Meet My Autistic Brain

Épisodes

• We Deserve Better Healthcare. Here's How to Get It. 16.06.2026 38min

  The medical system wasn't built for women who ask too many questions, need more time, or leave an exam still wanting answers. As a result many women have learned not to trust their bodies and their needs. Nikki Vinckier, a Physician’s Assistant, spent a decade working in medical care before she decided to write the manual it didn’t come with. This conversation is not just about what's broken, but about what you can actually do about it before your next appointment. In this episode you’ll hear...
• The Path from Coping to Flourishing 08.06.2026 40min

  Allie Memery never imagined that a late autism diagnosis at age 57 could be the launching pad for a whole new, satisfying life. In this episode she talks about the thing that became her special interest, the path to self-regulation and the social life that she couldn’t have expected. She did it all while handling menopause, taking care of her aging mother and facing her own personal challenges. Alllie talks candidly about: How menopause amplified her sensory sensitivities long before sh...
• A Model for Thriving as an Autistic Adult 25.05.2026 42min

  What does thriving actually look like for a late-diagnosed autistic adult? Alexis Kruel gives a pretty specific answer from a life of contradictions. Alexis is a commercial model and actor who was diagnosed autistic at 53 and ADHD shortly after. But this isn't really a diagnosis story. It's a story about what happens when your whole life suddenly plays back differently, and every awkward moment, every friendship that went cold, every dinner party you wanted to escape, finally makes sense. She...
• Hear again: Sound Sensitivity 18.05.2026 16min

  Have you ever felt like the world's volume is turned all the way up — and no one else seems to notice? For autistic people, sound sensitivity isn't just a quirk or an overreaction. It's a daily, exhausting reality. In this episode, you’ll hear what it actually feels like when everyday sounds become unbearable — and learn the science behind why it happens. In this episode: Why between 50–70% of autistic people experience sound sensitivity at some point in their livesThe elements of sound that ...
• Welcome to AuDHD: How to Survive and Thrive as an Adult with Autism and ADHD 11.05.2026 36min

  Did you know that AuDHD is its own unique experience, not just autism plus ADHD co-existing? In this episode Megan Griffith, author of Welcome to AuDHD: How to Survive and Thrive as an Adult with Autism and ADHD, gives us the inside look at AuDHD from her lived experience. Some of the things Megan talks about: Why AuDHD is its own unique experience, not just autism plus ADHD stacked on top of each otherHow autism and ADHD can mask each other, leading to late or missed diagnosesPractical...
• Special Episode: The Autistic Woman 04.05.2026 28min

  Something a little different this week! Natalie Diggins, former guest and author of the Autistic Adults Toolbox, reached out with a guest suggestion for the show — and that guest was me. So we turned the tables, and Natalie took over the hosting chair. In this episode, Natalie pulls back the curtain and asks the questions I usually ask everyone else. We talk about how and why I started this podcast as a sitting judge — anonymously, and with a lot of hope — and what it was like to finally have...
• Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults 27.04.2026 47min

  Let’s be honest. You’re tired of friendships not working out and convinced they never will. Maybe you don’t try anymore and who could blame you? But don’t give up before you hear this episode with Caroline Maguire, author of the just-released book, Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults. This is not the same old advice we hear. These are step-by-step details about how to make it happen. From walking into a room full of strangers to keeping a friendship going Caroline tells us how to leve...
• Healing Autistic Burnout 20.04.2026 41min

  In this episode therapist, author and autistic woman Sharon O'Connor shares her deeply personal journey to a late autism diagnosis and the burnout that changed everything. Sharon shares what it was like to begin recognizing herself in her young son's autism evaluation, how two dramatically different diagnostic assessments shaped her understanding and how she has healed from autistic burnout. Topics covered in this episode include: What it's like to receive an autism diagnosis as an adult, and...
• Special Episode: What Could the AI Boom Mean for Neurodivergent People? 13.04.2026 33min

  If you’ve been curious about how AI might actually help neurodivergent people—not just in theory, but in real, everyday life—this is an episode you won’t want to miss. This special episode is from a podcast I’m genuinely excited to share with you called Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson. Rae brings in experts—scientists, doctors, and researchers—and together they go beyond the headlines to explore what’s really true about how neurodivergent brains work. In this featured episode, “What Could the AI...
• Become Who You Are - Worth Another Listen 30.03.2026 36min

  Meet Ryan Bush author of Become Who You Are and Designing the Mind. Hear how learning he’s autistic led him to a better understanding of himself and how we can all become who we truly are. Become Who You Are is for everyone. It’s a must-read for late-diagnosed autistics who’ve spent a lifetime wanting to know. Buy the Book: https://www.amazon.com/Become-Who-You-Are-Self-Esteem/dp/1737846241/ref=monarch_sidesheet?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theautistic05-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=5da2b92...
• Best of 2025: Women and Girls on the Autism Spectrum 23.03.2026 58min

  Step into the complex world of Women and Girls on the Autism Spectrum with author Sarah Hendrickx. She talks about why autism is often missed in women and girls and how traits can differ. You’ll hear her own personal story of late diagnosis and how it has impacted her life. Sarah's website Sarah's book Support the show RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.2 million downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email m...
• Publishers Rejected This Autistic Detective. Readers Loved Him. 16.03.2026 27min

  Can being autistic make a person a great detective? According to writer Tim Sullivan the answer is yes. He’s created a main character, Detective Sergeant George Cross, whose sense of justice, attention to detail and systematic approach to crime-solving gives him a distinct advantage. In an authentic portrayal of an autistic character Tim reveals why he writes about George and tells how George has become an endearing character in his books. This Cambridge-educated, screenwriter-turned-novelist...
• Replay: An Unmasking Story 09.03.2026 7min

  Have you thought about unmasking, i.e. telling people you’re autistic, by advocating for diversity? Here’s one story about how unmasking played out, including: The blank looks, the self-doubt, and the mental replay afterwardWhether advocacy is worth the emotional costThe tension between staying safe behind the mask… or speaking plainlyIf you’ve ever left a room and replayed every word, wondering if you revealed too much — this conversation is for you! Link to the story about Justice Kevin D...
• An Autism Diagnosis Rewrites the Story 02.03.2026 23min

  In this conversation, author, screenwriter and teacher Claire McGowan shares what it’s been like to receive an autism diagnosis at 43 — and how that discovery is reshaping her understanding of her life, identity, and creative work. In this episode, we discuss: Claire’s late autism diagnosis and the path that led to itThe mix of grief, anger, relief, and curiosity that followedGrowing up in Northern Ireland in the 80s and why autism wasn’t on the radarSensory overwhelm — from public transport ...
• Replay: Why Autistics Pick the Wrong Partner 23.02.2026 19min

  Autism affects how autistics experience relationships by definition. Some of the best traits can either lead to problems or support us in succeeding. In this episode you’ll learn about why autistics pick the wrong partner and how you can change it. It’s a thoughtful episode about relationships, compatibility, and learning what to notice. Support the show RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.2 million downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if...
• Unmasking: What We Lose by Pretending and How to Get It Back 16.02.2026 46min

  Unmasking is an ongoing process of noticing when we’re performing, deciding what serves us, and making gradual adjustments, according to Essy Knopf therapist and author of “Unmasking: What We Lose by Pretending and How to Get It Back”. Essy shares his autism diagnosis at 25 and later recognition of ADHD, highlighting how masking and non-stereotypical presentations delayed identification. In this conversation Essy shares about: Internalized ableism Conditional self-worth Burnout, and...
• The Autistic Adult's Toolbox: Real Tools for Real Life-Because Just Try Harder Isn't a Strategy 09.02.2026 40min

  In this episode I chat with Natalie Diggins, technologist and author of The Autistic Adult's Toolbox. Natalie gives step-by-step strategies and tools that work for autistics. From parties to friendships to doctor’s appointments Natalie shares the toolbox she developed using her systems approach to problem solving. You’ll learn how to have a plan before socializing, how to save energy for what matters and how to recognize your limits. Using checklists, questionnaires, planners and scripts Lesl...
• Do I Tell? A Question We Wrestle With Every Day 02.02.2026 6min

  Every day autistic people face the big question. We can stay hidden or we can be real. There’s no right or wrong answer…except maybe this one time? When have you been in a situation like this and what did you choose? Write to me at info@theautisticwoman.com Support the show RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.2 million downloads! If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com. Instagram Ko...
• The Genius of How Sensory Processing Regulates the Nervous System 26.01.2026 29min

  Ever notice how nature calms you, music shifts your mood and soft textures make you feel amazing? Sensory processing plays a role in how autistic adults experience the world—yet it’s often misunderstood. In this episode, Donna Redman and occupational therapist Cindy Duffy unpack what sensory processing really is, how it affects emotional regulation and behavior, and why so many autistic adults spend years masking sensory discomfort. We talk about: What sensory processing is and how it works i...
• Allow Me to Interrupt: The Emotional Truth Behind Women's ADHD 19.01.2026 52min

  Have you been told you’re “too sensitive?” Do you struggle to complete tasks or projects? Have you given up trying to find out why life seems hard? In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Gilly Kahn reveals why many women with ADHD are stressing themselves to appear normal and how the clinical world’s focus on young boys has left millions of women without answers. We talk about: The "Double Burden" of Success: Why high IQ and degrees often act as a barrier to diagnosis, leaving women to st...