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April Ratchford MS OT/L April

I’m April, an occupational therapist, autism advocate, and the host of Adulting with Autism, a podcast dedicated to elevating the voices of late-diagnosed adults, parents, and professionals navigating life on the spectrum. As a mom to an autistic young adult, I blend clinical insight with lived experience—offering honest conversations, practical tools, and moments of levity for those walking similar paths.

I’m passionate about bridging generational gaps around neurodivergence, Mental Health, and independent living. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or neurodivergent adult yourself, my goal is to make sure no one feels alone in the process of “figuring it out.” When I’m not recording, you can find me writing, drinking too much espresso, or planning my second home in South Korea.

Recent Content

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Autistic Remote Work: Flow States &Amp; Productivity | Steven Puri &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Remote Work: Flow States & Productivity | Steven Puri

Autistic remote work struggles? Steven Puri (20+ years leading teams at DreamWorks/20th Century Fox, 3x tech CEO, The Sukha founder w/ 34K community) shares Hollywood/tech secrets: Flow states (Csiksz…

Autistic remote work…

Autistic remote work struggles? Steven Puri (20+ years leading teams at DreamWorks/20th Century Fox, 3x tech CEO, The Sukha founder w/ 34K community) shares Hollywood/tech secrets: Flow states (Csikszentmihalyi-inspired: Lose time, high-quality work, feel energized), music (60-90 BPM non-vocals for entry), distraction blocks (phone/sites as dopamine traps), boundaries (set upfront to avoid Burnout), and failure as Growth (learn from flops, not dwell). For ND young adults grinding focus/Anxiety, parents/OTs fostering habits, or allies building hybrid teams, this ramble's your toolkit—ADHD ina…

Listen · 41:25
Neurodivergent Social App: Synchrony W/ Founders | Jan 2026 &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Neurodivergent Social App: Synchrony w/ Founders | Jan 2026

ND social isolation? Synchrony co-founders Jamie Pastrano (mom/CSW), Brittany Moser (M.A. autism specialist), and Rebecca Matchett (COO/entrepreneur) spill on their Jan 2026 launch: First AI-supported…

ND social isolation?…

ND social isolation? Synchrony co-founders Jamie Pastrano (mom/CSW), Brittany Moser (M.A. autism specialist), and Rebecca Matchett (COO/entrepreneur) spill on their Jan 2026 launch: First AI-supported app for neurodivergent adults 18+—interest-matching, safety (ID/reference verification), and 'Jesse' AI coach for chats/boundaries (express feelings, decode flirty/friendly, protect comfort). From Jamie's son Jesse inspiring the vision to global goals (US-based, accommodations for nonverbal/spectrum), it's independence + community—no more cliffs, just synced belonging. For autistic/ADHD/AuDHD…

Listen · 37:00
Autistic Trauma Patterns: Break Reenactments | Dr. Tony Iezzi &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Trauma Patterns: Break Reenactments | Dr. Tony Iezzi

Autistic pattern loops trapping you? Dr. Tony Iezzi (35+ years clinical psychologist, Reenactments co-author) shares: From Vietnam vets to ND challenges, his Therapy framework—awareness (spot them…

Autistic pattern loo…

Autistic pattern loops trapping you? Dr. Tony Iezzi (35+ years clinical psychologist, Reenactments co-author) shares: From Vietnam vets to ND challenges, his therapy framework—awareness (spot themes like rejection/abandonment), regulate physiology (walks/music to calm revved systems), and interrupt habits (new actions over rage/stewing)—breaks unconscious reenactments from childhood chaos. For autistic/ADHD young adults reacting to environments, parents modeling reflection, or allies fostering tools, this convo's your toolkit—journaling for insight, themes over events ("Treat sensitivi…

Listen · 43:12
Autistic Trauma Healing: Did &Amp; Resilience | Dr. Kirsten Harrison &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Trauma Healing: DID & Resilience | Dr. Kirsten Harrison

Send us a textAutistic Trauma unmasking? Dr. Kirsten Viola Harrison (Soul Wise Solutions founder, I, Sean/a co-author) shares: Befriending homeless intersex woman Sean/a (schizophrenia/street survival…

Send us a textAutist…

Send us a textAutistic trauma unmasking? Dr. Kirsten Viola Harrison (Soul Wise Solutions founder, I, Sean/a co-author) shares: Befriending homeless intersex woman Sean/a (schizophrenia/street survival to empowerment), she explores DID (trauma splitting for protection—body/soul survival), somatic healing ("body keeps the score"), energy vibes (protect via boundaries/allies), and surviving vs. thriving (claim genius pockets, no shame in masking). For autistic/ND folks processing bullying/loss, allies fostering empathy, or anyone tuning into quantum energy/gratitude resets, this convo's yo…

Listen · 48:39
Autistic Money Mindset: Rewrite Beliefs For Freedom | Estelle Gibson &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Money Mindset: Rewrite Beliefs for Freedom | Estelle Gibson

Send us a textAutistic Money struggles? Estelle Gibson (CPA, TED Speaker w/ 2.3M views, Poor by Choice? author) shares: Post-Divorce rebuild, her holistic Coaching customizes spending plans (not restr…

Send us a textAutist…

Send us a textAutistic money struggles? Estelle Gibson (CPA, TED Speaker w/ 2.3M views, Poor by Choice? author) shares: Post-divorce rebuild, her holistic coaching customizes spending plans (not restrictive budgets) for neurodivergent journeys—uncover environments shaping beliefs (society/Family/programming), flip permissive thoughts ("I'll do it tomorrow" to action), and manifestation formula (words → thoughts → beliefs → actions → experience). For autistic young adults starting bills-free, parents teaching necessities/wants, or anyone ditching 'I'm bad with math&apos…

Listen · 41:16
Autistic Employment Inclusion: Transition Strategies | Ben Schatzel &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Employment Inclusion: Transition Strategies | Ben Schatzel

Send us a textAutistic post-school Employment gaps? Ben Schatzel (Stannum Core Solutions founder, human behaviorist/autism advocate) shares: From therapy roots to tackling the 'service cliff&apos…

Send us a textAutist…

Send us a textAutistic post-school employment gaps? Ben Schatzel (Stannum Core Solutions founder, human behaviorist/autism advocate) shares: From therapy roots to tackling the 'service cliff' (2020 workforce pivot), his Spectrum Certified process (universal design visuals, Autism 101 training, skill-matched onboarding) boosts inclusion—phasing subminimum wage (Illinois Dignity in Pay Act) for competitive pay/independence. For autistic young adults listing strengths/weaknesses (score w/ trusted folks for dream roles), parents prepping transitions, or allies reforming labor, this con…

Listen · 36:53
Autistic Couples Communication: Repair Tips | Raffi Bilek &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Couples Communication: Repair Tips | Raffi Bilek

Send us a textAutistic couples arguing? Raffi Bilek (Marriage coach, The Couples Communication Handbook author) shares game-changers: Talk/listen turns (no simultaneous fights), reflect back to track …

Send us a textAutist…

Send us a textAutistic couples arguing? Raffi Bilek (marriage coach, The Couples Communication Handbook author) shares game-changers: Talk/listen turns (no simultaneous fights), reflect back to track feelings, I-statements for impact (not blame—"I feel hurt when..."), and split convos (explore problem first, solve later)—to avoid fight-or-flight spirals. For autistic/ND partners decoding body language/flat affect, allies learning patience, or anyone building bonds without insults, this convo's your toolkit—repair over perfection ("Relationships thrive on repair, not zero conflict").…

Listen · 34:30
Autistic Insomnia Hacks: 3:3 Breathing For Sleep | Raj Khedun &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Insomnia Hacks: 3:3 Breathing for Sleep | Raj Khedun

Send us a textAutistic insomnia overload? Raj Khedun (Keep Fit Kingdom manager, 3:3 Insomnia Hack inventor) shares: From 3-year-old curiosity (dinosaur/planet books sparking life's big Qs) to 10-…

Send us a textAutist…

Send us a textAutistic insomnia overload? Raj Khedun (Keep Fit Kingdom manager, 3:3 Insomnia Hack inventor) shares: From 3-year-old curiosity (dinosaur/planet books sparking life's big Qs) to 10-year monk mode (metaphysics/Yoga/philosophy/martial arts, women's relationship coaching), his 3:3 method (3 breaths in/3 out w/ "zaha" vagus activation) calms ADHD chatter/anxiety in 30-90 sec—no meds, releases endorphins/dopamine/anandamide (bliss molecule). For autistic/ND adults battling Sleep/rumination, parents seeking quick tools, or allies fostering calm, this live demo flips monkey …

Listen · 33:47
Autistic Recovery: 90-Day Framework For Purpose | Andrew Drasen &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Recovery: 90-Day Framework for Purpose | Andrew Drasen

Send us a textAutistic recovery from trauma/loss? Andrew Drasen (A Vision of Hope trilogy author) shares his 90-day framework: From addiction/incarceration to purpose (journaling in jail dayroom, iden…

Send us a textAutist…

Send us a textAutistic recovery from trauma/loss? Andrew Drasen (A Vision of Hope trilogy author) shares his 90-day framework: From addiction/incarceration to purpose (journaling in jail dayroom, identity restoration, cognitive shifts, goal-action plans, Legacy framing). Post-fiancée's suicide, he reframes setbacks as growth ("We go through what we're meant to become")—universal for stigma/burnout/reentry. For autistic young adults rebuilding identity, parents navigating obstacles, or allies fostering direction, this convo's your toolkit—no linear fixes, just momentum.Times…

Listen · 28:03
Autistic Recovery: 90-Day Framework For Purpose | Andrew Drasen &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Recovery: 90-Day Framework for Purpose | Andrew Drasen

Send us a textAutistic recovery from trauma/loss? Andrew Drasen (A Vision of Hope trilogy author) shares his 90-day framework: From addiction/incarceration to purpose (journaling in jail dayroom, iden…

Send us a textAutist…

Send us a textAutistic recovery from trauma/loss? Andrew Drasen (A Vision of Hope trilogy author) shares his 90-day framework: From addiction/incarceration to purpose (journaling in jail dayroom, identity restoration, cognitive shifts, goal-action plans, legacy framing). Post-fiancée's suicide, he reframes setbacks as growth ("We go through what we're meant to become")—universal for stigma/burnout/reentry. For autistic young adults rebuilding identity, parents navigating obstacles, or allies fostering direction, this convo's your toolkit—no linear fixes, just momentum.Times…

Listen · 28:03
Autistic Recovery: 90-Day Framework For Purpose | Andrew Drasen &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Recovery: 90-Day Framework for Purpose | Andrew Drasen

Send us a textAutistic recovery from trauma/loss? Andrew Drasen (A Vision of Hope trilogy author) shares his 90-day framework: From addiction/incarceration to purpose (journaling in jail dayroom, iden…

Send us a textAutist…

Send us a textAutistic recovery from trauma/loss? Andrew Drasen (A Vision of Hope trilogy author) shares his 90-day framework: From addiction/incarceration to purpose (journaling in jail dayroom, identity restoration, cognitive shifts, goal-action plans, legacy framing). Post-fiancée's suicide, he reframes setbacks as growth ("We go through what we're meant to become")—universal for stigma/burnout/reentry. For autistic young adults rebuilding identity, parents navigating obstacles, or allies fostering direction, this convo's your toolkit—no linear fixes, just momentum.Times…

Listen · 28:03
Autistic Self-Acceptance: Advocacy Wins W/ Martin Slyngstad &Raquo; Show Cover 1
Autistic Self-Acceptance: Advocacy Wins w/ Martin Slyngstad

Send us a textAutistic self-acceptance struggles? Martin Slyngstad (certified behavior specialist, Spire Autism founder, Chatterbox: My Life with Autism author) shares: Diagnosed at 5 amid bullying/mi…

Send us a textAutist…

Send us a textAutistic self-acceptance struggles? Martin Slyngstad (certified behavior specialist, Spire Autism founder, Chatterbox: My Life with Autism author) shares: Diagnosed at 5 amid bullying/misunderstandings, he channeled resilience into advocacy—training teachers/first responders (quiet rooms/stimming support after mistreatment news), global speaking (Dubai speech unlocked nonverbal kid's song), & Special Olympics/DJ passions. From writer's block to self-publishing (mother-son perspectives on transitions/hobbies), Martin's tips: Join ND Meetups for solo steps, use…

Listen · 34:57