This podcast has changed my life as a parent to an autistic child (and as a person diagnosed with ADHD). Every time I listen to an episode, I gain new insight for myself and my child. You both truly fulfill the goal of “celebrating and illuminating autism.” And learning directly from autistics in the podcast has been such a gift. thank you thank you THANK YOU!

Neurodivergence demands an Holistic Healthcare Approach Seeking diagnosis for any neurodivergence is Diagnostic Allopathic Medicine is based on the siloing of care between specialists, universal care plans and a type of hierarchical paternalism that relegates the patient to the ignorant and the physician to the knower. Any perception of defiance or authority challenging behavior on the part of physician is quickly seen as noncompliance and therefore the patient loses credibility in their own care. Self identifying as neurodivergent in the attempt to explain any communication errors can place the patient in an even more vulnerable position due to a perceived lack of competency or other underlying biases. All of these factors are a perfect storm for misdiagnosis, maltreatment, invalidation, improper or unnecessary treatments, and combined, can often lead to a snowball effect that is probably behind the sad life expectancy statistics mentioned. The further away one is from “normal” (read white, male, allistic, middle class, literate, heterosexual etc) the more likely the medical model will confound and potentially endanger you. The toxicity of this Venn diagram can’t be underestimated. I’m listening to this as a mother of two vastly different neurodivergent children and late diagnosed ADHD person and I cannot stop agreeing more with everything that is mentioned here. The medical community’s response to neurodivergent concern and needs with invalidation, gate keeping, substandard or even denial of proper care due to strongly entrenched beliefs and practices mixed with unconscious bias is long standing, poorly understood and often completely overlooked even when a patient seems to be in a state of decline or even worse, avoiding care altogether. Instead, the individual is blamed for the system’s failure and inability to flex to the needs of those who do not fit a one size fits all standard of treatment. It is rare to encounter a doctor or a practice that is able to think outside the box and then facilitate care in ways that do not impede the patient’s ability to participate in it. So often one is thrown to the wolves and expected to just figure it out by luck or circumstance. This conversation is so important for parents who have children on the spectrum as well as the adults who may or may not have the self awareness yet, (or have been straight up barred from doing so), to name their unique struggles in ways that do not further shame and dissuade them from being strong advocates for themselves and experiencing true agency over their bodies. I believe strongly that every aspect that fails the neurodivergent community is exactly what has always been missing and excluded from our healthcare system from the start. People tend to forget that our current system was built as an adjunct military branch. It was designed for a hierarchy of authority and knowledge and the patient was never meant to be a participant, but rather as an objectifiable case study. Ever wonder why we have a Surgeon General? Modern nursing derives from rigid religious structures, specifically Catholic nuns. In essence what we have today is a conglomeration of military, religious institutional concepts, and corporate interests which we are meant to trust our bodies and wellness to explicitly to the point where questioning this can lead to real consequences of legal and social liability. The history of western medicine is illuminating and one begins to understand why it has so many modern failings. The public’s perception of medicine as an empathetic, ethically motivated and informed calling is at odds with our for profit, cost cutting model and the accessibility to any care at all is totally divorced from the real needs of society; especially and specifically for those deemed as “different” or otherwise disabled. It’s more than just a matter of relabeling and awareness, it’s also about what we value as a society in general. It’s about human rights and dignity.

Just finished listening to Linda and Barry and Dave and I want to just say WOW! Linda, you are thoughtful, thorough, insightful and eloquent. You listen so well to others and are able to incorporate what they say into a meaningful and connected response. I’m so fortunate to learn from you, and so grateful Barry and Dave invited you on. Declarative Language makes so much sense when I think of how the primary purpose of language is to forge connections.

The hosts of this show are warm, intelligent and I believe deeply well intentioned. But Dr Prizant’s endorsement and completely unskeptical presentation of Spelling to Communicate aka Rapid Prompting Method is deeply concerning. This is pseudoscience at best. There is no scientific evidence that the communication being generated is actually authored by the non verbal individual. The American Speech Language and Hearing association amongst many other speech therapy organizations has warned against it. Most speech language pathologists view it as a new spin on facilitated communication-a debunked, dangerous modality that has resulted in many abuses of nonverbal individuals and their families. As a mother of an autistic son and someone who understands the academic literature on this topic-I view this as deeply irresponsible and actually denying what is ‘uniquely human’ about the non verbal individuals engaged in rapid prompting method-instead channeling our own hopes/ideas about what they ought to be.

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This show is great! The topics are timely and hosts are engaging! I have autism and would give this show 5 stars, but music and dialog over each other is distracting. Additionally, I need to listen to it in a queued playlist and the outro music for the last episode was 6:20 which is so hard to sit through while waiting for the next episode.

Great People with Great Topics on a Great Phenomena (Autism). I enjoy the vast subjects and relating it to many examples. Also, I enjoy the delivery and Title. Ryan from From the Spectrum: Finding Superpowers with Autism Podcast

Thank you for your insights! I want my son out in the world but he’s so rejected!

My 2 year old son just received an autism diagnosis and this podcast has been a wonderful place to start as I try to understand my son’s world and our future. This podcast makes me see my son in a totally different and positive light than the stigma I would have had of autism prior to his diagnosis. I can’t stop listening.

Many of the students I teach are autistic. This podcast has taught me so much.

My 6 year old is autistic and this podcast has helped me understand her so much. I’ve become quite knowledgeable on it and every day I listen to it I learn something new. Barry is outstanding, his voice is so calming. The guests are great. Dave is is not so bad either. This is 10/10.

As the mother of a newly diagnosed autistic teen daughter, this podcast has been a wealth of information for me.

I appreciate the I depth discussions with guests and hearing from so many autistic people. I do wish the hosts would repeat the names of books guests wrote at the end of the episodes and/or have guests state their websites or social media handles.

I have 6yo Autistic twins and I just received my own Autism diagnosis at the age of 37. I’ve been listening to this podcast for a while now and it’s one of my favorite podcasts for all things Autism. The philosophies shared and the de-pathologizing approach to Autism is like a breath of fresh air. Barry and Dave are fantastic hosts and I appreciate the variety of guests and topics covered.

Por fin conversaciones sobre autistas CON autistas. Barry y Dave tienen una sensibilidad muy especial, se abordan todos los temas, es un podcast tan acogedor y esperanzador, lo precisábamos y lo merecemos. Gracias ❤️

I just found this Podcast and I love it. The latest episode on the word “no” and understanding why my child may say “no” to me, was unbelievably helpful. As you guys were going through each of the areas, I could visualize exact situations with me and my son and see how I totally misunderstood him. Listening to you guys has made me understand my son so much better and has made me more calm and understanding. I wish I had you guys on speed dial. I would love to have you guys lecture at my sons Autism Academy. Lots of families need this support. Thank you for all you do! Gretchen

The premise set up in the intro (Barry as cosmopolitan academic and Dave as country bumpkin) starts each episode off on the wrong foot. From there, it’s difficult not to hear that dynamic play out in each episode (eg, in the one I was just listening to, Dave refers to himself as “the village idiot” among the academic guests). I know this self deprecation is meant as a joke or politeness, but it plays badly. Dave’s insights are essential and possibly more important than Barry’s. No one needs more autism info from NTs alone. Further, ND listeners don’t need anything else in their lives to make them feel less-than. I believe Dave’s humble affect comes from good intentions, but I’d like him to set it aside, and I’d like to see Barry amplify Dave’s POV more. Maybe begin with a simple redo of the introduction!

Barry and Dave give you informative banter with incredible guests from the autism community and neurodiversity enthusiasts. Join in and become part of this incredible community – we’d love to have you onboard.

My husband and I have just recently realized that our young son is on the spectrum. We just received the initial evaluation materials last week. I’m so desperate to learn every possible thing I can to help me better understand and relate to my son and support him through his experiences and I love how there are so many different voices on here to bring a wide array of perspectives. It’s helping me to think through new possible explanations and strategies to better communicate with our little guy. And the underlying humanistic philosophy speaks to my core values. I just love listening to these guys and their guests. Thanks for your work.

This podcast is incredibly insightful and informative on the conversation surrounding neurodiversity and autism. As a licensed psychologist who works with autistic children and their families, this is a podcast I look forward to listening to because of Barry’s and Davidi’s insights as well as the excellent guests and great conversations.

Such an amazing podcast. I look forward to Fridays and get so much out of every episode. Start with the episode on trust—incredibly helpful in understanding how my teen interacts with others. Then listen to every other episode, top to bottom.

Listening to this podcast helped me, for the first time in my life, feel like I wasn’t the only odd person out and I wasn’t alone on this alien planet.

Dr. Barry has changed our whole way of helping and loving our little guy. We in the beginning as most parents wanted to follow the “Norm” for our kids now as a whole we see our kids in a whole different light. We actually embrace and nurture their way of feeling, learning and just being them. Thank you for this amazing pod cast. I take every chance I get to share with other Autism parents so they can better understand and love their kids as well.

I started to listen to the most recent episode but could not make it more than a couple of minutes. The background music during the interview was incredibly annoying and disruptive to me. Since it’s a podcast about neurodiversity, maybe you could avoid putting background music when someone is talking? I would love to listen to the podcast. Thank you.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the podcasts by Barry and Dave. They provide so much information on topics in a very down to earth way. As a parent of an aAutistic child it can easily become overwhelming when trying to do research but this podcast has helped me stay informed while also realizing it’s okay to calm down a little :)

After realizing that my 2 year old grandson was autistic 7 months ago, I have immersed myself in the world of autism. I was devastated at first…then I read Uniquely Human and found this podcast and both have been a godsend. I have since realized that my 35 year old son is autistic as well as my 62 year old self. I am now looking at my life and the world through a new, more compassionate lens… so many things are making sense! I have read about 10 books on autism , including Dave’s, and listened to 70 of your episodes so far. All have had some wisdom that has been helpful. Thank you so much for all the good work and energy you both share!🙏

A beautifully thoughtful, neurodiversity-affirming resource highlighting the nuance of neurodiverse experiences. I refer this podcast to the neurodivergent adults I work with as a community-based occupational therapist. As someone who identifies as neurodivergent myself, I really value the dialogue and ideas you share that I didn’t have access to growing up. Thank you!

I work with neurodivergent kiddos as an OT and would love to hear an interview on ABA methods from an autistic point of view, and how it is affected them in life. Thanks Donna

Reading Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism 5 years ago and now listening to the Uniquely Human podcast has made an incredible impact on my life. Your overriding theme of compassion keeps me coming back for more. Every chapter read and every podcast listened to has taught me to be a better parent, spouse, relative, friend, communicator. We all want to be treated with care and respect and we all want that for our loved ones. Thank you Barry and Dave for leading the way through your enlightening prism of respect for the unique person living inside of all of us.

Discovering this podcast has changed my life. My diagnosis at 45 came as a surprise in the midst of what I refer to as a mid-life crisis consisting of a perfect storm of life changing events. Listening to this show is the lifeline I needed to keep from drowning in my own dysregulation. I feel less alienated from the world and the autistic community. With each episode I discover new things about myself and new topics to discuss with the tribe I am building around myself. Thank you Barry and Dave, you more than likely saved my life. To anyone reading this review: you are not alone and it is ok to need help. There are friends both on and off the spectrum who care about you as a person.

This show is both informative and entertaining. I have learned so much, and laughed at all of Dave’s jokes! I’m so grateful to Barry and Dave for putting all of this essential information out there.

I joined Dr Barry’s “fan club” after reading Uniquely Human. It’s by far the best resource I’ve found so far on our journey on the spectrum. After finishing the book I was hungry for more and was SO delighted to find this podcast. Dave’s perspective and skills are also invaluable. I appreciate that the show isn’t just a neuro typical view of autism. It’s a 360 view that intentionally centers neuro diverse voices. Strongly recommended for parents/families, educators, therapists, and more.

I am a grandparent of a beautiful, born micro premie child that is 6 years old. I so wish I was exposed to all this incredible knowledge when she was 2 years. Truly the Bible for autism. Every teacher should listen to one podcast a week to have a real understanding of different learning techniques.

Michael Gilberg episode was great!! I am an Autistic Advocate and I can relate to his experience.

Pleeeease do an episode on PDA!

This podcast is wonderful and so insightful. Please keep up the great work!! Love sharing it with my loved ones and others that could find it helpful.

I loved this show about mental health and autism! It explains so much that I’ve been trying to advocate for my adult son with autism and he isn’t getting good treatment! Now I have tools to use to explain what we need!

I read the book “Uniquely human “ and it was so helpful and completely turned my thought process around . I have shared with friends and family how life changing this book was for me as a mother of an autistic son. I was thrilled to find this podcast. Thank you for all of this wonderful information. I have a note pad and pen, that’s how much this podcast means to me.

Thank you for this show!

Thank you so much for your insightful and informative podcasts!All of your themes resonate with me, your guests and conversations are delightful and wide ranging, and there are always important points to ponder. 5-2-22 Congratulations Dave and Barry on your 50th podcast! I have enjoyed many and look forward to hearing more. I was especially interested in # 45 on echolalia and unconventional verbal behavior. Learning from and teaching echolalic children has been my favorite aspect of a long SLP/ASD consulting career, even since before I read Barry’s “new” research in the early 1980’s. I view echolalia as a neurologically based difference infused with considerable communicative intent that benefits from modification not extinction. Over several decades of therapy and consultation with sighted and blind autistic echolalic children I have had success with a language modeling approach initially focused on early communicative functions and play—and progressing to work on pronoun reversal, questions and answers and perseveration—with attention to emotional regulation and independence along the way. Thanks again for your wonderful podcast! I’m especially benefitting from the discussions with autistic adults. Elizabeth Field

I have two kids on the spectrum. They’re in their teens now and I wish I’d had this podcast when they were little. Every time I listen it’s a revelation to me: “Oh! That’s why!” I love the positive and affirming approach. The times I made the mistakes I regret the most have been when I listened to expert opinions that went against my gut. The stories in this podcast back up what my gut new all along. Maybe I wouldn’t have made so many mistakes if I’d had access to this podcast and the wonderful book, Uniquely Human, sooner. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

As a neurodiverse parent of neurodiverse kids, this podcast helps me understand us all better, helps me see things clearer, and helps me stay in touch with humor and friendliness though the challenges. Specific episodes have also helped educate teachers and others about relevant quirks or habits of my own kids in ways they could understand, ultimately helping them effectively accommodate or otherwise work with behaviors that were initially confusing or misunderstood. Thank you guys for continuing to create this rich resource for our greater community!

As an autistic adult, listening to the echolalia episode allowed me to see a lot of myself. During a conversation repeating back the last phrase the other person said to me is way to convey that I’m listening and I understand. Nobody sees it as a problem but more of a quirk. With all the misinformation, misunderstanding, and harmful stereotypes about autism out there’d, podcasts like Uniquely Human are very important.

Offers great insight into issues surrounding autism! As a parent to an autistic child this gives a glimpse of how they experience thr world, and allows me more insight on how to help them navigate this world.

This podcast is very helpful for understanding myself a late self diagnosed autistic. They are kind and informative, I love the way they speak about us autistic people! Thank you for this!

My 2 year old son was just recently diagnosed with autism. This podcast has helped me to see all the joy, beauty and community that is available to my son and our entire family. So grateful for this perspective!

this podcast has been such a valuable and validating resource for me — both personally and professionally. it’s even helped my family better understand my strengths and challenges. there are so many diverse autistic voices out there. can’t wait to see who you bring on next!

I’ve listened to every episode of this podcast and I am continually inspired and humbled by the stories and guests who share their stories. This podcast helps build understanding of neurodivergence, and as a mom of an autistic boy I am incredibly grateful to be able to learn from autistic people from their own experience. Your stories help me be a better human!

episode 38 was awesome so great to hear from so many types of voices, I find this podcast insightful and uplifting.

Our neurodiverse family is happier because of your book and podcast. I am a devoted listener and am very grateful for the introduction to diverse voices, I only wish your show notes were more detailed so I could click through to learn more. I was so moved and excited listening to Jody O'Neill! I don’t see any links to her play, and really want to find the livestream.