#125 - Parenting Support From the Actually Autistic Community

Many diagnosed with autism are eager to come alongside parents to offer support and insight on how our children may be processing the world. In this episode we gain unique perspective from an autistic woman who is also a parent with autistic children. This final episode in our challenging behaviors series finds us coming full circle to the first episode which was about the importance of placing more focus on why a behavior happens over what the behavior is.

*Note regarding language - The actually autistic community prefer to be called autistic rather than a person with autism*

About the Guest

Tiffany Joseph is diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and epilepsy. She is mom to three children, the two oldest are diagnosed with autism and ADHD while the youngest has sensory processing disorder and ADHD. She started the Instagram account nigh.functioning.autism because, as a parent to Disabled kids, she felt like there wasn't enough understanding and empathy for parents' fear of being overwhelmed and systematically disempowered by the system. 
On the other hand, she clearly sees that Autistic individuals are consistently talked over and rarely listened to even though they know what help they need and what changes the system needs to make. Tiffany observed that she and her autistic community are often the last to get a say in matters of autism. Tiffany is eager to help parents and providers as she has inside knowledge and experience with being Autistic, Disabled, a parent, and working and being educated in the medical field. She wants parents to be empowered to make the right choices for their kids and loved ones without the guilt and overwhelm that's the norm.