That's Me! Autistic Lives. Unfiltered.

Kory Andreas

You know that moment when someone describes your exact experience and something in you goes - wait. That's ME? That's where this podcast begins. Hosted by Kory Andreas, a late-diagnosed AuDHD therapist and advocate, That's Meeee: Autistic Lives Unfiltered explores the lives of late-diagnosed, high-masking autistic adults. They say if you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person...and these are the ones who aren't in the textbooks, the movies, or the diagnostic criteria. We bring you real stories about burnout, masking, misdiagnosis, and what happens when you finally recognize yourself. Featuring autistic adults and the professionals who actually get it. This podcast is for autistic adults, people who love them, and anyone looking to come into our world with curiosity. New episodes weekly!

  1. 4d ago

    Find Me an Autistic Person Over 30 Who Doesn't Have Trauma. I'll Wait.

    Rachael Stern is a trauma therapist, rule breaker, and resource aggregator who came to autism sideways, through a caseload full of queer women with religious trauma who all made her wonder the same thing: are they autistic? Spoiler: they were. Almost every single one of them. In this episode, Rachael talks about how religion functions as a social script for autistic people, why the eating disorder field has a long way to go for neurodivergent clients, what it was like to go through eating disorder treatment herself, and why she recovered despite the treatment, not because of it. Rachael also talks about the PDA discovery that changed everything for her family, why she's been quietly putting herself together alongside her clients, and why she will absolutely spend too much time fighting insurance companies on your behalf because they should at least follow their own rules. We also talk about the DSM as a political document, why autism in the DSM was written for autistic trauma not autistic people, what it means to stand on the shoulders of people who chose to be human, and why the real numbers on autism and eating disorders have to be through the roof. This conversation is sharp, funny, and completely unfiltered. Rachael is the therapist you didn't know you needed. Find Rachael Stern: Instagram: @breaktheframetherapySubstack: Breaking the Frame TherapyGoogle her, she's widely findablePrivate practice in Maryland Mentioned in this episode: Religious trauma and autism connectionPDA profileEating disorder treatment and neurodivergenceThe DSM as a political documentInsurance parity lawLGBTQ affirming care Resources: Learn more about high-masking, late-diagnosed autism: Instagram @neurokoryousUnmasking Retreats: koryandreas.comYouTube: @ThatsMePod

  2. Aug 24

    The Story I Told Myself: Relational Life Therapy, Neurodivergence, and Learning to Fight Better

    Caron Starobin is a clinical social worker with nearly 25 years of experience, a group practice of eight clinicians in Maryland, and a specialty in neurodiverse couples therapy using Relational Life Therapy. She's also a trainer for the Relational Life Institute and the person who convinced Terry Real himself that the field desperately needs training on neurodivergent brains in couples work. In this episode, Caron breaks down what RLT actually is and why it works so well for neurodivergent couples , from the feedback wheel (the most beloved tool in her neurodiverse caseload) to doing relational trauma and inner child work in the presence of a partner. She talks about loving accountability without shame, what happens when two very different neurotypes try to build a life together, and why 50/50 in a relationship is a myth. We also talk about neurodiverse relationship stances (social butterfly meets socially awkward, boundary-less meets walled-off), why helping a couple uncouple well is sometimes the work, what it's like to be a neurotypical-leaning therapist who gets depleted by rigid thinking, and the moment an autistic client cried in session and his partner said "I've never seen that part of you before." And Caron's new, FABULOUS course through the Relational Life Institute on integrating RLT with neurodivergent brains is starting this week. Don't miss the free webinar. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the intersection of RLT and Neurodiverse couples straight from Caron! Find Caron Starobin: Group practice based in Maryland couples, families, teens, young adults, parent-child work, trauma specialistsParent support group and sibling support group availableCaron's WebsiteNewsletterReplay of Caron's free webinar with Terry RealSignup for Caron's full course with RLT that starts this week:No Ordinary Love: Neurodiversity, Intimacy, and Relational Life Therapy The course will feature the authors of Is This Autism? (Dr. Henderson, Dr. Whalen, Dr. White) Mentioned in this episode: Terry Real and the Relational Life InstituteThe feedback wheelRelational mindfulness and inner child workIs This Autism? (Henderson, Whalen, White)Brené Brown and the "story I told myself" concept Resources: Learn more about high-masking, late-diagnosed autism:Kory's websiteInstagramUnmasking Retreats: our next one starts on October 1st!Online courses for therapistsThat's Me! Podcast on YouTube

  3. Aug 17

    No Amount of Talk Therapy Could Get Me There: Brainspotting for Autistic Brains

    Kimberly Gillette is a therapist in Anne Arundel County, Maryland who specializes in neurodivergent care, ADHD and autism evaluations, and brainspotting, a trauma modality that came out of EMDR but feels completely different. About 70-80% of her caseload identifies as neurodivergent, and she came to this work the same way a lot of us do: through a family member who needed support she couldn't find anywhere else. In this episode, Kim breaks down what brainspotting actually is, why it works so well for neurodivergent brains, and what happens when a highly autistic nervous system gets to process trauma without having to put it into words. Kory shares her own brainspotting experience: snow angels, geometry, sunshine on her face as a kid, and what it made her realize about the regulation strategies she abandoned somewhere along the way to adulthood. We also talk about Kim's consultation groups for therapists who are missing the mark with neurodivergent clients, why GAD and MDD diagnoses are masking autism and ADHD in her caseload, how brainspotting helped a client graduate from physical therapy after being stuck for months, and why the brainspotting community is the opposite of gatekeeping. This one is for anyone who has done years of talk therapy and still feels like something isn't moving. It might not be you. It might be the modality. Find Kimberly Gillette: Website: http://www.gillettepsychotherapy.com Email: kimberly@gillettepsychotherapy.com Free consultation calls available Free brainspotting session for practitioners! ADHD and autism evaluations Brainspotting intensives: 90 minutes, 3 hours, or 6 hours One-off sessions welcome! No ongoing commitment required Based in Anne Arundel County, Maryland Mentioned in this episode: David Grand (founder of brainspotting) Linnea Swanson EMDR IFS (Internal Family Systems) WPATH training Bilateral music Interoception and the autistic body Resources: Learn more about high-masking, late-diagnosed autism: Kory's Instagram Unmasking Retreats That's Me! on YouTube

  4. Aug 3

    The Magic Glasses: What Binocular Vision Dysfunction Has to Do With Autism

    Dr. Tamara Mendez is an optometrist who specializes in binocular vision dysfunction and she has been quietly transforming the lives of autistic people who had no idea their eyes were part of the problem! Binocular vision dysfunction (BVD) is what happens when your eyes aren't working together as a team. Your brain is constantly compensating, all day long. And for autistic people already dealing with sensory overload, that compensation is exhausting in ways that show up as anxiety, headaches, neck pain, reading difficulty, feeling overwhelmed in crowds, and mood dysregulation by the end of the day. In this episode, Dr. Mendez breaks down what BVD actually is, why standard eye exams completely miss it, and what microprisms can do that regular glasses can't. Kory shares her own experience getting diagnosed and fitted including the daily 2pm headaches that stopped within 1 day, the nail polish aisle that looked like it was full of tiny minis, and what it felt like to give a presentation without memorizing every slide for the first time in her life. We also talk about the VR headset that measures 12,000 data points in three minutes, why the appointment takes two to four hours, what it looks like to do this work in a way that's actually safe for autistic patients, and why so few providers are connecting the dots between BVD and the autistic experience. This one might change your life. Or at least your prescription. Find Dr. Tamara Mendez: Website: chevychaseeyecare.com Phone/Text: 301-242-3927 Located in the DMV area Search "BVD near me" her website will pop up Online screening available on her website to see if BVD might apply to you Mentioned in this episode: Binocular vision dysfunction (BVD) Microprisms Dr. Debbie Feinberg / NeuroVisual Medicine Institute VR headset screening (12,000 data points in 3 minutes) POTS and EDS connection to BVD Dry eye / ocular surface disease Visual field testing Eye tracking / reading test Resources: Learn more about high-masking, late-diagnosed autism: Instagram.com/neurokoryous Unmasking Retreats: koryandreas.com/retreats YouTube: youtube.com/ThatsMePod

  5. Jul 20

    The Gut-Brain Connection, ARFID, and Why Autistic Tummies Are So Complicated

    Dr. Ellen Joseph is a counseling health psychologist at GI Psychology, a practice dedicated entirely to the gut-brain connection. And if you're an autistic person who has ever been told your lab work is normal while feeling anything but, this episode is for you. In this episode, Dr. Ellen explains why autistic and ADHD brains are particularly vulnerable to GI distress, from the way interoception turns the volume way up on pain and way down on hunger, to the vicious cycle that forms when your nervous system starts treating your own gut like a threat. Dr. Ellen breaks down what ARFID is and why it's completely different from other eating disorders, why intuitive eating advice can be counterproductive for autistic people, and how clinical hypnosis is used to literally turn the dial on sensory sensations in the body. We also talk about PDA and the gut, grief after GI diagnoses, why "you must finish your plate" is one of the most counterproductive things you can say to an autistic child, and what it looks like to be treated by providers who actually listen. This one is for every autistic person who has spent years being told their gut issues are just anxiety, and every provider who wants to do better! Find Dr. Ellen Joseph: Website: gipsychology.comInstagram: @gipsychusaLinkedIn and Facebook: GI PsychologyFree Brain Bytes video series (6 videos) available on their websiteTeam of 15+ clinicians available for matchingOut of network provider:single case agreements and superbills availableContact their team to discuss provider matching and logistics Mentioned in this episode: Gut-brain axis / gut-brain connectionClinical hypnosis (evidence-based treatment)ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)Disorders of gut-brain interaction (33 diagnoses for adults, 24 for kids)Inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, refluxInteroception and sensory processing in the gutPDA profile and GI distressIntuitive eating and why it doesn't always work for autistic people Resources: Learn more about high-masking, late-diagnosed autism: Instagram @neurokoryousUnmasking Retreats: koryandreas.comYouTube: @ThatsMePod

  6. Jul 6

    I Love You Exactly As You Are: Why Neurodivergent People and Their Animals Are Everything

    Jess Kwerel LPC, LCPC is a psychotherapist who specializes in pet grief and she became the person she needed. When she couldn't find a therapist who truly understood the depth of losing an animal, she built that practice herself. Since 2018, she's been doing the work most therapists won't touch: sitting with people in the most untethered, disorienting, portal-walking grief there is. In this episode, Jess explains why the brain doesn't differentiate between skin and fur, it's the same attachment system, the same oxytocin, the same neural pathways as our deepest human bonds. She talks about why "at least" is one of the most harmful things you can say to a grieving person, why "moving on" is the wrong framework entirely, and what it actually looks like to move forward with your animal instead. We also talk about why neurodivergent people have especially deep bonds with their animals, why dogs just make sense to autistic people in a way humans often don't, and what happened when Jess had to take a step back after unexpectedly losing her own senior hound, Daisy earlier this year. This one is for everyone who has ever loved an animal with their whole heart. Which, if you're listening to this podcast, is probably all of you. So grab your favorite furry friend, and enjoy the laughs and tears with Jess Kwerel! Instagram: @PetLostDCWebsite: https://petlossdc.com/Resources, articles, podcast recommendations, and books available on her website Mentioned in this episode: Attachment theory and the neurobiology of bondingOxytocin and pair bondingThe difference between sympathy and empathy ("at least" vs "I'm right here")Buford and Daisy (Jess's dogs)Harvey (Herby) Pickles (The dog Kory will compare all dogs to forever)Senior dog adoption Resources: Learn more about high-masking, late-diagnosed autism: IG: @neurokoryousUnmasking Retreats: koryandreas.com/retreatYouTube: @ThatsMePod

  7. Jun 22

    Nobody Taught Us This: A Psych NP on Medicating Autistic Brains

    Lindsey Burd is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who specializes in neurodivergent care. About 70-80% of her caseload is neurodivergent. She came to this work the hard way: a autistic sister with high support needs, two family members lost to suicide, her own misdiagnosis with bipolar disorder, and years of navigating a psychiatric system that didn't have the language for what she was actually experiencing. In this episode, Lindsey breaks down what it actually looks like to prescribe medication for autistic brains: why she goes low and slow, why paradoxical reactions are so common, and why she schedules 90-minute intakes when everyone else does 15. Lindsey talks about what BPD and bipolar misdiagnoses have in common (both are wildly overused with neurodivergent women), why she always asks "why" when a patient doesn't take their medication, and why the psychiatric community has a long way to go when it comes to high-masking autism. We also talk about her own story, reading alone in kindergarten, sensory overload in overcrowded hallways, walking into the woods instead of going to class, her dad sitting on the electrical box with the "bad kids", and POTS and EDS making an already hard world harder. This is the episode to send to anyone who has ever had a bad experience with a prescriber. And to anyone who is still carrying a diagnosis that doesn't fit. Find Lindsey Burd: Website: burdmentalhealth.com/TikTok: @LindseyburdInstagram: @LindseybpsychnpPrivate practice in Florida and MarylandMeds course with Lindsey and Kory coming soon Mentioned in this episode: Paradoxical reactions to medicationBPD and bipolar misdiagnosis patternsPOTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome)PDA profileAccommodations being denied in the current political climate Resources: Learn more about high-masking, late-diagnosed autism: Instagram @neurokoryousUnmasking Retreats: koryandreas.comYouTube: @ThatsMePod

  8. Jun 8

    Sex, Desire, and the Neurodivergent Brain: A Sex Therapist Gets Real

    Dr. Emma Smith is a sex therapist, trauma specialist, and host of the Intimate Philosopher podcast. She has a PhD, a practice full of Type A++ overachievers, and a very low threshold for false pretense... which, as she says, might be autism, might be trauma, or might just be that she's from New Jersey. In this episode, Emma breaks down what sex therapy actually looks like, why desire gets squashed in the highest-achieving people, and what happens to intimacy after military trauma. She talks about relationship agreements, why polyamory is more like AP Physics than the "easy way out," and why neurodivergent people are actually wired for designing relationships that make sense. We also talk about the moment Emma nearly fell out of her front-row seat at one of Kory's presentations, when she realized she doesn't walk into rooms the way other people do. And what it means to live in a different reality than you thought you were in. This conversation is funny, real, and will make you think differently about desire, intimacy, and what your relationship could look like if you actually designed it on purpose. Find Dr. Emma Smith Instagram: @EmmaSmithPhDPodcast: The Intimate PhilosopherSubstack: The Intimate Philosopher — Things Left UnsaidWorkshops and masterclasses coming soon Mentioned in this episode: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (book)Relationship anarchyRelationship agreement intensivesWindow of tolerance Resources: Learn more about high-masking, late-diagnosed autism: Instagram @neurokoryousUnmasking Retreats: koryandreas.comYouTube: @ThatsMePod

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About

You know that moment when someone describes your exact experience and something in you goes - wait. That's ME? That's where this podcast begins. Hosted by Kory Andreas, a late-diagnosed AuDHD therapist and advocate, That's Meeee: Autistic Lives Unfiltered explores the lives of late-diagnosed, high-masking autistic adults. They say if you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person...and these are the ones who aren't in the textbooks, the movies, or the diagnostic criteria. We bring you real stories about burnout, masking, misdiagnosis, and what happens when you finally recognize yourself. Featuring autistic adults and the professionals who actually get it. This podcast is for autistic adults, people who love them, and anyone looking to come into our world with curiosity. New episodes weekly!

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