22. S2, Ep10: The interplay between physical health, diet and autistic traits

03/06/21 • 61 min

1 Listener

Tara was diagnosed autistic last year, after a conversation with her husband prompted some research into autism. She is 49 and lives in the northern United States, where she works as an visual artist and online education coordinator. Her childhood was unusual, and she now believes that her parents were probably both undiagnosed neurodivergent, and that this impacted on their behaviour and her own upbringing.

In our conversation we talk about:

➡ Her childhood, and why she believes her parents were neurodivergent

➡ Having a difficult relationship with food

➡ Autism and a lack of spacial awareness

➡ The interplay between physical health, diet and autistic traits

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:

If you relate to Tara’s experiences with food and would like to connect with her to share your experiences, you can email her using this address: [email protected]

Vegan Luke: https://www.tiktok.com/@veganluke

And the name for lack of spatial awareness? I couldn’t find a specific term for this, but it is common to both autistic people and those with dyspraxia.

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:

Corinne Cariad

Katharine Richards

Lilli Simmons

Sarah Hardy

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

In our conversation we talk about:

➡ Her childhood, and why she believes her parents were neurodivergent

➡ Having a difficult relationship with food

➡ Autism and a lack of spacial awareness

➡ The interplay between physical health, diet and autistic traits

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:

If you relate to Tara’s experiences with food and would like to connect with her to share your experiences, you can email her using this address: [email protected]

Vegan Luke: https://www.tiktok.com/@veganluke

And the name for lack of spatial awareness? I couldn’t find a specific term for this, but it is common to both autistic people and those with dyspraxia.

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:

Corinne Cariad

Katharine Richards

Lilli Simmons

Sarah Hardy

Previous Episode

21. S2, Ep9: Getting the right diagnosis: from borderline personality disorder to autism

Beth Rees is currently waiting for her autism assessment after being initially diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder.

She’s a mental health blogger in her thirties, and lives in Caerphilly in South Wales, where she also works for a local charity.

She’s hoping that sharing her story will help other autistic people who have been misdiagnosed with BPD.

In my conversation with Beth we talk about:

➡ Being diagnosed with BPD, then realising that the diagnosis doesn’t fit

➡ The journey of discovery - discovering all the things about ourselves that are actually autistic traits

➡ Questioning mental health diagnoses - is it depression or autistic burnout?

➡ Experiencing imposter syndrome when you don’t yet have a formal diagnosis

➡ Why parents need to be asked better questions during the diagnosis interview

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:

Information about BPD from Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/borderline-personality-disorder-bpd/about-bpd/

From Mind UK - What to do if you suspect your diagnosis is wrong: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/personality-disorders/why-is-it-controversial/#CouldMyDiagnosisBeWrong

Beth’s blog: www.justasquarepeg.com

Her Instagram: https://instagram.com/justasquarepegblog

Facebook page: https://facebook.com/justasquarepeg

Twitter: https://twitter.com/justasquarepeg

Books:

Women and Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Sarah Hendrickx)

Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism (Barb Cook and Dr Michelle Garnett)

Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum (Jennifer Cook O'Toole)

I Think I Might Be Autistic: A Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis and Self-Discovery for Adults (Cynthia Kim)

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/

Become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast

Next Episode

23. S2, Ep11: Autistic adults and children in therapy: attitudes and approaches

Deborah Cullinan was diagnosed autistic about 10 years ago. She is a psychotherapist in her early 60s, working in a busy CAMHS clinic (that’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) in Hertfordshire in the UK.

She started her career as an artist and art teacher, before retraining and qualifying in Psychoanalytic Child Therapy in 1992, a very different time in terms of mental health. She has gone on to create a role for herself as an autism specialist in CAMHS.

In our conversation we talk about:

➡ Her experience of psychoanalytic therapy

➡ Growing up in a dysfunctional (and possibly autistic) family

➡ How autistic people are accommodated in schools and workplaces

➡ How autism is viewed by psychotherapists and psychologists - and how attitudes have changed in the last 30 years

➡ Her hopes for autistic young people now and in the future.

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:

Deborah’s website: www.autism-psychology.co.uk

Article on trauma and autism - transformingautism.org

Differentbrains.org

Books:

A Spectrum Girls Survival Guide - Siena Castellon

Autism in Heels - Jennifer O’Toole

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/