Dr. Lori Desautels has been an Assistant Professor at Butler University since 2016, where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Education. She was also an Assistant Professor at Marian University in Indianapolis for eight years, where she founded the Educational Neuroscience Symposium. Currently, the Symposium is in…

Please join us for “Making Sense of a Chaotic World: A Discussion with Professor Andrew McDonnell.” Professor Andrew McDonnell BSc., MSc., PhD. is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist to and Director of Studio III Clinical Services; Director, clinical consultant and Team Leader to Studio III Training; formerly worked as a Clinical Psychologist in the…

Please join us for “The Importance of Neurodiversity-Affirming Approaches in Trauma-Informed Models of Care” with Trisha Thompson. Trisha Thompson is a late-diagnosed AuDHD Early Childhood Education Consultant and parent to an Autistic child. She has been working in the field of ECE for almost 10 years. Prior to becoming a consultant, she worked in…

Please join us for “The Truth About ABA: The Most Popular Autism Therapy in the US and Canada” with Anne Borden King. Anne Borden King is a Toronto-based podcaster, writer and human rights advocate. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Healthy Debate and the Thinking Person's Guide to Autism, among other publications. She is the host of Non…

Please join us for “Your Child’s Point of View: A New Book from Kelsie Olds, the OccuPlaytional Therapist.” Kelsie Olds, "The Occuplaytional Therapist", shares passionately every day online with thousands of parents, teachers, professionals--and adults simply seeking to heal childhood wounds in their own selves--about the healing and power in play …

Please join us for “The Child Catcher: An Interview with Andrew Bridge About his Upcoming Book” Andrew Bridge spent 11 years in Los Angeles County foster care. After aging out, he attended Wesleyan University, then graduated from Harvard Law School and was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship. He began his legal career representing children against the S…

Please join us for “What’s New at the Attachment and Trauma Network: An Interview with Ginger Healy and Julie Beem.” Ginger Healy MSW, LCSW started her career as a child abuse investigator, hospital social worker, and school therapist. She spent 15 years as the social service supervisor at an international adoption agency where she learned about de…

Image courtesy of the Alliance Against Seclusion & Restraint I was honoured to speak with the amazing Guy Stephens, founder of the Alliance Against Seclusion & Restraint about what’s new in human rights advocacy for autistic & developmentally disabled students. AASR has a groundbreaking new program, Reframing Behaviour, in partnership with the Cris…

Please join us for “Sensory Integration: Helping Children with Emotional Regulation” with Heathyr Watson. As a young child, Heathyr always knew she would go into the helping profession, whether it was medicine, teaching, or social work. Heathyr has a bachelor’s degree in History Education and a Master’s in Social Work. Heathyr is working on licensi…

Please join us for “Changing Systems: A Conversation with Jeff Spitzer-Resnick, an Experienced Civil Rights, Disability, and Education Attorney.” Jeff Spitzer-Resnick, is a nationally recognized attorney with thirty-eight years of experience in the fields of civil rights, disability and education law. He currently owns and operates Systems Change C…

Please join us for “A Unique Program Helping Kids Find the Pathways to Success: An Interview with Dr. Tania DuBeau.” Tania DuBeau has worked for The Pathways Schools since 1988 and is now finishing her 36th school year. She began as one of the social workers at the school and moved into various administrative positions, including principal of one o…

Please join us for “Becoming a Trauma-informed Restorative Educator: Practical Skills to Change Culture and Behavior” with Joe Brummer and Margaret Thorsborne. Joe Brummer is a trauma survivor. Having lived through early exposure to violence, child abuse and neglect, and two violent anti-LGBTQ hate crimes, he turned his healing journey into a caree…

Please join us for “Navigating PDA in America: An Interview with Diane Gould about Her New Book” Diane Gould is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in serving autistic individuals. As the Executive Director and Founder of PDA North America, she founded the annual PDA North America conference held in Chicago which has changed the lives…

Please join us for “Offering Support to Caregivers and Children During a Challenging Moment” with Nancy L. Weaver, PhD. MPH. Dr. Weaver has a keen interest in promoting emotional health and working with schools and agencies to nurture the growth of all kids and adults using strength-based methods. She consults in the areas of messaging, community a…

Please join us for “An Interview with Antwan Morris: Moving Beyond Incarceration to Ending the School-to-Prison Pipeline.” Antwan Morris lived the stereotypical lifestyle of a young black male growing up in the inner city. By 14, he’d essentially dropped out of school, and by 17, he was incarcerated. With 20+ years of hard work, advocating, healing…

I was so excited to speak with Dr. Ryan, a trailblazer in Canadian autism research! Her work was the first participatory autism research in Canada and it has inspired more. We talk about inclusion, autonomy, research methods, our collaborative work and how to improve services for intellectually disabled people in Canada’s west and throughout the wo…

Please join us for “The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) Therapeutic Listening System: A Journey to Better Nervous System State Regulation” with Jennifer Abbanat, C-TSS, EXA-CE, SSP Provider. Jennifer is a parenting coach, Expressive Arts Educator, IEP advocate, Safe and Sound Protocol Provider, and trauma-informed consultant who uses neuro-affirming …

Author Katie Pagnotta joins us to talk about: "Brain and Body-Aligned Responsive Systems of Excellence.” Katie Pagnotta is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, functional success educational consultant, parent coach, and author. She is also the creator of the Brain- and Body-Aligned Responsive Systems (BBARS) of Excellence framework. She gu…

Please join us for “What Toddler AAC Taught Me About Regulation and Nervous System Supports” with Cass Griffin Bennett. Cass Griffin Bennett is an autistic and ADHD self-advocate and parent of multiple young autistic children. Cass is passionate about all things equity, early access to robust high-tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AA…

Please join us for “Disproportionate School Brutality Upon Black Children” with Nicole Tuchinda. Nicole Tuchinda, JD, MD, LLM is a special education attorney, Assistant Professor, and Director of the Health Law Program at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. She writes about the need to make education trauma-informed and attachment-driven,…

Professor Carl Elliott’s new book The Occasional Human Sacrifice, is about whistleblowers in medicine. In this episode, we discuss the whistleblowers at Willowbrook, a residential institution for autistic and developmentally disabled people that was exposed for human rights abuses in 1972. We also talk about the experience of being a whistleblower …

Please join us for "Educator Well Being: Discussing the Current Conditions of Stress Response in Education" with Angelina Zara. Born and raised in the heart of Washington, DC, Angie found her passion in education in 2015, serving students and caregivers in her hometown. As an elementary school teacher in a Title 1, full-inclusion classroom, Angie l…

Celebrating 5 Incredible Years: A Live Interview with Guy Stephens on the Past, Present, and Future of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint Join us for a unique event for the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) as we present a Live, in-person interview with Guy Stephens, the visionary Founder and Director of AASR, that promises …

Please join us for “How Neuroscience and a Mother’s Love Led to the Creation of CapeAble® Weighted Products” with Marna Pacheco. Marna Pacheco is the founder of CapeAble® Weighted Products and inventor of SmartWeight® Technology proudly manufactured in the USA. Marna embodies the saying: “Necessity is the mother of invention.” To help her adopted d…

Tony Spiridakis, Bobby Cannavale & Alex Plank I was thrilled to talk with Tony Spiridakis and Alex Plank about the new film Ezra, which Tony wrote and produced alongside director Tony Goldwyn, and which Alex associate produced, acted and consulted on. (Read my review of Ezra here.) We take a look behind the scenes at how the film was developed and …

Please join us for “Our Story - From Suffering to Hope and on to Flourishing. Strategic Self-regulation, Co-regulation, and Coproduction: Leadership Lessons from My Brother” with Jamie Emberson. Jamie possesses extensive years of both lived and professional expertise across diverse roles in healthcare, social care, and wellbeing. His career has enc…

Victory Garden by Anne Fricke Learn more about Dr. Gabor Maté HEREBy Anne Fricke

Please join us for “The Why Toolkit: A New Tool to Better Understand and Support All Students” with Connie Persike, M.S., CCC/SLP Connie Persike, M.S., CCC/SLP, is a highly experienced Speech-Language Pathologist and Educational Consultant. She has 20+ years of experience in educational settings and holds a certificate in instructional coaching, po…

Please join us for “Opposition Isn't Always Defiance: A Brief Introduction to the PDA Profile of Autism” with Courtney Hart. Courtney Hart, LCSW-C, RYT 500, RCYT, founded Healing Hart Wellness in 2018, a pediatric mental health and wellness practice, where she and her team, and their two therapy dogs, specialize in supporting anxious ADHDers and Au…

Please join us for “Lessons Learned from Working with Neurodivergent Learners: An Interview with Zach Morris.” Zach Morris M.Ed. is an advocate for learning and personal agency. His work aims to help individuals, families, and schools build structures that honor autonomy, celebrate strengths and interests, and prioritize a sense of safety and conne…

Learn about the 5th Annual PDA North America Conference with Diane Gould. Join us to learn more about the 5th annual PDA North America Conference on March 6 & 7 (virtual), and March 7 & 8 (in person). The event will include some incredible experts, including keynote speaker – Linda K. Murphy, MS, CCC-SLP and author of Declarative Language Handbook …

Please join us for “Reframing Behavior: A New Program to Bring the Neuroscience of Behavior to Schools” with Susan Driscoll. Susan Driscoll is President of Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) and oversees the development of all products and programs, the trainers who deliver them, and for the support and care of the clients who use them. She joined C…

Please join us for "Preschool to Prison": An Interview with Dr. Karen Baptiste About the New Documentary Film. Karen “Dr. K” Baptiste is a visionary who can make magic and transform any space she’s in. Dr. K leads with compassionate courage and has bridged her love of supporting individuals with special needs and individuals impacted by the crimina…

Please join us for “Neither Comprehension or Learning Can Take Place in an Atmosphere of Anxiety” with Linda Cervenka, Michele Ricamato, and Deanna Tyrpak. Linda, Michele, and Deanna are the co-founders of Soaring Eagle Academy, a not-for-profit ISBE-approved therapeutic day school serving students 3 to 22 years of age with autism and related disor…

Please join us for Designing an Environment for Everyone with Daniel Hodges, JD. Daniel Hodges, JD, is an activist dedicated to assisting others with disabilities and chronic illnesses to reach their full potential. While in law school, Daniel founded Peaces of Me Foundation; a nonprofit that promotes universal access and inclusion. Daniel’s perspe…

While the podcast is on a brief hiatus as I finish my book (yay!), I’m sharing this interview that Shawn Pickard hosted with me for Voices for Abilities radio. We discussed how Canadian autism policy needs to move from a charity perspective to a rights perspective and how the inclusion and neurodiversity movements are working for the changes that a…

I spoke with Dr. Molly Colvin and Dr. Tannahill Glen about their new book, Altered Trajectories: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Children’s Education, Mental Health and Neurodevelopment, co-authored with Dr. Jennifer Linton Reesman. We discussed the educational impact of school closures, as well as the mental health impact on kids. A crucial top…

Join us for “Why This Matters: Stories from AASR Volunteers” with Guy Stephens, Karen Bures, Amy Kriewaldt, Braden Flax, Heathyr Watson, Sidney McGillicky, Arielle Silverman, Chantelle Hyde, Angie Vigliotti, Cass Griffin Bennett, Erica Cotter, and Courtney Litzinger. In this episode of AASR Live, you’ll have an opportunity to meet some of our amazi…

Please join us for “Getting to the Deeper Why: Exploring The Why Toolkit” with Connie Persike, M.S., CCC/SLP, hosted by Jennifer Abbanat, C-TSS, EXA-CE, SSP Provider. Connie Persike, M.S., CCC/SLP, is a highly experienced Speech-Language Pathologist and Educational Consultant. She has 20+ years of experience in educational settings and holds a cert…

Julie Kingstone & Keenan Wellar, co-leaders of LiveWorkPlay I had the honour of speaking with Keenan Wellar, founder of LiveWorkPlay about the organization’s work helping the community welcome and include people with intellectual disabilities, autistic persons, and those with a dual diagnosis in housing, work and leisure. LiveWorkPlay is a model fo…

Learn about the upcoming 7th Annual Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conference. Learn about the largest gathering of trauma-informed educators in the United States with Ginger Healy and Kimberly Smathers. The 7th Annual Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conference is dedicated to building trauma-reformed schools. It is being held in Dallas, Texas…

Join us for The CALMER Approach: Sharing how to co-design the right level of therapeutic support at the right time to end seclusion with Francisco and Amy De Paula. Francisco de Paula is passionate about supporting all to reach their potential. The CALMER Approach developed out of his passion to close the gap between theory and practice while looki…

Join us for the Release of the Audio Documentary: “We Warned Them: Freedom Village” with Creator Margaret Mayer. A Deep Dive into an IFB Troubled Teen School Margaret is a 24-year-old artist and activist originally from Rochester, NY. In 2020, Margaret became aware of the Troubled Teen Industry after hearing horror stories from her friends who had …

I spoke with Dr. Andrew Whitehouse from the University of Western Australia about autistic life, gut hype, same-foods, the problem of pseudoscience and the shifting nature of autism research. Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on streaming sites like Spotify, Stitcher or ApplePodcasts. https://noncompliantpodcast.com/wp-conte…

Join us for "What is EMDR, and how can it help in the treatment of complex trauma?" with Sidney McGillicky. Sidney is an Approved EMDR Consultant and also a Certified EMDR therapist who specializes in the treatment of complex and developmental trauma with 20 years of experience working as a therapist. Sidney also is a Certified NMT(c) Level One Pra…

I spoke with vaccine researcher and expert Dr. Paul Offit, whose book Autism’s False Prophets explores false narratives about autism, including the myth that the MMR vaccine causes autism. We talked about that history, as well as the present challenge of the current anti-vaccine movement and the need to speak the truth, even when it’s complicated. …

An interview with Liora Schwartz: Trauma-informed and neuro-developmentally sensitive approaches for parents and professionals. Liora Schwartz (she/her) has over two decades of experience in the trenches of the New York City public school system and is a parent of a complicated, brilliant, neurodivergent teen. As such, she has a unique perspective …

I talked with Dr. Lucy McBride about Covid anxiety, how it’s impacted us all and what we can do about it. We also talked about how family practitioners can make their practices more accessible for autistic patients–and all patients–by thinking outside the box. #AutisticHealthAccessProject Listen to the podcast by playing the audio file below, or on…

Author McAlister Huynh joins us to talk about: "Listen, Learn, and Grow: A Whole Body Listening Larry Story." McAlister Greiner Huynh is an educator, also known as The Neurodivergent Teacher. McAlister Greiner Huynh is a National Board Certified special educator, behavior support specialist, consultant, and international speaker who calls North Car…

Interested in learning how to advocate for federal legislation prohibiting the use of restraint and seclusion in schools? Join us for a virtual training by two experts in federal advocacy on how to engage in this advocacy on Capitol Hill. All skill levels are welcome! As a Partner at Stride Policy Solutions, Laura Kaloi provides strategic policy, a…