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Springbrook's Converge Autism Radio

Springbrook's Converge Autism Radio

By: MHNR Network LLC
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About this listen

 Welcome to Springbrook's Converge Autism Radio, featuring viewpoints and insights about autism for parents and professionals who support children with autism every day. We select our speakers and guests based on their expertise and experience in the field of autism, and we want this program to bring you fresh ideas, practical tips and renewed hope. The ideas and opinions expressed on this program are not necessarily the viewpoint of Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health.

Copyright MHNR Network, LLC Hygiene & Healthy Living Parenting & Families Physical Illness & Disease Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships
Episodes
  • Autism in Women: Late Diagnosis, Masking, and the Minds That Move Us Forward

    Autism in Women: Late Diagnosis, Masking, and the Minds That Move Us Forward
    Dec 16 2025
    Originally recorded in 2019, this episode of Converge Autism Radio continues to resonate years later as conversations around late-diagnosed autistic women, masking, trauma, and identity have come into sharper focus.

    In Autism in Women: Late Diagnosis, Masking, and the Minds That Move Us Forward, we speak with Madonna Kilpatrick, a late-diagnosed autistic woman whose background spans anthropology, sociology, theater, improvisation, stand-up comedy, and museum education.

    Referred to the show by Dr. Mark Goulston, Madonna brings both intellectual rigor and lived experience to a deeply human conversation about what it means to discover your neurodivergence in adulthood—after decades of navigating the world without language for your wiring. Together, we explore high masking, stigma, creativity as survival, the overlap between trauma and neurodivergence, and how autistic cognition has quietly shaped culture, innovation, and progress all along. Madonna reflects on school, theater, intelligence, social expectations, and the cost of being misread for most of one’s life—and what becomes possible when clarity finally arrives.

    This conversation predates much of today’s mainstream dialogue around late diagnosis, yet it anticipates many of the insights now widely discussed: the limits of functioning labels, the emotional toll of masking, and the urgent need for more humane, nuanced understandings of autism—especially in women.

    Editor’s Notes
    • This episode was recorded in 2019. Some terminology used reflects common clinical and cultural language of that time.
    • References to terms such as “high-functioning” appear in the conversation. Current best practice emphasizes support needs and lived experience rather than functioning labels.
    • Mentions of Asperger’s / Asperger syndrome reflect diagnostic language in use at the time of recording. Today, these traits are understood within Autism Spectrum Disorder.
    • These notes are included for context, not correction. The lived experiences and insights shared in this episode remain valid and valuable.
    This episode remains widely shared because it captures something timeless: the relief, grief, humor, and self-recognition that often accompany late diagnosis—and the realization that the minds once labeled “too much,” “too strange,” or “too intense” are often the very minds that move humanity forward.

    www.springbrookbehavioral.com

    www.convergeautism.com

    www.allabilitiesnofilter.com
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    35 mins
  • Creating Safe Pathways: How Schools Can Support Autistic Students Through Crisis

    Creating Safe Pathways: How Schools Can Support Autistic Students Through Crisis
    Dec 1 2025
    In this episode of Converge Autism Radio, guest host Reid Miles speaks with Dr. Alice Ackerman and Rebecca Erwin, two experienced clinicians and educators working at the intersection of autism, behavioral health, and school crisis response.

    Together they explore:
    • The critical role schools play in supporting autistic students
    • Why behavior is communication — not defiance
    • How schools can respond to crisis without escalation
    • What teachers and parents actually need during high-stress moments
    • The importance of training, collaboration, and early intervention
    • Real-world examples from clinical and educational settings
    • How professionals can shift from fear and reactivity to understanding and partnership
    This is a grounded, compassionate conversation for parents, teachers, clinicians, and advocates seeking deeper insight into trauma-informed, neurodiversity-aware crisis support.

    Guest Websites:

    Dr. Alice Ackerman
    https://adackerman.com

    Rebecca Erwin
    www.thelarkcenter.com

    This episode is part of the Converge Autism Podcastathon and includes a mid-show spotlight for Springbrook Behavioral Health's newest program, All Abilities & No Filter.

    www.springbrookbehavioral.com

    www.convergeautism.com

    www.allabilitiesnofilter.com
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    56 mins
  • Living Beyond the Numbers: Dyscalculia, Advocacy, and Hope

    Living Beyond the Numbers: Dyscalculia, Advocacy, and Hope
    Nov 11 2025
    Guest host Reed Miles welcomes writer, photographer, and educator Michelle Steiner for an honest conversation about breaking barriers and redefining what it means to live—and thrive—with a learning disability.

    Michelle shares her journey with dyscalculia, her experiences in education, and how she turned stigma into strength through writing and photography. She now inspires others through her blog and online shop at michellesmission.com.

    Together, Reed and Michelle explore advocacy, sensitivity in support systems, and the importance of seeing ability beyond diagnosis.


    www.springbrookbehavioral.com

    www.convergeautism.com

    www.allabilitiesnofilter.com
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
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