Unlearning Autism

Christine Doyle
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Unlearning Autism — real stories, gentle conversations, and a fresh perspective on autism, especially for those of us who found out later in life. Hosted by Christine Doyle, Autistic mentor & late-identified Autistic woman. Listen in and start unlearning. Hosted on Spotify. See https://www.christinedoyle.ie/podcast/ for more information.

  1. Not Seeing Yourself: Late-Identification, Masking & Neuroaffirmative Practice with Katie Kerley

    1 DAY AGO

    Not Seeing Yourself: Late-Identification, Masking & Neuroaffirmative Practice with Katie Kerley

    You can be trained to recognise neurodivergence in others… and still miss it in yourself. In this episode of Unlearning Autism, I’m joined by occupational therapist Katie Kerley to explore late identification, masking, and what it means to finally see yourself clearly. Katie shares her journey to identifying as Autistic, ADHD and dyspraxic — including the complexity of “coming out,” the fear of being a fraud, and the shift toward authenticity in both life and clinical work. We talk about the hidden cost of masking, why so many women don’t recognise themselves in traditional narratives, and what truly makes practice neuroaffirmative — not just positive, but real. This is a conversation about identity, unlearning, and the quiet power of being understood — sometimes for the first time. Don’t forget to subscribe to Unlearning Autism to hear more guest conversations and my shorter My Autistic Musings episodes each week. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might also benefit from hearing it. About Katie Katie Kerley is an occupational therapist and clinical director of Horizons Therapy Services in Dundalk. Katie is multiply neurodivergent (Autistic, ADHD and Dyspraxic) and has a strong interest in supporting neurodivergent people to be their truest and most authentic selves. Katie specialises in sensory processing and how it affects meaningful occupation. Katie provides one-to-one therapy to both children and adults, as well as OT assessments, and enjoys taking a person-centred, lived-experience and rights-based approach to each individual. Katie loves being part of continual professional development, both as a learner and as a teacher/ mentor. She provides webinars with a variety of organisations, including AUsome Training. Katie is passionate about being neuro-affirmative and is immersed in the neurodivergent community in Ireland, and is a member of the Therapist Neurodiversity Collective. Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/horizonstherapyservices/ Website: ⁠https://www.horizonstherapy.ie/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts / christinedoyle.ie 🔗 Full transcript for this episode is available on Spotify Podcasts You can connect with Christine on Instagram ⁠https://www.instagram.com/christinedoyle.ie/ ⁠ Visit ⁠www.christinedoyle.ie⁠ for information on Christine’s webinars, speaking work, and the Wild Women Community.

    1hr 18min
  2. My Autistic Musing .. On Timeblindness

    25 MAR

    My Autistic Musing .. On Timeblindness

    In this My Autistic Musing, I share a very real, everyday moment of time blindness—and how it shows up in my life in ways that aren’t always obvious from the outside. What looked like “plenty of time” on paper felt completely different in my body. A simple task—something that could have been done the next morning—became something my nervous system couldn’t settle around until it was done. I explore the tension between what we’re often told should be easier (“you have loads of time,” “don’t be so hard on yourself”) and what actually creates ease for an Autistic mind. This isn’t about poor time management. It’s about regulation, predictability, and knowing what allows you to feel settled enough to rest. If you’ve ever been told you’re overthinking, too rigid, or making things harder than they need to be—this might help you see it differently.

    8 min
  3. Rewriting the Rules of Motherhood with Laura Guckian

    18 MAR

    Rewriting the Rules of Motherhood with Laura Guckian

    In this episode of Unlearning Autism, I sit down with Laura Guckian — host of the award-winning MomFessions podcast and one of the UK and Ireland’s most recognised voices in maternal mental health and neurodivergent motherhood. Laura shares her deeply personal journey from severe maternal mental health challenges, including a psychiatric hospital stay, to becoming a coach, advocate, and storyteller supporting mothers across the world. Together we explore what happens when the idealised cultural story of motherhood doesn’t match reality, and why many women only begin to recognise their neurodivergence after becoming mothers themselves. I love this episode. It is unmasked, beautiful, passionate Autistic conversation. I am so proud of this and it is in here, in this vulnerable space that I share something I have never spoken about. This conversation touches on: • the intersection of autism, ADHD and motherhood• why the wellbeing industry often fails neurodivergent mothers• maternal mental health and the loneliness many women experience• how motherhood can expose masking and nervous system overwhelm• why late identification can radically change how we parent• rewriting the rules of motherhood on our own terms Laura speaks with honesty, warmth and courage about her experience and the powerful work she now does supporting mothers to understand themselves more deeply. Don’t forget to subscribe to Unlearning Autism to hear more guest conversations and my shorter My Autistic Musings episodes each week. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might also benefit from hearing it. About LauraLaura Guckian is a motherhood coach, speaker and advocate specialising in maternal mental health and neurodivergent motherhood. She is the host of the award-winning MomFessions podcast, which was recently named Best British Parenting Podcast 2025. Following her own experience of severe maternal mental health challenges after becoming a mother, Laura has become a powerful voice in conversations about the realities of motherhood that are rarely spoken about openly. Through her coaching, podcast and advocacy, she supports mothers around the world to better understand their mental health, identity and nervous system. Laura’s work focuses on rewriting the rules of motherhood — helping women move beyond shame and unrealistic expectations to build lives and families that work for them. Podcast: Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mindmommycoaching/ Website:https://mindmommycoaching.com/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts / christinedoyle.ie 🔗 Full transcript for this episode is available on Spotify Podcasts You can connect with Christine on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/christinedoyle.ie/ Visit www.christinedoyle.ie for information on Christine’s webinars, speaking work, and the Wild Women Community.

    57 min
  4. My Autistic Musings ... On Systemising

    11 MAR

    My Autistic Musings ... On Systemising

    In this episode of My Autistic Musings, I reflect on systemising — a tendency many Autistic people, particularly late-identified Autistic women, recognise in themselves. Systemising can show up in subtle everyday ways, bringing calm, focus and satisfaction through organising ideas, environments or information. Recently, I decided it was time to finally organise my nutrition. What followed was several hours of cutting, pasting, sorting and carefully arranging breakfast recipes from old downloads, courses, meal plans and recipe books. Pages were organised, photocopied, filed neatly into folders… and for a moment, everything felt beautifully in order. Six months later, I’m still eating the same breakfast I always do. But this musing isn’t really about meal planning. It’s about the quiet joy many Autistic people find in systemising — the sense of calm and clarity that comes from creating order, even when the system itself never quite gets used. As a late-identified Autistic woman, I’ve come to recognise how systemising shows up in everyday ways: organising the home, planning outfits, structuring routines, or bringing order to information. In the moment it brings a sense of calm and wellbeing — and perhaps that’s reason enough. If you recognise this tendency in yourself, this gentle reflection on the Autistic love of systems, patterns and organisation might resonate.

    6 min
  5. Becoming Who I Always Was with Andrea Anderson

    4 MAR

    Becoming Who I Always Was with Andrea Anderson

    In this episode, I’m joined by Andrea Anderson for a gentle, honest conversation about late  recognition, identity, andthe long process of becoming who you always were. We explore the unravelling that can follow late discovery — the relief, the grief, and the courage it takes to let go of ways of living that were never natural, and to move toward self-understanding, compassion, and belonging. Andrea reflects on creativity, motherhood, and what it means to live in alignment with your own rhythm and neurotype, rather than continuing to measure yourself against expectations that don’t fit. This is a conversation about tenderness, meaning, and finding your way home to yourself. Don’t forget to subscribe to Unlearning Autism to hear more guest conversations and my shorter My Autistic Musings each week. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might also love to hear it.   About Andrea:Andrea Anderson is an author, educator, creative career coach and creator of Belong…We Are Neurokin, her Substack community supporting late-discovered neurodivergent women. A late-identified Autistic woman, Andrea blends livedexperience and professional insight to help women move from discovery toward understanding, acceptance and confidence. She is the author of This Is Who I Am – The Autistic Woman’s Guide to Belonging and is currently writing WeAre Neurokin, a collection exploring life beyond discovery. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/w.h.o.i.a.m.u.k/ Substack: https://www.weareneurokin.com/ Book: This is Who I Am    Many thanks as always to Doerte Meyer for composing and performing the intro jingle and to Abigail Ward for producing the podcast.   You can connect with Christine on Instagram ⁠@christinedoyle⁠.Visit ⁠www.christinedoyle.ie⁠ for further information on Christine’s group late-identification support, Wild Women Community and to enquire about 1:1 post-identification companion work.

    1hr 13min
  6. My Autistic Musings ... On Overwhelm

    25 FEB

    My Autistic Musings ... On Overwhelm

    In this unscripted musing, I record in real time what overwhelm can look like for me as an Autistic mum during a week of transition. Nothing catastrophic happens — just a series of small changes. A new driver in the house. A delayed prescription. A last-minute plan change. Dinner to cook. Work to prepare for. And suddenly my nervous system tips. This episode explores how seemingly minor disruptions can snowball, how self-blame creeps in, and what it actually feels like when a dysregulated nervous system takes over. A glimpse into the invisible cost of “lots of little things.” Many thanks as always to Abigail Ward for producing the podcast and to Doerte Meyer for composing and performing my podcast jingle.

    8 min
  7. Autistic Family Life with Nicola O'Dwyer

    18 FEB

    Autistic Family Life with Nicola O'Dwyer

    In this episode of Unlearning Autism, Christine speaks with Nicola, a late-identified Autistic woman, mum of three, andadvocate for a more compassionate understanding of Autistic life. Nicola talks about discovering she was Autistic at 42 and what that unlocked for her, the overlap between perimenopause and recognising Autistic traits, the impact of burnout and why rest is essential, parenting Autistic children with more acceptance and fewer demands, finding community and connection through lived experience. This is a warm and validating conversation for anyonenavigating late discovery, parenting, or Autistic burnout — and a reminder that understanding ourselves changes everything. 🎧 listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts 🔗Full transcript for this episode is available You can connect with Christine on Instagram @christinedoyle. Visit www.christinedoyle.ie for further information on Christine’s group late-identification support, Wild Women Community and to enquire about 1:1 post-identification companion work. A special thanks to Doerte Meyer for the intro jingle and toAbigail Ward for producing the podcast.

    1hr 22min
  8. My Autistic Musings ... On Re-Remembering

    11 FEB

    My Autistic Musings ... On Re-Remembering

    In this unscripted My Autistic Musing, I reflect on something I return to again and again in post-identification life: re-remembering. Re-remembering is the gentle, ongoing practice of noticing when we’ve slipped back into judging ourselves through a non-Autistic lens — holding ourselves to expectations that once created external safety, but at a huge internal cost. It’s the moment we pause, place a kind arm around our own shoulders, and remember: I am Autistic. Things are different for me. I talk about how easy it is to default to self-questioning, pushing through, second-guessing, and exhaustion — and how re-remembering helps me return to internal safety, regulation, and trust in my own knowing. I also share a small, everyday example from travelling, where honouring my need for space, order, stimming, and comfort brought me back into balance. This episode is for anyone in that tender post-discovery phase — where knowing hasn’t quite settled into being yet — and where remembering yourself can feel like an intentional act. If this resonates, you’re not alone. And if you forget sometimes, that’s part of the process too. Thanks for listening. A special thanks to Doerte Meyer for the intro jingle and toAbigail Ward for producing the podcast. Don’t forget to subscribe to Unlearning Autism to hear more guest conversations and my shorter My Autistic Musings each week. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might also love to hear it.

    11 min
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About

Unlearning Autism — real stories, gentle conversations, and a fresh perspective on autism, especially for those of us who found out later in life. Hosted by Christine Doyle, Autistic mentor & late-identified Autistic woman. Listen in and start unlearning. Hosted on Spotify. See https://www.christinedoyle.ie/podcast/ for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Christine Doyle
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Christine Doyle
  • Show Website
    Unlearning Autism

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