Episode 50: “What is Autism?” (Part 3): The Complex Interplay of Routine, Control, and Flexibility

For many Autistic individuals, the consistency of routines isn't just nice, it's a way to accommodate the sensory needs of their systems. Routines are reflected internally and externally, and the disruption of these routines can result in great distress. In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, talk about the comfort and chaos of daily routines and rituals, shedding light on the importance and challenges of these patterns in the lives of Autistic individuals. Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode: Gain insight into all-or-nothing thinking, including its role in providing predictability and comfort. Learn how this way of thinking influences ideology, relationships, and advocacy efforts, and why we need more nuanced conversations. Hear about how the struggle with flexibility can manifest differently for adolescent girls and boys, making it difficult to identify autism, leading to misunderstanding and overlooking what's going on. Explore personal stories from Patrick and Dr. Neff that illuminate the daily struggles of inflexibility and routine disruption, such as dealing with last-minute plan changes and the perplexing difficulty of seemingly simple tasks. Consider your routines: what keeps you grounded and how you manage when faced with the unexpected. Understanding the role of routines in the lives of Autistic individuals can help create more compassion and patience for ourselves and the people around us. Resources: For this conversation, we are using Is This Autism By Dr. Donna Hendreson, Dr. Sarah Wayland, and Dr. Jamell White. You can find it here. But wait... The publisher is giving our listeners a special coupon during this series! Use Code: NDI24 to get 30% off and free shipping Valid through 6-Jul 2024 (must purchase using this link) We’ll be reading this book for our book club in June in the Neurodivergent Learning Nook. Learn more about our community here. DISCLAIMER: We're using the DSM-5 criteria as a framework for this conversation, but this is not our endorsement of the DSM. There have been a lot of very thoughtful critiques of the DSM in the last several years, including how autism is presented in the DSM as very deficit-based. We do not align with that view, but we did use that as a framework to walk through our experience of autism and to unpack the many ways that those criteria could show up in a person. This is our attempt to help demystify the process of diagnosis, which has historically been very obscure and hard to understand. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Divergent Conversations Podcast here 🎙️Spotify 🎙️Apple 🎙️YouTube Music ▶️ YouTube ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– A Thanks to Our Sponsors: Freed & The Receptionist for iPad ✨ Freed: I would also like to thank Freed for sponsoring this episode. Being a clinician in today's medical or mental healthcare field can be overstimulating. It can be so hard to focus on clients while taking adequate notes. Freed.AI listens, transcribes, and writes medical documentation for you, written in your style and ready the moment the visit is over. No more overstimulation or letting things fall through the cracks. Freed is HIPAA compliant, secure, and takes less than 30 seconds to learn. More importantly, Freed supports your executive function skills, so you can get back to doing what you love — helping your clients. Go to getfreed.ai and use code DCPOD for your first month free. ✨ The Receptionist for iPad: I would also like to thank The Receptionist for iPad for sponsoring this episode. The Receptionist offers an iPad list check-in option where clients can scan a QR code to check in, which negates the need for you to buy an iPad and stand. Go to thereceptionist.com/privatepractice and sign up for a free 14-day trial. When you do, you'll get your first month free. And don't forget to ask about our iPad list check-in option.