The AutSide Podcast

A conversation about gestalt processing as a whole way of being—beyond language—touching memory, trauma, love, and adulthood. Not deficit or debate, but lineage, survival, and the ethics of meeting people as they are.In this conversation, Cathy and I explored the growing recognition that what has often been called gestalt language processing is better understood as gestalt processing more broadly—a whole-to-part way of making meaning that extends far beyond speech. We talked about how this mode of processing shapes perception, relationship, emotion, memory, learning, and identity. Language is only one surface expression of something much deeper: a way of organising the world as integrated fields rather than discrete components.I reflected on how this has become clearer to me over time, both personally and professionally. As a gestalt processor, I am a gestalt processor everywhere—at home, in relationships, in the classroom, and in my writing. My internal world was never absent or undeveloped; it was stored whole, waiting for safety and permission to emerge. When those conditions finally existed, coherence followed. This reframes delayed speech or quietness not as lack, but as containment.We spoke at length about how gestalt memory works—how experiences are held with their emotional, relational, and situational contexts intact. Scripts are not merely repeated phrases, but living composites that carry meaning, affect, and history. This is why certain words or expressions remain protected within intimate spaces, and why some language is reserved for family or trusted relationships. These patterns are often survival strategies shaped by bullying, misattunement, or repeated harm—not deficits.The conversation also moved into love, attachment, and adulthood—areas almost entirely absent from mainstream autism and GLP discourse. Gestalt processors do not discard past loves or relationships simply because time has passed. Memory remains alive and accessible, not archived and closed. This challenges linear narratives of intimacy and exposes how deeply analytic frameworks misunderstand autistic relational life.We addressed the cultural and historical forces behind these misunderstandings, particularly the dominance of analytic, part-to-whole processing under industrial capitalism. Analytic cognition, whilst treated as universal and superior, is historically recent. Gestalt processing, by contrast, may well be humanity’s older default—written out of legitimacy by systems that require standardisation, efficiency, and control.Finally, we returned to why this matters. Misrecognising gestalt processors is not a theoretical error—it has real consequences. It shapes classrooms, behaviour plans, therapies, and crisis responses built around the assumption that people should be trained out of who they are. The goal is not change, but connection. Once a gestalt processor, always a gestalt processor. Support is not about eradication, but about meeting people where coherence already exists and allowing it to flourish.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit autside.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s episode explores a ‘non-traditional philosophy of intimacy’ that challenges the idea of the “couple” as the primary unit of human connection. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, describes love as a persistent background state rather than a temporary emotion or a goal to be achieved. By moving away from conventional structures, Dr. Hoerricks suggests that affection for past partners remains a constant, quiet reality that exists alongside everyday tasks. This perspective shifts the focus from nostalgic loss to a continuous, “whole-to-part” way of relating to others. Ultimately, she argues that love can remain profoundly real without needing to be exclusive, current, or defined by societal expectations.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/life-beyond-the-couple-love-as-groundLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit autside.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s episode examines the societal consequences of ignoring gestalt language processing (GLP), framing the issue as an imbalance of institutional power rather than a simple academic debate. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, argues that when dominant systems dismiss this unique way of making meaning, they inflict ethical harm on neurodivergent individuals. This rejection transitions from theoretical skepticism into practical failures within classrooms, clinical settings, and crisis interventions. By refusing to recognize GLP as a legitimate framework, authorities limit how educators and caregivers respond to human distress and communication. Ultimately, Dr. Hoerricks advocates for a shift in perspective that prioritizes the lived experiences of those who process language in ‘non-traditional’* ways.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/why-gestalt-processing-matters-power*As always, I’m curious as to how Google’s NotebookLM handles this topic. Here, I provide the raw, unedited output for your consideration.Let me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit autside.substack.com/subscribe

In this reflective piece, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks explores the origins of their expertise as a gestalt language processor, moving beyond standard professional credentials. Dr. Hoerricks challenges the societal expectation to provide external validation or academic proof to justify their specialised knowledge. Instead of offering a defensive argument, she focuses on personal lineage and the internal coherence of lived experience. By prioritising bodily memory and authentic self-understanding, she seeks to situate knowledge within a non-traditional framework. Ultimately, the writing serves as a declaration of intellectual autonomy for those whose ways of making meaning do not fit into standard systems.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/how-i-came-to-know-what-i-knowLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit autside.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s episode explores the unique intellectual and sensory methods the author of the source article, Dr Jaime Hoerricks, employs to prepare for public speaking as an autistic gestalt processor. Rather than responding to specific interview prompts with direct answers, she describes a recursive preparation process that favors long-term coherence over immediate extraction. Dr. Hoerricks highlights the tension between standard professional expectations and her own need to integrate theory, memory, and lived experience into a unified whole. By refusing to simplify her insights into discrete segments, she advocates for a holistic approach to communication that respects the complexity of her internal meaning-making. Ultimately, the text serves as a reflection on how non-linear thinkers navigate systems that often prioritise compliance and speed over genuine understanding.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/how-i-prepare-to-speak-when-the-workLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit autside.substack.com/subscribe