Uniquely Human: The Podcast

Latest Episodes:

An Autistic Educator on the "New ABA", Masking, Compliance and Belonging. With Rebecca Engle Nov 06, 2026

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EPISODE 170

An Autistic Educator on the "New ABA", Masking, Compliance and Belonging: A Discussion with Rebecca Engle

Rebecca Engle brings a wealth of knowledge to understanding and supporting autistic and other neurodivergent children. She has the lived experience of being an autistic and ADHD non-speaking child until five years old when speech began to develop, and although her family was very supportive, she was often misunderstood in school. She went on to get advance degrees in education and now specializes in supporting neurodivergent students. Her insights about ABA, and compliance-based approaches, as well as inclusion will be of great value to parents and professionals.

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ECHO Autism: Enhancing Autism Care Through Collaborative Learning and Practice with Dr. Kristin Sohl and Dr. Stephen Shore Oct 23, 2026

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Episode 169

ECHO Autism: Enhancing Autism Care Through Collaborative Learning and Practice with Dr. Kristin Sohl and Dr. Stephen Shore

Dr. Kristin Sohl, a developmental pediatrician developed ECHO Autism more than a decade ago, now providing outreach to more than 60 sites nationally and 40 internationally. Initially, she saw the need to address gaps in medical services she experienced directly as a physician, and addressed gaps with outreach to teams to provide the best care for autistic individuals. Dr. Stephen Shore, as an autistic educator, as well as other autistic professionals, provide support to further developing the ECHO network and participating in ECHO sessions as lived experience experts. Kristin and Stephen discuss the evolution of ECHO autism as a creative model of care.

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Sensory Health: An Essential Concern for Neurodivergent People with Dr. Virginia Spielmann, PhD, OTR/L Oct 09, 2026

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EPISODE 168

Sensory Health: An Essential Concern for Neurodivergent People with Dr. Virginia Spielmann, PhD, OTR/L

Dr. Virginia Spielmanndiscusses sensory health and its broader implications with Barry and Dave, beyond just auditory or visual sensitivity issues. She explains how sensory processing affects emotional and physical well-being, emphasizing that everyone processes sensations constantly but may experience challenges in how they integrate sensory information. She explains how neurodivergent individuals often face misinterpretation of their behaviors, with observable actions being labeled as “just behavior” rather than recognized as potential indicators of sensory distress. Virginia concludes by emphasizing that sensory health is a human issue affecting everyone, not just those with neurodivergent conditions, and highlights how differences in sensory processing have contributed to human diversity and expertise throughout history.

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Chefs on the Spectrum: An Innovative Employment Program for Autistic and Neurodivergent People, with Chef Franklin Becker and Chef Joseph Valentino Sep 25, 2026

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Episode 167

Chefs on the Spectrum: An Innovative Employment Program for Autistic and Neurodivergent People, with Chef Franklin Becker and Chef Joseph Valentino

This episode features Chef Franklin Becker and Chef Joseph Valentino discussing their work with the Chefs on the Spectrum program at Chef Franklin’s restaurant Point Seven in New York City. Chef Franklin explains how his personal experience as a father of an autistic son inspired him to create the program, which connects autistic adults with meaningful careers in professional kitchens while helping restaurants become more inclusive workplaces. Chef Joe shared his journey from facing job rejections and difficult work environments to thriving as a chef at Point Seven, where he has developed important skills like managing ticket orders and preparing mise en place properly. The discussion highlighted how Joe’s presence has positively impacted the entire kitchen team by teaching tolerance, acceptance, and compassion, while also breaking down stigma about autism in the culinary industry.

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How to Make Health Care Neurodiversity-Affirming, with Dr. Mel Houser Sep 11, 2026

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Dr. Mel Houser, MD, physician and founder of the All Brains Belong health care community, explains how current healthcare systems fail neurodivergent people. Dr. Mel explains how traditional healthcare settings create barriers that don’t accommodate neurodivergent needs, and how practices in All Brains Belong, guided by universal design principles, emphasize the importance of elevating lived expertise by telling patients “you are the expert in your body.” The discussion also covered how neurodivergent people often present with intertwined neuroimmune conditions that traditional 10-15 minute medical visits cannot properly address. Dr. Mel concluded by outlining three concrete changes needed in American healthcare systems.

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Pathological Demand Avoidance: The Lived Experience, with Kendahl Damashek Aug 28, 2026

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Episode 165

Pathological Demand Avoidance: The Lived Experience, with Kendahl Damashek

Barry and Dave speak with Kendall Damashek, a parent coach and expert on the topic of PDA. Kendall shared her personal and professional insights into PDA, explaining it as a survival drive for autonomy and equality rather than a pathology. She discussed the physiological and nervous system responses that individuals with PDA experience, emphasizing that these are not conscious choices but reactions to perceived threats to autonomy. Kendall addressed common misconceptions, such as labeling PDA behaviors as oppositional or defiant, and highlighted the importance of understanding the internal experience of those with PDA, and she provided practical strategies for parents and caregivers, including giving more autonomy, fostering equality, providing nervous system safety, and lowering demands.

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Autism Outdoors Utah: An Innovative Nature-based Family Support Program with Damon and Tarah Bryan Aug 14, 2026

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Episode 164

Autism Outdoors Utah:

An Innovative Nature-based Family Support Program

with Damon and Tarah Bryan

Damon and Tarah Bryan, founders of Utah Autism Outdoors, discuss how they created their nature-based program for autistic individuals and their families after their son's autism diagnosis. They discuss how their organization started with simple parent support groups and has grown to include outdoor activities like hiking, river rafting, paddleboarding, and yoga classes in nature. The conversation covered the therapeutic benefits of outdoor activities for regulation and sensory processing, the importance of creating safe spaces for families to connect without judgment, and how they incorporate siblings into their programming.

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ALL ABOUT NONSPEAKERS: REFLECTIONS ON AUTISM SPECTRUM NEWS ISSUE WITH AMY LAURENT AND JEN LEPAPE Jul 31, 2026

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Episode 163

ALL ABOUT NONSPEAKERS: REFLECTIONS ON AUTISM SPECTRUM NEWS ISSUE WITH AMY LAURENT AND JEN LEPAPE

The discussion focused on the recent issue of Autism Spectrum Newsdedicated to non-speaking individuals. Topics in the issue included common misunderstandings about supporting non-speakers, including the concept of presuming competence, the role of neuromotor issues, and concerns about communication authenticity and influence. The discussion highlighted that many non-speaking individuals can learn to communicate effectively through methods like spelling and typing, though it requires time and proper support. The guests emphasized that the issue contains 40 articles, including 17 authored or co-authored by non-speakers, covering topics from mental health to legal issues to practical support strategies, demonstrating the complexity of supporting non-speaking individuals beyond simple debates about authenticity.

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Two Dads Who Connected with Uniquely Human Interview Barry Jul 18, 2026

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EPISODE 162

TWO DADS WHO CONNECTED WITH UNIQUELY HUMAN INTERVIEW BARRY. WITH BRAD BROYLES AND NATHAN PALMER, FROM THE POLARIS CONNECTION

This episode is a replay of The Polaris Connection, an autism parenting podcast hosted by Brad Broyles and Nathan Palmer. In this episode, they interview Barry with specific attention given to how Uniquely Human has had a positive impact in the way they see their children and support their development. Brad and Nathan are also the founders of Polaris Academy. The podcast offers advice, expert insights, and real-life stories to help families of neurodivergent children navigate special education, therapies, and daily life.

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Being “Pathologically Genuine”: with Dr. Jim Coleman Jul 03, 2026

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EPISODE 161

BEING “PATHOLOGICALLY GENUINE”: A DISCUSSION WITH DR. JIM COLEMAN

Jim Coleman, a semi-retired biology professor has had an amazing journey. He discusses his late diagnosis as an autistic person and his journey from feeling like “a banana slug transported into the Mojave Desert” to embracing his neurodiversity. He shared his teaching philosophy of helping every student reach their full potential, noting that over 200 of his students have disclosed being neurodivergent to him. Jim also discussed his work with his therapy dog Brea, who visits schools for autistic children and a community center for people recovering from mental illness.

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