Listening To Autism Podcast

Today I chat with Vonda Powell, a rock star autism mom who I have known as an invaluable resource in the KC area for years. Vonda talks to us about how she got into the work, the struggles she sees parents trying to manage every day and what she is doing about it. Vonda has also been working with Major League Baseball to make the stadium experience more user friendly for families living life on the spectrum. She shares with us her experience training the staff of the Kansas City Royals in the art of Listening To Autism.

Trauma comes in many forms. In the case of individuals coping with High Functioning Autism it frequently comes in the form of bullying, social isolation and repeated negative interpersonal experiences. This leads to an isolation in young adulthood when relationships become most important. Today we talk about overcoming these barriers and learning to embrace the vulnerability of intimate spaces. Forming new relationships and moving into adulthood is the topic of the day on Listening to Autism.

Mindfulness is an evidence based approach to rewiring the brain. It is known to reduce anxiety producing chemicals, increase good chemicals and assist in quieting the anxious, overstimulated brain. For this reason, I began using it in the treatment of autism some years ago. In this episode, we cover techniques for individuals who are high functioning and those who are more challenged on the spectrum and look at the research and what it says about how mindfulness can help. Finally, I provide the listener with two examples of powerfully effective mindfulness techniques they can begin using tomorrow to help calm melt downs and begin teaching emotional regulation.

Jackie Flynn is a therapist and registered play therapist in Florida and someone I have gotten to know very well. She specializes in ADHD and Autism and has her own podcast for parents dealing with these issues called Parenting In the Rain. It was my pleasure to discuss play therapy, mindfulness and sensory integration with her in this episode of Listening to Autism. As always, get comfy, grab a cup and enjoy the conversation.

In the first episode of Listening To Autism we get right down to the nuts and bolts and start looking at how autism creates trauma in the lives of individuals on the spectrum. Both through sensory assault and through social exclusion, trauma becomes a very real event. But there is hope and growth to be had.

Listening to Autisms is a podcast dedicated to bringing you information, interviews and the latest in research to make life on the spectrum a little easier.  Robert Cox is a clinician and therapist in the Kansas City area with over 24 years of experience in dealing with autism.  He has put his Masters in Counseling to use in the treatment of autism based on that prior work and what research is indicating about the importance of direction of treatment.  So grab a cup of your favorite beverage, sit back and enjoy our discussion of living life on the spectrum.