In this blog post Iโll present several English-language podcast series on an often discussed but much-misunderstood topic: autism. (As a bonus, Iโve also included a few podcasts in German.)
To say that autism is often misunderstood is a major understatement: diagnostic criteria constantly shift and evolve, as does the terminology around ASD (the autism spectrum “disorder”). Most actually autistic people never get an official diagnosis in the first place, either because they donโt have access to the appropriate mental health channels, or because they themselves might be unaware of their autism (which is frequently the case with high-functioning autistics).
I have deliberately curated a small selection of podcasts created by adult auties and aspies, rather than medical professionals, neurotypicals or parents of autistic children. Youโll get to hear first-hand accounts of what it means to be autistic, to mask or to have a meltdown. If you happen to be autistic (or wondering whether you might be), in these episodes youโll also find a lot of encouragement and inspiration, especially if youโre someone who has just begun to figure things out.
Iโll be updating this post as I come across other podcasts. If youโre interested in this subject, please bookmark this page and visit from time to time to see whatโs new. Also, if there are other podcasts youโd like to recommend, in English, German, or any other language really, please post about them in the comments section at the bottom of this page or contact me privately!
Final note before we get down to business: if youโre struggling with some of the autism-related words and phrases, check out the free ebook Neurodiversity Affirming Glossary of Key Vocabulary that Iโve reviewed here on the blog.
1800 Seconds on Autism
This BBC Radio 4 podcast has been running since 2018. Hosted by Robyn Steward and Jamie Knight, each episode is an interview with an autistic person โ some of them public figures โ on a wide variety of topics. Each episode is about 30 minutes long and you can access themย via the BBC Sounds platform or in most podcast clients.ย
Aspergers and Autism Talk
Bite-size episodes on all things ASD and ADHD. This podcast is hosted by Dan, a man with a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome, and at the moment of writing there are about 150 episodes available. (A small warning: Dan tends to talk very fast, which Iโm only mentioning for the benefit of those who arenโt native speakers of English.) Iโm not aware of an official website, but you can access the episodes on Spotify or subscribe to it in your podcast app.ย
Aspieland
Hosted by John ‘Allen’ Knoblock and currently in its third season, Aspieland is more specifically focused on Aspergerโs Syndrome, which is a somewhat outdated term for high-functioning autism. Episodes are about 20 minutes long; some are Johnโs personal accounts of his experience of being an โaspieโ, others are short interviews with people on the autism spectrum. To visit the official website, click here.ย
UPDATE: Sadly, John passed away in May 2023, and the podcast has been discontinued. The website is still up and running, though.
Meet My Autistic Brain
Hosted by a podcast creator who goes by the name of The Autistic Woman, this series is made from the perspective of someone whoโs been late diagnosed. Released weekly, this podcast has been running since January 2021; episodes vary in length โ between 3 and 20 minutesย โย and each one is on a particular and very practical, topic. The podcast is inclusive of self-diagnosed and undiagnosed autistics. Youโll find all the available episodes on the official website, and in most podcast clients.ย
Thoughty Auti
I canโt praise this podcast enough. Unlike the ones previously mentioned, which tend to be quite short, Thoughty Auti is much more in-depth, with most episodes lasting well over an hour. Hosted by Thomas Henley, each episode is a conversation with an autistic person sharing about their experiences, challenges, and victories. Thoughty Auti is available on Spotify and in all good podcast apps. If you prefer to watch videos, you can access them on Thomasโ YouTube channel.ย
The Autism Podcast
This podcast series has been produced by the London Autism Group Charity. Episodes include interviews with mental health experts and autistic advocates, with a focus on social acceptance and de-stigmatization of autism. The episodes are available on Podbean and elsewhere.ย
BONUS: GERMAN-LANGUAGE AUTISM PODCASTS
I know for a fact that I have a lot of readers and social media contacts from the German-speaking countries, so Iโll include here just a few podcasts in German that Iโve had a chance to listen to, with an abbreviated copy of their official summaries in German.
Autismus – Der Podcast
Ein Podcast rund um die vielseitigen Themengebieten des Autismus Spektrums. Entdecke die Seiten des Autismus, welche seltsam erscheinen mรถgen und doch so spannend wie auch unterhaltsam sind. – Verstehen sowie Verstรคndnis schaffen – Respektieren und Anerkennung – Fรถrdern und stรคrken Tanja Jael widmet sich diesen Themen ausgiebig und voller Leidenschaft.
Im Detail โ Der Autismuspodcast
Der Podcast โIm Detailโ dient dazu, รผber Autismus-Spektrum-Stรถrung (ASS) zu informieren, auf die Gegebenheiten, Lebensverhรคltnisse, Belastungen und Nรถte von Autist:innen und deren Familien, aber auch die bisherige Versorgungsstruktur und Angebote im Raum Unterfranken aufzuzeigen, sowie auch auf andere Strukturen in ganz Deutschland hinzuweisen. Wir mรถchten dazu beitragen, dass Autist:innen die Hilfe in Anspruch nehmen kรถnnen, die sie brauchen.
Masken und Narben: Ein Fokus auf Autismus und Trauma
“Masken und Narben” ist ein einfรผhlsamer und informativer Podcast, der sich mit den Themen Autismus und Trauma auseinandersetzt. Geleitet von mir, Sofia Weavind, einer Heilpraktikerin fรผr Psychotherapie, Traumatherapeutin und EMDR-Therapeutin, bietet dieser Podcast persรถnliche Erfahrungen und professionelle Expertise.
COVER PHOTO CREDIT
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.
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