Autism 30 Podcast

Happy Canada Day! What have been our emotional journeys through the autism journey. Personal stories. Fan answers the question: What would you like the world to know about autism?

Who is Lonnie Belfer? History and philosophy of Avia Employment Services. Customized employment and assessment services explained. Comprehensive assessments. Thriving in the workforce. Coaching and continued supports. How companies thrive. Ableism - how it affects our community and how to eradicate it. Minimal qualifications needed. The prospective company process. What he loves about his work. His success stories. Autism in his own words.

Happy Autism Awareness Day and what today mean to our panel. The power of words and language with autism regarding our community. Autistic vs has autism. Non-speaking vs non-verbal. Issues of talking about someone present like they aren’t there. High-functioning vs low functioning. How to subscribe to our Autism 30 Monthly Newsletter.

Welcome back. Who is our new member Jess? How you our audience can ask our panel questions. Your questions answered: How do you always deal with other parents asking you for help? What do you say to doctors who want to give your information with new perspective parents?

Clarifying myths about autism in the media and what is needed. Ableism explained and how it affects members of our community. His role as a Mentor and Board of Director for Semiahmoo House Society. His responsibility on the Advisory Board for Inclusion BC & the Provincial Inclusion BC Inclusive BC Task Force, and his goals. His job with Voices of Autism at (Pacific Autism Family Network) PAFN’s Goodlife Fitness Hub. Provincial Voting Initiative. How he uses his voice to help empower our community. His leadership in Ottawa. Why Alexander’s voice and Public Speaking matters, how to hire him, and enquire about his schedule. What he would like us to know about him. Who is wonderful Jillian and what is ‘Team Alex’ from her own voice. Jillian’s role and her devoted passion to help our community. Autism in his own words.

How do meltdowns feel. How to support our community members and their parents. Sensory issues and autism, and advice for parents. Eye contact discussed. Fidgeting and fidget spinners. Dignity and autism. Stories about Alexander’s mother and how she helped him. How other children/peers help growth. Have high expectations. Welcoming the world in. Challenge the sensory issue. Factors that helped him be the person he is today. His purpose in life. How his public speaking career began and what he loves about it. Why he believes advocacy is so important. What he wants the world to know about autism. His goals and message to others.

Who is Mr. Alexander Magnussen? His childhood and challenges. Autism language and book ideas. His school experiences. The importance of inclusive education and EAs. Autism misconceptions and myths. Why being social is vital and practice is key. Learning rules, manners, and boundaries. There’s always hope. How the autistic brain works “computer files.” The waiting times to get an answer. Hyper aware. Decompression time. How emotions are felt. Stimming. Why he feels it is important to answer parents’ questions during his lectures. His passion to educated people about autism. His thoughts about the spectrum.

Who is Allie? This history of the Vancouver Asperger & Autism Union (The AU). The philosophy of the AU. The greatest gift that the AU offers society. What she loves about it. Understanding stimming. “Get it”. How the Union helped Allie. Her diagnosis story and when to disclose. Accommodations. How have things changed for her at 18 years old. Anxiety and autism. What she would like to see in society. Numbers. Who’s welcome. When and where are meetings. Duration. Speakers and topics. Ways that the AU is different. Events. Social media. Advice for others wanting to start a group of their own. Special interests.

Who is Carol Simpson? The history of Focus Professional Services Inc. Why she created the company. The Company manifesto. What they do. Neurodiversity consulting. Why language is so important. Their business model. Different levels explained. How the companies benefit. Focus on strengths. Ableism explained and how they are working to combat it. Why our community can excel. Preconceived ideas eradicated “myths”. Manual software testing. Data Cleansing and Migration. Automated testing, etc. Where is the focus for business? Neurodiversity in the workplace and training. Transition of knowledge. Support offered. How to apply and prerequisites needed. The interview process and testing. Employment readiness. Biggest challenges. Her success stories. The continuum of being a human being. Gratitude, grace and Advocacy. Autism in her own words.

Who is Ms. Nicole Provost? The history of The Mayday Club Youth Choir for Neurodiversity. The philosophy and goal of the choir. Performances and how to book them. Benefits of being part of and watching the group. Why “boring” is a great term. What she’s learned about herself directing and what it’s meant to her. Why she is so inspiring and a gift to our community. How to start your own choir. How to join the choir. The maximum and minimum ages of participants. Who is welcome to assist, volunteer, and others (photographers, film students, etc.). Success Stories. Future goals and ambitions. Autism in her own words. How to buy their Music.

Clarifying the myth about autism, empathy and honesty. Non-generalized object permanence. Techniques to teach. Connection and feelings. Challenges that our community members face. Fluctuating capacity. Single-mindedness. Important of context and setting. Barriers faced and how to overcome. Looking beyond the behaviour. Benefits of autism. How to connect. What Dr. Wenn would like the world to learn about his extensive body of literary work and his teachings. Sensory issues and what he wishes and hopes for from society. Useful technology. What he wants the world to know about autism.

Who is Dr. Wenn Lawson? Why he chose to work in autism? The differences in various countries around the world and what Canadians can learn. Processing information and expectations. How autism research has changed over time. Language and inclusion and why it’s important. The ways autistic people learn and different types of learners. How to motivate and how he learns. Obsession/ Passion. Motivation of connection. Shifting attention and why it’s difficult. Using interests to reach. Metaphoric language vs literal language. GAMMA connectivity. How to reach someone. Eye contact. Respecting autism and difficulties. Processing time. Lanes of traffic. 10 second rule. Avoid paraphrasing. Single-mindedness. Single-minded outcomes and concepts. How attention is processed. How to get GAMMA connectivity. Just because it’s different doesn’t means if out of bounds. Techniques to reach your child.

Who is Executive Director Laurie Mawlam? This history of Autism Canada. The philosophy. National initiatives, programs, and events calendar. Inclusivity. Conferences. Accessibility for ALL areas of Canada. Autism Junction and information it provides. Screening tools. Knowledge is power and why it’s important to know the signs. 350 pages (and counting) of resources in both French in English. Social media accessibility. Their vast Video library and what it entails. Physician handbook. Words matter guide. Why words matter. The importance of national awareness and how they facilitate it. Research information and the importance of keeping current. How to sign up for their conferences and newsletters. How the public can help. How ASD members (Community Members) can participate. Bilingual ASD (Community Members) groups and sites. Chantale’s words. Awards and accreditations! What she loves about her work. Autism in her own words.

Who is SF Walker and Rebecca Farnell. The history and philosophy of the EmploymentWorks Canada Program. Who is the program for, and it’s duration. What takes place during sessions and skills taught. Why it is important for our ASD community, and job statistics. Job sampling. Communication and self-reflection. Skills: who am I, stress, bullying, disclosure, boss vs. co-worker, professionalism, time management, goal setting, resume building, and community interaction. Post program support. Weekly employment group. Teacher student ratio. Program schedule. Cost. What they love about their work. What they want the world to know about autism.

Talie’s background. What her experience has taught her. Disclaimer. A parent’s job. What truly matters. Assumptions. Always place your own child as a priority. How to decide on a school. Research. Make a list, create questions, and appointment. Day of interview. Take notes. Once you’ve made your choice. Before the first day of school. Your 1st IEP meeting. Throughout the school year. Dealing with an issue. Being a strong parent. Responsibility and choice. Advocate.

Who is Kathryn Theroux. The history and philosophy of Soar Inclusive Preschool. The difference between their preschool and others. ABA explained and benefits for all students. Programs offered. Schedule. Why play is so important. Student/teacher ratio. Working with other companies located at PAFN’s Goodlife Fitness Hub and other feeder schools. Qualifications of staff and volunteers. Training the future educators. Funding and cost. The application process. Strengths of the preschool. What Kathryn loves about her work and some of her success stories. What she wants the world to know about autism.

(Continued from July 15th, 2017) Sensory integration explained. To light, to bright, to loud… PTSD. Misreading the “distress” signals. Treatment. The China study. His ease of accurately assessing and working with his clientele because of his 25 years experience. The invaluable information learned from his assessments. Processing integration disorder. Sensory processing differences. Handwriting without tears explained. SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory). Ideas on helping your child eat. Parental involvement. Home vs location. Working with educational establishments. Various groups and camps offered. Ages. Funding and costs. Success stories. What Keith loves about his work. Autism in his own words.

Who is Mr. Keith Landherr? The history and philosophy of Little Buddies Pediatric Therapy. Services offered. Assessments purpose and what’s included. The importance of play. Types of treatments offered. The importance of voice, communication styles, perceptions, and conflict resolution techniques. Evidence based DIR Floortime explained. Compliance vs engagement. Repetitive behaviors. Why relationships are so important. Choosing appropriate language to motivate. Co-ordination disorder. Keith’s beautiful ability to build self-confidence and respect in his clients. Occupational therapy explained. The importance of learning readiness. Canary in the coal mine.

Who is Principal Megan Mackay and what is Bounding Higher Autism Treatment Services and Training Centre. Services offered. Autism theories used. IEP’s. Qualifications and role of Behaviour Consultant, Behaviour Interventionist, Speech and Language Therapist, and Occupational Therapist. Assessments. Family input. The importance of data. Schedule of a client. Facilities. Parent involvement. Working with other schools. Supervision. Training professionals. Funding and cost. What she loves about her work. What she wants the world to know about autism.

Who is Laurie Guerra and Wes? The story of Wes’s childhood and his diagnosis. Signs of autism. Knowing about his autism diagnosis. Setting high expectations. How autism affected him. Speaking about feeling different. The importance of starting his educational journey in a great school. What he would like others to be aware of. What school (K-12) was like for him. Insight into the rigorous autism schedule. What he would like others to know. Losing the autism diagnosis. Their hopes for the future. Advocacy and the love of a parent. The real financial cost of therapy. What he loves about engineering. His genius, organisational skills, and dependability. Why he loves University. His advice for employers. Wes’s inspiration. His final thoughts and what he’d like you to know about autism.

Who is Head Coach Fred Bonn and his wonderful family? Why he became involved with Challenger Baseball. The history. Various locations. Who can join. What happens at practices and what is being taught. Time of year it takes place. Volunteers and qualifications. Fun being a team and community. Parents responsibility. Cost. Uniforms. Success stories. Annual Provincial Jamboree Celebrations in detail. What he loves about coaching. Creating your own team. Autism in his own words.

Who is Vicky Ryan? Her journey through autism. How and why she started inGIRLSCLUB. Importance and purpose of having this group. Success right at the beginning. The history. The book: “What every autistic girl wishes her parents knew”. The guiding principles. Inclusivity. Cost/Free. Her vision for the club. How the group can support parents. Locations. How to join. Volunteers. “Big sister/ Little sister”. Parents at the group. Time and date. Misconceptions clarified. What she loves about her work. Autism in her own words.

Who is Executive Director Joette Heuft? Square Peg Society, history and purpose explained. Importance of helping young ASD adults. Why it was started. ASD statistics. Importance of peers and programs. What is offered to families. Being a force and a united community. How the tide is turning. Advocacy. Who is welcome. Social events, opportunity, and meetings. Courses offered. Benefits. Support offered. Goals and plans for our community. What she loves about her role. What she would love the world to know about autism.

Who are Mr. Andrew Pinfold and Ms. Lindy Chau. The history of Autism BC. Services offered. Ages served. Information and referral services. Community support groups. Social outreach events. Educational events and BI consultant explained. Launch into life series. Summer reimbursement. Ticket giveaways. Concern cards. Autism awareness. Summer camps. Information officers. Costs. Funding. Success stories. Biggest stresses. Inclusivity of our society. Concerns of parents. Multilingual staff. Autism in their own words.

Programs being offered. Helping single mothers. Collaboration with the community and self-advocates. Annual events. Memberships. Philosophy of PAFN. Brining the best of the best together and offering support. The amazing architectural features and how it addresses the needs of our community members. Beautiful and thoughtful artwork and design. PAFN logo explained. The autism community consulted. Everyone is welcome. Autism research. Stop talking and start doing. Seizures, epilepsy and autism. The medical community involvement. Giving credit to instrumental people. Spokes explained. “One phone number, one place to start.” Future plans of PAFN. “The Hub” for British Columbia and Canada. What they love about their work. Their hopes and goals for their charity. Autism in their own words.

Mr. Sergio Cocchia O.B.C LL.D. (Hon) and Mrs. Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia O.B.C LL.D. (Hon). Their autism journey. Challenges in the autism community. Addressing issues that arise for families. Helpful tools for parents. Addressing autism through the lifespan. Accessing autism services in remote areas. Giving hope and information. Working with the government. Connecting with other families. Family first. Knowledge is key. The key to their successful union. PAFN is for more then just autism. Changes needed in our “village” the greatest country on Earth. How and why PAFN started. Addressing families needs. 3 Core things addressed. Amazing people joining PAFN. Hub and spoke. Magnificent donors and partners named. Funding still needed. What PAFN offers. Their daughter's contribution and charity. Brilliant programs arriving soon.

The feelings that surround the ebbs and flows of child advances. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). “Good development doesn’t always look like good behavior” & “Don’t feed the bear” explained. Coping with an aggressive child and behavior.

February was inclusive education month in British Columbia, and our thoughts on the matter. Issues that typical parents may not be aware of. Issues that may arise for some people in the province and our own personal stories. The benefits of inclusive education. Ignorance of some in our society. Our appreciation of headmasters, teachers and educational assistants that do a fantastic job for our children. Our hope for the future.

Who is Mr. James Burden. Speech pathology explained. How and why he started his company Exceptional Speech and Languages Services. His philosophy. Services offered. High functioning autism and Asperger’s explained. Social communication explained. Skills our community members may need that are offered. Finding good group dynamics for the individuals' needs. Difference between one on one and group sessions. Importance of social skills. Success stories. Maximum and minimum ages and funding. How to access services. Locations. Working with schools. Misconceptions about his craft clarified. What he loves about his job. What he wants the world to know about autism.

Zachary’s childhood. Discovering that he had autism. Understanding social communication. Friends, homeschooling. teenage and adulthood. “You don’t look like you have autism” and his ideas on the matter. Trying to see through different lenses “green” and “red”. His words and insight for others. How signs can be misinterpreted and misunderstood. Importance of exposing children to the world. What would make his life easier. His thoughts about having autism. His hopes for others in the community. The beauty of technology. Challenges faced in society. His future goals. His inspiration. His final thoughts. What he wants the world to know about autism.

Who is Mr. Chad Bouchard. CBI Consultants Limited explained and skills taught. Importance of the skills taught. Levels. Best practices. Individualized plan. Self-determination and curriculum explained. Their voice found. Ages. Helping with IEP. Working with schools and school districts. Funding. Registering process. Vital skills needing to be taught. What he loves about his job and the impact in his own life. Other supports offered. Autism in his own words.

Handle explained. Holistic approach. Prenatal matters. Diet. Importance of movement. The developing child. How Handle was created and Judith Bluestone. (www.handle.org/) “Tip, Tap, Suck, & Blow” The Loop. The vestibular system. Her view of the term autism. Rolling, isolation and speed of movement. The inner ear. Why love of spin is an important clue. Deep pressure input. Stress signs to look for. Neurodevelopment part of Handle. Muscle cell development. The electrical box analogy. Why training is vital. Internal and external match. Typical session. Neuroplasticity and daily work and commitment.

Overture Neurodevelopmental Support Services’ philosophy and mission. FUN. Holistic nutrition explained. Nutrition and autism. Brain gut connection. The GFCF diet. Benefits of a tailored individualized diet plan and how it’s created. Dealing with food sensitivity and following a diet plan. Genetics and toxicity. Reference and Regulate (R&R) therapy; history, explained, and what it looks like. The importance of eye contact. Benefits and of R&R. The R&R curriculum.

How their interest autism began. Their personal experience with autism in the 1990’s. Signs they saw and experienced and questions that they had at the time. Preschool experiences. Definition: “Sensitive”. Internal and external stresses. How their path with their son lead them to the present. Trying different therapies. The book: Son Rise, by: Barry Neil Kaufman. Their experiences teaching and important talents they have working with children. The “In’s.” Why they created their company Overture Neurodevelopment Supports Services. Listening to parents needs. Thoughts about working and communicating with some people on the spectrum. Choice and information.

Who is Ms. Nicole Jinn? Finding out she was on the spectrum. Her drive to help others. What her childhood was like. Her cultural experiences. Her current concerns for adults on the spectrum. Her personal frustrations. Why advocacy is so important. Her wise words to parents and people on the spectrum. Gender balance issues and the challenges females face. How to recognize HFA in females. IQ and funding. Adaptive functioning explained. Her current difficulties getting funding. Her experiences with the current state of help and employment services offered. Establishing and maintaining a strong support network. The federal accessibility legislation initiative explained. How to aide her in her quest. Autism in her own words.

Who is wonderfully well spoken, international, Mr. Chanha Lee? What his childhood was like. How broadcasting helped him. How autism and anxiety affected him - in his words. He breaks some autism myths. What he wishes others would know. How inclusiveness is important and vital to him, and what would make life easier. How autism is a positive force. His gifts. His challenges. His inspiration. What he would like to world to know about autism. How his giftedness makes him feel. His wise words for people on the spectrum.

Who is Mr. Bosang Lee? Cultural differences between Korea and Canada regarding autism? Why is acceptance so important. Why it’s important for families to work together and can they get even closer after diagnosis. Why playing the “blame game” doesn’t help anyone. The importance of asking for help. How he planned for his child’s future. How he’s helping the Korean society in British Columbia. What is Here and Now Community Society? What he loves about his role about being Executive Director. Why parents should contact his organization and ask for his advice. What surprised him about autism. Why it is important to integrate into society. What he learned about himself through this journey. His counsel to others. Autism in his own words.

The latest news, improvements and developments from the Autism 30 team.

The history of the Richmond Autism Interagency Committee, its philosophy and mandate. Types of information shared with parents and the community. What is the Annual Fair and what happens during this wonderful one-day event. Benefits of going to the fair. Time and location of the event. Fair registration for the general public and companies wanting to participate. Cost. Types of discussions and presentations that take place. What she loves about her work. Autism in her own words.

Questions answered by our parent panel: “What famous person with autism has inspired you?” and “What inspiring advice has someone given you?”

Who is Helen Ries? What her parents were like and her brother is like? What family life was like growing up with a sibling with special needs.  Immediate challenges faced upon the passing of her parents and situations that she had to deal with that frustrated her.  The reality of poverty and the disabled. What she wished her parents had put in place. What she wished would change. How her situation affected her own life and her families. The impact of the inaccurate perceptions of others. What policy changes she wishes would take place. What would she advised her parents if she could have. What she wished the public would know. Why a Will is vital. What she would like the world to know about looking after a sibling: main challenges, benefits, and joys.  Her two amazing contributions to the disability world and how to get involved.

Who are Mr. Ted Kuntz, Mr. Tim Ames, and Ms. Rebecca Pauls. The history of PLAN (Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network). The importance of planning for our children's future. Benefits of PLAN. Creating social connections. Who can access PLAN. Types of supports offered. Who are plan members. Financial planning. Wills, trusts and estates. Why a will is vital and why it’s important to work with a professional. RDSP. Workshops and retreats offered and how to register. Who are caregivers. Laws, policies and government. How to join and be a lifetime member. What they love about their work. Autism in their own words.

The history of RAPS (Richmond Autism Parents Support). People welcome at meetings. When and how often do meetings take place? What happens when you are there? Meeting of the minds. Special guest speakers and talks that can take place. Participant anonymity, confidentiality, and group safe haven. Benefits of attending. What Tara and Pam would like you to know about autism.

Who is Master Michael Sirota? The history of Sirota’s Alchymy and Martial Arts & Life Skills Centre. The philosophy. Why it’s important for people with challenges. The merit badge and belt system explained. Motivational visual aids. Inclusive martial arts education for everyone! The benefits of participating. Programs offered. How to register. Minimum and Maximum ages. Costs. Skills and training. The impact of the training. The future goals. Qualifications needed for educators. Online certifications courses. His greatest accomplishments. Strengths and benefits of the program. Autism in his own words.

Answering theses 3 questions: “What have you learned about yourself having a child with autism?” & “What makes your marriage work considering that 80% of parents with a child with autism don’t?” & “What are some of the revelations you’ve had about having a child with autism?”

Who is Mr. Al Etmanski? What is the Registered Disability Savings Program (R.D.S.P.). What are its features? Canada before the program existed and how he came up with the idea. The history and genesis of the R.D.S.P. Challenges of getting it started. The role Mr. Jim Flaherty played in its implementation. Building a network of champions. How to apply and documentation needed. The future of the program. Why it’s important to plan for the future for our children. A Will and a Trust. Why people don’t plan for the future. His book “Safe and Secure: Six steps to creating a personal future plan for people with disabilities”. Why a social network is important for families. What he’d like the world to know about autism.

Who is Ms. Jenny Story? What was her childhood like? Her views of autism and some of her difficulties. Embracing her individuality. The world through her eyes. Bullying in schools and what she would like educators to know. Her loves and hobbies. How having a wonderful and positive parent is beneficial. What would make life easier? How autism is a contributing factor to her success. What she would like to see in the community and the future. Why she loves animation. Her experiences at Vancouver Film School. What she would like employers to know. Her book Dysnomia. Her inspirations. Autism in her own words.

Who is Ms. Tiffany MacInnis? The history of Zajac Ranch For Children. The camp philosophy. Celebrating personal achievements. Programs offered and leadership development possibilities. Camp and medical facilities, medical staff and accessibility. Staff qualifications. Who can go? Camp ratio and safety. When to apply and registration details. Cost and funding. Benefits of participating and how to become involved as a staff or volunteer. What she finds rewarding about her job, the open house, and autism in her own words.

Ms. Janet Walmsley’s personal struggles, positivity and fortitude to beat all the odds. A family helping others. How autism can make a family closer. “Autism is not a death sentence but a richly deserved life sentence” explained. Her amazing and brilliant daughter Jenny. Her wishes for the future. Absurd beliefs she’s heard and how ignorance affects the autism community. Why she feels autism is a gift. ANCA. How her acting career helped her. Celebrating each moment of life to the full. Her final thoughts and autism in her own words

Janet Walmsley her story before her daughters diagnosis and after. Signs of autism. Hearing the words: “Your child has autism.” Why the autism label and being a “momma bear” is vital. Why she wrote the book “The Autistic Author and Animator, A Mother’s View of a Daughter’s Triumph.” The Dream Team. Importance of early intervention and advocacy. The Sunrise program. Her worries. Respite care. Keep positive. Her biggest frustrations. What she learned about herself and her advice to others.

Questions answered with guests: Kathy and Tina. How far society has come with acceptance. The frustrations that parents can face when you have a child with autism. Children knowing they have autism and how to approach the subject? Demystification and self-awareness. Things we'd like to see in the marketplace and supports wanted.