The Other Autism

Are my traits or symptoms related to autism? Or are they caused by trauma? This is one of the top questions asked by individuals going through the process of identifying their neurodivergent identity in adulthood. Join me as we explore how autistic and trauma traits intertwine and differ, with a focus on familial mental health challenges and their impacts. Get clarity on trauma, autism, and PTSD with insights from researchers and therapists working in the field. Gain a deeper understanding of attachment disorders like reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) in children. 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. 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. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 for coping with it. Be sure to stick around right to the end. Toby is super chatty. And so is Google... It gets weird. Watch this episode on YouTube. 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 Success by 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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

Let's delve into an under-discussed topic — the intersection of autism and non-monogamy. I talk about the differences between polyamory and open relationships, and challenge the stereotype that autistic individuals are incapable of or uninterested in sexual relationships. Drawing from research and personal experiences, I discuss why autistic individuals are more inclined towards non-monogamous relationships. If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, 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 Heloise translated by Betty Radice Episode outro music: "Go to Hell" by Mindme 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 topics discussed in this episode, 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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 topics discussed in this episode, check out: Strong Female Character by Fern Brady "Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)" —Cleveland Clinic The Book of Woe: The DSM and the Unmaking of Psychiatry by 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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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: Jennifer DoddEmbodied Life Therapy CenterEpisode intro and outro music: "Lost in the Dark" by Aiyo 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 Lens by Kim Gallo If you'd like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, 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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 topics discussed in this episode, 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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!

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 topics discussed in this episode, 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 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 kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Become a patron on Patreon! Buy me a coffee!