Powered by RND
PodcastsEducationAdulting with Autism

Adulting with Autism

April Ratchford MS OT/L
Adulting with Autism
Latest episode

Available Episodes

5 of 81
  • Autistic Adulting Resilience Hacks: From Prison to Purpose CEO | Ken Miller Interview
    Send us a textAutistic adulting in a pit? In this raw ramble on Adulting with Autism, host April (autistic OT) chats with redemption powerhouse Ken Miller on rising from Ivy League frat haze to 20 years homeless/addicted/incarcerated—then $28 prison release to 5 companies/$120k+ net/year entrepreneur. National Merit Scholar turned crack dealer (3 felonies, $10 sale = 6-year bid), Ken's turning point: Jail bunk "God chat" (lean on faith, embrace pain as gift—life's suffering, but grace gets you through).Transcript gems: Negative self-talk trap ("I'm less than"—break the script via esteemable acts like compliments), fear as future pain anticipation (embrace for decisions), identity pivot ("Ex-con to child of God"), and no more mind-alterers (aspirin to crack—all distort reality). Book Becoming Ken (Ivy to pen, resilience lessons)—mentor to Black men nationwide, open phone (907-250-8488). For autistic young adults battling shame/addiction cycles, parents spotting self-doubt, or OT squad fostering grit, this is your 'what the actual?' rise toolkit—no excuses, just faith-fueled choices.Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro: Pit to Purpose & Ken's Journey 2:30 - Ivy League to Streets (Frat/Addiction Spiral) 8:45 - Jail Turning Point (God Chat) 15:20 - Rebuild Mindset (Pain as Gift) 22:10 - Fear/Self-Talk Hacks 30:00 - Business Empire & Book 40:00 - Advice & Contact 50:00 - OutroSub on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for unmasked tips—reviews build the squad! Linktree for full eps, Ken's Becoming Ken book (Amazon), LinkedIn/Instagram (KenMiller84), phone (907-250-8488), and Adulting with Autism merch: 'Dynamite' tees for rise sparks or 'Magic Shop' hoodies for squad redemption. Your pit story? Comment! Follow @adultingautismbts on TikTok for clips.#AutisticAdultingTips #ResilienceHacks #NeurodivergentRedemption #AdultingWithAutism #BTSNeurodivergent #PrisonToCEO #AddictionRecovery #SelfTalkHacks #OTTips #BecomingKen #FaithOverFear #IvyLeagueToStreets #MentoringBlackMen #PainAsGift #RisingAbove #PodMatchhttps://linktr.ee/adultingwithautism| https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adulting-with-autism/id1726252789 | https://open.spotify.com/show/3x5XAhD6vUr9vyxwo7PUrn| Becoming Ken | https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenmiller84/ | https://www.instagram.com/thekenmillerspeaksAutistic adulting chaos? My MFish Dragon Charger slays—sleek, bold design with soul (no Apple boredom!), powers phone/laptop through BTS sessions. Daily obsession for my neurodivergent brain—ordering more! Quick pre-roll from Adulting with Autism. Affiliate link below (I earn from purchases—thanks!) Get fierce for fall with the Empowerment Collection and Power in the Frequency! Bold colors, ultimate comfort, and designs made for neurodivergent pride. Shop now to support the show and join the Alliance—find your new favorite at the link in show notes.mfish: Organize. Simplify. WinEco-friendly, high-quality tech tool to simplify school, work and lifeFind Your Fierce This Fall: Empowerment Shop now to support the show and join the Alliance—find your new favorite at the link in show notes.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show@[email protected]
    --------  
    40:03
  • Autistic Adulting Dyslexia Hacks: From Hiding Shame to Superpower Advocacy | Sabrina Fandell Interview
    Send us a textAutistic adulting masking dyslexia shame? In this raw ramble on Adulting with Autism, host April (autistic OT) chats with VP Sabrina Fandell (International Dyslexia Association Dallas) on flipping "less than" to superpower—undiagnosed tears (Hooked on Phonics frustration, "slow reader" isolation), breakthrough via blind teacher's verbal tests (aced 'em!), and her son's dyslexia/ADHD eval ($3k private—scores too high for school help?). Business dev exec turned advocate, Sabrina's expanding scholarships/evals/summer support in Texas (covers OK/AR/N Dallas), busting myths (not laziness—analytical resilience shines in sales/crisis; women mask differently).Transcript gems: Superpowers from struggle (problem-solving breeds quick thinking—unfazed by "no"), workplace advocacy ("Short emails? Brain wiring, not carelessness"), early intervention emotional shield (no imposter scars), and resources (dallasida.com hotline/events, Oct awareness run). For autistic young adults hiding differences, parents pushing IEPs, or OT squad fostering inclusion, this is your 'what the actual?' unmasking toolkit—no perfectionism traps, just neurodivergent wins.Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro: Dyslexia Shame & Sabrina's Journey 2:30 - Undiagnosed Struggles (Hooked on Phonics Tears) 8:45 - Breakthrough Teacher & Masking 15:20 - Son's Diagnosis & Advocacy Shift 22:10 - Myths & Superpowers (Analytical Edge) 30:00 - Workplace/Employer Tips 40:00 - Resources & Involvement 50:00 - OutroSub on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for unmasked tips—reviews build the squad! Linktree for full eps, Sabrina's dallasida.com (scholarships/hotline/events), Facebook/Instagram (Dallas IDA), and Adulting with Autism merch: 'Dynamite' tees for advocacy sparks or 'Magic Shop' hoodies for squad resilience. Your dyslexia story? Comment! Follow @adultingautismbts on TikTok for clips.#AutisticAdultingTips #DyslexiaHacks #NeurodivergentAdvocacy #AdultingWithAutism #BTSNeurodivergent #DyslexiaMyths #EarlyInterventionLD #OTTips #MaskingDyslexia #ADHDOverlap #TexasDyslexia #SuperpowerStruggle #WorkplaceInclusion #IEPAdvocacy #DallasIDAhttps://linktr.ee/adultingwithautism | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adulting-with-autism/id1726252789| https://open.spotify.com/show/3x5XAhD6vUr9vyxwo7PUrn | https://dallasida.com/https://dallasida.com/| Dallas IDA Facebook | Dallas IDA InstagramAutistic adulting chaos? My MFish Dragon Charger slays—sleek, bold design with soul (no Apple boredom!), powers phone/laptop through BTS sessions. Daily obsession for my neurodivergent brain—ordering more! Quick pre-roll from Adulting with Autism. Affiliate link below (I earn from purchases—thanks!) Get fierce for fall with the Empowerment Collection and Power in the Frequency! Bold colors, ultimate comfort, and designs made for neurodivergent pride. Shop now to support the show and join the Alliance—find your new favorite at the link in show notes.mfish: Organize. Simplify. WinEco-friendly, high-quality tech tool to simplify school, work and lifeFind Your Fierce This Fall: Empowerment Shop now to support the show and join the Alliance—find your new favorite at the link in show notes.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show@[email protected]
    --------  
    37:38
  • Autistic Adulting Leadership Hacks: Clarity, Purpose & Chaos Navigation | Maria Cristini Interview
    Send us a textAutistic adulting lost in chaos? In this raw ramble on Adulting with Autism, host April (autistic OT) chats with executive coach Maria Cristini on inside-out leadership for neurodivergent wins. With 25 years helping leaders (college grads to CEOs) navigate uncertainty, Maria shares values-driven hacks from her book TWO FEET IN: Finding Clarity, Purpose, and Passion in Your Life and Career—core values alignment, CliftonStrengths for natural strengths, growth edge over imposter syndrome, and calendar color-coding for work-life balance.Transcript gems: Translating personal strengths (e.g., hyper-focus) to careers, honoring values through daily actions (legacy via kindness, not money), and thriving in transitions (forced job changes? Lean into joy-bringers like fun/recreation). For autistic young adults crafting roles, parents guiding launches, or OT squad balancing burnout, this is your 'what the actual?' clarity toolkit—no faking it, just authentic power.Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro: Chaos & Maria's Journey 2:30 - Why Coaching? Inside-Out Change 8:45 - Vision, Values & Strengths Assessment 15:20 - Imposter vs. Growth Edge 22:10 - Work-Life Balance Hacks 30:00 - Legacy Through Daily Actions 40:00 - Final Advice & Resources 50:00 - OutroSub on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for unmasked tips—reviews build the squad! Linktree for full eps, Maria's TWO FEET IN book (Amazon), mariacristini.com (programs like Daring Leaders, Ten Day Launchpad), and Adulting with Autism merch: 'Dynamite' tees for purpose blasts or 'Magic Shop' hoodies for squad alignment. Your core value? Comment! Follow @adultingautismbts on TikTok for clips.#AutisticAdultingTips #NeurodivergentLeadership #ClarityPurpose #AdultingWithAutism #BTSNeurodivergent #ImposterSyndromeAutism #WorkLifeBalanceHacks #OTTips #TwoFeetInBook #LeadershipForAutistics #CareerTransitionsAutism #ValuesDrivenLeadership #StrengthsAssessment #ChaosNavigation #HolisticCoachinghttps://linktr.ee/adultingwithautism| https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adulting-with-autism/id1726252789 | https://open.spotify.com/show/3x5XAhD6vUr9vyxwo7PUrn | https://mariacristini.com/ | Two Feet InAutistic adulting chaos? My MFish Dragon Charger slays—sleek, bold design with soul (no Apple boredom!), powers phone/laptop through BTS sessions. Daily obsession for my neurodivergent brain—ordering more! Quick pre-roll from Adulting with Autism. Affiliate link below (I earn from purchases—thanks!) Get fierce for fall with the Empowerment Collection and Power in the Frequency! Bold colors, ultimate comfort, and designs made for neurodivergent pride. Shop now to support the show and join the Alliance—find your new favorite at the link in show notes.mfish: Organize. Simplify. WinEco-friendly, high-quality tech tool to simplify school, work and lifeFind Your Fierce This Fall: Empowerment Shop now to support the show and join the Alliance—find your new favorite at the link in show notes.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show@[email protected]
    --------  
    36:08
  • Autistic Adulting Literacy Hacks: From Failure to PhD | Lois Letchford Interview
    Send us a textStruggling with autistic adulting literacy blocks? In this episode of Adulting with Autism, host April (autistic OT) chats with educator Lois Letchford on busting myths and hacks for struggling readers. Lois, a 20+ year literacy specialist (Master's from SUNY Albany, Australian PE teacher turned specialist), shares her son's journey from first-grade failure (learning disability echoing dyslexia/autism) to Oxford PhD—using poetry, story acting, and cultural rewrites over failed programs.Discover why labels blame kids (not systems), how engagement trumps phonics fire-hoses, and practical tips like rewriting stories in the child's words for confident adulting. For autistic young adults, parents, or creators with reading/executive function hurdles, this is your 'hooked, that's it' roadmap—no more trauma, just empowered learning.Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro & Lois's Background 2:30 - Son's Failure Story & Myths Busted 8:45 - Poetry & Engagement Hacks 15:20 - Rewriting for Culture Fit 22:10 - Global Advice for Parents 30:00 - Hope & Future Goals 40:00 - OutroSub on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for unmasked tips—reviews fuel the fire! Linktree for full eps, Lois's memoir Reversed (Amazon), website (LoisLetchford.com—connect for support), and Adulting with Autism merch: 'Dynamite' tees for literacy breakthroughs or 'Magic Shop' hoodies for squad resilience. Your biggest reading myth? Comment! Follow @adultingautismbts on TikTok for clips.#AutisticAdultingTips #LiteracyAutism #UnmaskedLearning #NeurodivergentEducation #TeachingStrugglingReaders #AdultingWithAutism #BTSNeurodivergent #DyslexiaHacks #OTTips #ReversedMemoirhttps://linktr.ee/adultingwithautism | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adulting-with-autism/id1726252789 | https://open.spotify.com/show/3x5XAhD6vUr9vyxwo7PUrn | https://www.loisletchford.com/| https://amzn.to/4pSN5zWAutistic adulting chaos? My MFish Dragon Charger slays—sleek, bold design with soul (no Apple boredom!), powers phone/laptop through BTS sessions. Daily obsession for my neurodivergent brain—ordering more! Quick pre-roll from Adulting with Autism. Affiliate link below (I earn from purchases—thanks!) Get fierce for fall with the Empowerment Collection and Power in the Frequency! Bold colors, ultimate comfort, and designs made for neurodivergent pride. Shop now to support the show and join the Alliance—find your new favorite at the link in show notes.mfish: Organize. Simplify. WinEco-friendly, high-quality tech tool to simplify school, work and lifeFind Your Fierce This Fall: Empowerment Shop now to support the show and join the Alliance—find your new favorite at the link in show notes.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show@[email protected]
    --------  
    30:20
  • Breaking the Script: Cody Johnston on Accessible AI, Small Business Innovation, and Why Weird Wins in Tech | Adulting With Autism #WeirdCanadian #AccessibleTech
    Send us a textOn this candid episode of Adulting With Autism, Cody Johnston—“The Weird Canadian”—unpacks what it means to build accessible, Fortune 500-grade solutions for small businesses and neurodivergent founders. Cody draws on a decade in government and global finance tech to explain why real innovation happens outside of endless corporate meetings, and how autistic minds are uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of digital transformation.Discover why authenticity, owning your “weirdness,” and leveraging AI as an accessibility tool dramatically levels the playing field for startups and solopreneurs. Learn Cody’s practical framework for automating the most painful business tasks, choosing (and questioning) the right AI tools, and starting simple with scalable tech—plus, what the U.S. could teach Canada about risk, regulation, and the entrepreneurial spirit. Cody also demystifies pattern interrupts, transparency, and why the neurodivergent community now has a seat—and voice—at the business table.Follow Cody at theweirdcanadian.ca and @T_weirdCanadian on X/Twitter. Subscribe to Adulting With Autism on all platforms for real-world advice, and join the movement with #WeirdCanadian and #AccessibleTech for innovation, inclusion, and business empowerment.Autistic adulting chaos? My MFish Dragon Charger slays—sleek, bold design with soul (no Apple boredom!), powers phone/laptop through BTS sessions. Daily obsession for my neurodivergent brain—ordering more! Quick pre-roll from Adulting with Autism. Affiliate link below (I earn from purchases—thanks!) Get fierce for fall with the Empowerment Collection and Power in the Frequency! Bold colors, ultimate comfort, and designs made for neurodivergent pride. Shop now to support the show and join the Alliance—find your new favorite at the link in show notes.mfish: Organize. Simplify. WinEco-friendly, high-quality tech tool to simplify school, work and lifeFind Your Fierce This Fall: Empowerment Shop now to support the show and join the Alliance—find your new favorite at the link in show notes.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show@[email protected]
    --------  
    37:04

More Education podcasts

About Adulting with Autism

Adulting with Autism isn’t just a podcast — it’s a movement.We give autistic and neurodivergent adults the platform, voice, and validation they’ve always deserved. Here, we don’t mask. We don’t perform. We belong.Every episode brings honest conversations with leaders, advocates, and everyday people who are rewriting what it means to thrive as a neurodivergent adult. We talk life skills, independence, mental health, relationships, careers, and legacy — because autistic voices don’t just need a seat at the table… we are the table.Ranked among Apple’s Top 200 Podcasts (All Categories), Adulting with Autism is proof that our voices are resonating worldwide.Join us Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays as we move beyond survival, build authentic lives, and create legacies that last.Because autism isn’t broken. It’s just a different frequency — and the world is finally tuning in. 🎧 Listen on Buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 🔗 Explore all links + merch: https://linktr.ee/adultingwithautism 📩 Want to be a guest or collaborate? Message April on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1708097947800879cbdd654ca🧩 Autistic. Authentic. Unapologetic. 🔥 With over 2 million downloads and listeners worldwide, Adulting with Autism proves our voices belong here.
Podcast website

Listen to Adulting with Autism, Money Mentor Podcast and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features
Social
v7.23.9 | © 2007-2025 radio.de GmbH
Generated: 10/22/2025 - 7:46:26 AM