Autism, more accurately known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a complex neurological and developmental condition that impacts how individuals perceive the world and interact with others. It’s not a disease—it’s a different way of thinking, feeling, and experiencing the environment. ASD typically appears in early childhood, often before the age of three, and continues throughout a person’s life. People with autism often face challenges in social communication, behavior, and sensory processing. But here’s the thing: no two people with autism are the same. One person might need a lot of support in daily life, while another could live independently and even excel in areas like art, Technology, or mathematics. That’s why it’s called a “spectrum”—it includes a wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of disability. Our Experts in this section of the site dive deeper into the details of what autism really is, how it’s diagnosed, what causes it, and how people on the spectrum live rich, fulfilling lives.
Autism isn’t always about difficulties. Many autistic people have exceptional memory, attention to detail, and deep knowledge of topics they’re passionate about. It’s important to recognize both the challenges and the strengths that can come with ASD. Autism is not caused by Parenting style, vaccines, or emotional Trauma—those are harmful myths. Instead, it’s largely rooted in differences in brain development.
Autism Specialists & Contributors
Amy Taylor Mental Health Warrior & Neurospicy Mama
What if joy isn't something you find after life gets easier? What if joy is something you choose in the middle of the mess? In this powerful and deeply moving episode, I sit down with TEDx speaker, educator, storyteller, and self-proclaimed "joy bringer" Shannon Donohoe-Simpson. Shannon shares …
What if joy isn't something you find after life gets easier? What if joy is something you choose in the middle of the mess? In this powerful and deeply moving episode, I sit down with TEDx speake…
What if joy isn't something you find after life gets easier? What if joy is something you choose in the middle of the mess? In this powerful and deeply moving episode, I sit down with TEDx speaker, educator, storyteller, and self-proclaimed "joy bringer" Shannon Donohoe-Simpson. Shannon shares her remarkable journey through childhood trauma, breast cancer, parenting children with unique challenges, divorce, emotional healing, and the life-changing lessons she discovered along the way. At just 34 years old, Shannon was diagnosed with aggressive triple-negative breast cancer while raising …
Send us Fan MailOne sentence from a professional can steal your breath for years, and one unexpected win can finally give it back. We sit down with Dr. Norinne Russell, educator, advocate, and founder of Russell Coaching for Students, to talk about the part of parenting neurodiverse kids that rarely…
Send us Fan MailOne sentence from a professional can steal your breath for years, and one unexpected win can finally give it back. We sit down with Dr. Norinne Russell, educator, advocate, and founder…
Send us Fan MailOne sentence from a professional can steal your breath for years, and one unexpected win can finally give it back. We sit down with Dr. Norinne Russell, educator, advocate, and founder of Russell Coaching for Students, to talk about the part of parenting neurodiverse kids that rarely gets said out loud: the seasons when you never fully exhale, the loneliness behind the logistics, and the way “normal” expectations can quietly become a trap.We get real about autism, ADHD, anxiety, DMDD, and uneven development in the teen years, especially during the young adult transition. Dr…
Send us Fan MailWhat happens when the Pinterest-perfect vision you had of motherhood clashes with a chaotic reality? In this candid episode of Quiet Connection, I’m connecting with Stephanie, a mother of two and the founder of Connection Therapy Clinic. Stephanie shares her whirlwind transition i…
Send us Fan MailWhat happens when the Pinterest-perfect vision you had of motherhood clashes with a chaotic reality? In this candid episode of Quiet Connection, I’m connecting with Stephanie, a mot…
Send us Fan MailWhat happens when the Pinterest-perfect vision you had of motherhood clashes with a chaotic reality? In this candid episode of Quiet Connection, I’m connecting with Stephanie, a mother of two and the founder of Connection Therapy Clinic. Stephanie shares her whirlwind transition into parenting, from a chaotic emergency room diagnosis story to navigating the everyday complexities of raising an autistic child with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).Stephanie opens up about the exhausting reality of survival mode, the press…
Send us Fan MailWhat happens when the Pinterest-perfect vision you had of motherhood clashes with a chaotic reality? In this candid episode of Quiet Connection, I’m connecting with Stephanie, a mother of two and the founder of Connection Therapy Clinic. Stephanie shares her whirlwind transition i…
Send us Fan MailWhat happens when the Pinterest-perfect vision you had of motherhood clashes with a chaotic reality? In this candid episode of Quiet Connection, I’m connecting with Stephanie, a mot…
Send us Fan MailWhat happens when the Pinterest-perfect vision you had of motherhood clashes with a chaotic reality? In this candid episode of Quiet Connection, I’m connecting with Stephanie, a mother of two and the founder of Connection Therapy Clinic. Stephanie shares her whirlwind transition into parenting, from a chaotic emergency room diagnosis story to navigating the everyday complexities of raising an autistic child with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).Stephanie opens up about the exhausting reality of survival mode, the press…
Hey Friends~
Have you ever found yourself thinking, "Why isn't my child listening?" Or wondering why they can do something one day but seem completely unable the next?
Before we assume it's defiance, laziness, or a bad attitude, what if we asked a different question: What if communication is what'…
Hey Friends~
Have you ever found yourself thinking, "Why isn't my child listening?" Or wondering why they can do something one day but seem completely unable the next?
Before we assume it's defiance…
Hey Friends~
Have you ever found yourself thinking, "Why isn't my child listening?" Or wondering why they can do something one day but seem completely unable the next?
Before we assume it's defiance, laziness, or a bad attitude, what if we asked a different question: What if communication is what's hard?
For the past three months, we've been exploring the many ways communication can get disrupted—both in understanding and in expressing. Today, I'm bringing the whole series together so you can see the big picture and walk away with practical ideas to help your child communicate with greater…
Send us Fan MailAre you tired of typical lying politicians who offer nothing but empty campaign promises? Meet Phillip Parrish—a farmer, successful businessman, former U.S. Navy Intelligence officer, and devoted Christian who is running for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota alongside Mike Lindell. …
Send us Fan MailAre you tired of typical lying politicians who offer nothing but empty campaign promises? Meet Phillip Parrish—a farmer, successful businessman, former U.S. Navy Intelligence officer…
Send us Fan MailAre you tired of typical lying politicians who offer nothing but empty campaign promises? Meet Phillip Parrish—a farmer, successful businessman, former U.S. Navy Intelligence officer, and devoted Christian who is running for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota alongside Mike Lindell. This is an unfiltered, deeply honest look at the man who intends to help clean up the state's infrastructure and restore integrity to the Midwest. In the first half of this special interview, Phillip shares his encouraging personal journey of faith, processing life tragedies through writing, a…
One diagnosis flipped a scientist's entire life upside down, and led her to research that's giving parents real hope.Dr. Theresa Lyons, scientist and autism mom, joins Brigitte Cutshall on Real Things Living to break down what autism actually is — a wide spectrum that can look completely different…
One diagnosis flipped a scientist's entire life upside down, and led her to research that's giving parents real hope.Dr. Theresa Lyons, scientist and autism mom, joins Brigitte Cutshall on Real Things…
One diagnosis flipped a scientist's entire life upside down, and led her to research that's giving parents real hope.Dr. Theresa Lyons, scientist and autism mom, joins Brigitte Cutshall on Real Things Living to break down what autism actually is — a wide spectrum that can look completely different from one child to the next. She explains why autism is rooted in the nervous system, not "bad behavior," how nutrition and gut health can drive emotional outbursts and hyperactivity, and shares groundbreaking research showing autism isn't always lifelong. This is a conversation full of compassion, …
Are today’s teens experiencing a true mental health crisis—or are parents being encouraged to label normal adolescent struggles as disorders? In this thought-provoking episode of the Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam Podcast, adolescent psychologist sits down with renowned child and adolescent psychi…
Are today’s teens experiencing a true mental health crisis—or are parents being encouraged to label normal adolescent struggles as disorders? In this thought-provoking episode of the Parenting Tee…
Are today’s teens experiencing a true mental health crisis—or are parents being encouraged to label normal adolescent struggles as disorders? In this thought-provoking episode of the Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam Podcast, adolescent psychologist sits down with renowned child and adolescent psychiatrist, author of Searching for Normal, to unpack the rising diagnoses of ADHD, anxiety, depression, and autism in teens.
Parents today are overwhelmed trying to determine when teenage mood swings, defiance, anxiety, and emotional outbursts are “normal” and when they signal something more serio…
What if the “bad behavior” you’re trying to stop is actually your child’s way of saying, “I don’t have the skills or words to tell you what I need?”In this eye-opening episode of Parenting on the Spectrum, Theresa sits down with Katherine Sellery. She is a three-time TEDx speaker and…
What if the “bad behavior” you’re trying to stop is actually your child’s way of saying, “I don’t have the skills or words to tell you what I need?”In this eye-opening episode of Paren…
What if the “bad behavior” you’re trying to stop is actually your child’s way of saying, “I don’t have the skills or words to tell you what I need?”In this eye-opening episode of Parenting on the Spectrum, Theresa sits down with Katherine Sellery. She is a three-time TEDx speaker and founder of the Conscious Parenting Revolution. They discuss conscious parenting, emotional regulation, autism, and connection-based parenting strategies. Together, they unpack power struggles, meltdowns, unmet needs, and the importance of moving away from punishment, labels, and control-based paren…
Hey Friends~
Some kids can talk—but don’t in certain situations. Maybe they suddenly go silent at school, church, or around other people. In this episode of our When Communication Is Hard series, we’re talking about selective mutism and anxiety-based communication challenges. These children …
Hey Friends~
Some kids can talk—but don’t in certain situations. Maybe they suddenly go silent at school, church, or around other people. In this episode of our When Communication Is Hard series…
Hey Friends~
Some kids can talk—but don’t in certain situations. Maybe they suddenly go silent at school, church, or around other people. In this episode of our When Communication Is Hard series, we’re talking about selective mutism and anxiety-based communication challenges. These children may have the words, know what they want to say, and still feel unable to access their voice in certain situations.
We’ll look at what may be happening beneath the silence, why pressure backfires and makes talking harder, and how safety, predictability, and connection gently support speech over tim…
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Michele Simms
June 24, 2026
Chelsea Myers 
Dinalynn Rosenbush 
David Pasqualone 
Brigitte Cutshall 
Cameron Caswell 