Meet My Autistic Brain

The medical system wasn't built for women who ask too many questions, need more time, or leave an exam still wanting answers. As a result many women have learned not to trust their bodies and their needs. Nikki Vinckier, a Physician’s Assistant, spent a decade working in medical care before she decided to write the manual it didn’t come with.

This conversation is not just about what's broken, but about what you can actua...

Allie Memery never imagined that a late autism diagnosis at age 57 could be the launching pad for a whole new, satisfying life. In this episode she talks about the thing that became her special interest, the path to self-regulation and the social life that she couldn’t have expected.

She did it all while handling menopause, taking care of her aging mother and facing her own personal challenges. 

Alllie talks candidly about...

What does thriving actually look like for a late-diagnosed autistic adult?

Alexis Kruel gives a pretty specific answer from a life of contradictions.

Alexis is a commercial model and actor who was diagnosed autistic at 53 and ADHD shortly after. But this isn't really a diagnosis story. It's a story about what happens when your whole life suddenly plays back differently, and every awkward moment, every friendship that went cold, every...

Have you ever felt like the world's volume is turned all the way up — and no one else seems to notice?

For autistic people, sound sensitivity isn't just a quirk or an overreaction. It's a daily, exhausting reality. In this episode, you’ll hear what it actually feels like when everyday sounds become unbearable — and learn the science behind why it happens.

In this episode:

• Why between 50–70% of autistic peop...

Did you know that AuDHD is its own unique experience, not just autism plus ADHD co-existing? In this episode Megan Griffith, author of Welcome to AuDHD: How to Survive and Thrive as an Adult with Autism and ADHD, gives us the inside look at AuDHD from her lived experience. Some of the things Megan talks about:

•  Why AuDHD is its own unique experience, not just autism plus ADHD stacked on top of each other
• How autism and ADHD ...

Something a little different this week! Natalie Diggins, former guest and author of the Autistic Adults Toolbox, reached out with a guest suggestion for the show — and that guest was me. So we turned the tables, and Natalie took over the hosting chair.

In this episode, Natalie pulls back the curtain and asks the questions I usually ask everyone else. We talk about how and why I started this podcast as a sitting judge — a...

Let’s be honest. You’re tired of friendships not working out and convinced they never will. Maybe you don’t try anymore and who could blame you? But don’t give up before you hear this episode with Caroline Maguire, author of the just-released book, Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults. This is not the same old advice we hear. These are step-by-step details about how to make it happen. From walking int...

In this episode therapist, author and autistic woman Sharon O'Connor shares her deeply personal journey to a late autism diagnosis and the burnout that changed everything.

Sharon shares what it was like to begin recognizing herself in her young son's autism evaluation, how two dramatically different diagnostic assessments shaped her understanding and how she has healed from autistic burnout.

Topics covered in this episode include:

If you’ve been curious about how AI might actually help neurodivergent people—not just in theory, but in real, everyday life—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

This special episode is from a podcast I’m genuinely excited to share with you called Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson. Rae brings in experts—scientists, doctors, and researchers—and together they go beyond the headlines to explor...

Meet Ryan Bush author of Become Who You Are and Designing the Mind. Hear how learning he’s autistic led him to a better understanding of himself and how we can all become who we truly are.

Become Who You Are is for everyone. It’s a must-read for late-diagnosed autistics who’ve spent a lifetime wanting to know.

Buy the Book: https://www.amazon.com/Become-Who-You-Are-Self-Esteem/dp/1737846241/ref=monarch_sides...

Step into the complex world of Women and Girls on the Autism Spectrum with author Sarah Hendrickx. She talks about why autism is often missed in women and girls and how traits can differ. You’ll hear her own personal story of late diagnosis and how it has impacted her life.

Sarah's website

Sarah's book

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If you are an autistic person who has writte...

Can being autistic make a person a great detective? According to writer Tim Sullivan the answer is yes. He’s created a main character, Detective Sergeant George Cross, whose sense of justice, attention to detail and systematic approach to crime-solving gives him a distinct advantage. In an authentic portrayal of an autistic character Tim reveals why he writes about George and tells how George has become an endearing character...

Have you thought about unmasking, i.e. telling people you’re autistic, by advocating for diversity? Here’s one story about how unmasking played out, including:

• The blank looks, the self-doubt, and the mental replay afterward
• Whether advocacy is worth the emotional cost
• The tension between staying safe behind the mask… or speaking plainly

If you’ve ever left a room and replayed every word, wondering if ...

In this conversation, author, screenwriter and teacher Claire McGowan shares what it’s been like to receive an autism diagnosis at 43 — and how that discovery is reshaping her understanding of her life, identity, and creative work.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Claire’s late autism diagnosis and the path that led to it
• The mix of grief, anger, relief, and curiosity that followed
• Growing up in Northern Ireland in th...

Autism affects how autistics experience relationships by definition. Some of the best traits can either lead to problems or support us in succeeding. In this episode you’ll learn about why autistics pick the wrong partner and how you can change it. It’s a thoughtful episode about relationships, compatibility, and learning what to notice.

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Unmasking is an ongoing process of noticing when we’re performing, deciding what serves us, and making gradual adjustments, according to Essy Knopf therapist and author of “Unmasking: What We Lose by Pretending and How to Get It Back”. Essy shares his autism diagnosis at 25 and later recognition of ADHD, highlighting how masking and non-stereotypical presentations delayed identification. In this conversation Essy ...

In this episode I chat with Natalie Diggins, technologist and author of The Autistic Adult's Toolbox. Natalie gives step-by-step strategies and tools that work for autistics. From parties to friendships to doctor’s appointments Natalie shares the toolbox she developed using her systems approach to problem solving. You’ll learn how to have a plan before socializing, how to save energy for what matters and how to recogniz...

Every day autistic people face the big question. We can stay hidden or we can be real. There’s no right or wrong answer…except maybe this one time?

When have you been in a situation like this and what did you choose? Write to me at info@theautisticwoman.com

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RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.2 million downloads!

If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a...

Ever notice how nature calms you, music shifts your mood and soft textures make you feel amazing?

Sensory processing plays a role in how autistic adults experience the world—yet it’s often misunderstood. In this episode, Donna Redman and occupational therapist Cindy Duffy unpack what sensory processing really is, how it affects emotional regulation and behavior, and why so many autistic adults spend years masking sensory...