I Should Say That Out Loud Donna Brendel

Autistic Friends Orion  @orionkelly  and Donna  @IShouldSayThatOutLoud  discuss several pages and topics from Orion's book "Autism Feels...An Earthling's Guide." There's so much more to share in a conversation between friends than can be fit into a book, including shared experiences between friends.

Orion discusses the importance of including autistic voices in parenting and the workforce. He emphasizes the need for professionals to have a better understanding of autism and the lived experiences of autistic individuals. Orion also highlights the challenges of self-care for autistic people who are deeply invested in their special interests. He compares and contrasts the concept of hobbies vs. special interests for the autistic community and explains how special interests are a form of therapy and regulation for autistic individuals.

Including autistic voices in parenting and the workforce can lead to better outcomes for autistic individuals. Professionals in fields such as criminal justice, mental health, and employment should have a better understanding of autism and the unique needs of autistic individuals. Special interests are an important form of therapy and regulation for autistic individuals. Autistic individuals may struggle with self-care when deeply invested in their special interests. The concept of casual hobbies can be difficult for autistic individuals to understand, as our special interests often consume our lives.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Friendship
00:20 Creating Better Outcomes Through Autistic Voices
00:55 Creating Better Outcomes through Autistic Voices
00:56 Mental Health and Suicide in the Autistic Community
03:00 Criminal Justice System Interactions for the Autistic Community
05:38 Misunderstanding Can Lead to Health Misdiagnosis in the Autistic Community
07:07 Intertwine Lived Experience Workforce & Parenting Supports
10:24 Greetings in an Autistic World
10:42 Understanding and Accommodating Autistic Individuals in Various Settings
13:20 Social Awkwardness & Unique Perspectives for Autistic Individuals
14:32 Special Interests vs. Hobbies for the Autistic Community



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In this week's conversation, Donna Brendel (USA) introduces and interviews her friend from across the globe, @orionkelly Orion Kelly (Australia), a content creator, podcaster, author, and advocate for autism. They did into Orion's book, "Autism Feels: An Earthling's Guide" and page by page reminisce through shared experiences of childhood costumes, attachment to things, bullying, being sent to stay with family, the importance of alone time, how helpful key people were to integral to their lives, and parenting autistic children.

Coming up next week in Part 3...
In this part of the conversation, Orion and Donna will discuss the importance of having lived experience voices in parenting and the workforce. They emphasize the need for autistic individuals to be involved in helping parents raise their autistic children and in providing insights to professionals in various fields. They also highlight the significance of understanding and accommodating autistic individuals in settings such as criminal justice, mental health, healthcare, and employment. Orion shares his perspective on how autistic people can offer unique insights and contribute to better outcomes. They also touch on the topic of social interactions and how autistic individuals may have different default greetings and reactions to new people.

Coming up in two weeks in Part 4...
In this part of the conversation, Donna and Orion will discuss how autism affects individuals physically, including the impact on self-care and the tendency to forget basic needs. They also explore the challenges of explaining special interests versus hobbies and the importance of understanding and acceptance from family and friends. The conversation highlights the need for increased awareness and understanding of autism's physical manifestations and the importance of advocating for better nutrition and overall well-being.

Coming up sometime in the future...
Donna and Orion have barely scratched the surface of Orion's book. They have so much more to talk about, so watch for their next AFChLAG later this year... Autistic Friends Chatting & Laughing Around the Globe, that is...

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Digging into Orion's book, "Autism Feels: An Earthling's Guide"
00:58 Childhood Costumes
04:15 Attachment to Things
04:59 Bullying - It Never Ends
08:30 Being "Shipped Off" to Family
11:25 Autism Genetic Paternal Link and "Maternal Cocktail"
13:33 Alone Time - Getting Away to Breathe
15:41 But for These People...
17:30 You Just Need Someone to Believe in You
17:35 The Angry Parent Trap
18:13 When Our Kids Are Masking at School
20:33 When You're a Parent of an Autistic Kid




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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/donna-brendel/message

In this week's conversation, Donna Brendel (USA) introduces and interviews her friend from across the globe,  @orionkelly  Orion Kelly (Australia), a content creator, podcaster, author, and advocate for autism. They have a blast discussing their friendship, their experiences with autism, and the importance of sharing their stories. They also talk about their respective books and the challenges of writing and publishing. The conversation touches on themes of identity, resilience, and the power of connection. Have a laugh along with them, it's good for you!

Coming up next week in Part 2...
In this part of the conversation, Orion and Donna will discuss the importance of having lived experience voices in parenting and the workforce. They emphasize the need for autistic individuals to be involved in helping parents raise their autistic children and in providing insights to professionals in various fields. They also highlight the significance of understanding and accommodating autistic individuals in settings such as criminal justice, mental health, healthcare, and employment. Orion shares his perspective on how autistic people can offer unique insights and contribute to better outcomes. They also touch on the topic of social interactions and how autistic individuals may have different default greetings and reactions to new people.

Coming up in two weeks in Part 3...
In this part of the conversation, Donna and Orion will discuss how autism affects individuals physically, including the impact on self-care and the tendency to forget basic needs. They also explore the challenges of explaining special interests versus hobbies and the importance of understanding and acceptance from family and friends. The conversation highlights the need for increased awareness and understanding of autism's physical manifestations and the importance of advocating for better nutrition and overall well-being.

Coming up sometime in the future...
Donna and Orion have barely scratched the surface of Orion's book. They have so much more to talk about, so watch for their next AFChLAG later this year... Autistic Friends Chatting & Laughing Around the Globe, that is...

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Friendship
01:39 Discovering Autism and Parenting
03:26 The Power of Sharing Personal Stories
07:31 Navigating the Challenges of Writing and Publishing
12:08 Building Resilience and Finding Connection


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In this episode, Donna Brendel shares her research on autism and developmental disabilities. She discusses the findings of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM Network) and highlights the increasing prevalence of autism in children. She also emphasizes the importance of outdoor recreation for children with disabilities and the benefits it provides for their physical and cognitive development. Donna encourages parents to get their children outside and seek support from communities like Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), now known as The MomCo.

00:00
Introduction and Background
02:44
Understanding the Prevalence of Autism
06:40
The Importance of Outdoor Recreation for Children with Disabilities
14:06
Supporting Children with Developmental Disabilities


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In this episode, Donna Brendel shares an overview of her book, "Autistic Revelations: Body Edition," which explores her head-to-toe surgeries and the life lessons she learned from them. She discusses the physical and emotional scars she carries and the importance of speaking up for oneself. Donna shares tid-bits of each chapter, including additional content not found in the book. She highlights a range of topics, from the significance of finding shoes that fit properly to the impact of her surgeries on her ability to interact with her children, from the genetic aspect of bone spurs to the challenges of living with autism. Throughout the episode, Donna emphasizes the need to share her story to raise awareness about autism and inspire others.


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In this episode, Donna Brendel shares her thoughts on various topics, including her writing journey, her love for nature and outdoor activities, and the concept of the mycelial network. She also discusses her memoir and the importance of self-care. Donna then explores the book 'The Reason I Jump' by Naoki Higashida and highlights the connection between nature and autistic health. She emphasizes the need for understanding and giving autistic individuals the time and space to explore new things.


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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/donna-brendel/message