Tourette's Podcast

It's a moving season finale episode talking with guest Allen Shoaff (a Tourette Association Rising Leader and Youth Ambassador) after highlighting the upcoming Tic Con and a dedication to a Touretter the community recently lost. A subsequent project seeks to build a top-class treatment facility for complex cases of Tourette. Thanks so much to the Tourette Association of America for making another season of episodes possible. Tw: Some discussion of suicide, suicidal ideation, depression during our conversation with Allen. Condolences to the family and friends of Ryan "Larry" Lawrence. Obituary with clinic donation info. Tic Con - https://touretteconference.org/

Back after Ben's laryngitis outage, it's a new episode, and our guest is Shelby Ally, a model and actor from Orange County, Calif., who manages a tic disorder and insomnia but has found power in self-acceptance and advocacy. Shelby, doing professionally what she loves, emphasizes the pursuit of dreams, with the acknowledgement of challenges. Plus: Listener questions about tics and temperture, art, and the TAA explainer card. Shelby Ally on Instagram Print a Tourette Association ID/explainer card Tourette's Action ID Card (UK) https://tourette.org/

We're back from our holiday and personal-biz break with a solid conversation Ben recorded recently with guest Sophie. This wasn't their first time talking; Sophie had involved Ben in a project she was working on regarding Tourette portrayals and the media experience. They examine that a bit before covering all sorts of life ground, as tends to happen with Tourette conversations. And mark this on your calendar (United States folks): March 8, the National Day of Advocacy, with a visit to Capitol Hill to advocate for Tourette and tic disorders. We'll repeat this info on the podcast in the episodes leading up to it. For more, visit https://tourette.org/. Sophie: https://www.instagram.com/skngriffiths/ https://www.instagram.com/basement_designs_jewelry/

Talking with professional writer Tara Lerman about a great many things, including the vitality we can find in highlighting Tourette stories and ongoing issues the community faces. Plus: a heap of answers to the question about good/constructive activities for a young person with Tourette. https://www.taralerman.com/ Tara Lerman, 'Why We Need to Change the Conversation Around Tourette Syndrome' Tourette Association of America FY22 Annual Report

On this episode, a thoroughly good-vibe conversation with Raven, aka @poecrastinator on the socials. The conversation covers stigma, ticcing openly without disclosure, developing coprolalia and much more. Plus: A parent wants some ideas for activities his son can take up that might help him live with Tourette. https://www.youtube.com/@poecrastinator https://www.instagram.com/poecrastinator/ TAA resouce directory

A very special episode today with guest Bianca Saez and guest host Kass @ticsntatts, two adult women with Tourette sharing raw experiences. Both from Australia, the voices you hear today are well-known in the community -- Kass for her many angles on neurodiversity awareness on social media, and Bianca for her popular YouTube channel and appearances on television highlighting the dynamicism of her Tourette. Guided by Kass, Bianca shares powerful stories and perspective on what it means to have Tourette. Content warning: Brief but significant mentions of suicide and rape; some uncensored, casual language (Tourette's Podcast never censors coprolalia). Bianca Saez on YouTube World's most severe Tourette's case doesn't want a cure | 60 Minutes Australia Kass @ticsntatts on Instagram Kass on TikTok https://tourette.org/resource/understanding-coprolalia/ https://tourette.org/

Stephen DiJoseph of Pennsylvania is a lifelong musician whose work connects art and Tourette Syndrome and came to the podcast's attention by way of a short film he made expressing just that -- in a really effective way. It's an art film, but comes off relatable to people with Tourettic brains, and this episode -- exploring Tourette, OCD and so on through music and expression -- flows in that spirit. DiJoseph has a concert coming right up that people can stream online Nov. 11. See below. Watch - A SynapTic Adventure: Tourettes and Beyond Stephen DiJoseph concert on NOV 11 @ 8pm EST at The Royal Glenside PA - Ticket link: https://www.facebook.com/events/663317678837203/?sfnsn=mo https://www.stephendijoseph.com/ www.facebook.com/dijosephmusicandfilm www.instagram.com/stephendijoseph

We welcome back to the podcast Amanda Talty, president and CEO of the Tourette Association of America. We talk about what TAA has been up to, the upcoming TAA gala (Nov. 10 in NYC), science and research, and more. Don't miss this one! Plus: A question from a parent about a situation at school. Tourette Gala, Nov. 10 in NYC TAA's YouTube Update on wearable devices for Tourette Amanda's bio

Dan was diagnosed in the 90s, when he was in first grade, forcing him to navigate Tourette when there wasn't much easy access to community. How could he explain it? Did he need to? Could he just get by with masking? Familiar questions-to-self for many with tic disorders like Tourette. Plus: A dad explains Tourette to his 5-year-old. Tourette Gala, Nov. 10 in NYC

Our guest is Erick, a trans man and lifelong Touretter who, in navigating outsider judgments, became his own boss, found success with it, and realized that you "can't waste your energy anymore worrying about the people who try and deny who you are or what you have," as he put it. The discussion covers self-acceptance, co-occuring conditions like OCD, working in one's own, best way, and the difference between group advocacy success and exhausting, individual battles. Tourette Gala, Nov. 10 in NYC

We talk with the eloquent Tom White, who works in the space of startups, in a great conversation covering pursuit of intellectual curiosities and how to keep momentum through often serious challenges. Plus, listener questions: 1) How do Touretters get used to ticcing in public?; and 2) When is Billie Eilish going to be on the show? Tourette Gala, Nov. 10 in NYC https://www.tomwhitenoise.com/

We start this week with some breaking news from the Tourette Association of America: a Tourette Syndrome research study from the CDC has just landed, and it concludes that the prevalence numbers for Tourette Syndrome and persistent tic disorders are double what we previously thought. One in 50 school-age children has Tourette or a persistent tic disorder. Read more. Our conversation this week is with superb guest host Jhonelle and an excellent guest Touretter named Shawna -- the two of them met at the Tourette Association of America's recent annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and continue to get to know one another here, with all levels of relatability. The hard times, the upsides, everything real. And a listener question -- can Tourette positivity go too far?

Peter Zhao -- you might know him as the great Fabulously Tourette -- takes the hosting helm for this episode featuring high school-aged guest Slayton, who has been managing Tourette in his life for about four years so far. Ben kicks us off with some quick Q&A about adults with Tourette before making way for the fantastic conversation that Peter and Slayton are able to create, with points about coprolalia, medications and side effects, bullying, creativity and more. Fabulously Tourette Radio My Crazy Brain (Slayton's podcast) https://tourette.org/about-tourette/overview/living-tourette-syndrome/adults/ https://tourette.org/support-adults-ts/

Let's head to New Zealand, specifically Dunedin, home to a legendary music scene whose latest name, Mads Harrop, is our fantastic guest this week. Mads' experience with Tourette Syndrome, autism and anxiety directly informs and shapes her music, which has a great early-90s quality and lyrics you'll know how to follow. Mads just released a new EP, "My Chemical Fix," easily locatable through Bandcamp, iTunes, Spotify and the like. Her thoughts on the brain, healing through music, and how she deals in public spaces are among points on this episode. Mads Harrop on Bandcamp Tourette's Association of New Zealand

Season 8, Episode 2 follows last week's guest-host format with our friend Kass taking the reins in conversation with Lilly. They find quick connections in their respective Tourette experiences. Great discussions here about self evaluation and self care, imposter syndrome and dealing with later-onset tics. https://twitter.com/TicsnTatts https://www.instagram.com/ticsntatts/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ticsntatts

Season 8 is here. Following our usual Episode 0, we're here with Episode 1, in which Ben steps back and Britney and Aiya take the reins. Britney (author Britney Wolf, that is) leads the conversation with Aiya, who was diagnosed last year at age 16. She knows she's always experienced Tourette, but her tics really picked up (she calls it a "tic boom") as the years progressed. This episode is great, especially for people Aiya's age, going through school and dealing with judgments. Discussion also covers co-occuring conditions like OCD and anxiety. Britney's book, Ticcing My Way Through Life

Season 8 is here! Via our traditional Episode 0, we kick it off with updated thoughts on popular listener questions.

The Tourette community lost a hero Dec. 15, someone I named on the very first episode (Season 1, Episode 0) of Tourette's Podcast. Steve Bachner was my first frame of reference for TS. Seeing him on an episode of 20/20 in the late 1980s was my first time seeing someone else with the disorder, and there he was, Steve, being followed by John Stossel and cameras, in a shopping mall, Steve ticcing to the fullest. I remember being a little kid guffawing at people's reactions to Steve, with a least one citizen observer telling the show he assumed he was probably high on drugs. The observer wouldn't have guessed Steve was living with a disorder that throws involuntary sounds and movements. I knew all about it. I met Steve not long after at a national Tourette Association of America (then called the Tourette Syndrome Association) conference and confirmed his heroism to me. Steve was kind, funny, witty, and willing to be talk to me like a human being. I never forgot it. We reconnected after I started Tourette's Podcast in 2018 and always talked about doing an interview. Sadly, Steve's health was declining; scheduling would be hit or miss, with very wide latitude granted to all the rest and recuperation time he needed. But we eventually, in May 2020, found the chance to record. It wasn't our dream interview; it would have been but the phone line was noisy and made listening a challenge. But, after some audio cleanup, and now in Steve's memory, it's here and it covers a lot of amazing ground. This is old-school Tourette Syndrome, with critical cracks at sensational coverage from Stossel, Geraldo, Springer and others who orbited Steve's disorder. They got to know his Tourette (or maybe a thin dimension of it) but did they ever get to know him as a person? (His friend Robin Williams did; Steve describes him here as a "soulmate.") I'm so lucky to have counted him a hero and saddened at his absence now. So this one is dedicated to the loving memory of Steve Bachner.

The Season 7 finale episode. Our guest is Tourette scientist Dr. Flint Espil, who talks with us about the latest Tourette treatments and questions before saying something we weren't expecting. In a great way. Thanks so much to Gogo, Maddie, Johnelle, Tamara, Davide, Dan, Amelie, Winter, Jack, Mark, Sophia, Shamus, Saddiq, Christine, Harper, Flint, the other Sophia, the Tourette Association of America, Geeks Rising and so many other people who've been on or closely involved with the podcast. My mind is pried wider every day with your help. This has been the most rewarding and humbling season for me. Thank you, everyone, for listening. -Ben Dr. Flint Espil on Twitter Tourette's Podcast is made possible by the Tourette Association of America, tourette.org. Support! Tourette Gala is Oct. 28 You can give Tourette’s Podcast individual support at https://www.patreon.com/tourettespodcast Tourette's Podcast Discussion Group on Facebook

Taking risks is ... risky. Might fail, right? You don't just suddenly decide to move from, say, the midwest to Los Angeles to try and turn your talents into a rewarding career. And, lord have mercy, having something like Tourette Syndrome and comorbids like anxiety doesn't help, does it? For pop singer Harper Starling, it did. This is, in fact, her story. She uprooted, made a long trek to L.A., where she knew no one, and, as we speak, is now preparing for a three week tour of England. Harper directly credits Tourette Syndrome for where she is right now in her singing career, which include a single out now called "Not Another What If" and another soon to debut. She's really forthcoming and direct in her music and that carries through this conversation. Hat-tip to Harper's manager, the very cool Cindy Valentine, for helping to coordinate this one. https://www.harperstarling.com/# Tourette's Podcast is made possible by the Tourette Association of America, tourette.org. Support! Tourette Gala is Oct. 28 You can give Tourette’s Podcast individual support at https://www.patreon.com/tourettespodcast Tourette's Podcast Discussion Group on Facebook