102. S8 E10: From ABA to understanding an autism diagnosis as a unique pathway to a fulfilling life

06/03/23 • 58 min

Maisie Soetantyo is the founder of a nonprofit with a mission to improve employment prospects for autistic jobseekers and aspiring business owners.

Now an openly autistic advocate and inclusivity trainer, she has been working with neurodivergent people since her undergraduate studies in 1991, but it would be many years before some of her clients started suggesting that she might be autistic, too.

A former Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) practitioner, she moved away from ABA after realising that supporting her client's authenticity as autistic individuals should be the goal. She set up Autism Career Pathways in San Francisco, USA in 2019, and now works to foster a meaningful understanding and acceptance of an autism diagnosis as a unique pathway to self advocacy and a fulfilling life.

In our conversation we talk about:

➡ Her experiences growing up with learning difficulties and processing disorders in a neurodivergent family

➡ Her thoughts on autism and employment, and how our special interests and even our stims can hold the key to what we should be doing with our lives.

➡ Her experiences as an ABA practitioner, how her thinking has evolved, and the work she now does to support autistic people.

Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes.

I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences.

I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.

EPISODE LINKS:

Maisie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maisiesoetantyo/

Autism Career Pathways website: https://autismcareerpathways.org/

Her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maisie-soetantyo/

If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/

Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/

THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS!

A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast:

Abi Hunter, Adam Klager, Amy Adler, Amy-Beth Mellor, Anika Lacerte, Annette, Becky Beasley, Ben Davies, Caroline, Cat Preston, Catrin Green, Cindy Bailey, Clare Forrest, Clare Holmes, Corinne Cariad, Dana Bradley, Danielle Warby, Dennis McNulty, Elizabeth Williams, Erica Kenworthy, Erin Pineapple, Ewan McNeill, Fiona Connor, Galina, Gwyneth, Hannah Breslin, Heather Peake, Hegatronix, Jackie Allen, JF, Jayne Hutchinson, Jeff Goldman, Jen Bartlett, Julie, Katarzyna Tomaszewska, Kate and Kathryn, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Kenneth Knowles, Laura, Laurencia Saenz Benavides, Lea Li, Leo Ricketts, Lilli Simmons, Linda Brown, Liz, LQ, Lyb, Mandy Allen, Marjory Webber, Martine, Melissa Shaw, Meredith L. Freyre, MN, Paul Harris, Pete Burke, Rebecca, Rebecca Biegel, Rebecca Kemp, Sadie Slater, Sarah Cottrell, Sarah Jeffery, Sarah Ivinson, Sarah Swanton, Shauna Schramke, Suzanna Chen, Suzanne, Talia's Nature, Tammie Fabien, Tamsen Staniford, Tegan Bailey, Tessa Valyou, Tree Hall, Vic Wiener, Vicki Temple, Victoria Chang, Victoria Routledge, Zephyrine Craster and Zoe Lee.

If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast

Maisie Soetantyo is the founder of a nonprofit with a mission to improve employment prospects for autistic jobseekers and aspiring business owners.

In our conversation we talk about:

➡ Her experiences growing up with learning difficulties and processing disorders in a neurodivergent family

➡ Her thoughts on autism and employment, and how our special interests and even our stims can hold the key to what we should be doing with our lives.

➡ Her experiences as an ABA practitioner, how her thinking has evolved, and the work she now does to support autistic people.

Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes.

EPISODE LINKS:

Maisie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maisiesoetantyo/

Autism Career Pathways website: https://autismcareerpathways.org/

Her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maisie-soetantyo/

If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/

Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/

THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS!

A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast:

Previous Episode

101. S8 E9: From psychiatric trauma to autistic joy: a journey of healing and self discovery

Laura Richmond is a writer and researcher from Southampton in the UK. Now 35, she was diagnosed autistic last year.

She had an extremely difficult road to diagnosis. Social and emotional struggles in childhood led to her being in and out of the psychiatric system for 15 years, misdiagnosed and spending time in various psychiatric hospitals.

The turning point came when her son was born: after a traumatic birth she developed PTSD and spent time in a psychiatric mother and baby unit. Her positive experience there, so unlike her previous time in hospital, led her to begin writing about her experiences and unravelling her own history, eventually leading to her autism diagnosis and a book about her experiences that will be published very soon.

Laura and I covered so many different things in this conversation! Although some of the topics we discuss are not easy, I believe it’s so important that these stories are told.

Some of the things we talk about are:

➡ Why she was initially cautious about getting an autism diagnosis

➡ Her mental health challenges, self harm, and her time in psychiatric services

➡ Hyperlexia, sensory issues and the double empathy problem

➡ Her journey of self discovery through writing her memoir and tapping into autistic joy

CONTENT WARNING:

Please be aware that there is discussion of self harm, mental health difficulties, the psychiatric system and birth trauma from the start and at various points throughout this episode, so if you don’t wish to hear about these topics, you may want to skip this one.

Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes.

EPISODE LINKS:

Laura’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cooksferryqueen/

Her Twitter - https://twitter.com/cooksferryqueen

Her Linktree - https://linktr.ee/cooksferryqueen

Pre-order/buy her book - https://unbound.com/books/all-my-worldly-joy/

Information on autism and self harm from the National Autistic Society: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/mental-health/self-harm

If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/

Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/

THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS!

A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast:

If you’re enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month:

Next Episode

103. S8 E11: From feeling 'deficient' to self acceptance, research and advocating for autistic colleagues

Kirstie Pickles is an equine vet, academic, mum and mental health advocate from Derbyshire in the UK. Now 49, she was diagnosed autistic at 47, following her daughter’s diagnosis.

She is passionate about sharing her story and raising the awareness of neurodiversity to allow for better self-advocacy and reduce the stigma associated with autism, and is currently researching autism within her profession, and is involved in an autism awareness training programme for medical professionals as an expert by experience.

In our conversation we talk about:

➡ Her lifelong special interest and determination to become a vet, and her experience of thriving at school and university – but finding the transition from academia to the workplace difficult, and struggling to cope as a newly qualified vet

➡ How her diagnosis has helped her get accommodations at work

➡ The findings of her research into autistic vets, including ‘shocking’ statistics around their mental health and wellbeing

➡ How the research – that has relevance to all autistics who work or want to work – can be applied to better support autistic professionals and employees

➡ How she’s now advocating for herself and other autistic adults

CONTENT WARNING

During this conversation there’s a very brief mention of statistics around suicide.

Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes.

EPISODE LINKS:

Kirstie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstie-pickles-01ab6b150

If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/

Or on my website: https://squarepeg.community/

THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS!

A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast:

Abi Hunter, Adam Klager, Amy Adler, Amy-Beth Mellor, Anika Lacerte, Annette, Becky Beasley, Ben Davies, Caroline, Cat Preston, Catrin Green, Cindy Bailey, Clare Forrest, Clare Holmes, Corinne Cariad, Dana Bradley, Danielle Warby, Dennis McNulty, Elizabeth Williams, Erica Kenworthy, Erin Pineapple, Ewan McNeill, Felicia Libo, Fiona Connor, Galina, Gwyneth, Hannah Breslin, Heather Peake, Hegatronix, Jackie Allen, JF, Jayne Hutchinson, Jeff Goldman, Jen Bartlett, Julie, Katarzyna Tomaszewska, Kate and Kathryn, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine Lynch, Kenneth Knowles, Laura, Laurencia Saenz Benavides, Lea Li, Leo Ricketts, Lilli Simmons, Linda Brown, Liz, LQ, Lyb, Mandy Allen, Marjory Webber, Martine, Melissa Shaw, Meredith L. Freyre, MN, Paul Harris, Pete Burke, Rebecca, Rebecca Biegel, Rebecca Kemp, Sadie Slater, Sarah Cottrell, Sarah Jeffery, Sarah Ivinson, Sarah Swanton, Shauna Schramke, Suzanna Chen, Suzanne, Talia's Nature, Tammie Fabien, Tamsen Staniford, Tegan Bailey, Tessa Valyou, Tree Hall, Vic Wiener, Vicki Temple, Victoria Chang, Victoria Routledge, Wendy Walker, Zephyrine Craster and Zoe Lee.