Non-Speaking Is Not Non-Understanding: Autism-Affirming Inclusion with Amanda Toren

Non-speaking doesn’t mean non-understanding. In this episode, I sit down with Amanda Toren to rethink communication and real inclusion.

Amanda is an autism mom, speech and behavioral therapist, clinical autism specialist, and inclusion specialist who runs an inclusive martial arts academy. Together, we get honest about what belonging looks like beyond words—and what schools and programs often miss.

You’ll hear how Amanda builds autism-affirming environments where communication is a human right, why regulation comes before compliance, and how small wins add up to big change. I also press into the question so many parents and educators ask: What does success look like for a non-speaking student—and how do we know it’s happening?

I reveal the shift that changes outcomes in both the dojo and the classroom, and you’ll discover the first small step any educator can put in place tomorrow. We also talk about the quiet grief parents carry, what to say instead of “I’m sorry,” and the moment a single bow on the mat changed everything.

If you’ve wondered how AAC fits into sports, what “autism-affirming” really looks like, or why inclusion isn’t just “sharing a room,” this one’s for you.

About the Guest

Amanda Toren is an autism mom and a speech and behavioral therapist with 14+ years of experience. She’s a clinical autism specialist and inclusion specialist who owns an inclusive martial arts school focused on AAC, regulation, and strengths-based coaching for neurodivergent kids.

Timestamps

• 0:02 – Welcome and who Amanda is

• 1:12 – The early emotions of parenting a non-speaking child

• 3:03 – Behavior as communication and the role of AAC

• 6:31 – Support gaps and what to say instead of “I’m sorry”

• 12:19 – Why martial arts and what it builds beyond kicks and punches

• 16:33 – Honoring communication beyond words

• 18:08 – Autism-affirming inclusion in practice

• 20:29 – What well-meaning programs often get wrong

• 26:37 – Regulation before compliance: the shift

• 29:23 – A small step educators can use tomorrow

• 30:55 – The power of small wins: one student’s breakthrough

• 38:23 – Taking inclusion beyond one academy (Amanda’s e-book)

• 41:46 – Where to find Amanda

If this episode helped you, share it with a parent, teacher, or coach who cares about doing inclusion well.

Subscribe for more real conversations on autism, ADHD, AAC, regulation, and creating communities where everyone belongs.

#Neurodiversity #AutismAcceptance #AAC #Inclusion #SpecialEducation

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.

🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Seeing Ourselves in Fiction: Neurodivergent Characters That Actually Feel Real with Author Luna Westish

Representation isn’t just about labels—it’s about feeling seen. Today, I sit down with debut author Luna Westish to explore how fiction can shift how we understand Autism, ADHD, anxiety, and ourselves.

You’ll hear how Luna wrote a character readers either relate to deeply or find frustrating and why both reactions matter. I reveal the surprising moments that made me rethink labels, we compare “token” characters to fully human ones, and you’ll discover how inner monologue, sensory detail, and own voices storytelling can change empathy without turning pain into plot armor.

We also talk about growth that doesn’t erase struggle, the lines between honest depiction and drama, and why reading outside our comfort zones prepares us for real life at home, in classrooms, and in community.

If you’ve never seen yourself on the page, this conversation offers a starting point and a few questions that might change what you pick up next

About the Guest

Luna Westish is the author of Meet Me at the Ruins, a character-driven novel that threads anxiety, relationships, and messy growth with care. She’s also taught business to kids and adults, worked in federal policy, and made jewelry because one lane was never going to cut it.

Key Timestamps

• 0:03 – Why fiction can change how we see our own minds

• 2:06 – The first time a character felt “too familiar”

• 6:49 – What representation gets wrong (and what’s finally improving)

• 10:01 – Sensory layers that make characters believable

• 11:22 – Real vs. tokenized: the role of inner life

• 13:07 – Do labels help—or do subtleties matter more?

• 15:19 – Writing Meet Me at the Ruins: when representation found her

• 19:10 – Writing as healing (and why it can feel like therapy)

• 24:27 – Honoring struggle without exploiting it

• 29:04 – Showing growth without minimizing the hard stuff

• 32:50 – Why “just a story” isn’t just a story

• 44:14 – Readers who felt seen—and why that matters

• 51:46 – Where to find Luna’s book and connect

Resources: lunawestish.com • bookshop.org • Available via libraries on Hoopla and Libby

If this episode resonated, subscribe, rate, and share it with a parent, educator, caregiver, or friend. Your support helps our community grow.

#Neurodiversity #Fiction #MentalHealth #Autism #ADHD

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.

🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Executive Function Isn’t Laziness: Rethinking “Motivation,” Shame, and Support with Coach Carrie Bonnet

Executive function isn’t laziness—it’s a brain thing. In this episode, I sit with coach Carrie Bonnet to reframe the struggle.

If you’ve ever wondered why smart kids (and adults) still miss deadlines, lose steam, or freeze at “start,” this conversation will feel like a breath out. I ask Carrie Bonnet—Executive Function Coach, veteran teacher, and adjunct instructor at the University of Portland—what this actually feels like from the inside and what support looks like when we remove shame and lead with the brain.

You’ll hear why paper beats apps when you’re new to planning, how time blindness fuels the last-minute cycle, and the key shift parents and teachers can make that changes everything. We also get into the messy middle: boredom that feels like torture, the myth of “I work best under pressure,” and why “not caring” often isn’t the story at all.

I reveal where I’ve struggled too, and Carrie shares simple, sustainable ways we can make the invisible visible—without giving a full step-by-step here. By the end, you’ll be asking different questions and seeing different outcomes.

Questions to listen for: What makes task initiation so hard? How does shame sneak in? And what small moves reduce overwhelm today?

About the Guest

Carrie Bonnet is an Executive Function Coach, veteran middle and high school teacher, and adjunct instructor at the University of Portland. She works with students, families, and early-career teachers. Carrie lives in Oregon and is a mom to two teens.

Key Timestamps

• 0:02 – Welcome and who Carrie is

• 2:11 – The sixth grader who changed how we saw “late work”

• 5:10 – When it clicked: not laziness, not a moral failing

• 9:23 – Life skills don’t teach themselves (and why that matters)

• 12:00 – Paper vs. digital calendars: which one first?

• 15:20 – Backward planning a massive project without burning out

• 18:08 – “I work best under pressure”… or do I?

• 19:59 – What executive function challenges feel like from the inside (“borchure”)

• 23:13 – Overwhelm, time blindness, emotional flooding

• 25:16 – Dopamine, tiny wins, and the short timer spark

• 26:41 – Not caring vs. not being able

• 28:13 – The parent shift: replace judgment with curiosity

• 30:35 – No-shame, brain-first: where shame sneaks in

• 34:40 – Why it can take longer to read, grasp, and process

• 36:49 – “Strategy shopping” and the wallet solution

• 47:49 – The missing link in schools

• 50:54 – When the system isn’t a fit for the brain in front of us

• 52:53 – Make the invisible visible: classroom wins

• 55:20 – Why it’s harder for some brains (and what to remember)

• 58:01 – For anyone who feels broken: you’re not

• 58:54 – Where to find Carrie’s resources

Resources: Grab Carrie’s Task Initiation Toolkit: carriebonnet.com/toolkit

If this helped you or someone you love, follow the show, share this episode with a parent or teacher, and leave a quick rating. Your support helps more of our community feel seen.

#Neurodiversity #ExecutiveFunction #ADHD #Parenting #Education

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.