Finding Voices | Autism & Disability

Ivan Cherkezov

Finding Voices is a Calgary-based podcast hosted by Mr. C, founder of Findings Resource Centre. Through honest conversations with autistic individuals, parents, caregivers, educators, and professionals, we explore autism, disability, inclusion, and the transition to adulthood. Every episode shares real stories, practical advice, hope, and proven strategies that help autistic individuals and their families navigate life after school, build independence, and find belonging in their communities. 👉 Subscribe and become part of a community that believes every voice deserves to be heard.

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    I Was Making His Behavior WORSE

    He kept clapping his hands. I kept telling him to stop.But every time I corrected him, the clapping came back.I thought he understood what I was asking. So why did he keep doing it?Then I noticed something I had been missing. Every time he clapped, I looked at him, spoke to him, or stopped what I was doing.Without realizing it, I might have been encouraging the very behavior I wanted to stop.In this episode of Finding Voices, I share how a simple rhythm game helped me approach the situation differently—and what it taught me about attention, replacement behavior, and connection.Sometimes, the first thing we need to change is our own response.CHAPTERS00:00 The Clapping Wouldn't Stop00:34 Something I Hadn't Noticed01:12 What My Corrections Were Doing01:45 Trying a Different Approach02:15 Turning Clapping Into ConnectionFINDING VOICES PODCASTReal Stories. Real Challenges. Real Growth.Subscribe for weekly stories about autism, communication, everyday challenges, and the lessons we learn along the way.#FindingVoices #Autism #AutismAcceptance #BehaviorSupport #AutismSupport

  2. Oct 2

    He Was Fine… Until Mom Left | Separation Anxiety & Understanding What Happens Next

    Mom leaves.He looks fine.No crying. No grabbing her hand. No asking her to stay. Twenty minutes later, everything changes. In this episode of Finding Voices, Mr. C explores what can happen when someone understands that Mom is gone — but doesn't fully understand when she's coming back. “I'll be back Thursday” sounds simple to us. But what does Thursday mean when time, waiting, and what happens next aren't so easy to understand? Sometimes the behavior we see isn't where the story begins. Sometimes the story began when the door closed. This episode looks at separation, uncertainty, predictability, and how making the time between goodbye and coming home easier to understand can change the way we look at behavior. Finding Voices PodcastReal Stories. Real Challenges. Real Growth. 🎙️ Hosted by Mr. C — Ivan CherkezovProduced by Findings Resource Center Incorporated CHAPTERS 00:00 — Mom Leaves. Everything Seems Fine.00:33 — What Happened Isn't in the Room Anymore01:07 — “I'll Be Back Thursday”01:13 — How Long Does “Gone” Last?01:52 — Still Waiting for Mom02:08 — Mom Is Worried Too02:32 — Everything Between Goodbye and Thursday02:55 — What If Thursday Wasn't Just a Word?03:01 — Making the Waiting Understandable03:12 — Go Back to Those First 20 Minutes03:40 — The Question Changes03:58 — What Happens After Goodbye?04:15 — The Door Opens Again If this story made you think about behavior differently, share it with someone who may need to hear it. Subscribe to Finding Voices for more real stories about disability, autism, families, caregivers, communication, and the moments that can change how we understand one another. #FindingVoices #Autism #Disability #SeparationAnxiety #Caregiving #AutismAwareness #DisabilityAwareness Those final chapters match the recording's return to the door: the sequence begins again at roughly 3:58, and Mom walks back through the door at about 4:15 before your Finding Voices sign-off.

  3. Sep 25

    He Threw the Apple. But It Wasn't Aggression. | Finding Voices

    He threw the apple back.At first, it looked like aggression.But what if the behavior wasn't the problem? What if it was the only way he had to communicate the problem?In this episode of Finding Voices, I tell the story of one apple—and how a few more seconds of context completely changed what we thought we were seeing.He couldn't explain what was wrong. He couldn't cut the apple. He couldn't eat it whole. But he could throw it back.And suddenly, the question changes from:“Why did he do that?”to:“What was he trying to tell us?”Because behavior is visible. The reason behind it often isn't. And sometimes we write someone else's story before they've had a chance to tell us what actually happened.This story comes from my work in disability services, but the question goes much further than disability:How often do we decide who someone is before we understand what happened?Sometimes, we just need to give the story ten more seconds.Finding VoicesReal Stories. Real Challenges. Real Growth.Subscribe for new stories about autism, disability, adulthood, independence, families, caregivers, and the moments that change how we understand one another.Chapters00:00 He Threw the Apple00:22 What We Didn't Understand01:05 When Aggression Becomes an Answer01:29 The Same Behavior, A Different Story02:29 The Story We Create03:14 Give the Story Ten More Seconds04:23 We Do This Everywhere05:18 What Was He Trying to Tell Us?05:43 The First Explanation Isn't Always Right06:37 The Apple on the Floor07:06 Finding Voices

  4. Sep 19

    I AM UNSTOPPABLE | Laura, Part Two

    Laura’s life changed in a moment. After the accident, things that once felt simple became difficult. She had to relearn, rebuild, and face moments when “I can’t” felt more real than “I can.” But Laura’s story didn’t end there. In Part Two of her story, we see what happened as she began rebuilding her confidence, rediscovering what she was capable of, and moving forward with a very different belief about herself: “I am unstoppable.” This isn’t a story about pretending that challenges disappear. It’s about what can happen when progress, determination, support, and small victories begin to change the way we see ourselves. Because sometimes the biggest change isn’t what you can do. It’s believing that you can try again. I’m Mr. C. This is Finding Voices. Real Stories. Real Challenges. Real Growth. 🎙️ New stories and conversations every Friday📍 Calgary, Canada✉️ findingvoicespodcast@gmail.com #FindingVoices #Disability #Independence #RealStories

  5. Sep 11

    3 Things Laura’s Story Teaches Us About Rebuilding Independence

    Sometimes “I can’t” doesn’t mean never. It means “not yet.”Sometimes the most important thing we can do is give someone the opportunity to try — even when we’re tempted to step in and do it for them.And sometimes one small success is enough to change what happens next.Laura’s story reminds us that independence isn’t about doing everything alone. It’s about having the opportunity, support, patience, and belief needed to discover what you can do.I’m Mr. C. This is Finding Voices.Real Stories. Real Challenges. Real Growth. New stories and conversations every Friday Calgary, Canada findingvoicespodcast@gmail.com⁠#FindingVoices⁠ ⁠#Independence⁠ ⁠#LifeAfterSchool⁠ ⁠#Disability⁠ ⁠#DisabilitySupport⁠ ⁠#Caregiving⁠ ⁠#Autism⁠ ⁠#SelfDetermination⁠

  6. Sep 4

    The Morning Everything Changed | Laura’s Story of Starting Over

    Just before graduation, Laura’s life changed in an instant.After being hit by a vehicle and suffering a severe brain injury, she woke up to a future that no longer looked the way she had imagined.In this episode of Finding Voices, Laura shares what it was like to wake up feeling different, relearn basic skills, rebuild confidence, and slowly challenge the words “I can’t.”This is a story about recovery, identity, independence, and what happens when life forces you to begin again.🎙️ Finding Voices explores real stories about adulthood, disability, independence, resilience, and life after school.Real Stories. Real Challenges. Real Growth.📍 Calgary, Alberta, Canada✉️ findingvoicespodcast@gmail.com#FindingVoices #BrainInjuryRecovery #DisabilityStories #Resilience #StartingOver #LifeAfterGraduation #Independence #Inclusion

  7. Aug 23

    Camille’s Journey into Adulthood | Finding Voices Ep. 5

    In this episode of Finding Voices, Camille and her mother continue sharing their journey from school into adulthood. Together, they explore what success truly means for an autistic individual. It may not always follow society’s traditional expectations. Sometimes, success is communicating a need, making a personal choice, developing a new skill, or taking one small step toward greater independence. Camille’s journey reminds us that progress looks different for everyone—and that meaningful growth begins when we recognize each person’s strengths, respect their pace, and listen to their voice. The episode also offers a heartfelt message to other parents: you are not alone, and your child’s future does not have to be measured against anyone else’s. Because success is not about becoming someone different. It is about being supported to become more fully yourself. Finding Voices — Real Stories. Real Challenges. Real Growth.

  8. Aug 23

    Will They Ever Be Independent?

    What happens when parents grow older—and an autistic adult begins relying more on a sibling? In Episode 6 of Finding Voices, we share the story of Anna and her brother Daniel. Through three important areas—independence, community outings, and anxiety—we explore practical strategies that can help autistic individuals become more involved in their own lives and futures. This episode is not about removing support. It is about building skills, creating predictability, respecting individual choices, and providing the right support at the right time. Because independence does not mean doing everything alone. It means having a voice, making choices, and becoming more present in your own life. Names and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy. Finding Voices — Real Stories. Real Challenges. Real Growth.

  9. Jul 24

    The Girl Behind the Story

    In this powerful episode of Finding Voices, Camille shares her personal journey, the challenges she has faced, and the strength she has discovered along the way. Her story reminds us that behind every diagnosis is a unique person—with dreams, emotions, abilities, and a voice that deserves to be heard. 🎧 Watch and listen to the full episode now on Spotify. #FindingVoices #AutismAwareness #Neurodiversity #AutismAcceptance #TransitionToAdulthood #DisabilityInclusion #RealStories #SpecialNeedsCommunity

  10. Jul 10

    When the School Bus Stops Coming: Life After Graduation

    🎙️ Episode 3 of Finding Voices is now available on Spotify. In this episode, we continue the conversation about what happens after high school ends—and the school bus stops coming. We explore the uncertainty families face, the importance of routine and belonging, and the search for meaningful opportunities in adulthood. Real stories. Real challenges. Real growth. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify. #FindingVoicesPodcast #Autism #AutismAwareness #TransitionToAdulthood #LifeAfterHighSchool #ParentVoices #Inclusion

  11. Jun 27

    Episode 2

    🎙️ Finding Voices Podcast – Episode 2 When the School Bus Stops Coming For many families, graduation is not just the end of school - it is the beginning of a new and uncertain chapter. In this episode, we continue the conversation about autism, transition to adulthood, routines, belonging, and finding hope after high school. Real stories.Real challenges.Real growth. 📺 Watch Episode 2 and follow Finding Voices Podcast for more meaningful conversations. #FindingVoicesPodcast #AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance #TransitionToAdulthood #LifeAfterGraduation #SpecialNeedsFamilies #Neurodiversity #DisabilitySupport #InclusionMatters #RealStoriesRealChallengesRealGrowth #PodcastEpisode #CalgaryPodcast #AutismCommunity #FindingVoices

  12. Jun 12

    Episode 1: Why Finding Voices?

    Welcome to the very first episode of Finding Voices. In this introductory episode, host Mr. C shares the story behind Finding Voices and the inspiration for creating a podcast dedicated to autism, neurodiversity, transition to adulthood, and community inclusion. Drawing on years of experience supporting individuals and families, this episode explores the challenges and opportunities that arise after high school, the importance of meaningful connections, and why every voice deserves to be heard. Whether you are a parent, caregiver, educator, professional, self-advocate, or community member, Finding Voices is a place for honest conversations, practical insights, and real stories that inspire growth, understanding, and belonging. Thank you for joining us on this journey. Hosted by Mr. CCalgary, Alberta, Canada

  • 12 Episodes

About

Finding Voices is a Calgary-based podcast hosted by Mr. C, founder of Findings Resource Centre. Through honest conversations with autistic individuals, parents, caregivers, educators, and professionals, we explore autism, disability, inclusion, and the transition to adulthood. Every episode shares real stories, practical advice, hope, and proven strategies that help autistic individuals and their families navigate life after school, build independence, and find belonging in their communities. 👉 Subscribe and become part of a community that believes every voice deserves to be heard.

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