Autism Empowerment Radio

Do you have a budding or established artist in the family? Today Karen with Autism Empowerment Radio is delighted to interview Michael Tolleson, Educational Director and Jack Carl Anderson, Educational Headmaster of The HeART of the Spectrum.  The HeART of the Spectrum is a vibrant community art center based in Seattle, Washington dedicated to assisting individuals on the autism spectrum develop their skills and express themselves in a creative and safe environment. They offer mentored art sessions and inspire the language of ART, giving each student the vocabulary to be understood. Both Michael and Jack Carl are accomplished artists and happen to be on the spectrum themselves. You can find their art displayed at HeART, The Gallery in Seattle where Michael is also the Director Curator. Michael's art will also be featured in the upcoming Aspie Mentors book, "Been There, Done That, Try This." http://www.HeARToftheSpectrum.com http://www.ContinuumHeARTinMotion.com info@heartofthespectrum.com 

We are excited to be talking today with Sandy Silveria, founder of We're Outta Here Travel, an innovative travel service based out of Clark County, Washington which allows individuals with developmental disabilities to have a one-of-a-kind vacation experience that is customized to their special interests. Sandy is both travel companion and tour guide and she absolutely loves what she does. In the 10 years of operating this business, she has taken clients on cruises, trips to Hawaii, trips to Europe, adventures to Disneyland and some interesting and memorable ventures which she will be sharing with us on Autism Empowerment Radio. (As an Aspie with her own special passions and travel interests, radio host, Karen Krejcha asked Sandy in advance if anyone ever had a special interest vacation that was different than most and she did say yes and has a fun story to share! Tune in!) Clients of We're Outta Here Travel get the opportunity for relaxation, fun, dignity and acceptance. Sandy does whatever she can to make the vacation totally about the client! Listen in as we take a virtual vacation together! In addition to her traveling experience, Sandy has extensive background working with the Clark County Developmental Disabilities Parent Coalition and is a well respected advocate, pioneer, mentor and trainer in the SW WA community. You may reach her at sandy@woh-travel.com

Today we welcome Cherie and Ron Schadler to Autism Empowerment Radio. They are parents to Joey Schadler, an inspirational Eagle Scout with Asperger's who overcame some tough challenges on his scouting journey and has mentored other scouts on the autism spectrum. We wanted to bring Cherie and Ron on air to share what their own journey has been like, both in parenting and homeschooling a son on the spectrum and in learning that they too self-identify as having Asperger's. Cherie first learned about Asperger's when her son was 15 and realized that the characteristics described both her son and her husband. Later she realized as she learned more about the autism spectrum that not only does her son and husband identify with the spectrum but she does too, which has helped life make more sense and helped to explain some of the everyday struggles they faced with communication, socializing and how to best teach and parent their son.  It has not always been an easy journey but through self-discovery, a long-lasting love for each other and the grace of God, they have made it through and want to share their journey so that they may be able to help other parents who may be experiencing similar circumstances.  Cherie and Ron met as children and married in 1984. They have a love for music, the outdoors and helping others. They are founders of Bayou Town Productions, a traveling educational puppet show that has been in business since 1990.  Cherie is the author of "Welcome to Bayou Town!" and "When the Rain Came Down in Bayou Town." http://www.bayoutown.com

Spectrums Magazine was created by Courtney Freitag, an Oregon mom of a child on the autism spectrum. Courtney wanted to help individuals and families along the way in their autism journey and had a vision for Spectrums. This free grassroots community magazine hopes to minimize much of the fragmented, siloed approach parents can experience with finding information and resources. Today, Karen with Autism Empowerment Radio sits down with Courtney to talk about the magazine's premiere issue which is being distributed in Oregon and Southwest Washington in late March and April 2013. Spectrums Magazine is the only of its kind in the region. Both the printed magazine and website have the goal of centralizing information and being the go-to resource for parents and individuals on the autism spectrum, no matter where they’re at in the autism journey and where they fall on the spectrum. Combined with thoughtful editorial stories, Spectrums Magazine hopes to create a newsroom and archive of helpful news articles and information. Spectrums Magazine is a way to give back by building a strong community and fostering dialogue to find the positive in living along the autism spectrum. Spectrums Magazine's Editorial Advisory Board includes Genevieve Athens, Autism Lifespan Coach, Michael Brooke, PsyD, Brooke Psychologists, Amy Donaldson, from Portland State University's Autism & Child Language Disorders Laboratory, Karen Krejcha, co-founder and Executive Director of Autism Empowerment and Jody Wright from Providence's Swindells Resource Center. Listen in as we learn more about Courtney and her vision for Spectrums Magazine. http://www.spectrumsmagazine.com  

Zev Glassenberg and his best friend, Justin Kanew won the hearts of America when the duo competed on The Amazing Race in Season 15 and again in Season 18.  Zev was the first contestant with Asperger's Syndrome to ever compete on the CBS 13 time Emmy award-winning series. He inspired many worldwide and has been warmly embraced by the Autism & Asperger communities. Zev and Justin were honored by Holly Robinson Peete and Rodney Peete with the HollyRod Champion Award in 2012. Tune in as Karen Krejcha with Autism Empowerment Radio talks with Zev about his Amazing Race experience, his awesome silver pajamas and his friendship with Justin Kanew. We'll also chat about Let's Get Digital, Zev's weekly internet radio in TV show that airs live on Wednesdays at 6 pm PST with friends and co-hosts, Justin and Kevin. Catch Let's Get Digital on http://tradiov.com/la/ You can find more of Zev's updates at www.zevandjustin.com Follow him at @zevglassenberg and @letusgetdigital

In the autism community, the word "recovery" can invoke a variety of emotions, some positive and hopeful, some skeptical and negative. So let's talk about that in an open, intelligent and respectful way.  Today Karen at Autism Empowerment Radio talks with John and Miriah White, parents of boy and girl twins and founders of Mighty Oak Autism Consulting. When their son was around the age of 2, he received an autism diagnosis. As many parents do, Miriah and John set out to learn everything they could about autism. Almost four years of 40 hour weeks of in-home, on-the-floor, face-to-face autism therapy worked for him and their son's autism re-evaluation showed he no longer met the criteria for autism. At 6 years old he is in a mainstream classroom and according to his teacher, indistiguishable from his peers.  He is a socially appropriate, inquisitive and intelligent boy who loves to spend time with his twin sister and his friends. Now John and Miriah help other parents as well through individual consulting. John has a Master's in Education with an emphasis in Autism and is currently a high school teacher of students with learning disabilities. Miriah is a stay-at-home mom, having taken a medical leave from her teaching career to take care of her son and consult with autism families. John shares, "children on the autism spectrum develop on a different trajectory than neurotypical children and those trajectories vary greatly within autism. But sometimes parents can significantly change their child's trajectory with effective early intervention. Usually, even with early intervention, children continue to meet the criteria for autism. But their functioning - and therefore their futures improve."

If you live in SW Washington, have a child or teenager with an IEP or 504 plan and are looking for support navigating the local school system, come check out SEPTSA where you will be welcomed, accepted and encouraged. The Special Education Parent Teacher Student Association of Southwest Washington is cross-district and enjoys the distinction of being the first Special Ed PTA unit in Washington state.  Listen in as SEPTSA President, Brandi Dyment sits down with Autism Empowerment Radio to talk about the goals of their organization, upcoming events and how you can get connected.  Brandi is well known in the Vancouver community as an active volunteer. In addition to SEPTSA, she is also a TOPSoccer Coach and the Outreach Chair for the Washington State PTA Region 3. She also teamed up with Regal Cascade 16 to start My Way (Sensory Friendly) Matinee in Vancouver in 2011. Brandi and her family can often be seen participating in, volunteering for and supporting many local cross-disability acceptance events. She is a passionate and driven advocate and an amazing volunteer in the Southwest Washington community. http://vancouvercouncilpta.org/SEPTSA__Events.php septsainfo@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Special-Education-PTsA-of-SW-Washington-SEPTSA/170823742959661?fref=ts

Where do we go in Washington state to get connected when it comes to helping individuals living with autism? What services are accessible from the state? How do we plug in? How do we navigate the often confusing and complex systems maze? Good information leads to better choices and decisions for people on the autism spectrum or with other developmental disabilities and differences, yet survey data shows many families say they do not get enough information to effectively participate in planning services for their family members.  This is of concern to Autism Empowerment and other advocacy and support organizations that believe clear, concise information from trusted sources is critical to every family’s ability to access resources and care for individuals on the autism spectrum. Listen in today as Autism Empowerment Radio interviews Eva Rooks, Communication and Planning Manager for the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council.  We will talk about current priorities for the DDC and we'll learn how to plug into and navigate the WA state Informing Families, Building Trust website, blog and informational outreach. Sponsored by the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council, in collaboration with the Division of Developmental Disabilities and others, the IFBT goal is to provide information about issues, services and supports that make a difference in the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Website: https://fortress.wa.gov/com/csddcinformingfamilies//Default.aspx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InformingFamilies

What is Social Thinking and how does it pertain to individuals on the autism spectrum? Are social skills dynamic and situational? Who is Superflex and how does he know the Unthinkables? How does teaching social-decision making vary when working with children, teens and adults? We're going to be discussing the answers to all these questions. Join us today as Karen Krejcha with Autism Empowerment Radio interviews internationally known speaker, author and speech language pathologist, Michelle Garcia Winner, MA, CCC-SLP. Michelle coined the term "Social Thinking" in the mid-1990s and continued to evolve the Social Thinking framework that today includes information, vocabulary, curriculum, and strategies that help individuals with social learning challenges become better social thinkers. Her years of experience demonstrated that lessons taught through Social Thinking could apply across a range of learning challenges that extended well beyond Autism, Asperger Syndrome and ASD, to individuals with ADHD, nonverbal learning challenges, as well as those with head injuries or emotional learning challenges. In addition to The Social Thinking Center / Clinic in San Jose, CA, Michelle also founded Social Thinking Publishing and has written or co-authored more than 20 books on Social Thinking. She is internationally recognized as a thoughtful and proflic writer and travels around the world speaking on a multitude of topics related to Social Thinking.   Michelle is presenting at a variety of conferences throughout the United States in February, March and April. For information, please visit: http://socialthinking.com/conferences https://www.facebook.com/socialthinking

Our sister station, Autism and Scouting Radio recently hosted an inspirational interview with Joey Schadler, a new Eagle Scout from Mississippi who self-identifies on the autism spectrum with Asperger Syndrome. Karen at Autism Empowerment Radio has invited Joey on air today to share with our listeners about his journey on the road to Eagle Scout.  Joey overcame a lot of challenges within his scout troop as well as within himself in order to advance through the Cub Scout and Boy Scout ranks. One of the biggest challenges he overcame was bullying. Empowered with knowledge he learned through education and life experience, this inspirational young man now serves as a mentor to other scouts on the autism spectrum. Be sure to tune in! Catch Joey's previous interview on Autism and Scouting Radio here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/autismandscoutingradio/2012/12/07/soaring-with-eagles--a-story-of-inspiration

The next time you visit the Great America theme park in Santa Clara, CA, listen to the loudspeaker carefully. The different voices you'll hear are very likely from professional voiceover artist, actor and Aspie, Jonathan C. Murphy.  You'll get a chance to hear many examples of Jonathan's voice acting today at Autism Empowerment Radio. You're also going to hear his most important voice, his own. We'll be asking him questions about his acting and voiceover career and give him center stage to share about his life story. Jonathan was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome when he was 13. Says his mom, Jodi in a recent article for SF Gate, "My son's life has been quite the adventure, from being the boy that paced in the corner to being a social outcast, bullied and reclusive, to commanding a stage, making people laugh with him (and not at him), and earning the respect of professionals in his industry. He still struggles with seemingly simple daily living skills, but he perseveres and never gives up."  His Mom, Jodi doesn't give up either. Read her recent guest blog at Autism Empowerment, "Super Powers? Moms Trump Superheroes Every Time."  Jonathan also performs on stage and in film. He is represented by Look Talent and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.  You can find Jon's website, view his resume and listen to samples of his voiceover work at http://jonincharacter.com/ Also check out his family's upcoming book app series about a real life Aspie superhero's quest to be "normal" and a family who wants him to be anything but! www.GeekClubBooks.com

Today, we're in for some fun! Karen with Autism Empowerment Radio is interviewing popular Aspie cartoonist, Matt Friedman, creator of the cartoon series, blog and book, Dude, I'm An Aspie. Matt was looking for a clear and fun way to explain his Asperger's traits to others so back in 2009 he created, Dude I'm An Aspie as a way to help friends and family understand where he was coming from. His cartoons are funny and relatable. His humor speaks well to those with and without Asperger's. Matt Friedman is an autism advocate, cartoonist, writer, and nonprofit fundraiser/marketer. Since 2009, he has authored the blog "Dude, I'm An Aspie," depicting life with Asperger's syndrome with honesty and humor. Matt self-identified as an Aspie in his mid-thirties. Recognizing his obsessive doodling in elementary school had been a special interest, he returned to drawing after 20 years. The first "Dude" cartoon was his own disclosure of Asperger's to friends and family. http://www.dudeimanaspie.com

We are delighted to have Yvonne Mikulencak, Director and Founder of the Asperger Women's Association joining us today at Autism Empowerment Radio.  Karen from Autism Empowerment will be talking with Yvonne about her personal background and passions such as Studio Art, Acting, Scuba Diving and Wildlife.  We'll also learn about the story about the founding of the Aspergers Women's association (a year after Yvonne was diagnosed on the autism spectrum) and find out what educational and support services they provide today. The Aspergers Women’s Association (AWA) is the first global network dedicated to empowering women and girls with Aspergers and Autism. AWA serves to educate the public on issues unique to women and girls on the spectrum, as well as their families.  We believe that we can best educate each other by exchanging ideas, experiences, and philosophies in a forum, fostering a community that encourages involvement. We strive to discover and share knowledge that inspires us to succeed. We embrace the gifts and abilities given to us, and navigate our lives with a positive character that honors womankind, with or without Autism. AWA promotes the writings, art, music, professional and academic achievements of women of all ages on the spectrum. AWA is an environment for sharing, including the network of other outstanding organizations and resources. AWA membership is free. Visit http://www.aspergerwomen.org for details. For a video message from Yvonne, visit: http://www.aspergerwomen.org/about-us

Today's special guest at Autism Empowerment Radio is an incredible woman, Tobi Burch Rates, Executive Director of the Autism Society of Oregon. We are excited to talk with Tobi about her role with the Autism Society and to hear about their organization's programs and upcoming events. The Autism Society of Oregon is a very active chapter. Their mission is to empower individuals with Autism, their families and their service providers to improve the quality of their lives through support and information. Tobi is the mother of two children, both of whom are autistic. Her older son has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, while her younger son is more severely affected by autism. She understands that autism is a spectrum disorder, observing how her own children have bery different support needs and have responded differently  to different types of therapy and treatments. Having moved to Oregon three years ago, she has had to learn how to navigate the educational, medical, governmental and community support systems available. Mentoring parents new to the autism diagnosis and/or new to Oregon, and instilling the ability to self-advocate in her own children, as well as supporting self-advocacy for everyone on the autism spectrum, are areas of particular interest. Before becoming Executive Director of the ASO, Tobi was a volunteer Board Member for two years, and most recently Vice-President of the Board of Directors. She previously practiced law in the Washington, DC metro area and in Boulder, Colorado. She currently volunteers with the Portland Asperger's Network, and is a IEP Parent-Partner volunteer through the the OrPTI program of the r.i.s.e. Center. http://www.autismsocietyoregon.org

When you visit MaxNMeStudio.com, you'll see at the top: Max has autism. I am his Mom. Together we create kids' books to raise money for charities. Autism Empowerment Radio is excited to interview childrens' book authors and book illustrators, McNall Mason and her 10 year old son, Max Suarez. We'll be talking about their debut book, Max from the Planet of Cool and learn about Max N Me Studios, a special place which celebrates autism, acceptance and unconditional love through the expression of art. We'll be learning about Max & McNall's journey with autism and how they've turned challenges with transition (such as moving to a new school and making new friends) into a colorful children's story written to help themselves and to help others. Max and McNall have had art wall hangings featured in galleries and at the Children's Museum in Olympia, at cafes and coffee shops in Olympia and Seattle, and won an honorable mention award at The Queen Anne Arts Walk in 2010.  Max from the Planet of Cool is the first book in a series of seven books called: Magic Friendships and how they start. Each colorful book raises money for charity and celebrates creativity. We'll be talking about the 3 books that McNall and Max have created so far and hear what they have planned for the future! http://www.maxnmestudio.com https://twitter.com/whatmaxsaid