When Autism Grows Up STRONG

Lynn C Davison
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We build adulting skills with autistic graduates and their families so they flourish on their own!

  1. Oct 14

    Autistic Adulthood: 10 Lessons That Challenge What We Think We Know

    What do autistic young adults really need to build healthy, meaningful, self-directed lives? Is it getting a job, moving out, and doing everything independently? Or are we missing something much bigger? In this episode, Lynn Davison shares 10 important lessons from The Transmitter podcast series, When Autistic Kids Grow Up, hosted by Brady Huggett and Dr. Tempest McDonald. These lessons challenge some of our assumptions about autism, independence, and what it means to thrive in adulthood. The goal isn't to do everything alone. It's to build a life that works for you, with the support, confidence, and freedom to make meaningful choices. SHOW NOTES:💜 Free Resources: Access the interview summary, transcript, Self-Determination Toolkit, and free self-guided course here: https://www.lynncdavison.com/autistic-adulthood-podcast-series-free-resources💜 Meet Dr. Tempest McDonald: Learn more about her work and counseling services at https://spectrum-for-life-counseling.com💜 Explore The Transmitter Podcast Series: Listen to When Autistic Kids Grow Up, hosted by Brady Huggett, featuring the story and research of Dr. Tempest McDonald: https://www.thetransmitter.org/when-autistic-kids-grow-up/

    Autistic Adulthood: 10 Lessons That Challenge What We Think We Know

  2. Oct 14

    From Homeless Teen to Autism Researcher: The Story of Dr. Tempest McDonald

    What happens when autistic children grow up, but the systems meant to support them aren't prepared for their adult lives? Dr. Tempest McDonald's extraordinary journey, from a childhood marked by trauma and teenage homelessness to becoming an autism researcher, counselor, and advocate, raises a question we cannot afford to ignore: Why do we invest so much in studying autistic children, yet so little in helping them live healthy, meaningful lives as adults? In this episode, Lynn Davison shares the powerful story behind Dr. Tempest McDonald's work, her challenge to traditional autism research priorities, and the importance of recognizing the strengths, health needs, and lived experiences of autistic adults. It's a story of survival, resilience, mentorship, and the need for support that doesn't end when childhood does. Because autistic children grow up, and their futures deserve just as much attention as their childhoods. SHOW NOTES:💜 Free Resources: Access the interview summary, transcript, Self-Determination Toolkit, and free self-guided course here: https://www.lynncdavison.com/autistic-adulthood-podcast-series-free-resources💜 Meet Dr. Tempest McDonald: Learn more about her work and counseling services at https://spectrum-for-life-counseling.com💜 Explore The Transmitter Podcast Series: When Autistic Kids Grow Up, hosted by Brady Huggett, featuring the story and research of Dr. Tempest McDonald: https://www.thetransmitter.org/when-autistic-kids-grow-up/

    From Homeless Teen to Autism Researcher: The Story of Dr. Tempest McDonald

  3. Oct 14

    What Autistic Young Adults Really Need to Thrive in Adulthood | Dr. T. A. (Tempest) McDonald

    What do autistic young adults really need to build healthy, meaningful, self-directed lives? In this powerful conversation, Lynn Davison sits down with Dr. Tempest McDonald, autistic researcher, counselor, and parent, to challenge some of the assumptions we make about autism, independence, and adulthood. They explore why traditional transition plans can miss important pieces, the difference between self-sufficiency and self-determination, and what can change when we focus on collaboration, supportive environments, health, and helping autistic young adults build lives that actually work for them. This is a thoughtful conversation about autistic adulthood, self-determination, health, relationships, collaboration, and what meaningful support can look like across a lifetime. If you’re a parent of an autistic young adult, an autistic adult yourself, or someone supporting neurodivergent people, I hope this conversation gives you new questions to ask and a more hopeful way to think about adulthood. SHOW NOTES: Free Resources: Access the interview summary, transcript, Self-Determination Toolkit, and free self-guided course here: https://www.lynncdavison.com/autistic-adulthood-podcast-series-free-resources Watch the YouTube interview here: https://youtu.be/dutWYo0FtoA Learn more about Dr. Tempest McDonald and Spectrum for Life Counseling: spectrum-for-life-counseling.com/ Explore The Transmitter Podcast Series: Listen to When Autistic Kids Grow Up, hosted by Brady Huggett, featuring the story and research of Dr. Tempest McDonald: https://www.thetransmitter.org/when-autistic-kids-grow-up/

    What Autistic Young Adults Really Need to Thrive in Adulthood | Dr. T. A. (Tempest) McDonald

  4. Oct 5

    Be a No Surprises Family | Less Stress, Fewer Surprises, More Connection With Your Autistic Young Adult

    Do you ever feel like you’re having the same difficult conversations with your autistic young adult over and over again? You remind. They resist or withdraw. You become more worried. They feel more pressured. Everyone is trying, but somehow nothing seems to change. What if the problem isn’t a lack of love, effort, or motivation? What if your family is simply dealing with too many surprises? No Surprises Families AUDIO enh… In this episode, Lynn introduces the idea of becoming a No Surprises Family and explore how sensory surplus, clearer expectations, the PEACE Practice, Life GPS, and collaboration can help families move from pressure and repeated conflict toward greater connection and self-reliance. The goal isn’t a conflict-free family. It’s a family that knows how to recover, repair, and move forward together, one right-sized step at a time. 💜  You can watch the video on YouTube. Watch our FREE No Surprises Families Video Series here.

    Be a No Surprises Family | Less Stress, Fewer Surprises, More Connection With Your Autistic Young Adult

  5. Sep 23

    What Research Says Helps Autistic Young Adults Build Self-Reliance

    What actually helps autistic young adults build meaningful, self-reliant adult lives? For many families, adulthood can feel slower, less predictable, and very different from the path they expected. And parents are often left wondering: Are we doing too much? Not enough? Should we push harder? Should we step back? In this episode, we look at what recent research can teach us about autistic adulthood, employment, family support, health and energy, sensory experiences, meaningful activity, and the gradual development of self-reliance. What the research reveals offers a much more hopeful and nuanced picture of adulthood than the idea that a young person simply needs to “launch” and suddenly do everything independently. And it raises an important question: What if the goal isn’t one giant leap toward independence, but creating the conditions for the next right-sized step? 💜 If you’re the parent of an autistic young adult and find yourself worrying about their future, I hope this conversation gives you greater clarity, perspective, and hope. Because adulthood is a long developmental process, and there is more than one way to build a meaningful life. Please share this with another family who could benefit from this conversation. Watch the YouTube video here. Notes:📄 Download the PDF Summary + Research Studies: https://www.lynncdavison.com/link-in-bio📚 Book: Wired to Feel: Autism as a Condition of Sensory Surplus by Sarah Bergenfield & Martha Sweezy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1648486355

    What Research Says Helps Autistic Young Adults Build Self-Reliance

  6. Sep 11

    Why Traditional Coaching Often Doesn’t Work for Many Autistic Young Adults (And What Does)

    What if your autistic young adult wants to move forward, but the approach meant to help them is actually making things harder? When traditional coaching focuses on trying harder, accountability, and pushing through, it can miss an important question: What’s really getting in the way? In this podcast episode, I explore why traditional coaching often doesn’t work for many autistic young adults and what we can do differently to support meaningful, lasting progress. If you’ve ever wondered, “They want to move forward, so why are they still stuck?” this conversation is for you. Download our FREE 1-Page Peaceful Progress Worksheet here Want more support? Explore our free resources here If this message speaks to you, please share it with another parent or family who may need to hear it today.

    Why Traditional Coaching Often Doesn’t Work for Many Autistic Young Adults (And What Does)

  7. Aug 27

    What If They Never Change? A Message for Parents of Autistic Young Adults

    What if your autistic young adult never changes in the ways you’ve been hoping for? What if they don’t become more motivated, more organized, more receptive to advice, or make progress on the timeline you imagined? It’s an uncomfortable question. But after more than 3,600 conversations with autistic young adults and their families, I’ve come to believe there may be an even more important question for us to ask. And that question can completely change the way we approach our relationships, our worries about the future, and the way we support the people we love. In this episode, I share a perspective that changed my own life and may change the way you think about growth, control, connection, and parenting an autistic young adult. If you’ve ever wondered, “How do I help them move forward when nothing I’m doing seems to work?” I hope you’ll watch this one all the way through. 💜 📄 Download our FREE 1-Page Peaceful Progress Worksheet 💜 Want more support? Explore our free resources here Watch the video on YouTube. If this message speaks to you, please share it with another parent or family who may need to hear it today.

    What If They Never Change? A Message for Parents of Autistic Young Adults

  8. Aug 17

    10 Parenting Habits That Help Autistic Young Adults Become More Self-Reliant

    If you’re parenting an autistic young adult, you may sometimes wonder: How do I support them without doing too much for them? In this podcast, I share 10 habits I’ve found can help parents support their autistic young adults in becoming increasingly self-reliant. These aren’t habits of perfect parents. They’re small, intentional shifts in how we respond, communicate, mentor, and connect. You'll learn: ✔️ How to shift from managing to mentoring your young adult✔️ Why connection before correction can make such a difference✔️ How compassionate curiosity helps us understand behavior differently✔️ Why focusing on one right-sized step can create momentum✔️ How noticing and celebrating progress builds confidence and self-reliance The goal isn’t to have all 10 habits mastered. Choose one that speaks to you and begin there. Because helping our young adults become the directors of their own lives happens gradually, one right-sized step at a time.  If this episode helps you, please like, subscribe, and share it with another parent or family who could benefit. 💜 You can watch the YouTube video here. 💜Download the 10 Habits PDF here 💜 Explore more Art of Adulting resources here

    10 Parenting Habits That Help Autistic Young Adults Become More Self-Reliant
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We build adulting skills with autistic graduates and their families so they flourish on their own!

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