Joyriding In Autismland: Autism Podcast with Kid Gigawatt

Hold onto your comb-overs, people! Today we're chatting with entrepreneur, business coach, and fellow podcaster Jessica Kupferman. Jessica has a teenaged son with high functioning autism, and she is VERY funny.     Jessica talks about having ADHD, Nate's late autism diagnosis, and what it's changed for them.   Here are Jessica's deets:   Website: Lady Business   Podcast: Lady Business Radio   Facebook: Lady Business Central   Twitter: Jessica Kupferman   Kelley PS Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland

Jen Turrell is mom to two daughters on the spectrum, and is the author of the new book Help! My Child Has Autism: A Parent's Guide to Start, Fund, and Maintain an Evidence Based Intervention. We chat about ABA, staffing up, and first plane rides. The particulars: Autism Website: Able Interventions  Book: Help! My Child Has Autism  Personal Website: Jen and Stew Kelley PS Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland

Hey guys! So summer is coming, even though you wouldn't really be feeling it yet if you are up in Maine with us, and I wanted to do an  episode about safety issues and autism. This is super important because statistically, most accidents involving people on the spectrum happen in the warmer months. I'm excited to be speaking today with Federal Law Enforcement Officer, autism parent, and autism first responder trainer Matt Brown. We talk about why it is sooooo important to register kids with autism with the local and state police departments.

Thrilled to be joined by my husband to discuss three things we feel have made us better autism parents people. I hope listening to these will get you thinking about how your past experiences relate to the spectrum. Don't skip the last bit, where I list out our five favorite coping tools (spoiler alert: one of these may involve Jon Stewart, but I can neither confirm nor deny.)

Today I'm excited to speak to author Patty Pacelli, whose young adult son has autism. She advocates for people on the spectrum to achieve their career dreams and contribute their exceptional talents to the workforce, and has just written a book entitled Six Word Lessons for Autism Friendly Workplaces. We chat about preparing younger kiddos for the workforce, what makes some people with autism fantastic hires, some of the best and worst jobs for people with autism, and about helpful work accommodations. In case you're thinking about picking up the book here's a chapter summary1.  The Need for Autism Friendly Workplaces2.  Career Preparation for Parents and Children3.  How to Find the Best Jobs4.  ADA Laws and Rules for Work5.  Best Interview Practices for the Employer6.  Interview Tips for People with Autism7.  Reasonable Accommodations for Employers to Offer8.  Accommodations that can Help Autistic Employees9.  Benefits of Hiring People with Autism10. Be Aware of Unique Autistic Traits11. Social Expectations for Workers with Autism And here are Patty's deets: Website: http://www.growingupautistic.comBook: http://www.growingupautistic.com/six-word-lessons-for-autism-friendly-workplaces.htmlFast Company article: http://www.fastcompany.com/3028536/leadership-now/how-to-build-an-autism-friendly-workplaceEntrepreneur article: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/233281 Kelley

Kyle's work in autism spans direct services, research, and administration. He worked one-on-one with adults on the spectrum in Santa Barbara, CA, focusing on improvements in quality of life, employment, health, and social networks. For two years, while pursuing his Master's of Social Work, he worked for a multi-million dollar state and federally funded psychosocial intervention research project at the University of Pittsburgh for adults with autism that aims to be a new standard in adult autism services. And he's author to the recent book, Connect: Findings for a New Era of Autism.Here are all the deets on Kyle:   Website: http://www.autismstat.org Book: https://gumroad.com/l/connect/beta New Venture: http://spot.launchrock.com Twitter: @autismstat   Kelley PS Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland

Today's episode is a bit different, because I won't be doing any interviewing - I'm flying solo. It's been a rough week for us all, because my father-in-law died on Monday afternoon, and he was just a great guy. A coach, a teacher, a veteran, a lifelong athlete, and a kind and gentle man. I'm feeling nostalgic, so I wanted to give a look back and give you guys a quick guide to our previous episodes to help you find a good one you might have missed. 

 The episodes from the parent perspective are:
            Numbers 4 & 5 with Keri Bowers, fillmaker and art therapist on raising a son on the spectrum
                Number 7 with Dan Korins on his son, who has an amazing voice
               Number 8 with Rupert Isaacson, NYT best-selling author and filmmaker of "The Horse Boy"    Number 12 with my husband Jeff Waites, on raising the Romanator
           Number 14 with Wayne Gilpin, author, and autism book and magazine publisher
    Number 18 with Kara Wilson, on raising a daughter with Asperger's
                Number 21 with Margret Ericsdottir, filmmaker and mom of a nonverbal teenaged boy
    Number 28 with Cynthia Lord, NYT best-selling children's author, and mom to a young adult son with autism    Number 29 with Julie Cole, entrepreneur and mother of 6 kids, the oldest of whom has autism

 Writing from the first-hand perspective of autism     Episode 2 with Temple Grandin, autism rock star    Episodes 9 & 10 with Jennifer McIlwee Myers, Aspie and author    Episode 23 with Tom Angleberger, Aspie, NYT best-selling author of a series of kids books with Aspie main characters

 The sibling perspective is highlighted with my own kids in episode 6

 Authors- we have a bunch in the parent category (Rupert Isaacson, Wayne Gilpin, Cynthia Lord), but also:
                Episode 3 with James Ball, chair of the national Autism Society and autism behavioral consultant
               Episode 20 with scholar, NYT best-selling author and speaker Andrew Solomon
    And then there are therapists and therapies on
                Episode 13 with Alisa Anderson on adaptive ski
                Episode 16 with Sarah Bronson on therapeutic horseback riding    Episode 17 with Jill Schacht on occupational therapy
                Episode 19 with Elizabeth Mortati on art therapy
                Episode 25 with Rachel See on music therapy 

School & Home focused:
                We talk in-home support in number 11 with Lauren O'Neil
               We talk school inclusion in episode 24 with Tim Villegas

 Episode 22 with Eric Tivers is about how ADHD tends to co-occur with autism

 And then there are two episodes not specifically related to autism, but to being different: Episode 1 with NYT best-selling author, wine expert and social media guru Gary Vaynerchuk
    Episode 27 with NYT best-selling author, magazine publisher, super nice guy, and business consultant Chris Brogan

 And the last episodes I haven't mentioned are about Kid Gigawatt (that's us!)
    Number 15 is about why we sell t-shirts to microfund therapies for kiddos with autism
    Number 26 is about the road trip documentary movie we're making this summer

 And today is episode 30, so there you have it! And after 4 planes and a funeral, what I'd really love more than anything, is to hear from you. Please email me your funny stories from Autismland, I'd love to put together an episode together just with some of the bright spots. So when we're feeling a bit blue, we can have a good laugh. Email me at kelley@kidgigawatt.com- I'm counting on you! :)
 Kelley PS Here's a link to the blog post I mentioned on the podcast, Remembering Opa.

Today, I'm so excited to speak to Mabel's Labels founder, blogger, and mama to many, Julie Cole. Julie's business has been featured on the Huffington Post, The View, InStyle Magazine, Forbes, and many others, and her oldest of 6 kids has autism.   You can get Mabel's Label's through their website or at Target. For those of you with runners (I'm lookin' at you, Roman!), I'm gonna encourage you to check out these handy disposable ID bracelets - especially if you're planning to go somewhere magical like Disney, and want to make it out the other side with your kid. Here's the link to the excellent summer camp guide that I mentioned on the podcast - Julie wrote this backed by her experience in choosing camps for her own kids, and it picks apart how to consider your child's unique character and interests, figuring out what's left in your wallet, and finding the right environment for them. Also, here are links to her blog post Nice Things You Say That Annoy Me, and her hilariously well-reasoned 6 Reasons to Have 6 Kids, that originally appeared in the Huffington Post. Here are Julie's deets all in one place:Website: http://www.mabelslabels.comPersonal Blog: http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/julie-cole-the-baby-machineBusiness Blog: www.mabelhood.com/JulieColeFacebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MabelhoodTwitter profile: https://twitter.com/mabelhoodPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mabelslabels Best quote ever? "Labels are for clothes." Kelley

Today I am super excited to speak to fellow Mainer and Newberry award-winning author of the book Rules, Cynthia Lord. We chat about writing a book with autism at the center, her new books coming out this year, and some ideas for making libraries more inclusive for kiddos on the spectrum.     My favorite rule for David: "Sometimes people laugh when they like you, but sometimes they laugh to hurt you." So true!   Grab your copy through your local independent bookseller here.You can find Cynthia's website at cynthialord.com, and she's also on Facebook and Twitter.   Kelley   PS A link to my blog post on our top 15 audiobooks. PPS Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland

Named one of Forbes' top 30 Twitter influencers in 2013, social media rockstar, best-selling author, publisher, speaker, business consultant and super nice guy Chris Brogan is today's guest. We chat about the inspiration behind his new book, The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth: Entrepreneurship for Weirdos, Misfits, and World Dominators.   I met Chris at the Agents of Change social media conference in Portland Maine last year, where he was the keynote speaker. He hung around after his talk, and later in the afternoon, he walked up to a little group of us to tell me that he liked my lightning bolt t-shirt. So I sent him one, and he sent me back a superhero selfie. (FANCY) Last month, when I read that his new book was coming out, I congratulated him over Twitter, and then he decided to tweet about Kid Gigawatt for a month solid. I pushed my luck by asking to interview him about his new book, and he said yes. Hooray! And then, on his 44th birthday, he wrote this post sending folks our way: http://www.chrisbrogan.com/on-the-occasion-of-my-44th-birthday Whatttttt? I really wouldn't be surprised if he came over to mow our lawn next. (Hint: he really is a superhero.) Here are all his deets: Business website: http://www.humanbusinessworks.com Personal website: http://www.chrisbrogan.com Owner Magazine: http://ownermag.com Twitter profile: https://twitter.com/chrisbrogan Instagram profile: http://instagram.com/nothinglost# Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/broganchris And check out his brand new book through your local independent bookseller, The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth. #proudfreak Kelley

On road tripping from Portland Maine to Portland Oregon this summer, and our plans to make a documentary movie. Check out the deets here. Kelley

Thrilled to be speaking with Rachel See today- she's a licensed music therapist, and has a private practice in Austin, Texas.     We chat about the differences between music lessons and music therapy, how she customizes a client's sessions to work on their specific treatment plan goals, and the benefits for our kiddos on the spectrum.   Rachel's practice can be found here, and she also has two unbelievable cute ebooks for sale worth checking out: Listen, Sing, Speak: Children's Songs for Speech, Language, and Hearing Goals, and Children's Songs for Therapy.   For a little background on music therapy, check out my blog post here.   Kelley   PS Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland

Super excited to chat today with Tim Villegas, special education teacher, blogger, podcaster, founder of the thinkinclusive.us website, and crusader for the true inclusion of kids with disabilities. Catch up with Tim on Facebook and on Twitter.

I'm stoked to be speaking with Tom Angleberger today, New York Times best selling author of the Star Wars-inspired book series that began with Origami Yoda in 2010. The series stars a middle schooler named Dwight, whose Yoda paper finger puppet is both wise and weird. Tom's self-proclaimed superpower is Asperger's, and we chat about how wearing a fake chicken on his head made him invincible on stage, going back to speak at his own middle school, and his favorite Star Wars character. You. Must. Listen to the Horton Halfpott audiobook. I command you! The narrator is among the best I've heard, and trust me, we've listened to a metric ton of audiobooks. Love it, you will. Check out Tom's fan site at Origami Yoda, and learn how to make an emergency Yoda finger puppet in only 5 folds here. If you've got a little more time, give this one a whirl, and may the force be with you. Kelley PS Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland

Stoked to be chatting with Eric Tivers, licensed Clinical Social Worker, coach, consultant, and counselor for ADHD and High Functioning Autism. We chat about what led him to an ADHD diagnosis in college, and what happens when autism is comorbid with ADHD. (

So inspired to speak to Icelandic filmmaker Marget Ericsdottir, whose teenage son, Keli, has nonverbal autism. Margret's moving documentary, A Mother's Courage, follows her quest to understand autism, and ultimately leads to her son being able to communicate via a letter board. Initially thought to be mentally disabled with the intelligence of a two year old, Keli is now a mainstreamed high school student with a 3.9 GPA. Margret's English voiceover for the film was provided by Kate Winslet, and the two ladies forged a strong bond, collaborating on a book, The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism, and co-founding the nonprofit The Golden Hat Foundation. The foundation seeks to raise autism awareness and establish "innovative post-high school living campuses designed to truly honor all autistic individuals - not just those considered "higher-functioning" - by creating an environment that supports and respects their individual needs and strengths." They are organizing a walk for autism on May 17th - find all the details here, and keep up with them on Facebook here. Kelley

Thrilled to be interviewing Andrew Solomon today, author of the 2012 National Book Critics Circle Award winning book, Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity, which explores ideas of abilities, disabilities, illness and identities in extraordinary children born to ordinary parents. His tome represents a decade of researching and interviewing parents raising kids with dwarfism, Downs Syndrome, autism, or schizophrenia, children born deaf, as well as prodigies, children conceived in rape, transgendered children, and kids who grow up to become criminals.   His appearances on Far From the Tree include The Moth Radio Hour, a Ted Talk, The Colbert Report, and a Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross. We chat about neurodiversity, the fantasy of normal, and being kind to everyone you meet. Check out Mr. Solomon's intelligent article on the Autism Rights Movement here, and keep up with him on Facebook and Twitter. Kelley PS Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland

Liz Mortati founded and directs The Art Department in Portland, Maine - they provide art therapy and working space to adults with disabilities, and sell the artists' work in their gallery space.   After graduating from college, Liz worked at San Francisco-based nonprofit arts organization Creativity Explored, which became the inspiration for her work once she returned to Maine. Initially connecting with Creative Trails, she worked with them to develop an arts program that became The Art Department. We chat about outsider art, the progress the artists have made, and some of her favorite projects so far. Keep up with The Art Department on YouTube and on Facebook - they are doing incredible work! Kelley PS Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland

I'm stoked to be chatting with Kara Wilson today. Kara has a 6 year-old daughter with Asperger's, and pens a fantastic blog called Karacteristic: Stirred, Not Shaken.

Today, I speak with certified Occupational Therapist, Jill Schacht. I am also prepared to knight her with the highly coveted UNP certification.* Jill has worked with the Romanator for over a year, and with all of his anxiety issues, he has never - not once - not RUN to the car at OT time. This is a small miracle. But no wonder, given Jill's fun and positive disposition. We chat about how she became an OT, tips and tricks for redirecting kiddos towards completing non-preferred tasks. (Spoiler alert: turns out you have to take time to really get to know what really motivates that particular kid before you can make them do your bidding. Whattttt? Why does everything have to be so hard? *kicks door frame*). It appears that my internal voices have learned to type. Be very afraid! Enjoy it here y'all: Joyriding in Autismland Kelley *Unbelievably Nice Person PS If you're lucky enough to live near Portland, and find yourself in need of an OT, you can find Jill at Storeysmith Pediatric Clinic.

Stoked to be speaking today with Sarah Bronson, Executive Director of Riding to the Top, a nonprofit therapeutic horseback riding center in Windham, Maine. Riding to the Top has been a Premier Accredited Center by PATH International (the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) since 2000, and is where my little (Roman) cowboy has been riding for years. We chat about the human-horse connection, what sort of activities they focus on, and why running the farm is like orchestrating a symphony with multiple moving parts. Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland Kelley For more deets on the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding, click on over here for an article by yours truly: http://kidgigawatt.com/blogs/news/9447577-animal-therapy-spotlight-horseback-riding

Today's episode is all about Kid Gigawatt, and I'm here with my husband and Kid Gigawatt co-founder, Jeff Waites. We chat about autism stats, what therapies actually ARE, and why they're important. Also, your mother knows when you're not paying attention in church. Just sayin'. Kelley PS Check out the yeti on skis, who is on our new tees at http://kidgigawatt.com/pages/yeti :)

Wayne Gilpin began his publishing career by bringing car repair and law books to market. When his son Alex was diagnosed with autism, he joined the Autism Society of America, and became its president in 1987. Alex was 15 when the first edition of Wayne Gilpin’s lighthearted self-published book was released in 1993, Laughing & Loving with Autism: A Collection of “Real Life” Warm & Humorous Stories. The 500 copies he conservatively printed sold out in just 3 days.   He founded Future Horizons in 1996, dedicated to publishing books relating to autism, and by now they have published over 140 books as well a truly excellent bi-monthly magazine, Autism Asperger’s Digest. Future Horizons organizes educational autism conferences all over the globe, featuring renowned speakers and experts such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Tony Attwood, Dr. Jed Baker, Jennifer McIlwee Myers, and Dr. James Ball.   Alex passed away in 2008, but shared an apartment as a young adult with a friend with autism in North Carolina. There’s a fantastic article from the Chapel Hill News here on how they successfully navigated this living arrangement.

Alisa Anderson, director of adaptive ski programs at Smuggler's Notch in Vermont, on how she started taching kids with disabilties to ski, why it's not about IF we're going to ski, it's HOW, her team of Special Olympic skiers, and about how sometimes, the biggest barrier to getting a kiddo on skis are the parents.

My husband, Jeff, about having a kiddo on the spectrum, superpowers, positive ions, and the extended version at the record store.

Episode number 11 is with my boyo Roman's fantabulous In-Home Support staff, Lauren O'Neil, who has worked with Romi for a little over a year in our messy... chaotic... loud... *ahem* lively home. Her little brother also has autism, and we chat about how she started working on behavioral plans in people's homes, and how autism has amped up both her patience - and her intolerance - at the same time. (

Ok guys, if you need a laugh, this is the interview for you. I first heard Jennifer McIlwee Myers speak at this year's Portland Autism Conference, and I cackled laughed. Inappropriately loudly. Then I laughed the entire way through this interview, AND I laughed again a week later while editing the audio. I am a fan. Jennifer was diagnosed with Asperger's as an adult, is married to an Aspie, has a sister with Asperger's, and a brother with Autism. She co-wrote Asperger's and Girls in 2006, and wrote How to Teach Life Skills to Kids with Autism or Asperger's in 2010. Her new book, Growing Up with Sensory Issues will be released in July, 2014. We chat about surgical strike shoe shopping at Nordstrom, the zombie apocalypse, manscaping (

Ok guys, if you need a laugh, this is the interview for you. I first heard Jennifer McIlwee Myers speak at this year's Portland Autism Conference, and I cackled laughed. Inappropriately loudly. Then I laughed the entire way through this interview, AND I laughed again a week later while editing the audio. I am a fan. Jennifer was diagnosed with Asperger's as an adult, is married to an Aspie, has a sister with Asperger's, and a brother with Autism. She co-wrote Asperger's and Girls in 2006, and wrote How to Teach Life Skills to Kids with Autism or Asperger's in 2010. Her new book, Growing Up with Sensory Issues will be released in July, 2014. We chat about surgical strike shoe shopping at Nordstrom, the zombie apocalypse, manscaping (

Super excited to be chatting with journalist, travel writer, author, and documentary filmmaker Rupert Isaacson! I was deeply touched by his book and film The Horse Boy, documenting his epic journey to Mongolia with his wife and son Rowan, who has autism. We talk about what Rowan was like before their trip (spoiler alert: like “ten toddlers in one body”), what they’ve been up to since the movie, and how Rowan is doing now (like one happy 11-year old). Also, we can neither confirm nor deny rumors that Rupert has another book coming out in June. (

Delighted to be speaking with Dan Korins, father to 19-year old Michael, an accomplished singer with autism. Michael was one of  8 Genius of Autism honorees in 2013, and can be seen singing on YouTube here. His Twitter page is @MikeKorins. I chat with Dan about how Michael began singing, what his desired superpower would be, and what's next for them. Lend us a hand? Please subscribe, rate, and/or review us in iTunes: http://joyridinginautismland.com/review Thanks a hundred zeroes!

In honor of my oldest son Quinn turning 17(!) today, I'm posting episode 6: interviews that I did with him, my 14-year old daughter Lucca, and the 11-year old Romanator. Living with autism is something we DO as a family, but it’s not something we TALK about, or lament, or curse the skies over. Because loving Roman to pieces? Is the one thing all of us, even my two teenagers, can agree on. ;)

Keri Bowers is an artist, an autism advocate and activist, an art therapist, a speaker, and a filmmaker, whose oldest son, Taylor, has high-functioning autism. I chatted with Keri about the role of the arts in child development, autism and technology, and sending your kids off to college – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Lend us a hand? Please subscribe, rate, and/or review us in iTunes: http://joyridinginautismland.com/review Thanks a hundred zeroes!

Keri Bowers is an artist, an autism advocate and activist, an art therapist, a speaker, and a filmmaker, whose oldest son, Taylor, has high-functioning autism. I chatted with Keri about the role of the arts in child development, autism and technology, and sending your kids off to college – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Lend us a hand? Please subscribe, rate, and/or review us in iTunes: http://joyridinginautismland.com/review Thanks a hundred zeroes!

Dr. James Ball is a board certified Behavior Analyst, a private autism consultant with over 25 years of experience, and current chairman of the national board of the Autism Society. We talk about how he fell into the autism field, and how he goes about evaluating school settings. Plus, he tells us a funny story. (Bonus!) Lend us a hand? Please subscribe, rate, and/or review us in iTunes: http://joyridinginautismland.com/review Thanks a hundred zeroes!

Dr. Temple Grandin grew up in the 1950s with high functioning autism. Today, she is an autism advocate, speaker, author, humane livestock handling expert, one of Time's 100 Most Influential People, and the subject of an autobiographical movie. I chat with Dr. Grandin about having Autism, thinking in pictures, what she dreams about at night, and what makes her laugh. Lend us a hand? Please subscribe, rate, and/or review us in iTunes: http://joyridinginautismland.com/review Thanks a hundred zeroes!

Wine expert, best selling author, and social media superstar Gary Vaynerchuk. I ask Gary Vaynerchuk what makes him weird, what his desired superpower would be, and I grill him on what wine pairs best with autism. Lend us a hand? Please subscribe, rate, and/or review us in iTunes: http://joyridinginautismland.com/review Thanks a hundred zeroes!