The Middletown Centre for Autism Podcast

On the latest Middletown Podcast chat to autistic parent and advocate, Amanda McGuinness. We talk about Christmas and how Amanda and her family navigate pressure, excitement and expectations around the holiday season. We try very hard not to spoil any of the magic of Christmas in our chat, but you might want to listen to this one away from the ears of little believers. More about Amanda: Amanda McGuinness is an Autistic advocate, Autism and Visual Supports Specialist, and Founder of Little Puddins. She is also the Director of Autism Advocacy and Professional Practice at Flourish Autism Consultancy & Training, an Autistic-led organisation providing neuro-affirmative training, consultancy, and professional development across Ireland. Through Flourish, founded by Bernie Smith,  Amanda and the team deliver evidence-informed, lived-experience focused learning for families, educators, and professionals, alongside a growing range of free community resources designed to promote understanding, inclusion, and authentic support for Autistic individuals and their families.   

On the Middletown Podcast we chat to playwright, accessibility consultant and community activist, Jody O’Neill. She discusses Neuroconvergence, a new initiative that is building community and celebrating autistic creativity.   You can find out more about Neuroconvergence here: https://www.neuroconvergence.ie/ 

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we chat to autistic teacher, lecturer and author Dr Kara Dymond. Kara is passionate about creating truly inclusive classrooms and she shares her experience and her philosophy around teaching. We also discuss Kara’s new book “Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom”. You can find out more about Kara’s work here 

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we chat to researcher, Dr Sinead McNally about recent DCU research focused on the experiences that young, Irish autistic people have of bullying. We talk about how the team supported young people to feel comfortable enough to share their experiences and what we can learn from them. You can find out more about the bullying study here. Find out more about the Autism-Friendly Schools Project. 

In the latest Middletown Podcast, we chat to Occupational Therapist, Sorcha Rice. Sorcha brings her expertise and lived experience to discuss PDA (Persistent Drive for Autonomy). We discuss what PDA feels like and what supports might be useful at school and at home.  You can find out more about Sorcha and her work here