Shows
The Squarepeg Podcast143 [Bonus] Beyond diagnosis: Self‑trust, masking, and the continuing autism journeyI first met today's guest, Vera, nearly five years ago, when we recorded a podcast episode early in 2021. A lot has changed for Vera since then, so we decided it was time for a catch up. Now 46, when we last spoke Vera had very recently been formally identified as autistic. Over the years since, her initial excitement - that she describes as sounding 'practically giddy' after listening back to that first episode - has evolved into a different perspective. Vera is originally from the Czech Republic, and now lives in Bristol in the UK. She...
2026-01-241h 11
The Squarepeg Podcast142 [Re-release] Being an autistic extrovert, people watching and managing our energyThis episode was recorded in early 2021 and originally released as part of the third season of Squarepeg. I was delighted to get to speak to Vera again recently, in 2026, and that new episode is now available for you to listen to. So I'm re-releasing my original conversation with Vera here, so that anyone who wants to can refresh their memory before listening to our more recent conversation in episode 143. At the time this was recorded Vera was in her 40s, had just been diagnosed autistic and was working as a life coach. Originally from the Czech Republic...
2026-01-2458 min
The Squarepeg Podcast140 [S10 E12] Working with autism, not against: Mental health, masking and giving ourselves graceKara Nash is a registered nurse and autism consultant who focuses on creating positive change in how the healthcare system treats people on the spectrum. Kara has over twenty years' experience working in the field of autism and mental health. Now 50, she was diagnosed autistic herself at 37. During her career Kara has supported autistic people across the lifespan in hospitals, residential programs, schools, and community settings, and she now runs a private consulting practice in Western North Carolina. She is also a public speaker, writer, and educator, creating practical resources for families and...
2025-11-011h 00
The Squarepeg Podcast139 [S10 E11] Creating space to show up without shrinking: how we can thrive at work as autisticsHassani Turner is an executive coach for neurodivergent professionals and the founder of MyNeuroCompass, a coaching service and app that helps neurodivergent people understand how their brains work, identify their strengths, stop masking and start leading authentically – as Hassani puts it, 'finding space to show up without shrinking'. Hassani has spent 15 years in the corporate world. She was formally recognised as autistic at age 36, and her work is influenced by both her lived experience and her role as a corporate leader, where she helps organisations recognise and value their neurodivergent people. She's also a speaker, wr...
2025-10-2551 min
The Squarepeg Podcast138 [S10 E10] Working with our ocean and our tides: the impact of autism self identificationLara Schaeffer taught high school English for 28 years until her autism identification at age 47 - and her school's resistance to her being open about her autism to her students. She waited three years for them to change their stance, before eventually leaving the secure, well paying job she thought she would one day retire from. Now in her early 50s, these days Lara works as a counselor to autistic adults and young adults. She is a twice divorced mother of an autistic daughter, and describes herself as having 'lots of life rockiness' - which she has no...
2025-10-181h 07
The Squarepeg Podcast137 [S10 E9] Meeting myself again: sensory needs, autistic joys and building stronger relationships after autism diagnosisMarian Schembari is an author and essayist whose first byline was at age eleven. It was a poem about dragons. Since then, her essays about travel, friendship, money, and love have appeared in many well known publications, including The New York Times and Marie Claire. Marian was formally recognised as autistic at 34, and spent the next couple of years writing a memoir about it, A Little Less Broken, which came out last year. Marian grew up in an Italian/Puerto Rican family and has lived all over the world, including in New Zealand and Germany. She now...
2025-10-111h 03
The Squarepeg Podcast136 [S10 E8] 'Undercover autistic': shaping a more just and inclusive future for autistic care users & practitionersShazzy Tharby is a Disability & Neurodiversity Leader, Mental Health & Neurodivergence Consultant, counsellor and psychotherapist, the Founder of Positively Living, a worldwide therapeutic service, and Vice President of the Australian Clinical Supervision Association. Shazzy describes herself as "Autistic, disabled, a wheelchair user, and Muslim". They are 49, the parent of two autistic children, and they live in Perth in Western Australia, where their mental health leadership is transforming people's understanding of neurodiversity, trauma, and inclusion. A multicultural and multilingual neurodivergent Muslim woman, Shazzy sees disability and neurodivergence not as deficits, but as powerful forms of human diversity...
2025-10-041h 02
The Squarepeg Podcast135 [S10 E7] A blessing and a curse: autism, masking and miscommunicationMy guest this week is Clara Törnvall, an author and journalist who lives in Stockholm, Sweden with her two children. Clara was diagnosed autistic five years ago at age 42, leading her to write her first book, The Autists - Women on the Spectrum, a personal essay and cultural history of autism, which has been sold to 13 countries. In 2023, she published a second book, The Autist's Guide to the Galaxy, which places autistics as the 'normal' ones and neurotypicals as the outsiders. Clara's background is in radio and TV presenting and she has also been the editor o...
2025-09-2759 min
The Squarepeg Podcast134 [S10 E6] Making your body a nicer place to live: autism and a different approach to physical fitness** We're taking a 2-week mid-season break – new episodes will start again on Saturday 27 September ** Leighanne Stephens is a fitness and lifestyle coach for neurodivergent women and non binary people. Now 27, she was diagnosed autistic two years ago, with as she puts it, 'a surprise addition of ADHD'. Leighanne lives in London and has been self employed since leaving college, niching down to work exclusively with neurodivergent folk last year. In our conversation we talk about the effects of burnout, how Leighanne has come to accept her spiky profile, the relationships between dyspraxia, coordination, rh...
2025-09-061h 04
The Squarepeg Podcast132 [S10 E4] "Layers of unravelling": autism, leadership and belonging with Kirsty Cullen-CampanelliKirsty Cullen-Campanelli is Head Of People Ops, Comms And Employee Engagement at Apple. She was diagnosed autistic two years ago at 38. Kirsty's story began on a council estate in southern England, where she grew up in a working-class family alongside foster siblings from the age of three. Her journey into mental health and self-understanding began early - navigating life with a narcissistic, psychologically-abusive mother, and losing her father to suicide at 18. She left school with modest grades, worked multiple jobs to put herself through community colleges and university, and left England at 21 to begin again in the...
2025-08-231h 07
The Squarepeg Podcast131 [S10 E3] Working at the edge of what we know: autism, trauma and identityMy guest today is Dr Stephanie Aspin - a therapist, educator, and writer in her late 50s, based in Norwich, UK. Originally from Willesden in London, her background in a multicultural, working-class community has shaped how she thinks about ableism and intersectionality. After nearly 20 years at the University of East Anglia, where she ran an MA in Higher Education Practice, Stephanie moved into private practice as a therapist and coach, working mainly with neurodivergent adults. She has two PhDs (in her words, 'super autistic'!) and her latest book, Poetry + Therapy: why words help, came out earlier this...
2025-08-161h 05
The Squarepeg Podcast130 [S10 E2] "Whenever I fell, autism caught me": autism, intersex and genderDeborah discovered they were autistic in their 60s, after a lifetime of not fitting in anywhere. Their sense of difference was not just social, but physical, as in their teens they were diagnosed with CAUV – congenital absence of uterus and vagina. Because of their then-undiagnosed autism, Deborah says they "always felt different anyway – I wasn't upset when I was diagnosed [with CAUV]; I thought it just made me extra-different." They have come to understand their condition as intersex and to identify as autigender. Deborah is originally from the US, but has spent the last thirty years in Irel...
2025-08-091h 01
The Squarepeg Podcast128. Art and autism math: healing and connecting after a late autism diagnosisElinor Trier describes herself as a "Sparkly Champion of Neurodivergent and Queer Joy". She's a neuroqueer AuDHD artist, writer, podcaster, YouTuber, and founder of Elinor Trier Studio, where she creates artwork that reminds us that we're not the 'odd one out', we're 'one of a kind'. Elinor says, "It wasn't until I became a certified weirdo by getting an official autism diagnosis in my mid-thirties that my life started to actually make sense." In this conversation we talk about the power of art to heal and connect us, the relationship between her art and her...
2025-05-0358 min
The Squarepeg Podcast127. Autism's healing mechanism: an autism and OCD journeyAnna has been on a real journey of self discovery, from refusing to entertain the idea that she might have a diagnosable condition, to devouring every book she could get her hands on that might help her understand her autism and OCD. Now in her thirties, Anna talks to me about her experiences of the autism diagnostic process, having OCD and receiving treatment in various forms, and becoming housebound following the Covid pandemic. She also shares her fascinating internal world of synaesthesia, and the solace she finds in her many intense interests. Squarepeg...
2025-03-081h 07
The Squarepeg Podcast125. Autism is the easiest piece: starting over after years of misdiagnosesMalori talks about her experience of spending seven years being given various misdiagnoses and being medicated and treated for conditions that she didn't have. Now, with the knowledge that she is autistic, Malori reflects back on her journey through the mental health system, what she's learned, and what's changed for the better since she first sought help for the difficulties that she was experiencing back in 2015. Content warning: in this episode, Malori shares some of her experience of getting treatment for an eating disorder. Squarepeg is a podcast in which I talk to other late...
2025-02-221h 13
The Squarepeg Podcast124 [Bonus] Autism and therapy: connection, validation and using our strengths to heal our livesThis is the third and final in my miniseries of bonus 'revisit' episodes, in which I reconnect with guests from previous seasons. This week, I talk with psychotherapist Cloie Parfitt, who I first talked to a couple of years ago, in the summer of 2022. Cloie is originally from Tennessee in the United States, and now lives in Norwich in the UK, where she has a private practice working with mainly neurodivergent clients. Cloie's doctoral research in counselling and psychotherapy at the University of Edinburgh focused on autistic women's experience of psychological trauma and trauma therapy, and that's...
2024-09-2158 min
The Squarepeg Podcast123 [Re-release] Autism, psychotherapy and trauma: why many autistic people need a different approachI first released this episode in July 2022, as part of Season 6. And this week I've released a brand new episode with Cloie, as part of a miniseries of revisits, where I reconnect with some of my guests from previous conversations. So here's Cloie's original episode, for those of you new to the podcast, or in case you'd like to refresh your memory before listening to the new episode (that's episode 124). Cloie Parfitt is a psychotherapist, originally from Tennessee in the United States, now living in Norwich in the UK. A former nurse, she switched to psychotherapy when...
2024-09-2156 min
The Squarepeg Podcast121 [Re-release] Grief and validation: repairing the damage of autistic masking and finding a sense of selfI first released this episode in the summer of 2022, at the end of Season 6. And this week I've released a brand new episode with Aisha, as part of a short series of revisits, where I reconnect with some of my guests from previous conversations. So here's Aisha's original episode, for those of you new to the podcast, or in case you'd like to refresh your memory before listening to the new episode (that's episode 122). Aisha Edwards is a somatic trauma therapist, podcaster and writer from Vancouver, Washington, USA, and was diagnosed autistic last year, aged 39. ...
2024-08-311h 04
The Squarepeg Podcast119 [Re-release] Autism and work culture: masking, socialising and finding the right workThis episode was recorded in the autumn of 2020 and originally released as part of the second season of Squarepeg. I was delighted to get to speak to Sophie again recently, in 2024, and that new episode is now available for you to listen to. So I'm re-releasing my original conversation with Sophie here, so that anyone who wants to can refresh their memory before listening to my update with Sophie, episode 120. Sophie Longley is an English teacher and reading specialist. She was diagnosed autistic in 2020, aged 28 and is based in Singapore, where she works with children with reading...
2024-08-1045 min
The Squarepeg Podcast118. Bonus: Building a happy and authentic autistic lifeIn this bonus episode I share more about my own autism journey, and talk about my career-ending burnout and creating authentically autistic lives we don't want to escape from. Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I...
2024-05-0417 min
The Squarepeg Podcast116. S9 E11: Rekindling our dimmed spark and reclaiming autistic joyDani Rodwell is a licensed Clinical Social Worker, therapist, and Co-founder of NeuroSpark Health. She lives in New Jersey, USA. She has worked in the field of autism and neurodevelopmental conditions for over 7 years - including working with neurodivergent youth, a brief period in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), then internships at The Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health, in mental health programming for neurodivergent adults and a support group for parents of neurodivergent adult children. Now 29, Dani self-identified as autistic for five years, before being informally diagnosed in 2023. In...
2024-03-301h 00
The Squarepeg Podcast113 [S9 E8] Making the invisible visible: getting comfortable with a late autism diagnosisMarisa Hamamoto is a leading voice in disability inclusion, professional dancer and founder of Infinite Flow, an award-winning dance company and nonprofit that employs disabled and nondisabled dancers with a mission to create a more inclusive world, one dance at a time. Marisa is a stroke survivor, and a proud fourth-generation Japanese American. She was diagnosed autistic in 2022, which she describes as bringing a mixture of 'Relief and confusion' - being a seasoned leader and ally in the physical disability space, then discovering she was autistic and working out what that means for her and for her...
2024-03-091h 10
The Squarepeg Podcast112 [S9 E7] Why the system is thwarting autistic people: reimagining neurodivergent health - with Dr Mel HouserDr Mel Houser is a family physician in Montpelier, Vermont in the United States, with a clinical focus on providing medical care for neurodivergent patients across the lifespan. Now 40, she was diagnosed autistic two years ago, following a burnout - and at the same time was diagnosed as ADHD, dyspraxic, dyslexic, and dyscalculic. She is also the parent of an autistic 6 year old. Dr Houser is the Founder and Executive Director of All Brains Belong, a nonprofit organisation in Montpelier that provides neurodiversity-affirming medical care, social connection opportunities for all ages, and educational training. Their 'community village...
2024-03-021h 05
The Squarepeg Podcast111 [S9 E6] A magnet pulling me out of darkness: thinking through my body into autistic expressionDana Michel is a live performance artist and choreographer in Montreal, Canada, where she creates experiences based on a mixture of improvisation, choreography, hip-hop, cinematography, techno, poetry and social commentary. Now 47, she self identified as autistic in 2020. She also has a diagnosis of ADHD. Before graduating in Contemporary Dance in her late twenties, Dana was a marketing executive, competitive runner and football player. During her career as a performance artist she has received several awards, including an award for outstanding artistic accomplishments, the Silver Lion for Innovation in Dance and an International Prize for Live...
2024-01-271h 09
The Squarepeg Podcast110 [S9 E5] 'My autism journey came out of my trans experience': Navigating gender and autistic identitiesVic Weiner is a youth justice attorney and lifelong social justice activist in the USA. They were brought up by a college professor mother in an unconventional home without a TV, and as a child they always felt like an outsider. However, as they grew up and continued to struggle socially, they realised it wasn't just their unusual upbringing - there was something else going on. They were diagnosed autistic at 34. Vic attended Warren Wilson College, a unique university where the students work and undertake community service in addition to their studies. After struggling to...
2024-01-201h 03
The Squarepeg Podcast109 [S9 E4] Little glimpses underneath the mask: unravelling people-pleasing and imposter syndromeGemma Gray is a strategic marketing consultant from Edinburgh in Scotland. She left her long-term role following a burnout two years ago and became self-employed. She is a parent to an autistic daughter, and was diagnosed herself in March this year, aged 46. Still in the early days of her diagnosis, she says she is unravelling being a people-pleasing professional masker with chronic low self esteem and imposter syndrome. Eight years ago, before her own diagnosis, Gemma set up a Facebook group for parents of autistic children, which is still going strong, and she has recently been awarded...
2024-01-131h 05
The Squarepeg Podcast108 [S9 E3] Told I couldn't be autistic: BPD misdiagnosis, mental health negligence and finally getting justiceNaomi Ghafoor is a mental health activist who has spent over a decade battling the mental healthcare system and dealing with misdiagnoses, negligence and systemic abuse, which recently led to her suing her NHS mental health trust earlier this year. Now 26, she works as a Lived Experience Leadership Officer for a mental health charity in London, UK and is passionate about sharing her experiences and using her voice to uplift and empower others. She was diagnosed autistic at 24. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Being misdiagnosed with BPD and told she couldn't be au...
2024-01-061h 03
The Squarepeg Podcast107 [S9 E2] Autism deep-dive: examining the literature and ourselves, and reflections on burnoutDr Alexandra Johnston is an academic and social anthropologist from Melbourne, Australia. Now 49, she was diagnosed in March 2023. She lives with her wife, Cherie, who she describes as the first person she ever truly unmasked with. She has several degrees, including a Masters and PhD in Psychology, and her special interests include writing, writing and… writing! So much so, that she self-diagnosed by conducting a literature review of autism, and writing a 45,000 word report on her findings. I found Alexandra really interesting to talk to. I hope that you enjoy this ep...
2023-12-301h 01
The Squarepeg Podcast106 [S9 E1] ND-affirming therapy: sensory regulation, integrating identity and understanding diffuse experiencesDr Megan Anna Neff is a neurodivergent Clinical Psychologist from Portland, Oregon, in the USA. She has a small private practice specialising in neurodivergent-affirming therapy and is the founder of Neurodivergent Insights, where she creates education and wellness resources for neurodivergent adults. She is also co-host of the Divergent Conversations podcast. Dr Neff is dedicated to educating the mental health field on non-stereotypical presentations of autism and ADHD. Now 39, she was diagnosed autistic over two years ago, and also has ADHD. She is also a parent to two neurodivergent children. She regularly provides trainings on...
2023-12-231h 09
The Squarepeg Podcast104. S8 E12: Permission slip: embracing an authentically autistic life with no blueprintGem Kennedy is a Coach and podcaster from Essex in the UK. They are non-binary and queer, and self identified as autistic and ADHD last year, at 35. ** Listen ad-free by joining my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast ** They are a Transformational Coach, facilitator and advocate, supporting neurodivergent and queer folk, present a podcast called Queers & Co., and are also co-parent to two home educated autistic children. They are passionate about body liberation, queering things, spirituality, children's rights and playing the ukulele! We covered a lot in this conversation! But a...
2023-06-171h 04
The Squarepeg Podcast103. S8 E11: From feeling 'deficient' to self acceptance, research and advocating for autistic colleaguesKirstie Pickles is an equine vet, academic, mum and mental health advocate from Derbyshire in the UK. Now 49, she was diagnosed autistic at 47, following her daughter's diagnosis. She is passionate about sharing her story and raising the awareness of neurodiversity to allow for better self-advocacy and reduce the stigma associated with autism, and is currently researching autism within her profession, and is involved in an autism awareness training programme for medical professionals as an expert by experience. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Her lifelong special interest and determination to become a vet, an...
2023-06-1058 min
The Squarepeg Podcast102. S8 E10: From ABA to understanding an autism diagnosis as a unique pathway to a fulfilling lifeMaisie Soetantyo is the founder of a nonprofit with a mission to improve employment prospects for autistic jobseekers and aspiring business owners. Now an openly autistic advocate and inclusivity trainer, she has been working with neurodivergent people since her undergraduate studies in 1991, but it would be many years before some of her clients started suggesting that she might be autistic, too. A former Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) practitioner, she moved away from ABA after realising that supporting her client's authenticity as autistic individuals should be the goal. She set up Autism Career Pathways in San...
2023-06-0358 min
The Squarepeg Podcast100. S8 E8: A sense of purpose: finding our own path and place in the world as autistic adultsRosie Smith is the owner of a non-profit radical bookshop in Canton in Cardiff, just a couple of miles from where I live. Now 32, she grew up just outside Cardiff with her mum and sister. Leaving school at 16 due to anxiety, eating disorders and mental health issues, she found her people in music, joining bands and doing various different jobs until she decided to open the bookshop in 2019, after quitting her 27th job. Rosie's wonderful shop, Shelf Life, works with independent publishers to stock a range of fiction and nonfiction books centering neurodiversity, disability and...
2023-05-2057 min
The Squarepeg Podcast98. S8 E6: The fight for equity in education and work: an inspiring story of autistic self advocacyRosie Weldon is a Senior Financial Analyst and author whose memoir, 'My Autistic Fight Song', tells the story of how she fought to get her accountancy degree and find her place in the world of work, despite her struggles with mental and physical health and the challenges that come with being autistic. Now 31, she was diagnosed aged 25. Since graduating from Chester University - where she received some incredibly supportive accommodations - she became an account, finding her first job with Bank of America. But she found herself having to make the decision to leave after developing a...
2023-05-061h 02
The Squarepeg Podcast97. S8 E5: Finding logic in chaos, burnout, and reconnecting with our internal compass and autistic joyMartine van Bijlert is a writer and researcher from the Netherlands. Now 52, she grew up in Iran and worked in places like Kabul, Grozny and Tehran as an aid worker, diplomat and researcher. She now divides her time between her own creative projects and her work for the Afghanistan Analysts Network, a Kabul-based think tank she founded with friends. She is self-identified autistic and ADHD, and says she feels like she has always been surrounded by neurodivergent people, as a child, during her studies and in her work abroad, and perhaps because of that she thought things...
2023-04-291h 01
The Squarepeg Podcast96. S8 E4: Safety, community and representation for Black and minority ethnic / global majority autistic peopleNaomi Clarke is a freelance writer, community mentor, fundraiser and Human Design reader. She self diagnosed as autistic around two years ago, but due to inequality in the medical system has so far not been able to get a formal diagnosis. She describes herself as an autistic, queer, mixed race person with two children (one of her sons was diagnosed autistic 5 years ago). She wears a lot of hats in her life; she writes for work and for personal interest, and is passionate about building lives outside of the system of mainstream schooling...
2023-04-221h 00
The Squarepeg Podcast95. S8 E3: Shelving the quest for normal: reframing, regulating, and removing the stigma from autismEbonie Allard is an award-winning International Master Coach, an author, and an artist. Now in her early 40s, she was mostly raised in the UK, but before she was seven years old she had lived in a house truck, on a commune, in France, New Zealand, Ireland, and England. She now lives in Spain. She says that she has never had a 'proper job' - she's been self-employed, a freelancer, a business owner and an entrepreneur all her life. Ebonie was diagnosed autistic fairly recently, but has always drawn neurodivergent people to her, and her...
2023-04-151h 04
The Squarepeg Podcast94. S8 E2: The sensory and social challenges of fitting into a new culture as an autistic adultKarawynn Long is an American writer and proofreader living in Mexico. Now 52, she had what she describes as her 'Autism epiphany' just over three years ago, a few months before her fiftieth birthday. She is self identified as autistic, partly due to formal assessments not being available in the Mexican system, and difficult and expensive to obtain in the American one. Karawynn moved to Mexico almost 10 years ago for economic reasons, and unlike many autistic people who find living in other cultures freeing and less fraught with social expectations, she has found many aspects of...
2023-04-081h 09
The Squarepeg Podcast93. S8 E1: Sport and fitness the autistic way: from not fitting in to feeling like a superheroMandy Williams is a Volunteer Coordinator with Scottish Women's Autism and a competitive athlete. Originally from Manchester in the UK, she now lives in Stirling in Scotland. She was diagnosed autistic two years ago, aged 45. She is passionate about exercise, and her enthusiasm for this special interest shines out. She has achieved a bronze medal in mountain running, and recently qualified for the World Championship Hyrox event, a global fitness race. I'm delighted to share my conversation with. I loved this conversation so much - Mandy has such good energy and she was a joy...
2023-04-011h 07
The Squarepeg Podcast91. S7, Ep11: Relaxing into the truth of who we are as late diagnosed autistic adultsAngela Lauria is a CEO and author from Washington DC, USA. Now 49, she was diagnosed autistic 10 years ago, and initially underwent a form of the controversial ABA therapy in an effort to 'fix' the things about her that she had always felt were wrong. One burnout, some autism-positive therapy and ten years of processing later, she was able to fully accept and embrace her own autistic identity, and wider autistic culture. ** Listen ad-free by joining my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast ** Realising she didn't fit into traditional workplaces, Angela started her own publishing company...
2022-12-0357 min
The Squarepeg Podcast90. S7, Ep10: Burnouts, breakdowns and anxiety: a journey towards more supportive and sustainable workDéa Neile-Hopton is a basketmaker and artist. She is of mixed Jamaican and English heritage and grew up in the 1970s and 80s in York, England. Now 47, she lives in Whitland in Wales, with her partner and three neurodivergent children. She is self diagnosed autistic and was diagnosed ADHD in 2021. ** Listen ad-free by joining my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast ** She has a passion for arts and crafts, and for teaching circus skills, but has struggled to find a place in the world of work, finding job seeking and workplaces traumatic and experiencing r...
2022-11-261h 01
The Squarepeg Podcast89. S7, Ep9: 'Outsider' identities: the intertwining of gender, sexuality and autismKelly McCartney is a music journalist from Rhode Island, USA. She is 52 and self-diagnosed as autistic in April of 2022. She has turned a life-long special interest in music into an incredibly varied, 30-year career in almost every area of the music industry, including interning at Entertainment Tonight, working as personal assistant to various well known musicians, project managing independent artists, and hosting music podcasts and radio shows, including Record Bin Radio on Apple Music. In 2018, she co-founded the Rainey Day Fund, which provides assistance to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled and other marginalised artists who add to...
2022-11-191h 04
The Squarepeg Podcast88. S7, Ep8: Making art out of darkness: self acceptance, resilience and radical unmasking as an autistic counsellorAudrey Mitchell is a counsellor with a private practise in Idaho, USA. She was diagnosed autistic in 2020, around the same time as her teenage daughter, and the last two years have been a time of processing and learning to accept herself as she is, and unmask in both her personal and professional lives. I first interviewed her two years ago, for the very first season of SquarePeg. Since that interview was recorded she has finished writing her first, soon-to-be-published memoir, Polishing Marbles, a book intended, in her words, for 'all the generations of women who ever asked, "...
2022-11-121h 03
The Squarepeg Podcast87. S7, Ep7: Autism in mental health services: the experience of a late diagnosed autistic mental health nurseJacqui O'Riordan is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner from Harrogate, North Yorkshire in the UK. She has worked as a mental health nurse for almost 20 years, including working in a secure unit with chronically ill patients. She has worked in crisis assessment with Accident and Emergency and the Police since 2008. Now 49, Jacqui was diagnosed as autistic and ADHD a year ago, and her two children are also autistic. Since learning more about autism, she has begun to question the lack of proper training in neurodiversity that mental health professionals in the UK are currently given. She...
2022-11-051h 00
The Squarepeg Podcast85. S7, Ep5: Autistic motherhood: working through the overwhelm of birth and parentingSanna Östergren is a writer and literary translator from Sweden. She lives in the countryside with her husband and their two-year-old son, where she also runs a small independent publishing company. She realised she was autistic about a year ago, when the overwhelm of new motherhood started turning her life-long shutdowns into meltdowns, and she was diagnosed in April this year, aged 32. When we recorded this episode she was on a break from work, to allow her to focus on parenting, gardening and preparing for the imminent birth of her second child. In our...
2022-10-2251 min
The Squarepeg Podcast83. S7, Ep3: Psychology as a special interest: relationships, research and educational equityJanelle Johnson is an Inclusion Strategist, therapist and researcher from North Carolina, USA. She is self diagnosed and her son is also autistic. She has recently taken a step back from practising as a therapist to focus on her research as a PhD student and graduate research assistant at North Carolina State University's College of Education. Her work explores development for students with invisible disabilities, the intersection of mental health and other marginalised identities, and systemic change in education. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Being socially awkward, solitary and living in her ow...
2022-10-0851 min
The Squarepeg Podcast82. S7, Ep2: God as a special interest: deconstructing religious identity as a newly identified autisticD.L. Mayfield is a freelance writer from Portland, USA. She has written for Christian publications in the US for over 10 years, and is the author of several books, the latest of which, Unruly Saint, explores the life and work of the late American journalist, social activist and anarchist Catholic Dorothy Day. D.L. herself grew up highly religious in an evangelical family in the US. Now in her late 30s, she is currently in the process of being assessed for autism, after she reached out to an autistic therapist in order to better parent her autistic...
2022-10-011h 03
The Squarepeg Podcast81. S7, Ep1: The challenge of creating the life you want when you diverge from the neurotypical 'norm'Dr Kate Tomas is a Spiritual Mentor who lives in mid Wales in the UK. Kate developed powerful psychic abilities from an early age, and by 22 had built a thriving international practice as a witch, healer and psychic for individuals, multinational brands, governments and CEOs. She holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Theology from the University of Oxford, and is a world expert in Mysticism and Catholic women mystics. In 2018 she started a program called The Spiritual Life Upgrade to give women and non-binary people access to the core teachings of her spiritual tradition. First...
2022-09-2459 min
The Squarepeg PodcastBonus: Grief and validation: repairing the damage of autistic masking and finding a sense of selfAisha Edwards is a somatic trauma therapist, podcaster and writer from Vancouver, Washington, USA, and was diagnosed autistic last year, aged 39. ** Listen ad-free by joining my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast ** Somatic trauma therapy is a body-centred approach to treating post-traumatic stress disorder that rather than focusing only on thoughts or emotions associated with a traumatic event, expands to include the natural bodily responses. I'm delighted to bring you this special bonus episode of the Squarepeg Podcast. This was recorded as a collaboration with the Emergent Liberation Collective podcast, a podcast about...
2022-08-131h 03
The Squarepeg Podcast76. S6, Ep9: Autism, psychotherapy and trauma: why many autistic people need a different approach.Cloie Parfitt is a psychotherapist, originally from Tennessee in the United States, now living in Norwich in the UK. A former nurse, she switched to psychotherapy when she realised that she found the hospital environment and long shifts too much of a sensory challenge. She now works with many neurodivergent clients, and is currently undertaking a professional doctorate in counselling and psychotherapy at the University of Edinburgh, where she works collaboratively with autistic women to explore their experience of psychological trauma and trauma therapy. In our conversation we talk about ➡ Her experiences of so...
2022-07-0955 min
The Squarepeg Podcast75. S6, Ep8: Unlearning the script: coming to terms with a late autism diagnosis and finding a voice in the communityNadia Dillon is a software engineer and entrepreneur from London in the UK. Diagnosed autistic at 27, after experiencing a burnout, she is now 30, and her brilliantly insightful - and beautiful - Instagram account about her post-diagnosis journey has grown to over 25K followers (you may know her by her Instagram handle, @autisticblackgirl). She started her Instagram as an outlet to express her frustrations with navigating a neurotypical world, and she is also keen to highlight the particular experiences of Black autistic people. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Burnout, sensory overload and eye co...
2022-07-0252 min
The Squarepeg Podcast74. S6, Ep7: Finding the right fit: autism, health and Rejection Sensitive DysphoriaElizabeth Williams is an acupuncturist from South Carolina, USA. She is 43 and was diagnosed autistic just a few months ago, in February this year. Like me, she started out her career as a teacher, before switching to acupuncture, which she says is a much better fit for her. Since her career change she has been on a journey of self discovery, exploring everything she could find about personality theories and physical and mental health. But she says that it wasn't until she figured out she's autistic that all the pieces fell in to place. In...
2022-06-2553 min
The Squarepeg Podcast73. S6, Ep6: Building a more authentic autistic life and relationships, and managing health and energy.Solgunn is a life coach from Oslo in Norway. She is 45 and was diagnosed autistic very recently, in April, following her husband's diagnosis last year. She has spent most of her working life in IT, web design, project management and consultancy, but after an unusual adverse reaction to medical treatment, which she believes is linked to her autistic physiology, she found herself suffering from ME and unable to work. She now works part time as a coach, doing as much as her energy levels allow. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Th...
2022-06-1854 min
The Squarepeg Podcast72. S6, Ep5: Autism, energy and the body: somatic healing for autistic traumaDr Vanissar Tarakali is a Somatic and Intuitive Trauma Coach from British Columbia in Canada. She was diagnosed in 2017, when she was in her mid 50s. She describes herself as 'a queer autistic mystic misfit', and says she loves to work with people who embody contradictions of identity and community. She has a Ph.D. in Psychology, and she offers coaching to transform trauma and sustain social change, integrating somatics, energy medicine, bodywork, neurodivergent wisdom, social justice practice and restorative yoga to heal personal, ancestral and oppression trauma. In our conversation we talk about:
2022-06-1155 min
The Squarepeg Podcast71. S6, Ep4: Resculpting our lives post-diagnosis: autism, art and connecting with ourselves and each otherHeather Peak is an artist who lives near Hay on Wye in the UK. She came from a working class background, and was discouraged from making a career as an artist, but decided to go to art school in Brighton where she found a place she finally felt she fit. Now 48, she has established an art practice over the past two decades that combines art, architecture, theatre and social practice. She is co-director of Studio Morison along with Ivan Morison, creating work that is focused on human spaces and the communities that occupy them, and...
2022-06-041h 01
The Squarepeg Podcast70. S6, Ep3: Not autistic enough: disability discrimination and intersectionalityAishah-Nyeta is an advocate for climate, race, and disability justice from Virginia in the USA. She says she grew up feeling 'stupid' and different from her peers due to her dyscalculia and the social challenges of her undiagnosed autism. Now 25, she was diagnosed autistic in 2020, when she began using her Instagram account to educate her friends and community – and the wider world – about autism and her particular experience as a Black autistic woman. She recently graduated with a BA in Climate Change and Society, and hopes to bring awareness and innovation to the environmental challenges and injustices of t...
2022-05-2856 min
The Squarepeg Podcast69. S6, Ep2: Finding the right adventure: autism, resilience, sport and supportAllie Mason is a talent coordinator and author from Cheltenham in the UK. She has a keen interest in sports – especially solo sports – and her children's non-fiction debut, The Autistic Guide to Adventure, is due to be published in 2023. Allie is 25 and was diagnosed autistic in 2020, whilst studying for her MA. She is currently training to rollerskate the Berlin Marathon to raise money for the charity Ambitious About Autism. In our conversation Allie and I talked about: ➡ How we shared our autism diagnoses with friends and family ➡ Why autistic people often struggle...
2022-05-2157 min
The Squarepeg Podcast68. S6, Ep1: Writing it out: autism and shame, memory, sexuality and self expressionAmy Lee Lillard is co-host of a feminist book podcast, and also an author; her first book, Dig Me Out, a collection of short stories, was published in 2021. Now 44, she lives in Des Moines, Iowa in the USA and was diagnosed autistic just last year. She wrote her book before she was aware of her autism, and found afterwards that she had essentially written a collection of autistic characters, without intending to. She says: "I write about the intersections of gender, sexuality and the patriarchy, and how it makes rage the only logical option. Once I...
2022-05-141h 01
The Squarepeg Podcast65. S5, Ep10: Equity for autistic people in recruitment and the workplace - and hearing the voices of all autistic peopleNesceda Blake is a performing arts producer and creative energiser from Melbourne, Australia. In a bit of a departure from my usual guests, she was diagnosed very early, at just three years old. I found her insights as an early diagnosed woman fascinating - and I was struck by how familiar and relatable her experiences still were. We met on LinkedIn, after I came across a post about her experiences with recruiters which had gone viral. After leaving a job with an autism organisation, she had started looking for a new role, and quickly found herself clashing...
2022-03-1259 min
The Squarepeg Podcast63. S5, Ep8: Intersecting identities, neurodivergent families, and inclusion, leadership and representation at workKira Young is a Native American poet, philosopher, activist and singer from Virginia, USA. She is 52 and was formally diagnosed very recently, after self diagnosing last year. She has held various different roles, both in corporations and the US Government, but her direct communication style and personal and professional integrity have often led to clashes with authority. She is now in the process of transitioning to making a living from her many passions. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Meltdowns and masking ➡ Neurodiverse families and relationships ➡ Autism, gender and the Na...
2022-02-2655 min
The Squarepeg Podcast62. S5, Ep7: Autism assessment and diagnosis, and ungendering the diagnostic processVictoria is an autistic blogger and PhD student from Manchester in the UK. Diagnosed autistic aged 25, she started an Instagram account and blog called 'Actually Aspling' the same year, in 2017. Victoria also has dyslexia, dyspraxia, epilepsy and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She has an MSc in Psychology and is currently a PhD student in autism research. In our conversation we talked about: ➡ Masking, mirroring and empathy ➡ Friendships and bullying ➡ Getting accommodations as a uni student ➡ Autism assessment and diagnosis, and ungendering the diagnostic criteria ➡ Whether autism is a disability or a superpower Squa...
2022-02-1953 min
The Squarepeg Podcast60. S5, Ep5: Autism and the intersection of culture, race and genderSuzanna Chen was born in China and raised in Vancouver, Canada from the age of 9. She was diagnosed autistic in her final year of high school. She is now 18 and an undergraduate student at University College London in the UK. Standing at the intersection of gender, racial, and ability minorities, she is passionate about advocating for the overlooked intersectionality of social justice issues. She writes for popular student magazine The Tab, and is a staff writer at the youth-led advocacy publication Detester Magazine, a non-profit platform dedicated to amplifying Black, Indigenous, and People of Color youth activism...
2022-02-0541 min
The Squarepeg Podcast57. S5, Ep2: Dancing with differences: autism and disability empowermentAmanda Harrinauth is a disability empowerment coach and poet from California, USA. She was born premature, weighing just 1 pound 7ounces. She had hydrocephalus and other health problems, and her parents were told she was unlikely to survive beyond a few days, and that if she did, she would need to be institutionalised. But against all the odds she survived - and her parents made the decision to raise her at home. She is now 32. She spent her childhood in and out of hospitals, suffered seizures and is now vision impaired as a result of Retinopathy of Immaturity...
2022-01-1558 min
The Squarepeg PodcastS4, Ep12: The PDA profile, social justice and being an openly autistic CEO - with Helen EvansHelen Evans is Chief Executive of the PDA Society. She was diagnosed autistic aged 39 in October 2020, two years after her son, who has a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) profile. She grew up in South London, and now lives in Oxfordshire. From 2012 to 2015 Helen was Global Head of Safeguarding at Oxfam, and tried to get the organisation to tackle issues of systemic sexual abuse perpetrated by Oxfam workers. After speaking publicly about the issue and giving evidence to MPs and the Charity Commission, she was awarded Whistleblower of the Year in 2019. Since leaving Oxfam in 2015 she has been C...
2021-11-1350 min
The Squarepeg Podcast52. S4, Ep9: Dropping the mask and finding your core self after autism diagnosisAnn Mølgaard is a teacher at a sixth form college in Copenhagen in Denmark. She is 34 and was diagnosed autistic and ADHD in May this year, after being told that her initial referral had been declined because she was "too high functioning". Since her diagnosis, she has chosen to be open about her neurodivergence with her colleagues and students. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Getting a diagnosis in Denmark ➡ Childhood bullying and feeling left out at school ➡ Losing herself through a lifetime of masking, and the ongoing process...
2021-10-2357 min
The Squarepeg Podcast49. S4, Ep6: Out of place everywhere: communication, community and coming to terms with autismSophie Adamkiewicz was born in Poland, but was brought up in Germany after her mother emigrated there when the Berlin wall fell, and she says that she has felt like an outsider all her life. At the time of our rerecording she was living in Ireland, but was about to move to London. She is 37, and is currently self-diagnosed and on the waiting list for her autism and ADHD assessments. She has worked in freelance video and CGI production, as a producer at a Fortune 500 company and been Head of Studio. She is now a p...
2021-10-0259 min
The Squarepeg Podcast46. S4, Ep3: Hormones, reproductive and mental health and stepping into our sensory selvesBecky Beasley is an award winning visual artist, receiving the highest UK award for Visual Arts in the country, a Paul Hamlyn Artists Award, in 2018, and also teaches Fine Art part time at Goldsmiths College. But alongside her career success she has battled with mental health and hormonal problems, prompting her to go on a research journey that ultimately lead to her autism diagnosis in February this year. Becky is in her mid 40s, lives and works in Hastings in the UK and describes herself as a women's health gap warrior. In our...
2021-09-1157 min
The Squarepeg Podcast44. S4, Ep1: Holly Smale: Synaesthesia, hyperlexia and accidentally writing an autistic book-childHolly Smale is a multimillion-bestselling and award-winning author of young adult fiction, famous for her Geek Girl and The Valentines series of books. Geek Girl heroine Harriet Manners is a 15 year old, socially awkward girl, and Holly says that it was only after being diagnosed autistic herself at 39 that she realised that her character Harriet is also autistic - and that she had actually been writing about neurodivergence for a decade. Holly lives in Hove, in East Sussex in the UK. Holly and I talked about all sorts of things, including: ➡ Mel...
2021-08-281h 00The Squarepeg Podcast41. S3, Ep10: Sustainable activism, autistic burnout and redefining successLuize is self diagnosed. She's 26 and lives in Latvia, where an autism diagnosis is not available for adults. She briefly studied medicine at university, before switching to Sociology. She has spent time volunteering abroad with animal rights and environmental organisations, where for the first time she felt a sense of belonging, despite the challenges of living and working in a group situation in a different country. While abroad she gradually realised she is autistic. In my conversation with Luize we talk about ➡ Sensory issues at school and work ➡ Attitudes to autism in her count...
2021-06-261h 00
The Squarepeg Podcast38. S3, Ep7: Raising and educating an autistic child as an autistic single parentLottie Jones was diagnosed as a result of her son being identified as autistic PDA in 2018, when he was eight. She is a single parent in her late thirties, and lives in Pembrokeshire in Wales, where she home educates her son, makes macrame and sells vintage items. This conversation came out of a discussion we had on one of my Instagram posts about parenthood and autism, and the particular challenges of being an autistic single parent of an autistic child. In our conversation we talk about ➡ Her son's difficulties at school, having to adv...
2021-06-051h 06
The Squarepeg Podcast37. S3, Ep6: Synaesthesia, autism research and navigating employmentVictoria Evans is a linguist and liberal politician from London. She received her autism diagnosis shortly after graduating university and now regularly takes part in autism and synaesthesia research studies. Victoria believes that diversity of thought brings both social and economic benefits and wants to work to ensure that more autistic people have the opportunity to progress in work. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Her experience of being at university as an undiagnosed autistic woman ➡ Some of the research she's taken part in ➡ Our experiences of synaesthesia (a real m...
2021-05-2957 min
The Squarepeg Podcast36. S3, Ep5: Making your own path: finding passion and purpose in work through special interestsCorinne Cariad is self diagnosed autistic and currently waiting for her assessment, but already has a diagnosis of ADHD. She's 40 and lives in Pembrokeshire in Wales, where she is a consultant with a focus on third sector, food and education. Food has been a special interest for most of her life, and she's worked in catering, run her own cookery workshops, and been a Food Technology teacher in high schools. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ The overlap of ADHD and autism ➡ Autistic burnout ➡ Her teen years, fitting in and finding hersel...
2021-05-2255 minThe Squarepeg Podcast34. S3, Ep3: Dealing with the sensory issues of childbirth and parenthood as an autistic motherSquarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. My guest today is in her mid twenties and is currently awaiting her autism assessment after seeking help with her mental health following childbirth and the sensory challenges of parenting a small baby. She lives in Baglan, Port Talbot in South Wales where she works in a secure children's home for youth offenders and extremely vulnerable young people and is also studying for a psychology degree. Today I'm...
2021-05-0852 minThe Squarepeg Podcast33. S3, Ep2: Being an autistic extrovert, people watching and managing our energySquarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. My guest today was diagnosed autistic very recently. She is originally from the Czech Republic, and now lives in Bristol in the UK. She is a life coach in her 40s, with a background in mathematics and computer science, and describes herself as an extrovert whose special interest is people watching. Today I'm delighted to share my conversation with Vera. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Be...
2021-05-0158 min
The Squarepeg Podcast32. S3, Ep1: Fern Brady: autistic meltdowns, understanding emotions and being the 'black sheep'My guest today is Scottish comedian Fern Brady. Fern is in her 30s and was diagnosed autistic in January this year, after a series of meltdowns caused her to seek answers. She has been open about her diagnosis from the start, when a throwaway tweet about it went unexpectedly viral! ** Listen ad-free by joining my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast ** Fern started out as a journalist before moving into stand-up comedy in 2010. As well as touring, she has appeared on shows such as Live at the Apollo and the BBC Radio 4 News Quiz, and...
2021-04-241h 08
The Squarepeg Podcast{BONUS} Amy Richards: giving myself permission, reframing past failures and achievements, and finding people I can relate to.This special Squarepeg miniseries celebrates the great things that start to happen in our lives when we discover in adulthood that we're autistic. In a bit of a change from the usual format, in this episode I share some of the things that have changed for the better in my own life since I was diagnosed autistic, including feeling able to give myself permission to live and work the way I want to and need to, without feeling guilty, reframing my past failures and achievements, and finding a group of people I can truly relate to. Squarepeg...
2021-04-0421 min
The Squarepeg Podcast{BONUS} Sarah Boon: being kinder to myself, having better boundaries and finding a new purpose in lifeThis special Squarepeg miniseries celebrates the great things that start to happen in our lives when we discover in adulthood that we're autistic. Seven of my previous guests have returned to each share the three most important things that have changed for the better in their lives since they were diagnosed, or realised they were autistic. My guest today is Sarah Boon, an MA graduate and autism advocate from Surrey in the UK. I first talked with Sarah about her experiences being autistic at work and university in Series 1, Episode 10. In this bonus recording Sarah talks to me about b...
2021-04-0324 min
The Squarepeg Podcast{BONUS} Alyssa Washington: finding clarity on the physical side of autism, language to talk about my emotional experiences, and validation that I'm not broken or dysfunctional.This special Squarepeg miniseries celebrates the great things that start to happen in our lives when we discover in adulthood that we're autistic. Seven of my previous guests have returned to each share the three most important things that have changed for the better in their lives since they were diagnosed, or realised they were autistic. My guest today is Alyssa Washington, a coach, speaker and author from Canada, who now lives in South East Asia. I first talked with Alyssa in Series 2, Episode 1 about the connection between autism and physical health conditions. In this bonus recording she talks...
2021-04-0224 minThe Squarepeg Podcast{BONUS} Hannah Smith: better boundaries, getting more comfortable with my comfort zones, and dealing with change.This special Squarepeg miniseries celebrates the great things that start to happen in our lives when we discover in adulthood that we're autistic. Seven of my previous guests have returned to each share the three most important things that have changed for the better in their lives since they were diagnosed, or realised they were autistic. My guest today is Hannah Smith, a business owner from Hertfordshire in the UK. I first talked with Hannah about homeschooling her autistic daughters in Series 2, Episode 8. In this bonus recording Hannah talks to me about having better boundaries, getting more c...
2021-04-0125 minThe Squarepeg Podcast{BONUS} Stephanie Silvan: getting therapy, starting a mindfulness practice and figuring out what to do with my lifeThis special Squarepeg miniseries celebrates the great things that start to happen in our lives when we discover in adulthood that we're autistic. Seven of my previous guests have returned to each share the three most important things that have changed for the better in their lives since they were diagnosed, or realised they were autistic. My guest today is Stephanie Silvan, who lives in Finland and is an animal behaviourist, linguist and biologist. I first talked with Stephanie about burnout and mental health in Series 1, Episode 6. In this bonus recording I catch up with what's happened i...
2021-03-3124 min
The Squarepeg Podcast{BONUS} Beth Rees: finding an explanation, questioning my BPD diagnosis, and learning from the autistic communityThis special Squarepeg miniseries celebrates the great things that start to happen in our lives when we discover in adulthood that we're autistic. Seven of my previous guests have returned to each share the three most important things that have changed for the better in their lives since they were diagnosed, or realised they were autistic. My guest today is Beth Rees, a mental health blogger from Caerphilly in South Wales. I first talked with Beth in Series 2, Episode 9 about her Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis and imposter syndrome around self diagnosis. In this bonus recording Beth talks to me a...
2021-03-3026 min
The Squarepeg Podcast{BONUS} Audrey Mitchell: Meeting my needs with family and friends, dating again, and advocating for my daughterThis special Squarepeg miniseries celebrates the great things that start to happen in our lives when we discover in adulthood that we're autistic. Seven of my previous guests have returned to each share the three most important things that have changed for the better in their lives since they were diagnosed, or realised they were autistic. My guest today is Audrey Mitchell, a counsellor from Idaho, USA. I first talked with Audrey in Series 1, Episode 9, about raising a daughter when you're both autistic, and why autistic people make great counsellors. In this bonus recording she talks to m...
2021-03-2924 minThe Squarepeg Podcast24. S2, Ep12: Turbulent teen years, autistic relationships and finding your purposeMy guest today is Jess Hendrickx, owner of Hendrickx Associates, a company in East Sussex, UK that provides non-clinical adult autism assessments and support for autistic young people and adults. Jess was diagnosed herself in 2018, aged 30, and her partner is also autistic. Jess supports autistic adults to build self-awareness, identify their goals and come to terms with their diagnosis. After working in the business as an administrator for several years, and then as an autism coach and mentor, she took over the running of the company from her mum, Sarah Hendrickx, in the autumn of 2020. ...
2021-03-2057 min
The Squarepeg Podcast23. S2, Ep11: Autistic adults and children in therapy: attitudes and approachesDeborah Cullinan was diagnosed autistic about 10 years ago. She is a psychotherapist in her early 60s, working in a busy CAMHS clinic (that's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) in Hertfordshire in the UK. She started her career as an artist and art teacher, before retraining and qualifying in Psychoanalytic Child Therapy in 1992, a very different time in terms of mental health. She has gone on to create a role for herself as an autism specialist in CAMHS. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Her experience of psychoanalytic therapy ➡ Growing up in a dysf...
2021-03-1350 minThe Squarepeg PodcastS2, Ep10: The interplay between physical health, diet and autistic traitsTara was diagnosed autistic last year, after a conversation with her husband prompted some research into autism. She is 49 and lives in the northern United States, where she works as an visual artist and online education coordinator. Her childhood was unusual, and she now believes that her parents were probably both undiagnosed neurodivergent, and that this impacted on their behaviour and her own upbringing. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Her childhood, and why she believes her parents were neurodivergent ➡ Having a difficult relationship with food ➡ Autism and a lack of spacia...
2021-03-061h 01
The Squarepeg Podcast21. S2, Ep9: Getting the right diagnosis: from borderline personality disorder to autismBeth Rees is currently waiting for her autism assessment after being initially diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. She's a mental health blogger in her thirties, and lives in Caerphilly in South Wales, where she also works for a local charity. She's hoping that sharing her story will help other autistic people who have been misdiagnosed with BPD. In my conversation with Beth we talk about: ➡ Being diagnosed with BPD, then realising that the diagnosis doesn't fit ➡ The journey of discovery - discovering all the things about ourselves that are actu...
2021-02-2758 minThe Squarepeg PodcastS2, Ep8: Releasing the pressure: home schooling autistic daughtersHannah Smith is 43 and was diagnosed last year - and her husband and two daughters are also autistic. She lives in Hertfordshire in the UK, where she unschools her children at home, while also running her own face and body art business. She recently trained to be a mindfulness practitioner, and in the future hopes to combine this with therapeutic arts and use her skills and knowledge to serve the autistic community. She wants to share her family's experiences in order to help other families make sense of their own autism journeys. Today I'm delighted to share...
2021-02-201h 00
The Squarepeg Podcast19. S2, Ep7: Empathy, feeling 'alien' and being fluent in Neurotypical: being an autistic counsellorMax Marnau is an autistic counsellor in her sixties. She realised she was autistic seven years ago, and was diagnosed in 2019. She was born in London, the daughter of Austro-Hungarian Jews who escaped Nazi persecution just before World War 2. She now lives in the Scottish Borders, where she runs a thriving private practice counselling both neurotypical and autistic people. She also works for Edinburgh University Student Counselling Service. She has degrees from both Cambridge and Oxford universities but says she later "lurched from one disastrous admin job to another", and experienced workplace bullying...
2021-02-1351 minThe Squarepeg Podcast18. S2, Ep6: Behind the mask: being true to your autistic self and finding your tribeNoheli Rosas is 28 and was recently diagnosed, after first recognising she might be autistic two years ago. She lives in Puerto Rico in the Caribbean, where she runs her own eco salon specialising in henna body art, ayurvedic hair care and incense making. Her salon allows exposure space for over 30 artists, including many queer and neurodivergent people. Through her business she has found a way to explore her special interests, work to her strengths, meet her needs and make a living - while creating a vibrant and supportive community of like minded people. In our...
2021-02-0652 minThe Squarepeg Podcast17. S2, Ep5: Getting the skills and support to navigate life and workSquarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. My guest today is 30 and was diagnosed autistic about five years ago. She is Indian-American and lives in the US, where she works full time in tech and also as a freelance writer, after spending years moving quickly between different jobs. She has experienced various forms of counselling and other interventions, including medication, and says "I don't allow my diagnosis to stop me from doing things that one may not expect of...
2021-01-3040 minThe Squarepeg Podcast16. S2, Ep4: Autism and disordered eating: an experience of treatment and recoveryElla Pitt is 26 and was diagnosed autistic very recently. They're an English Literature graduate with a first class honours degree and they live and work in Brixton, London, in the UK. They also have a blog and write poetry. They struggled with an eating disorder in their late teens and early twenties, and they were eventually sectioned under the Mental Health Act as their health deteriorated. They spent some time as an inpatient in a specialist hospital, where their then undiagnosed autism impacted on their treatment and recovery. In my conversation with Ella Pitt we...
2021-01-2352 min
The Squarepeg Podcast15. S2, Ep3: Autism and work culture: masking, socialising and finding the right workSophie Longley is an English teacher and reading specialist. She was diagnosed autistic in 2020, aged 28 and is based in Singapore, where she works with children with reading difficulties. She has spent the last four years living and working in Asia, after suffering from severe burnout from a corporate career in London. Her recent Autism diagnosis and the ongoing struggles she has faced being autistic in the workplace have prompted her to change careers to become a clinical psychologist. She will be pursuing a Master's in Experimental psychology at the University of Sussex in 2021, with a goal to i...
2021-01-1645 minThe Squarepeg Podcast14. S2, Ep2: Being autistic at work: reasonable adjustments and working with othersMegan is 27 and was diagnosed autistic three years ago. No one ever suspected she might be autistic as a child, and she first realised she might be when she experienced some mental health breakdowns at university. She now lives in West Sussex, UK, where she is the Workflow Team Lead at a GP (family medicine) practice. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ Her time studying at Oxford, one of the top universities in the UK, including its impact on mental health ➡ Coming out as autistic to friends and colleagues - and similarities to comi...
2021-01-0957 min
The Squarepeg Podcast13. S2, Ep1: The physical side of autism: health, hormones and hypersensitivityAlyssa Washington is 31 and was diagnosed autistic in November. Originally from Canada, she now lives in South East Asia, where she runs her own business as a coach, speaker and author. Growing up, she suffered with numerous health conditions, anxiety and depression - that she believes were all linked to her undiagnosed autism. She has spent years learning about health and nutrition in order to improve her own health and wellbeing - something she now helps others to do. In our conversation we talk about: ➡ The connection between autism and physical health conditions, including disordered eati...
2021-01-0259 min
The Squarepeg Podcast12. S1, Ep12: Building a new post-diagnosis life after bullying and substance misuseHannah Cross is a writer and a student at York St John University, studying Creative Writing and Media. She is 29 and was diagnosed autistic very recently, just last month. Her writing includes novels, short stories, memoir, articles, and poetry. She has resumed her education a little later in life, after experiencing struggles at school and in her early adulthood, including substance misuse and being expelled from school. She says that her life has felt "like a muddle of misunderstandings" and that she now wants to "get involved in unveiling autism, particularly among women". In our...
2020-12-0542 min
The Squarepeg Podcast11. S1, Ep11: Autism, anxiety and the power of telling our own storiesArtist and writer Charlotte Amelia Poe says they were diagnosed autistic 'by complete fluke' when they were 21, after suffering for years with anxiety. In 2018, they won the inaugural Spectrum Art Award with their video piece, How To Be Autistic, and they went on to publish their first book under the same title in 2019. Charlotte is from Suffolk, UK, and says they've wanted to be an author their entire life, and believe autistic people have a place in the arts. They are nonbinary and bi/ace. In our conversation we talk about Whether autism is a disability Wh...
2020-11-2837 min
The Squarepeg Podcast10. S1, Ep10: Childhood misdiagnosis and autism and ADHDSarah Boon was diagnosed autistic last year, at the age of 24, and was diagnosed with ADHD this year. She initially self diagnosed, after assessments during her childhood failed to diagnose her. She lives in Surrey in the UK, is a former TEFL teacher, and has recently completed an MA in Psychology of Education. She recently started an online survey exploring how autistic psychology students feel about how and what they are taught about autism. In our conversation we talk about: Being misdiagnosed as a child Adult self diagnosis The crossover of autistic and ADHD traits Being a...
2020-11-2153 min
The Squarepeg Podcast9. S1, Ep9: Female presentation, autistic counsellors and dealing with depressionAudrey Mitchell discovered she was autistic while in the process of getting a diagnosis for her teenage daughter. She lives in Idaho, USA, where she works in private practice as a counsellor. She's also a writer. She's experienced plenty of adversity in life, and struggled to establish herself in adulthood due to her undiagnosed autism. She says that when she was starting her path to diagnosis, she was hungry for information that was relatable and relevant, and in talking to me today she wants to help provide that for some other woman that is searching for connection.
2020-11-1449 minThe Squarepeg Podcast8. S1, Ep8: Is autism a disability? And how does it relate to mental health?Rachel Stelmach was diagnosed autistic in her 40s. She works for a disability arts organisation here in Wales, where she works with disabled artists in the fields of Creative Technology and Combined Arts. She's also a Disability Equality and Mental Health First Aid trainer. Her career has included launching her own art and design agency, working for a women's music festival and running holiday play schemes for disabled young people. In her spare time she's a keen macro photographer and also runs an AirBnB, and is a voluntary advocate helping people through the UK benefits sys...
2020-11-0754 min
The Squarepeg Podcast7. S1, Ep7: Friendships, masking and getting counsellingBecca Kerl was diagnosed at 38 - after a lifetime of wondering why she didn't seem to quite fit into the world - and three of her children are on the spectrum too. She has spent years supporting the autistic community and helping others advocate for services. She recently completed a Masters degree in Counselling and is in the process of starting a counselling practice in Las Vegas, USA. She's also a musician and a semi professional poker player, and she met her biological father for the first time on TV. In this conversation we talk ab...
2020-10-311h 00