Autism Interview #71: Laura Nadine on Music, FC, and Presuming Competence

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Laura Nadine is an Autistic Self-Advocate, parent of a child with Autism, and teacher of people with Autism.  She works as a public speaker, author, educator and consultant and runs a music school called Enlightened Audio, LLC. This week she shared some of her experiences teaching music to autistic students, tips for promoting self-confidence in both children and adults, and the importance of presuming competence in Facilitated Communication and all areas of life.

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Autism Interview #69: Tom Iland on Law Enforcement, Self Discovery, and Advocacy

Interviews
Diagnosed with autism at 13 years old, Thomas “Tom” Iland has worked hard to achieve his goals: learning to drive, living on his own, graduating from college, obtaining full-time employment and having a girlfriend. Tom recently left his career as a certified public accountant (CPA) to educate, inspire and motivate people affected by autism and other learning differences. One of only 4,000 Distinguished Toastmasters in the world and a member of the National Speakers Association, his mantra “Know Yourself. Love Yourself. Be Yourself.” has been featured in keynote speeches in autism conferences around the country and is among the topics in his award-winning, bestselling book, “Come to Life! Your Guide to Self-Discovery.” This week Tom shared advice about advocacy and his background as a public speaker, including training individuals on how to interact with law enforcement.

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I Look Back At My Parents and Wonder: How Did They Miss Me?

Practical Parenting

This article was written by autistic advocate Kieran Rose and was originally published on his website The Autistic Advocate. It is reprinted here with his permission.

I look around at my life now and I see a wife and children, who I love beyond imagining and I think to myself “If there was something wrong, something out of the ordinary, would I see it, would I miss it?”

Then I look back at my parents and wonder: how did they miss me?

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Addressing the Fear of an Autism Diagnosis

Practical Parenting

This article is written by Annabelle Short, a mother with Asperger’s and an advocate for children with special needs. Annabelle Short works with several organizations to provide families with the best resources for raising and educating a special needs child. When not working, she’s spending time with her family or putting pen to paper for her own personal pursuits. She also loves sewing and making crafts with her two children.

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Autism Interview #67: Sara on Autistic Identity, Late-Diagnosis, and Socialization

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Sara is a 27-year-old Autistic woman with a degree in Intercultural Communication who taught English in Japan from 2014-2017. She was officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2017 after several years of self-exploration and research. She now writes her blog, “Seeking Sara,” where she explores life on the Spectrum. She enjoys reading, writing, swimming, and music. This week she shared her experience receiving her Autism diagnosis, her socialization preferences, and how she’s adjusted to her new Autistic identity.

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Autism Interview #69: Tom Iland on Law Enforcement, Self Discovery, and Advocacy

Interviews
Diagnosed with autism at 13 years old, Thomas “Tom” Iland has worked hard to achieve his goals: learning to drive, living on his own, graduating from college, obtaining full-time employment and having a girlfriend. Tom recently left his career as a certified public accountant (CPA) to educate, inspire and motivate people affected by autism and other learning differences. One of only 4,000 Distinguished Toastmasters in the world and a member of the National Speakers Association, his mantra “Know Yourself. Love Yourself. Be Yourself.” has been featured in keynote speeches in autism conferences around the country and is among the topics in his award-winning, bestselling book, “Come to Life! Your Guide to Self-Discovery.” This week Tom shared advice about advocacy and his background as a public speaker, including training individuals on how to interact with law enforcement.

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Autism Interview #65: Kat Muir on Socializing, CBT, and Advocacy

Interviews

Kat Muir is a speech-language pathologist employed at Easterseals Crossroads. She has a B.S. in Speech & Hearing Science and an M.A. in Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology. She speaks fluently in English, Spanish, German, French, Farsi, ASL and some Mandarin and is currently working on learning Vietnamese. She is also a member of Mensa and a public speaker. This week she shared how she has managed some of her personal struggles as well as how she works today to help others with disabilities.

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