
"Genetic Overlap Among Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Neuropsychiatric Disorders" by Yoshiro Morimoto et al.
"PTSD and Autism" by Megan Anna Neff
"Family History of Mental and Neurological Disorders and Risk of Autism" by Sherlly Xie et al.
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
To submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
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By popular demand, I've released the first reading episode for Patreon paid members. Here is a sneak peak! We're reading Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and this is part 1, chapter 1: A Shifting Reef. To listen to upcoming reading episodes, you'll need to be a paid member of The Other Autism's Patreon.
Many listeners (especially those coping with autistic burnout) have written to me over the past couple of years asking for reading, meditation, or audio relaxation episodes. I've decided to do just that, but for Patreon members only. If you aren't a member yet, head over to https://www.patreon.com/TheOtherAutism where all reading episodes will be published!
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
To submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a patron on Patreon!
Buy me a coffee!
Here's a deep dive into the controversial topic of trigger warnings. I explore the ongoing debate surrounding the effectiveness and potential dangers of trigger warnings, particularly for those who have experienced complex trauma. I highlight the latest research on trigger warnings, their impact on emotional responses, learning outcomes, and more.
Don't miss this episode where I challenge the common usage of trigger warnings and explore trigger warnings' influence on those they're supposed to protect most.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"Trigger Warning Efficacy: The Impact of Warnings on Affect, Attitudes, and Learning" by Guy Boysen et al.
"A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Trigger Warnings, Content Warnings, and Content Notes" by Victoria Bridgland et al.
"I Was Wrong About Trigger Warnings" by Jill Filipovic
"Helping or Harming? The Effect of Trigger Warnings on Individuals With Trauma Histories" by Payton Jones et al.
"What Does It Mean to Be Triggered?" By Zawn Villines
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
To submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a patron on Patreon!
Buy me a coffee!
Today, I'm speaking with Zoe Alexandra Glass, a Jiu Jitsu instructor and artist based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Zoe went from listening to The Other Autism while working in a warehouse to being a guest on the show almost a year after her own diagnosis. She shares the story of receiving her autism diagnosis after nearly losing her home and having considerable mental health challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zoe also discusses her stance on going undiagnosed for nearly four decades, the types of pragmatic successes she's experiencing in occupational therapy, and the disability assistance and tax credits that are available to autistic folks (with a focus on those in British Columbia and Canada).
Together, we talk about the overlap of autism and eating disorders, the problems with traditional sitting meditation for some autistics, and much more!
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out Zoe's TikTok, Substack, and YouTube channel.
And links mentioned in this episode:
Disability Assistance (for British Columbians)
Disability Tax Credit (DTC) (for Canadians)
Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) (for Canadians)
Episode outro music: "Unravel (instrumental)" by Zorro, Ooyy
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
To submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a patron on Patreon!
Buy me a coffee!
What aspects of the brain differ between autistic people and non-autistic people? Do these brain differences lead to things like synesthesia in autistic people? Synesthesia is when your senses or perceptions overlap, like when you think of a number and see waves of red or some other colour. Or when you can feel in your own body the sensations and physical pain of another, just by looking at them!
In this episode, I also talk about ableist perspectives in autism research, secondary autism, neurons, glial cells, early brain development, mirror-touch synesthesia as the basis of deep empathy, and much more!
Watch this episode on YouTube.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"What Is Synaptic Pruning?" by Jacquelyn Cafasso
"Astroglia in Autism Spectrum Disorder" by Kinga Gzielo and Agnieszka Nikiforuk
"Regional Differences in Synaptogenesis in Human Cerebral Cortex" by Peter Huttenlocher and Arun Dabholkar
"Microglia in the Pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders" by Ryuta Koyama and Yuji Ikegaya
"Astrocytes and Microglia and Their Potential Link With Autism Spectrum Disorders" by Francesco Petrelli et al.
"Balancing Excitation and Inhibition in the Autistic Brain" by Charlotte Pretzsch and Dorothea Floris
"Synaptic Growth, Synesthesia and Savant Abilities" by Martin Silvertant
"Neuroinflammation, Mast Cells, and Glia: Dangerous Liaisons" by Stephen D. Skaper et al.
"Lack of Neuron 'Pruning' May Be Behind Many Brain-Related Conditions" by Clare Wilson
"Microglia and Astrocytes Underlie Neuroinflammation and Synaptic Susceptibility in Autism Spectrum Disorder" by Yue Xiong et al.
Episode outro music: "It's Too Much" by Kristen Hovet
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
To submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a patron on Patreon!
Buy me a coffee!
Today, I'm speaking with Trissa, an autistic parent with ADHD based in Washington State. Trissa talks about ways to regulate yourself as a neurodivergent parent and also give your neurodivergent children ways to self-regulate.
Trissa's helpful tips and suggestions are particularly useful for autistic, ADHDer, and otherwise neurodivergent parents of children who are both experiencing sensory and cognitive overload.
Find out some of the best strategies for neurodivergent parents and kids who are dealing with the ongoing possibility of burnout and meltdown at the same time.
"She would melt down and then it would send me into a meltdown, and because I wasn't thinking about how to regulate myself and what I needed to remain calm, we would cycle together frequently." —Trissa
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out Trissa's TikTok
And the Embrace Autism website mentioned in this episode
Episode outro music: "Wild Ride" by oomiee
Theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
To submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a patron on Patreon!
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Autistic burnout is very different from the work-related burnout that non-autistics experience. In this episode, I cover the official definition of autistic burnout, how autistic burnout differs from non-autistic burnout, the latest research on this topic, how burnout relates to shutdown and social hangover, and more. I also discuss my own experiences with burnout and some strategies for avoiding it.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"Risk Markers for Suicidality in Autistic Adults" by Sarah Cassidy et al.
"Autistic Burnout Explained" by Sarah Deweerdt
"Defining Autistic Burnout Through Experts by Lived Experience: Grounded Delphi Method Investigating Autistic Burnout" by Julianne M. Higgins et al.
"'Having All of Your Internal Resources Exhausted Beyond Measure and Being Left With No Clean-Up Crew': Defining Autistic Burnout" by Dora M. Raymaker et al.
Episode outro music: "This Time Around" by oomiee
Support the showThe Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
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For transcripts, go to The Other Autism on Buzzsprout, click on an episode and then click on "Transcript" to the right of "Show Notes".
Dr. Kim Sage is a licensed clinical psychologist in southern California. Dr. Sage joins me to discuss her discovery that she may be autistic, the problem of autism underdiagnosis, and the close connection between autism and personality disorders (especially narcissistic personality disorder) within families.
Dr. Sage also talks about her early autistic traits, friendship challenges, autistic traits' impacts on romantic relationships, and more.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Check out Dr. Sage's website: Dr. Kim Sage
And her social media:
TikTok
YouTube
Episode outro music: "I Am Falling For You (Instrumental)" by Loving Caliber
Support the showThe Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
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For transcripts, go to The Other Autism on Buzzsprout, click on an episode and then click on "Transcript" to the right of "Show Notes".
Feeling like a fraud or a fake autistic is so common in those who are diagnosed as autistic in adulthood. In this episode, I talk about impostor syndrome and how it relates to autistic impostor syndrome. I also talk about the impact of impostor syndrome and some strategies on how to cope with it.
Be sure to stick around right to the end. Toby is super chatty. And so is Google... It gets weird.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: A Systematic Review" by Dena M. Bravata et al.
The Impostor Phenomenon: Overcoming the Fear That Haunts Your Successby Pauline Rose Clance
"Introducing Autistic Impostor Syndrome" by Natalie Engelbrecht
"Feel Like a Fraud?" by Kirsten Weir
Episode outro music: "Spaceman in K-Town" by Kristen Hovet
Support the showThe Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
The Other Autism podcast on Facebook
Buy me a coffee!
For transcripts, go to The Other Autism on Buzzsprout, click on an episode and then click on "Transcript" to the right of "Show Notes".
Are you ready to navigate the intricate maze of adult autism diagnosis?
I dedicate this episode to offering tips and advice to help you determine whether autism assessment is right for you, suggestions on how to find a psychologist who conducts adult autism assessments, and brief strategies on securing financial support if you can't afford the exorbitant assessment fees.
This episode is designed to be a supportive companion on your quest for answers.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
Dr. David Worling's website
Episode outro music: "Overshare" by dreem
Support the showThe Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
The Other Autism podcast on Facebook
Buy me a coffee!
For transcripts, go to The Other Autism on Buzzsprout, click on an episode and then click on "Transcript" to the right of "Show Notes".
Courtney Benner, a neurodivergent occupational therapist based in Utah, shares how occupational therapy can help autistic adults. She also talks about her neurodivergent identities and the ways these help her relate to her clients.
Courtney shares the lead-up to her diagnoses and how much of an impact they had on her life. Additionally, she shares some very interesting statistics about autistic sleep patterns, explains the zones of regulation and how these can be used or adapted for adults with alexithymia, talks about the hurdles to becoming an autism assessor, and more.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
Check out "10 Surprising Ways OT Can Help Adults With Autism and ADHD" by Courtney Benner
"Take the ACE [Adverse Childhood Experiences] Quiz" via NPR
Episode outro music: "Stream This" by Smartface
Notre Dame Stories
Stories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Support the showThe Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
The Other Autism podcast on Facebook
Buy me a coffee!
For transcripts, go to The Other Autism on Buzzsprout, click on an episode and then click on "Transcript" to the right of "Show Notes".
Listen in as Melissa Elaine, a music industry professional in California, shares the lead-up to getting an autism diagnosis just this past January and what life has been like ever since.
Melissa shares how past therapists chalked up her challenges to trauma and C-PTSD, dismissing her and her family's well-informed suspicions that she may be autistic. She also shares her experiences of going nonverbal, her main autistic attributes as a child, and what aspects of life have changed since her late-autism assessment and identification.
Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn.
If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:
"Females and Autism/Aspergers: A Checklist" by Samantha Craft
Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by Devon Price
So You Think You're Autistic: A Workbook for the Confused Person Who's Trying to Figure Things Out by Samantha Stein
Episode outro music: "Hidden Lines" by Ooyy
Support the showThe Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
The Other Autism podcast on Facebook
Buy me a coffee!
For transcripts, go to The Other Autism on Buzzsprout, click on an episode and then click on "Transcript" to the right of "Show Notes".
Welcome, listeners, to season three! We've made some changes based on your survey feedback. But don't fret, we're sticking with the same mix of interview and lecture episodes that you have come to appreciate. Also, we've got a line-up of incredible interviews that we can't wait to share.
Now, let's delve into an under-discussed topic - the intersection of autism and non-monogamy. We dissect the nuances between polyamory and open relationships, challenging the stereotype that autistic individuals are incapable of or uninterested in sexual relationships. Drawing from research studies and personal experiences, we provide insights into why autistic individuals are more inclined towards non-monogamous relationships. Our conversation is also reflective, identifying how personal histories shape our understanding of these intricate subjects. So, fasten your seat belts as we embark on this journey, unraveling misconceptions and bringing forth unique perspectives.
For transcripts, go to The Other Autism on Buzzsprout, click on an episode and then click on "Transcript" to the right of "Show Notes".
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Neurodiversity and Relationship Variation: Why Some With Autism or ADHD Are Drawn to Consensual Nonmonogamy and/or BDSM" by Elisabeth A. Sheff
"Polyamory vs. an Open Relationship: What's the Difference?" by Emma Singer
"An Exploration of Why Autistic Adults Are Practicing Consensual Non-Monogamy" by Janet Walsh and Mark Stokes
"I'm Autistic and Polyamorous. Here's Why It Works for Me" by Leanne Yau
The Letters of Abelard and Heloisetranslated by Betty Radice
Episode outro music: "Go to Hell" by Mindme
Support the showThe Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet on the territories of the Sto:lo and Semiahmoo First Nations.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Follow me on social media:
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
Kristen Hovet on LinkedIn
In the final episode of season two of The Other Autism podcast, I explore the concept of masking. We've talked about it a lot this season, but now I'd like to do a deeper dive.
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Camouflage and Masking Behavior in Adult Autism" by Javad Alaghband-rad et al.
"Looking Good but Feeling Bad: 'Camouflaging' Behaviors and Mental Health in Women With Autistic Traits" by Jonathan Beck et al.
"Conceptualising Autistic Masking, Camouflaging, and Neurotypical Privilege: Towards a Minority Group Model of Neurodiversity" by Elizabeth Radulski
Episode intro and outro music: "Calliope's Cry" by Kristen Hovet
Support the showThe Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet on the territories of the Sto:lo and Semiahmoo First Nations.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Follow me on social media:
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
Kristen Hovet on LinkedIn
Cat is an Australia-based, late-identified autistic individual who suddenly lost the ability to mask following the death of her baby.
Kristen and Cat discuss being autistic while undergoing fertility treatments, trauma in midlife, out-of-order loss and bereavement, polyvagal theory, the ways life crises often precede late identification of autism, and more.
Correction: Cat said "microwave" when she meant to say "oven", in reference to her grandmother.
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
Strong Female Characterby Fern Brady
"Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)" —Cleveland Clinic
The Book of Woe: The DSM and the Unmaking of Psychiatryby Gary Greenberg
"In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)" —Mayo Clinic
"The Polyvagal Theory: New Insights Into Adaptive Reactions of the Autonomic Nervous System" by Stephen W. Porges
Episode intro and outro music: "Adamant" by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen, Anna Dager, and Hanna Ekström
Support the showThe Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet on the territories of the Sto:lo and Semiahmoo First Nations.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Follow me on social media:
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
Kristen Hovet on LinkedIn
Jennifer Dodd is a Portland-based therapist and owner of the Embodied Life Therapy Center. Jennifer is a late-diagnosed autistic individual who has also been diagnosed with the inattentive type of ADHD.
Kristen and Jennifer discuss the ways that ADHD and autism compete with and complement each other, neurodivergent loathing of CBT (sorry, not sorry, CBT!), best types of therapy for autistic folks, the autistic penchant for bottom-up thinking, the times when "mindful masking" just makes sense, and more.
Check out Jennifer's website: Embodied Life Therapy Center
And her Instagram accounts:
Episode intro and outro music: "Lost in the Dark" by Aiyo
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet on the territories of the Sto:lo and Semiahmoo First Nations.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Follow me on social media:
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
Kristen Hovet on LinkedIn
Kim Gallo is the author of the new book, The Pivot: For Parents and Educators – Looking at Autism and ADHD Through a Different Lens. She is a speech language pathologist in south Florida and has experience as a former applied behaviour analysis (ABA) practitioner.
Kristen and Kim discuss Kim's changing views on ABA (thanks in large part to TikTok!), the changing landscape of what it means to be autistic in today's world, stigma experienced by autistic individuals, masking and its impact on identity and sense of self, Kim's perspectives on having a neurodivergent young adult daughter, and more.
Check out Kim's website: Kim Gallo SLP: Sensory Smart & Neurodiversity Friendly
Buy The Pivot: For Parents and Educators — Looking at Autism and ADHD Through a Different Lensby Kim Gallo
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Individual Differences, ADHD, Adult Pathological Demand Avoidance, and Delinquency" by Vincent Egan et al.
"After Your Child's Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Quick Start Guide for Ages 6-12" —Government of British Columbia [showing prominence of ABA in British Columbia, Canada]
"Pathological Demand Avoidance: What and Who Are Being Pathologised and in Whose Interests?" by Allison Moore
Why Johnny Doesn't Flap: NT Is OK!by Clay Morton and Gail Morton
"Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)" —National Autistic Society
Episode intro and outro music: "I See You" by Hampus Naeselius
The Good, The Bad & The AI
Want to level up with artificial intelligence, or just ready up for the robot apocalypse?
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Follow me on social media:
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
Kristen Hovet on LinkedIn
The number one question I receive from listeners is some version of, "I was just diagnosed as autistic. Now what?" What are some common experiences that people have after autism diagnosis in adulthood? Late autism diagnosis is often defined as diagnosis received after one's 18th birthday.
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Autism Diagnosis in the United Kingdom: Perspectives of Autistic Adults, Parents and Professionals" by Laura Crane et al.
"Exploring the Experience of Seeking an Autism Diagnosis as an Adult" by Matthew de Broize et al.
"'Anything But the Phone!': Communication Mode Preferences in the Autism Community" by Philippa Howard and Felicity Sedgewick
"Autistic women’s experiences of self-compassion after receiving their diagnosis in adulthood" by Rosemarie Wilson et al.
Episode intro and outro music: "Time's Passing" by BLUE STEEL, Cushy, and Damma Beatz
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Follow me on social media:
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
Kristen Hovet on LinkedIn
Heath Wilder is the Director of Customer Experience at the Sydney Theatre Company in Sydney, Australia, and they were one of the first listeners of The Other Autism podcast — maybe even the first!
Listen as Kristen and Heath aggressively abstain from small talk and dive right in to gender, autigender (aka gendervague), the female autism phenotype or presentation, the double empathy problem, alexithymia, masking, meltdowns, shutdowns, and more.
Check out Heath's website: Heath Wilder — a journey in the performing arts
Episode intro and outro music: "You Set My World On Fire" by Loving Caliber
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Follow me on social media:
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
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You've probably heard about the rising rates of both autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults. Is there any truth to all the talk about an overlap between the two? You can probably tell by the title that, yes, there is!
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Heritability of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults" by Isabell Brikell et al.
"Overlap between autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Searching for distinctive/common clinical features" by Francesco Craig et al.
"The impact of the comorbidity of ASD and ADHD on social impairment" by Christina Harkins et al.
"Co-occurrence of ASD and ADHD traits in an adult population" by Maria Panagiotidi et al.
"Trait-based dimensions discriminating adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and co-occurring ADHD/ASD" by Artemios Pehlivanidis et al.
Episode intro and outro music: "Sigma" by Crystal Shards
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Follow me on social media:
The Other Autism podcast on Instagram
Kristen Hovet on LinkedIn
Recent research indicates that many autistic people might have co-occurring substance use disorder. Let's talk about what this entails and reasons for autistic folks turning to substances in the first place.
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Autism and co-occurring substance use" by Espen Ajo Arnevik and Sissel Berge Helverschou
"Systematic review of risk and protective factors associated with substance use and abuse in individuals with autism" by Madelaine Ressel et al.
Episode intro and outro music: "What Goes Around Comes Back Around" by NIGHTCAP
Queens On A Roll
This podcast was created to educate & inspire people about the ably different...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Hear Nicola Rowan-Brooks's story about being diagnosed by Sarah Hendrickx at the age of 55. Nicola shares the impact of her autism diagnosis and what life was like growing up undiagnosed in the UK.
Nicola runs an online business restoring teddy bears. Her website is called Ambrosia Bears.
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Girls and Women and Autism: What’s the difference?" by Sarah Hendrickx
Episode intro and outro music: "Relacrux" by CRUXORIUM (no changes or modifications were made)
"The Black Man Talking Emotions Podcast" Starring Dom L'Amour
The Black Man Talking Emotions Podcast is just that. Dom; a black man talking emotions....
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
The Global Latin Factor Podcast
The Global Latin Factor Podcast is your top source for all things Latino culture and...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Ciara Harte is a neurodivergent counsellor based in Victoria, British Columbia. In this episode, Kristen and Ciara chat about Ciara's critical discourse analysis of ABA. Ciara has firsthand experience working with applied behaviour analysis principles and practices, and was heavily involved in ABA for a few years.
Topics discussed also include:
Be sure to listen right till the end. Kristen and Toby discuss Toby's future as a podcaster.
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Reframing compliance: Exposing violence within applied behaviour analysis" by Ciara Harte
Ciara Harte Counselling website
"Autistic experiences of applied behaviour analysis" by Laura Anderson
"Quiet hands" by Julia Bascom
Handbook of applied behavior analysis: History, philosophy, principles, and basic methodsby Wayne W. Fisher et al.
"The line between intervention and abuse: Autism and applied behaviour analysis" by Patrick Kirkham
"Evidence of increased PTSD symptoms in autistics exposed to applied behavior analysis" by Henny Kupferstein
"Invisible abuse: ABA and the things only autistic people can see" by C. L. Lynch
"I am a disillusioned BCBA: Autistics are right about ABA" by Jo Ram
"Publication bias in studies of an applied behavior-analytic intervention: An initial analysis" by Elyssa Sham and Tristram Smith
Stay[in]Tuned Pod
Existing, keeping it real, and sharing perspectives.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Calm & Senses Guided Meditations
Calm & Senses aims to help you find your inner calm in the outer chaos.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
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Hear Leslie's story about stumbling upon autism later in life, and the series of aha moments that ensued.
Leslie previously worked in animation on feature films such as FernGully: The Last Rainforest, The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas, and Space Jam. She is now a freelance graphic designer crafting bespoke graphics and brand development for rogues, disruptors, and obsessives in California.
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
Leslie's reading list:
Women and girls with autism spectrum disorder: Understanding life experiences from early childhood to old ageby Sarah Hendrickx and Judith Gould
Odd girl out: An autistic woman in a neurotypical worldby Laura James
Autism in heels: The untold story of a female life on the spectrumby Jennifer Cook O'Toole
Older autistic adults: In their own words — The lost generationby Wilma Wake, Eric Endlich, and Robert S. Lagos
Sources for this episode's intro:
Autism psychometric tests —Embrace Autism website
"Reasons autism self-diagnosis is valid" by Aly Laube
"A mixed methods study of barriers to formal diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in adults" by Laura Foran Lewis
"Autism identity and the 'lost generation': Structural validation of the autism spectrum identity scale and comparison of diagnosed and self-diagnosed adults on the autism spectrum" by T. A. M. McDonald
"Biocertification and neurodiversity: The role and implications of self-diagnosis in autistic communities" by Jennifer C. Sarrett
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Stay[in]Tuned Pod
Existing, keeping it real, and sharing perspectives.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Calm & Senses Guided Meditations
Calm & Senses aims to help you find your inner calm in the outer chaos.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Have you ever heard that autistic people often have adverse or unexpected reactions (or total lack of response) to prescription and over-the-counter medications? Well, it could be genetics, pharmacogenetics, that is!
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Pharmacogenomics of autism spectrum disorder" by Brown et al.
"Pharmacogenetic influences on the response to pharmacological treatment in autism spectrum disorders" by Hervas et al.
"Get to know an enzyme: CYP2D6" by Horn and Hansten
"What is pharmacogenomics?" —National Institute of General Medical Sciences
"The medications used to treat symptoms of autism spectrum disorder" by Regan
"Recognition and management of medication excipient reactivity in patients with mast cell activation syndrome" by Schofield and Afrin
Episode intro and outro music: "Hachimantai Snow" by Maarten Schellekens (no changes or modifications were made)
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
What's the difference between the medical and social models of autism? And what gave rise to the social model of autism?
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Neurodiversity: An insider's perspective" by Den Houting
"Out of DSM: Depathologizing homosexuality" by Drescher
"Challenging psychiatric classification: Healthy autistic diversity and the neurodiversity movement" by Dyck and Russell
"Understanding and promoting the human rights of autistic people" by Iyall-Smith
"Autistic self-advocacy and the neurodiversity movement: Implications for autism early intervention research and practice" by Leadbitter et al.
"Privileging autistics of color: A human rights approach to applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy" by Rubey
Episode intro and outro music: "Bedroom Eyes" by Audiobinger (no changes or modifications were made)
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
I discuss the physical and mental health conditions that often exist alongside autism.
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"Umbrella systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on comorbid physical conditions in people with autism spectrum disorder" by Rydzewska et al.
"Prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with autism spectrum disorder: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses" by Hossain et al.
"Autism spectrum disorders and ADHD: Overlapping phenom enology, diagnostic issues, and treatment considerations" by Antshel and Russo
"Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder amongst individuals with gender dysphoria: A systematic review" by Thrower et al.
"Autism medical comorbidities" by Al-Beltagi
Episode intro and outro music: "Autumn Leaves" by Maarten Schellekens (no changes or modifications were made)
SHE SOARS
The SHE SOARS podcast is a space for passionate young people to discuss why Sexual and...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
The Other Autism theme music: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
All episodes written and produced by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Become a supporter of the show for as little as $3 a month!
Dr. Elaine Aron and her husband coined the term highly sensitive person (HSP) in the 1990s. Since then, her books and online content on the subject have become widely read and discussed. I'm not the first to see an overlap between the HSP trait and autism, and I won't be the last!
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron
"Are You Highly Sensitive" — a checklist by Elaine Aron, 1996
"My Hypersensitivity Is Real: Why Highly Sensitive People Have ADHD" by Zoë Kessler
"Journey to Diagnosis for Women With Autism" by Dori Zener
"Sensory Sensitivity May Share Genetic Roots With Autism" by Nicholette Zeliadt
"An Update on Psychopharmacological Treatment of Autism" by Aishworiya et al.
"Biomedical Interventions - Medications" an ASD fact sheet, from Synapse.
Theme music for this podcast: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha. All episodes are written and edited by Kristen Hovet.
Episode intro and outro music: "Sweet Dreams - Middle-East Remix" by Maarten Schellekens (no changes or modifications were made)
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Did you know that most, if not all, autistic people have sensory processing differences and that many have some combination of hyper-reactivity and hypo-reactivity to different types of sensory stimuli? In this episode, I talk about sensory processing differences and how they could be THE core feature of autism.
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"The Impact of Atypical Sensory Processing on Adaptive Functioning Within and Beyond Autism" by Neufeld et al.
"Sensory Processing in Autism: A Review of Neurophysiologic Findings" by Marco et al.
Theme music for this podcast: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha. All episodes are written and edited by Kristen Hovet.
Episode intro and outro music: "Outer Space" by Maarten Schellekens (no changes or modifications were made)
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
In this episode, I answer a listener question about autism's impact on my education and learning experiences.
Topics discussed include:
Theme music for this podcast: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha. All episodes are written and edited by Kristen Hovet.
Episode intro music: "Walking on Clouds" by Audiobinger (no changes or modifications were made)
Episode outro music: "Love Is Not" by Broke For Free (no changes or modifications were made)
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
What are some traits that autistic adults might experience, especially those with late-diagnosed autism? And what does the female autism phenotype have to do with all of this?
Topics discussed also include:
If you'd like to know more about this topic, check out:
"The Female Autism Phenotype and Camouflaging: A Narrative Review" by Hull et al.
"The Experiences of Late-Diagnosed Women With Autism Spectrum Conditions: An Investigation of the Female Autism Phenotype" by Bargiela et al.
Theme music for this podcast: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha. All episodes are written and edited by Kristen Hovet.
Episode intro music: "Upbeat" by Jon Luc Hefferman (no changes or modifications were made)
Episode outro music: "Golden Hour" by Broke For Free (no changes or modifications were made)
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Autism and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) — are they a good match? Recent findings suggest that EMDR might be particularly helpful for autistic individuals in relieving PTSD symptoms and addressing multiple mental health concerns.
Topics discussed also include:
Theme music for this podcast: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha. All episodes are written and edited by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Autism and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often co-occurring — in other words, they're often seen together. In fact, many autistic people on their diagnosis journey often wonder if they're autistic or living with complex PTSD. For this reason, it's important to have a good understanding of PTSD symptoms and why being autistic might increase chances of developing PTSD.
Topics discussed also include:
Theme music for this podcast: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha. All episodes are written and edited by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Why are autistic people especially prone to being abused and exploited by narcissists and other toxic individuals? What traits tend to leave those on the spectrum vulnerable to predatory types?
Topics discussed also include:
Theme music for this podcast: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha. All episodes are written and edited by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Mast cells and autism. Is there an overlap? In this episode, I talk about the percentage of autistic people who have some kind of allergy or allergic condition, the difference between allergy and food intolerance, and what could potentially underlie some of the food issues and intolerances seen so often in autism. I also go into some detail about mast cell activation syndrome (or MCAS), the symptoms experienced by those who have MCAS, and why MCAS is so hard to diagnose.
Theme music for this podcast: "Everything Feels New" by Evgeny Bardyuzha. All episodes are written and edited by Kristen Hovet.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen.hovet@gmail.com
Have you ever wondered if autistic people attract narcissists more often and more easily than non-autistic people? Are autistic people more prone to experiencing interpersonal victimization and abuse? And if so, how is this associated with early life trauma, mental health concerns, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen@other-autism.com
To access the video format of this episode or to read additional notes on the research presented here, check out The Other Autism's YouTube channel.
If you like what I do and want to show your support, please head over to The Other Autism's Patreon page and consider donating as little as $1 a month.
Mast cells and autism. Is there an overlap? In this episode, I talk about the percentage of autistic people who have some kind of allergy or allergic condition, the difference between allergy and food intolerance, and what could potentially underlie some of the food issues and intolerances seen so often in autism. I also go into some detail about mast cell activation syndrome (or MCAS), the symptoms experienced by those who have MCAS, and why MCAS is so hard to diagnose.
I talk about my experience — symptoms in childhood that were probably related to mast cells, how my symptoms got worse over time, and what finally led to a diagnosis. I briefly cover my main triggers — salicylates and histamines, what type of doctor finally helped me, and the timeline of my autism and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome diagnoses (hEDS). The geneticist who diagnosed my hEDS said something very, very interesting about a potential new condition all its own! I talk about that, too!
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen@other-autism.com
To access the video format of this episode or to read additional notes on the research presented here, check out The Other Autism's YouTube channel.
If you like what I do and want to show your support, please head over to The Other Autism's Patreon page and consider donating as little as $1 a month.
In this episode, I introduce the topics I'll be discussing in this podcast. I talk briefly about mast cell activation disorder, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, cervical cancer, and late-diagnosed autism.
If you would like to submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email kristen@other-autism.com
To access the video format of this episode or to read additional notes on the research presented here, check out The Other Autism's YouTube channel.
If you like what I do and want to show your support, please head over to The Other Autism's Patreon page and consider donating as little as $1 a month.