The Pulse

In this special episode, we're going to look at the imaginative story of Yippee. This unique creature has captured the hearts of many, embodying the spirit of acceptance, understanding, and the magic that lies within the autism community. Whether you're deeply connected to autism advocacy, have a fondness for captivating stories, or simply love a touch of magic in your day, this episode is crafted just for you. Join us as we embark on a journey through the enchanting world of Yippee, exploring the significance of representation and embracing the extraordinary. As always if you have questions or ideas to discuss, or if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe. See ya next time!

What's up everybody? Welcome back to the Pulse! On today's episode we visit a conversation between Parker and Indigo Hynds about autism in the spider-verse. The pair discuss the personal traits of many spider-man characters, versions and the history of Spider-man's development. So, is Spider-man autistic? As always if you have questions or ideas to discuss, or if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe. See ya next time.

Hello everyone, welcome to another edition of The Pulse! In today's episode, we're sharing advice aimed at fostering a positive self-image and boosting your self-assurance. Our objective is to provide you with the knowledge and resources to enhance your self-esteem, guiding you toward a journey of authenticity and self-improvement. As always if you have questions or ideas to discuss, or if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe. See ya next time!

Today, we're going to discuss an important topic: how to take control of your life and set yourself up for success. We'll delve into the details of creating new routines, organizing your life, and planning your day-to-day activities. As always if you have questions or ideas to discuss, or if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe. See ya next time.

Hey everybody! Welcome back to The Pulse. Today, we're jumping right into the thrilling adventure of leaving the nest and embracing independence. Our focus in this episode? The absolute essentials of claiming your own turf and navigating those initial make-or-break choices. Whether you're a recent grad, a budding young pro, or simply someone itching to spread their wings, this episode is your one-stop shop for the wisdom you need to kickstart your independent journey. As always if you have questions or ideas to discuss, or if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe. See ya next time.

Hey, what's everybody, welcome back to the Pulse! It's that time of the year again – back to school! And you know what? Parker's got your back with a bunch of awesome tips to kickstart your year and make it the best one yet! So, grab your notebooks, sharpen those pencils, and get ready to soak in some valuable advice for a stellar start to the school year! As always if you have questions or ideas to discuss, or if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe. See ya next time.

Alright friends, we've made it to the last leg of our 3-part journey into the world of autism and scientific research. Big thanks to the incredible Dr. Shafai for hanging out with us – what a privilege! No more waiting around, let's jump right into the epic finale: part 3! As always if you have questions or ideas to discuss, or if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe. See ya next time.

Exciting news for women and seniors! We're here for the second installment of our three-part series focused on research and advocacy, featuring Dr. Fakhri Shafai, who serves as the Chief Science Officer at AIDE Canada. In this episode, Dr. Shafai delves into the areas where research falls short and shares some noteworthy advancements. Be sure to stay tuned for our upcoming episode, where we'll engage in a conversation with Dr. Fakhri Shafai about opportunities to participate in clinical research. As always if you have questions or ideas to discuss, or if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe. See ya next time. International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) https://www.autism-insar.org/ Kids Brain Health Network https://kidsbrainhealth.ca/research/

Hey, guess what? We've got this incredible 3-part series lined up for you, all about how folks on the autism spectrum are getting into research as a way to stand up for themselves. We had a super insightful chat with Dr. Fakhri Shafai, who's not only a neuroscientist but also the Chief Science Officer at AIDE Canada. Dr. Shafai has been in the game for over 20 years, working with the autism community in various capacities. Big shoutout to her for squeezing us into her busy schedule. This right here is part one of the series. As always if you have questions or ideas to discuss, or if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening! International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) https://www.autism-insar.org/ Kids Brain Health Network https://kidsbrainhealth.ca/research/

Welcome back to The Pulse. Today we are going to show you why being outside and offline is the way to go this summer. Also, Parker and Kayla share some of their favourite offline activities. As always if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss, or if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

It's a time to celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and love. There are many people around the world that celebrate Pride Month and the LGBTQ+ community. People in the queer community and our allies coming together? It's one of our favourite times of the year! As always if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss, or if you want to be a guest on the show, please send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us!

Summer is here and school is out! What are your plans? Are you graduating? Are you planning for next year? If so, here are some common options for what to do after graduation, no matter your age. As always if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss, or, if you'd like to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com

This episode wraps up our six-part series on advocacy. We discuss the importance of autistic researchers in science today. As always, if you have questions or topics you'd like us to discuss, or if you want to be a guest on the show, please send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. Thanks for joining us! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

This episode takes us into the world of advocacy and information sharing. We specifically discuss school and medical supports and how information can easily get lost but we also talk about how information can be shared, who can share it on your behalf and more. As always if you have questions or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. Thanks for joining us!

Hey everybody, welcome back to The Pulse. This is part 4 of our 6-part series on advocacy. In this episode, we discuss pros and cons of social media when it comes to advocacy and we share some funny stories about clickbait. We also share the VOA's story with social media. Join us next time for our conversation about research and advocacy. As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

Hey everybody and welcome back to our advocacy series. This week we start the conversation about voting as a form of advocacy. Why does it matter? Does one voice really matter? Spoiler alert: yes! How can we find the right information? What is early voting? Do you know where to find resources about parties and platforms? Today we talk about aspects of voting and how it is essential to cast your ballot. As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

Today we continue our discussion about advocacy and specifically, some common forms of action, what we think works and doesn't work and we offer some personal insights. We also have Lucas back with us today to join this discussion. Let's get back into it. Next week we'll get into how voting is a form of advocacy and how we can use it to make our voices heard. With a little help, we can join the bigger conversation and advocate for our values. As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

Hello and welcome back! This episode marks the first in a new series on advocacy. In this episode we discuss types of advocacy, share our personal ideas and we try to get to the bottom of why advocacy is essential. Our new host, Parker, joins us for their first episode as a host. We also have guest Tarra Carlson give us her take on advocacy groups and the occasional struggle to work together, across systems. As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

Hey everyone and welcome back to The Pulse! We're reaching the end of the winter holidays and we thought we would discuss social expectations. We all had very different experiences in 2022 and now that we are approaching Valentine's day we wanted to share some of our stories and some tips to enjoy the holidays with minimal stress. As always, if you have questions you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com we look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening.

Today's episode focuses on transport on 2 wheels. Bikes, scooters, rentals, costs and more. As always, if you have questions you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com we look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening.

Our pets help us with our schedule, staying active, and they can offer emotional support. What's not to love? This is part 2 of this series. We start with silly pet behaviour, unexpected behaviour, and choosing a pet that's right for you. Hit that notification button and come back next time. As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

Our pets help us with our schedule, staying active and they can offer emotional support. What's not to love? This is part 1 of a 2-part series. We start with our pets and the realities we have had with our pets from finding a vet in your area to building relationships. Hit that notification button and come back next time when we talk about surprising pet behaviour, training, aging pets and the grieving process. As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

What's up everyone and welcome back to The Pulse. We have a special guest this week, returning to discuss gaming and autism. Lucas Gates is going to share his expertise in community gaming, the benefits and opportunities and how to access the gaming world even if you don't a console, cell phone or computer. Connect with Lucas on... twitch.tv/TheLGator twitter.com/Neurovaliant instagram.com/Neurovaliant facebook.com/Neurovaliant What are some of your favourite games and methods of game play? Do you know where to find gaming resources? As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

Did you have driver's education classes in secondary school? One of our listeners requested that we chat about learning to drive in school. While we didn't have access to driver's education through school, we have a few ideas we wanted to discuss today. Today we'll talk about driver's education in high school; the motivation to drive; the basics of getting your license and the ways in which we use our driving skills. Do you drive? Why or why not? And do you think driving lessons should be a part of post secondary education? Let us know in the comments and always, if you have other ideas for us or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

Hey folks, welcome back to The Pulse! Let's get back into our conversation about time management. Today we focus on school, work and leisure. Have you got strategies for managing your time? What are they? As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. We look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to like, share and subscribe.

Hey folks, welcome back to The Pulse. Today we are stepping into time management. This is something that many people carry into adulthood so we thought we'd discuss that today. Do you have time for this podcast? Yes! You do! See, we're are already helping. As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com we look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for joining us, don't forget to like, subscribe and share.

Hey everyone and welcome back to The Pulse. Today we pick up where we left off in our discussion about the things we didn't learn in school that we wished we were taught. Our spotlight this week is on homework and why parents shouldn't have to play the role of teacher. We also dip into why we needed more applicable math, human rights lessons, the law and Indigenous studies. As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com we look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening.

*disclaimer, this episode contains a mention of suicide. If you are not comfortable hearing about that we suggest you check out another episode like, “Get the Job with Malini Lad” or check out one of our COVID and it's Environmental Impact episodes. Today we open a conversation about what essential skills that don't get taught. Our spotlight for this episode is on mental health, job hunting, taxes, and voting. What did you miss that you wish you'd learned before leaving elementary or high school? As always, if you have ideas or topics you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com we look forward to more of your great questions.

Hey everyone and welcome to The Pulse. Today we finish our conversation with Bex about homelessness, risk factors, and what you can do. As always, if you have questions you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com we look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening. 211 is a free, confidential, multilingual service that links people to resources for help, where and when they need it. Help is available to people anywhere in British Columbia, 24/7 by calling or texting 2-1-1.

Hey everyone and welcome to The Pulse. Today we continue our conversation with Bex about homelessness; more specifically, city efforts, access to ID and starter loans from the government of BC. As always, if you have questions you'd like us to discuss or if you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com we look forward to more of your great questions. Thanks for listening. 211 is a free, confidential, multilingual service that links people to resources for help, where and when they need it. Help is available to people anywhere in British Columbia, 24/7 by calling or texting 2-1-1.

Hey everyone and welcome back to The Pulse. We've had many questions from you about housing accessibility so we thought, “Hey, let's talk to an expert!” Today we chat with Bex D'Agnilli, a former shelter director in Vancouver's Downtown East Side. Her background is in the area of supporting people who are without a place to live and we wanted to get her perspective. Want to be a guest on the show? Send an email to voa@pacificautismfamily.com. 211 is a free, confidential, multilingual service that links people to resources for help, where and when they need it. Help is available to people anywhere in British Columbia, 24/7 by calling or texting 2-1-1.

Today we'll talk about housing accessibility where we begin the descent into the depths of accessing housing and accommodations. In this first episode, Kayla, Erin and SF get personal and share stories, needs, and why finding a place to live is so difficult for the disability community.

It's wonderful to be back here with you in 2022. On today's episode we share insights on what makes a good New Year's resolution, how to set them and a few of the things we do to keep bettering ourselves. You're not going to want to miss this one so stick around, we've got a great show for you today. Remember to subscribe for new episodes each week.

We want to wish all of our listeners a very safe and happy holiday. Stay warm out there and we'll see you all again in the new year.

On this week's episode of The Pulse, we break down the question of how you handle conflict. This common question can be a difficult question to answer, especially when you think you have no experience with conflict. Trust us, you have. We'll also help you prepare an answer for this question to help you feel confident for your next job interview.

On this week's episode of The Pulse Kayla and SF discuss the question, "Why should we hire you?" and what employers are really asking with this question. In this series we give you the lowdown on interview language including keywords that will set you apart from other applicants.

This is one of the toughest interview questions to answer. This question can be re-framed to help you answer with ease. Listen now and start your interview preparedness plan.

Looking for the right job? Here are 3 tips for how to boost your confidence (that really work). Look, feel and be the right person for the job.

Increase your appeal as an employment candidate. This is part one of our employment series. In this episode we talk about boosting confidence, knowing yourself and how to show a company you mean business. We share our personal experiences in confidently seeking jobs and nailing interviews.

Aaron Smith is an Elvis Presley tribute artist from Wisconsin, near Green Bay. We were lucky enough to chat with him on a variety of topics from keeping Elvis alive through performance, autism and getting his needs met on the road, using his passion to live the life that makes him happy and how inspirational his family is to him. Aaron treats us to a song, we'll let you listen to find out which one. Can you guess?

Kate Campbell is a Sexologist from Perth, Western Australia. We sit down and talk about sexuality, gender, identity, types of relationship and most important, consent. Things get real with Kate in this extremely informative and funny episode.

We had a chance to sit down with Brandi England and she shared her tips for finding an agent, getting auditions, knowing your strengths and how to build up your portfolio. If you want to be an actor, this is the episode for you.

News, politics, current events, employment, social matters, economics, entertainment and more. Erin, Lucas, Kayla and SF are founding members of the Voices of Autism and are thrilled to share and discuss things that matter today. Do you have something you want to talk about? We'd love to have you on the show! New shows every Friday. Join us as we set the stage for discussion and come away with a changed perspective or a life hack you can implement in your life.

This week's episode is about travel and autism. Ange Faminoff has created an agency called Travel with Ange and she specializes in making a vacation pleasurable for the whole family. Ange provides in-person and distant support including arranging with hotels for inclusive services, getting those travel perks and how families CAN travel with an autistic family member.

This week's episode is another installation of our 2021 Speaker Series. We sat down with Lucas and Abbe Gates to talk about their inclusive sports league, Soccer Dogs, how it started and how it has grown to be an official FC. They also discuss with us the importance of group sports for body regulation and social opportunities. For these folks, inclusion is the goal!

As a part of our 2021 Speaker Series we are releasing this series right here where you are listening right now. Our first speaker in this series is Malini Lad, who specializes in employment. Malini shares her inside information on how to get the job and keep it. We are honoured to have Malini on our show.

This week we discuss the balance between human return to public life and managing animal populations that have made their way into our cities. We talk dolphin super pods, beach birds in Venice, coyote attacks and increasing animal sanctuaries in and around our cities.

This is part 2 of our Oceans feature in our COVID series. We pick up where we left off last week and get deeper into our mask material problem and why you should cut your mask strings before tossing them. Next week we finish our environment series with a discussion about the return of wildlife to our cities and neighbourhoods.

This week our hosts discuss how Earth's oceans have been impacted by COVID-19. We discuss supply chain disruptions, the Ever Given, and why masks and their filters aren't recyclable and end up in our great oceans.

This week our hosts discuss how recycling has never been more of a concern given the habits we formed during the pandemic. Erin talks to us about convenience packaging and take-out/delivery food packaging, using our own mugs at coffee shops and what additional strain this puts on the environment.

This is part 2 of 2 in our Vaccine Hesitancy series. Recorded on August 20, 2021. We had such a great conversation going that we wanted to distribute the whole discussion at once. This episode we continue our discourse and dive into siblings and family members who may be immunocompromised, where to find information and access to the vaccine for those of us who are unsure or who want to know more to talk to their own friends or family members.