Because I want to contribute to our family, I value work. Even if I weren’t married with children, I would want to be employed and take care of myself financially. However, the emotional need to be productive often runs up against my physical limitations. If I could earn a living sitting…
Tag: mental health
Offering excuses for not keeping up with The Autistic Me frustrates me, but life has a tendency to get in the way of personal projects. I failed to release podcast episodes for most of 2024. I blamed an overloaded teaching schedule and a two- to three-hour commute (each way, 115…
August 9, 2024, was my final day as an instructor at Texas A&M University. The university is considered one of the best in Texas, and I was honored to teach there, but I was unhappy and unhealthy. Those two probably go together, with some uncertainty as to which is the…
April brings “Autism {fill in the blank}” day and month. Is it “Autism Awareness,” “Autism Acceptance,” or something else? I don’t have the time or energy to care. Each year, I rant about the month. Most people are “aware” of autism, though I question if that awareness helps anyone. My…
It’s the last few days of April, with finals starting in a few days. Student project teams are submitting their final reports, videos, and interactive fiction projects. As with the entire semester, I’ll be swamped with grading for the next two weeks in a mad dash to file grades on…
Podcast 0105, Season 6, Episode 15; 20 June 2023 Loss, and its accompanying trauma, alter our minds. The neurodiversity of PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, illustrates how stress alters us. For autistics who rely on stability and routines, losing friends and family results in multiple traumas. In this episode, Marinda Dennis…
Podcast 0104; Season 6, Episode 14; 13 June 2023 It’s my honor to welcome SURJ back to the podcast, this time to discuss his work as a solo artist. Listen as we discuss what music means to him and how being a musician “masks” his autistic traits. SURJ on The…
Dear 2023, you have already been way too interesting. We’d appreciate a change to “boring” mode for the remainder of your days. And, definitely, no more near-death experiences. We’re disappointed in you, 2023. We’re already looking ahead to 2024. As 2023 began, we thought the year was going to be uneventful.…
Podcast 0098; Season 6, Episode 8; 17 January 2023 Dr. Walt Karniski on ADHD Medication: Does It Work and Is It Safe? From Dr. Karniski’s publicist: The Big Idea: ADHD is one of the most common problems that pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, and pediatric psychiatrists manage. Most studies indicate that 6-8…
Podcast 0097; Season 6, Episode 7; 13 December 2022 Meditation, Hypnotherapy, and Spiritual Growth Matthew J. Brownstein is the CEO of Anahat Education Group and the Executive Director of the Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy. Matthew founded the International Association of Interpersonal Hypnotherapists and OnlineMonastery.com where he teaches the Anahat Meditation…