This week, Matt and Erin are joined by Arielle Juliette—autistic creator, studio owner, and justice-sensitive human living very online in a very loud world. We talk about trauma, visibility, and what it actually costs autistic people to speak up right now.

This is a wide-ranging, honest conversation about justice sensitivity, burnout, online harassment, and why “keeping the peace” so often means silencing ourselves.

Highlights from the episode:

• Autistic justice sensitivity, trauma exposure, and why the current social and political climate hits so hard

• What it’s like to be an autistic, queer content creator navigating hostility, trolls, and pronoun panic online

• Burnout, body signals, flow states, and why autistic people tend to shine hard—and crash fast

• Why “politeness over truth” protects systems, not people

• Finding (or building) your own herd when institutions and hierarchies were never built for you

• Using privilege strategically to speak up—and why your voice matters even without a huge platform

Side note: there are tangents. Superman vs. Superman. Advent calendars eaten incorrectly. Aliens. Keeping the peace at Thanksgiving. Also, a lot of real talk about fear, safety, and why speaking up can still be worth it—even when it’s hard. Exactly. Exactly.

Matt and Erin are back this week with returning guest Arielle of Dance Life Studio and Fitness, and the conversation goes exactly where Autistic conversations tend to go: movement, joy, systems that don’t fit us, and what actually helps people thrive.We talk about belly dance, autistic nervous systems, and why building a life that works for your body isn’t indulgent—it’s survival.In this episode, we cover:

• *Growing up with an autism-affirming secure base, masking as a survival skill (not a moral failure), and why the problem was never the kid
• Belly dance as stimming, regulation, and community—movement hunger, finishing the stress cycle, and why joy matters as much as recovery
• Accommodations, cinnamon metaphors, and how “the world won’t accommodate you” is usually just unexamined trauma talking
• Teaching and moving in ways that work for autistic bodies, including hypermobility, EDS, chronic pain, and seated adaptations
• Culture, colonization, and why understanding the roots of art—and not selling orientalist fantasy—actually deepens connection

Also: finger cymbals, butthole jokes as a legitimate teaching tool, autistic euphoria, “this is the cutest day of my life” energy, and a reminder that if you can move any part of your skeleton, you can dance.Everyone in the Autistic community is welcome here.

Matt and Erin sit in that strange in-between space after Christmas and before New Year’s, where everyone’s supposed to feel hopeful but most of us are just tired. This episode is a grounded, funny, very Autistic conversation about why New Year’s expectations don’t work the way people think they do—and what actually does help.

Highlights from the episode:

• Why New Year’s resolutions rely on dopamine, not sustainability—and why that backfires for autistic nervous systems

• Systems over habits: menus instead of time-blocking, meds placement, and designing life around how your brain actually works

• Process complexity, perfectionism, and needing to see the whole plan before starting anything

• Preparation as regulation: go bags, multi-tools, and why being ready reduces anxiety about the unknown

• Letting go of “fresh start” pressure and focusing on survival, scaffolding, and realistic support

There are also clocks (a lot of clocks), Daylight Saving Time joy, lightsabers that must be perfectly level, Batman toasts “to survival,” barking dogs, cat food reminders, and a reminder that you don’t need a new personality in January—you need systems that meet you where you are.

You made it here. That counts.

We’ll see you in the new year.

Matt and Erin are back just before Christmas, talking honestly about why the holidays are often overwhelming instead of joyful for Autistic people. This episode names the stress, the sensory overload, and the impossible expectations—and offers realistic ways to get through it.Highlights of the episode:-Why the holidays are a perfect storm of sensory overload, social pressure, and emotional burnout-Food expectations, texture aversions, and why chicken nuggets, fries, and safe foods count as real holiday meals-PDA, demand overload, and why traditions don’t get easier just because they’re “traditions”-Navigating toxic, racist, or unsafe family dynamics—and when not going is the healthiest option-Practical survival strategies: leaving early, doing dishes to escape conversation, and creating sensory retreat spaces-What to do if you’re alone during the holidays, including online connection, pets, comfort media, and making the day your ownAlong the way: Charlie Brown as autistic canon, green bean casserole slander, potatoes as a reliable food group, Bluetooth meat thermometers, and a reminder that you’re not imagining how hard this season can be. There’s no right way to do the holidays—only what actually works for you.

Matt and Erin are back this week, and we’re taking on the zombie myth that refuses to stay dead: the claim that vaccines cause autism. It’s blunt, it’s necessary, and yeah—we’re not being cute about it. This episode breaks down where the lie came from, why it keeps resurfacing politically, and how it harms autistic people, public trust, and actual human lives.

We cover:

• Where the vaccines-cause-autism myth actually started (Andrew Wakefield, 1998, 13 kids, bad science, revoked license)
• The difference between misinformation and disinformation—and why intent matters
• Why vaccine injury ≠ autism, and how increased distress gets mislabeled as “more autistic”
• How this narrative quietly frames autism as worse than death or disability—and why that’s dangerous
• Why science revises itself, how retractions work, and why that’s a feature, not a flaw
• How to find reliable public health information right now, including why Your Local Epidemiologist is worth your time

Also: dry sarcasm disclaimers, Mexican Coke as the unofficial sponsor, bleach enemas being an absolute hell no, Bob from Tulsa (we love you), and practical ammo for surviving holiday dinners with Uncle Ted and his Facebook medical degree.

This one’s direct on purpose. No euphemisms. No soft edges. Vaccines don’t cause autism—and autistic lives are worth defending without apology.

• Your Local Epidemiologist: Vaccines don’t cause autism. So what does?https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/

Content note: This episode is heavier and much longer than usual. It runs about an hour and a half, and it covers medical trauma, chronic illness, and the grief that follows years of being dismissed. If you don’t have the spoons for that right now, it’s completely OK to skip it entirely or come back when you have more capacity.
Matt and Erin are here this week — and we start out thinking ahead toward Christmas traditions and Krampus, but then everything drops into the reality of bodies that are breaking down while everyone else thinks we’re fine.
We stay with the medical gaslighting, the fear, and the kind of pain you can’t perform loudly enough for anyone to take seriously.
We don’t tidy it up; we tell the stark truth because too many Autistic people are carrying this alone.
We get into:

• Invisible disability as a daily negotiation that no one notices until you collapse
• Medical dismissal that turns “take some Advil” into decades of preventable harm
• Estrogen, histamines, MCAS, POTS, and the weird constellation of symptoms no doctor connects
• The difference between “bad cramps” and organs bound together by scar tissue
• How pain that looks calm from the outside gets treated as imaginary
• The emotional damage of managing crises alone while coordinating your own care
• The quiet grief of losing years of functioning before anyone believes you

We’re steadier now because we pushed, insisted, and found the few people who could actually hear us. If you’re going through anything like this, we hope the episode helps you feel less alone while you fight to be believed.

Resources Mentioned:

Autistic Connections: The community Facebook group associated with this podcast, offering autistic-led support and connection.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/619732285448185
Buoy: Electrolyte hydration drops that offer a lifetime chronic illness discount.
https://justaddbuoy.com/pages/chronic-illness-support
UCSF Endometriosis Center: The specialty clinic where Erin received expert surgical care.
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/clinics/endometriosis-center
Nancy’s Nook Endometriosis Education: A Facebook-based learning library with medically vetted information and surgeon listings (not a support group).
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NancysNookEndoEd/
Disney Disability Access Service (DAS): The accommodation system discussed in the episode and its recent policy changes.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/disability-access-service/

Matt and Erin are back this week with a Thanksgiving episode that’s… honestly, a lot. Food sensitivities, MCAS, sensory overload, historical truth-telling, and why beige food is basically an autistic love language. We also get into the real history behind the holiday, the weirdness of family gatherings, and how to make eating day actually work for your nervous system.

We cover:

• Why Thanksgiving foods can be a sensory minefield (taste, texture, histamines, executive functioning)
• Family chaos: noise, politics, racist Uncle Bob, and the pressure to “just suffer through it”
• Autistic food stories: McNugget platters, stuffing experimentation, bread-only buffets, and the rise of the Soft Taco Era
• MCAS, histamine responses, estrogen shifts, and why your throat might randomly decide “nope”
• Environmental overwhelm: hardwood floors, too many people, wrong-size spoons, and bringing your own silverware

Also: Snoopy’s questionable turkey ethics, preschool plays involving the USS Enterprise, Samwise running through a field of potatoes, Mystery Science Theater 3000 marathons, friendly dogs, biker ninjas (allegedly), and Matt almost getting run over by his own car.

Take what you need this eating day. Skip what you can’t. And if all you manage is bread and cookies, you’re doing fine. This is the way.

Matt and Erin come in hot this week after a 30-minute derailment caused by YouTube’s brand-account labyrinth. Which, of course, turns into a very on-brand deep dive into autistic executive dysfunction, bottom-up processing, and why chaotic systems wreck us more than most people realize.We cover:

• What executive functions actually are, and why autistic brains struggle when systems make no sense
• Signposting, scaffolding, and why clear structure helps reduce overwhelm
• The Google/YouTube “brand manager” disaster as a real-time case study in autistic frustration
• PDA (persistent drive for autonomy), emotional regulation, and the gremlin-with-an-air-horn analogy
• Invisible disabilities, judgment around “messiness,” and why demand avoidance is not defiance
• When executive dysfunction shows up in daily life: emails, cooking, home tasks, and shutdowns

Also: Godzilla as a non-mouse, ketchup as a sensory buffer, Lego bag numbering, microwave dinners, and Matt’s kid using “people” as the ultimate curse word.

Matt, Erin, and returning guest Hunter Hammersen (of Tiny Nonsense) are here this week — and we dive straight into the joy of doing small, “impractical” things that make the world softer. Hunter talks about the sensory comfort and connection of knitting, why autistic joy matters, and how choosing authenticity over “palatable” professionalism changed her life.
We also get real about burnout, capitalism, and the audacity of charging what your work is worth — even (and especially) as a disabled creator.

We cover:

• Knitting as stim, sensory joy, and social scaffolding for autistic folks
• The power of breaking complex tasks into approachable steps — and why that’s an autistic super-skill
• Letting go of “normal better” and embracing your own autistic brilliance
• How valuing your work helps you create from abundance instead of exhaustion
• “Autism sparkling,” or being one step weirder on purpose to find your people
• Why tiny nonsense, like knitted acorns or handmade clocks, keeps us grounded in joy

Also: garlic bread vs. white bread as a metaphor for authenticity, the politics of good zippers, and why scissors that don’t snick properly are a personal betrayal.

Matt, Erin, and guest Becca Lory Hector are here this week — talking about what it means to rebuild your life after a late autism diagnosis, why “shoulds” are poison, and how self-compassion can literally save lives. Becca shares her story of getting identified at 36, how autism gave her the information she needed to stay alive, and what she’s learned about self-defined living along the way.
We cover:

• What happens when you finally get an autism diagnosis after decades of masking and burnout
• The difference between self-esteem and self-compassion — and why the latter matters more
• How internalized ableism and “shoulding” ourselves lead to depression and suicidality
• Redefining success for autistic people: comfort, safety, and authentic connection
• Becca’s book Always Bring Your Sunglasses and why honoring your sensory needs isn’t optional
• Her course Self-Defined Living and how it helps late-identified Autistics rebuild life on their own terms
  

Also: Mexican Coke supremacy, wearing pants on Zoom, the myth of “high functioning,” and why a good autism eval is as refreshing as an ice-cold Coke.

Smokescale meets what appears to be a small human, until the Dragon saw through the mask.

Matt and Erin are back this week talking about mixed-neurotype relationships — what happens when one partner learns they’re autistic, and the other isn’t. They get into the messy, funny, and very real ways brains collide (and connect) when communication styles, sensory experiences, and love languages don’t quite match up.
We cover:

• The shock of realizing your partner *does* (or *doesn’t*) have an internal monologue — and what that means for communication

• How masking, burnout, and unmasking impact long-term relationships
• Power balance and privilege in neurodivergent/neurotypical pairings
• The “mismatch of salience” — why autistic love languages (like reorganizing your library) often go unseen
• Learning to ask for help, name needs, and bridge the gap *from both sides*
• Why autistic euphoria and shared enthusiasm are relationship superpowers
• The Addams Family as the original model for healthy neurodivergent romance

Also: cat pictures, hyperphantasia vs. aphantasia, moral-failing eyeballs, and why holding someone’s purse at the roller coaster absolutely counts as love.

Matt, Erin, and guest Shawn Coots (creator of the webcomic "Future Emails") are here this week — and we get into the weirdness of algorithms, the curse of self-promotion, and the joy of making art just because it feels good. From time-traveling emails to the autistic creative process, this episode dives into why making things matters even when capitalism says it doesn’t.
We cover:

• Shawn’s webcomic *Future Emails* — time travel meets autistic processing and therapy homework
• The paradox of autistic self-promotion (and why “clear invitations” help)
• PDA profiles and autonomy — when “you should” hits the nervous system wrong
• AI “art,” capitalism, and the myth that nobody likes making music
• The difference between art as process vs. product
• Crows, Peacemaker, and the eternal vengeance of birds (yes, really)
• Sunburns, medieval plague masks, and SPF for sensory-sensitive folks

Also: nerdy tangents about Lego riverboats, opera rehearsal flow states, and why Matt might one day become a bobblehead.

Matt, Erin, and guest Dr. Stacey Greeter (psychiatrist and fellow autistic human) get real about the chaos of telling your doctor you’re autistic. From medical gaslighting to communication breakdowns, they unpack what happens when autistic patients meet a healthcare system built for everyone else.

We cover:

• When (and whether) to disclose autism to medical providers
• How medical invalidation creates trauma and avoidance
• Why pain scales and vague advice don’t work for autistic or chronically ill people
• The gender bias baked into medicine—and why we need more autistic and nonbinary clinicians
• Misinformation, disinformation, and shark boobs (yes, that’s a thing)

Also: rheumatology jokes, medical trauma bingo, and Erin’s new Autistic Clinical Insights conference for neurodiversity-affirming care.

Matt and Erin sit down with psychiatrist and fellow Autistic professional Dr. Stacy Greeter to talk about what it’s really like navigating healthcare — as both the patient and the provider. Together they unpack why medical systems feel so broken, how shame and burnout shape the doctor–patient dynamic, and what it takes to actually be heard when you’re Autistic and chronically ill.
We cover:

• The physical side of autism — fatigue, pain, and “meat body problems” doctors often overlook
• Why medical culture trains doctors to hide uncertainty and disconnect from compassion
• How to talk to healthcare providers when you know more about your body than they do
• The reality of insurance burnout, accessibility guilt, and trying to do good care in a broken system
• Tools that help, including the ASPIRE healthcare toolkit and practical communication scripts

Also: moral injury, firing bad doctors (when you can), and learning to protect your energy while still getting the care you need.

Matt, Erin, and guest Tiffany Hammond (of Fidgets and Fries and A Day With No Words) are here this week — and we dive into the Tylenol conspiracy circus, the politics of distraction, and why autistic advocacy has to push past dehumanizing narratives. We talk about balancing anger with connection, what happens when parents are left isolated in “severe autism” groups, and how telling stories with dignity changes the conversation.
We cover:

• The absurd scapegoating of Tylenol as “the cause” of autism
• How political smoke bombs distract from gutting Medicaid, Medicare, and education
• Why dehumanizing language (“low functioning,” “destroyers of lives”) harms both kids and parents
• The trap of socially “acceptable” suffering vs. authentic autistic needs
• Using stories instead of slogans to actually shift hearts, minds, and policies
• Tiffany’s book A Day With No Words and the family practices behind it

Also: fangirling, Peppa Pig echolalia, the Bachelor as cultural proof, and why “awareness” without action is just noise.

Matt and Erin dig into the everyday architecture of autistic life — routines, habits, systems, and the sacred chaos buffers that keep us from falling completely apart when the coffee runs out. They unpack why neurotypical “just make it a habit” advice fails us, how to tell the difference between Herculean and Sisyphean tasks, and why living well often means burning the rulebook (and maybe the lawn mower).

They cover:

• The fragility of “The Order” and how a missing step can nuke your whole day
• Menu vs. strict-sequence systems (and why both are valid)
• Externalizing executive function with whiteboards, magnets, and chaos-time planning
• Rejecting useless expectations (separating laundry by color, wearing socks, ironing, etc.)
• Sensory preferences as valid life-design choices
• Internalized ableism and the lie that you “should” try harder
• Settling for good enough, baby steps, and wobbling toward your goals

Also: Dino nuggies as the pinnacle of predictable joy, clover lawns for zero mowing, Peppa Pig house tours, and why Marie Kondo changed her tune after having kids.

Matt and Erin along with Kade Sharp, PhD, LCSW; Rachel Kraus LCSW-C; Stacy Greeter, MD; and Kat Flora, MA - all Autistic and all professionals, discuss the recent declaration that Tylenol causes autism. Spoiler alert! We disagree.

Matt and Erin are back for Part 2 of the identity conversation — diving straight into how to autistify your life so you can function in a world that was definitely not built with you in mind. From dismantling bad assessment practices to designing LEGO-level organizational systems, they get into the nitty-gritty of scaffolding your environment, your routines, and your relationships.

They cover:

• Why self-identification is valid, hard-earned, and not “everyone’s a little autistic”
• The RAADS-R, the CAT-Q, and the autistic joy of writing a dissertation-length personal history
• How allistic assessors dismiss self-reports — especially from women — and why that’s ableism in action
• The difference between recognition and recall (and why “you did it yesterday” is not a helpful reminder)
• Scaffolding as a survival tool: operational definitions, visual examples, step-by-step coaching
• The dopamine hit of a perfectly labeled LEGO bin system
• Why habits don’t stick, but systems and routines can save your sanity

Also: Cybertrucks vs. DeLoreans, Dan Harmon’s shelved Lego Batman 2, diesel locomotive small talk, and the Professor X method of finding every autistic in a three-mile radius.

Matt and Erin go full “autistic agenda” this week — planning breaks, managing meat-body needs, and calling out the diagnostic nonsense that’s been gatekeeping autism for decades. From James Gunn’s echolalia table moments to the staggering scarcity of autistic clinicians, they dismantle how bias, racism, sexism, and outdated stereotypes warp who gets diagnosed (and how).

They dig into:

• Why self-identification isn’t just valid — it’s essential
• The racist and sexist diagnostic “pipelines” that mislabel Black, brown, and female-presenting kids
• How bad assumptions (“girls can’t be autistic,” “autistics can’t have kids”) still show up in clinical settings
• The real differences between PDA, general demand avoidance, and ODD
• The need to factor lived experience — not just external checklists — into diagnosis
• Spoons, crash recovery, and why autistic professionals can’t (and shouldn’t) mask as neurotypicals to do the job

Also: sarcastic mule metaphors, Happy Meals as special interest currency, placenta previa as connective tissue trivia, and the stunning .00017% of professionals who are both autistic and legally qualified to diagnose.