Autistic Advocacy: Autism and Grief With Mady Synder

💔 CW: This episode includes discussions of death, suicide, and self-harm.

In this episode of Autistic Advocacy, Dr. Angela Kingdon is joined by neuroaffirming therapist Mady Snyder to explore the complexity of autistic grief. From the loss of people to the loss of routines, expectations, or identity, autistic grief shows up differently—and that difference deserves compassion, not correction.

This isn’t a clinical take on the “5 stages.” It’s a deeper dive into the ways grief, sensory processing, and special interests all intersect in the autistic experience.

🎧 What You’ll Learn

• What ambiguous loss is and why traditional grief models often miss the mark for autistic people
• How grief can show up as a nervous system overload, not just emotional sadness
• Why special interests can serve as powerful tools in grief processing
• How internalized ableism and social invalidation complicate the grieving process
• Why creating personal rituals—and yes, grieving a grilled-cheese sandwich—is valid and necessary
• Strategies for supporting your own unique grieving style

👤 Featured Guest: Mady Snyder, LMFT

Mady Snyder is an autistic, ADHD, PDA, OCD, and cPTSD-identified therapist in private practice in Pasadena, California. She specializes in Autism, parenting, mixed neurotype relationships, and creating truly neuroaffirming spaces. Mady is also a passionate educator and consultant—and in her downtime, she sings to her cats.

🌐 Visit Mady’s website

Related Episodes:

Autistic Sleep Problems

Aging and Executive Function

Autistic Affirming Social Skills

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