Tony Mantor: Why Not Me ?

Embracing Autism and Mental Health: A Conversation with Anne Grady

In this episode of 'Why Not Me,' hosted by Tony Mantor in Nashville, Tennessee, guest Anne Grady shares her profound journey navigating autism and mental health.

Anne, an author, speaker, and advocate, discusses her experiences raising her son Evan, who has multiple diagnoses including autism, severe mental illness, ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder.

The conversation delves into challenges around diagnosis, the importance of resilience, and strategies for coping with neurodiversity and mental health issues. Anne also talks about her books, advocacy work, and the personal and systemic difficulties she has encountered.

The episode emphasizes acceptance, understanding, and the profound impact of sharing stories to inspire and connect people worldwide.

Introduction to Why Not Me

Meet Anne Grady: Advocate and Author

Anne's Personal Journey with Her Son Evan

Challenges and Resilience in Parenting

Understanding Autism and Mental Illness

The Importance of Acceptance and Support

Anne's Advocacy and Writing Journey

Practical Advice for Families and Caregivers

Anne's Current Life and Advocacy Efforts

Final Thoughts and Farewell

INTRO/OUTRO: T. Wild

Mantor Music BMI

The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only.
The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.
Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.
Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.
Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk.
Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Danny Combs on Buildable, TACT, and Expanding Trade-Based Careers for Autistic and Neurodivergent People

Host Tony Mantor welcomes Danny Combs to discuss progress since their last conversation on creating meaningful employment pathways for autistic and neurodivergent individuals.

Combs shares receiving a Congressional Mentor of Honor Society Citizen Honor Award and being appointed by Colorado’s governor to the new Colorado Disability Opportunity Office, funded through reissued historic license plates that generate sustainable revenue for disability-focused grants statewide with disabled-led oversight.

He introduces Buildable, a new Tennessee-based initiative launching workshops in Nashville in March with Belmont University, aiming to expand TACT’s trade-skills transition-to-employment model toward full-time programming in the fall, supported by corporate partners like Subaru.

They address challenges including staffing, costs, facilities, and job availability, discuss policy barriers and data gaps like autism prevalence needs assessments, emphasize nonprofit collaboration, employer education, ROI-focused messaging, and the urgent need for future supports as aging caregivers can no longer provide lifelong care.

00:00 Show Introduction

01:02 Meet Tony and Subscribe

01:21 Introducing Danny Combs

02:39 Colorado Disability Office

03:14 License Plate Funding

04:25 Grants and Inclusion

05:05 Buildable Comes to Nashville

06:00 Workshops and Timeline

07:09 Partners and Workforce Shift

08:04 Scaling Beyond Colorado

08:34 Consistency and Franchising

09:30 Startup Challenges Ahead

10:37 State Role and Policy

11:37 Legislation and Data Gaps

15:14 Nonprofits Need Unity

16:56 Nashville Hub Vision

18:52 Employer Perception and Language

21:39 Rethinking Education and Training

22:38 Five Year Future Vision

23:46 Parents and Long Term Care

26:32 Final Message and Wrap Up

27:22 Closing Credits

INTRO/OUTRO: T. Wild

Mantor Music BMI

The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only.
The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.
Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.
Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.
Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk.
Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Late Autism Diagnoses, Music, and Seeing Family Through a New Lens with Liam Edward Golder

Host Tony Mantor welcomes listeners to Why Not Me: Embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide and interviews Liam Edward Golder, a London-born music PR professional and songwriter now living in New York.

Liam shares discovering his own autism later in life after his father was diagnosed around age 70, and describes how late clarity brought relief, acceptance, and a new understanding of his father’s withdrawal and difficulty reading emotions.

He discusses traits such as overwhelm with menus, sensitivity to crowds, loud noise and bright lights, hyperfocus on music, photographic memory, and co-occurring ADHD and anxiety, reframing autism as a creative strength that supported a 30-year music career working with many artists.

Liam also describes helping translate situations for his father, who also has paranoid personality disorder, and shares his goal of inspiring others that autism doesn’t have to limit achievement.

01:18 Meet Liam Golder

02:12 Creativity as Strength

03:36 Dad’s Late Diagnosis

04:15 Shared Traits and Triggers

05:37 Rethinking Autism

06:49 Getting Diagnosed and Relief

07:41 Telling Family and Support

08:49 Translating for Dad

13:13 Burnout and Anxiety

14:35 Acceptance and Purpose

17:34 Music Career and Structure

19:17 Legacy and Inspiration

20:28 Connection with Dad

23:07 Living Confidently Now

23:52 Closing and Call to Share

The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only.
The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.
Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.
Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.
Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk.
Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Embracing Neurodiversity: A Conversation with Autistic Educator and Author Rebecca Engle

In this episode of 'Why Not Me,' hosted by Tony Mantor from Nashville, Tennessee, Rebecca Engle, an autistic educator and author, shares her journey and insights into neurodiversity in education.

Rebecca discusses her experiences as a nonverbal child, the challenges she faced in academia, and the strategies she uses to support neurodivergent students.

She highlights the importance of creating inclusive educational environments and challenges outdated behavioral systems.

Rebecca also dives into her work as an author, particularly focusing on her children's books that address autism and stemming, and speaks about her efforts to foster understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity worldwide.

Introduction to Why Not Me

Meet Rebecca Engle: Autistic Educator and Advocate

Rebecca's Early Life and Challenges

Navigating Education and Professional Life

Teaching Strategies and Classroom Experiences

Rebecca's Writing Journey

Future Goals and Expanding Impact

Closing Remarks and Contact Information

INTRO/OUTRO: T.Wild

Mantor Music BMI

The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only.
The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.
Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.
Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.
Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk.
Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tyler Barnett on Late Autism Self-Diagnosis, Masking, and Creating “Gap Music” for Regulation

Host Tony Mantor welcomes Tyler Barnett, founder of Tyler Barnett PR and an artistic music creator focused on empowering the autism community through intentional sound design and storytelling.

Tyler shares that he is autistic and was diagnosed six months ago through self-diagnosis supported by years of personal data and extensive testing, after his 10-year-old daughter repeatedly told him he was autistic and he explored the topic through ChatGPT.

He describes lifelong differences including deep special interests, pattern recognition, challenges in educational environments, learned eye contact, and complex masking as a professional communicator, as well as past misdiagnoses such as bipolar disorder and being medicated incorrectly. T

yler discusses mixed reactions when disclosing autism, including denial from some family members and acceptance from others, and explains how masking involved mirroring facial expressions and behavior to make others comfortable. T

yler also talks about his daughter Lucy’s official autism diagnosis, her strengths (friends, eye contact, dance talent) alongside daily school distress, meltdowns, and limited understanding from her school team about autism in girls.

He explains how the diagnosis has improved family dynamics, increased empathy, and helped Lucy feel less isolated, while also describing how he can help regulate her during meltdowns. The conversation shifts to Tyler’s music: electronic, lyric-driven work combining traditional production with AI vocals and emergent elements.

He explains his “gap music” concept—music designed for emotional regulation using structures like 3-6-9 tension/expansion/release loops and pattern shifts across genres (classical, choir/mantra, dubstep, hip hop) to create soothing but unpredictable listening experiences.

Tyler says he has not formally released the project widely but has received strong feedback from neurodivergent listeners and notes that his daughter, wife, and dog fell asleep when hearing it. He shares where to find his work: YouTube channel “Gap Music for beautiful Brains” (@GapMusicforRegulation), Instagram @enzo, tylerbarnettpr.com, and TikTok @MillennialDad, and says he plans to release tracks over the next month from a catalog of about 80.

Welcome to ‘Why Not Me’ — Autism & Mental Health Worldwide

Meet Tyler Barnett: PR Strategist, Artist & Sound Designer

Realizing He’s Autistic: ‘I’ve Always Been Different’

ChatGPT, Self-Testing & the Emotional Breakthrough

Telling Others: Family Pushback vs. Community Support

Masking 101: Mirroring, Eye Contact & ‘Dog and Pony Show’

Lucy’s Diagnosis: School Struggles, Meltdowns & Support Gaps

A Stronger Bond: Co-Regulation and Parenting Shifts at Home

To Disclose or Not: Labels, Stigma, and Protecting Your Peace

Finding the Flow: How Autism Changed His PR Work & Creativity

Inside ‘Gap Music’: 3-6-9 Patterns, AI Emergence & Regulation

Where to Listen + Final Thanks and Sign-Off

INTRO/OUTRO: T.Wild

Mantor Music BMI

The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only.
The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.
Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.
Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.
Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk.
Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.