Donna Brendel, a late diagnosed autistic woman, shares her struggles with expressing her thoughts and ideas out loud. She introduces her podcast, 'I Should Say That Out Loud,' as a platform for herself and others to share their thoughts and experiences. Donna discusses her inspiration from other podcasters and YouTubers, such as Taylor Heaton, Jordan Peterson, and Justin Root. She outlines her plan to create a community where people can engage with each other and share their voices. Donna invites listeners to subscribe, comment, email, and potentially be a guest on her show. She has decided to ..read more

In this conversation, Autistic Friends, Donna (from USA  @IShouldSayThatOutLoud ) and Orion (from Australia  @orionkelly ) discuss how autism affects individuals physically, including the impact on self-care and the tendency to forget basic needs. They also explore the challenges of explaining special interests versus hobbies and the importance of understanding and acceptance from family and friends. The conversation highlights the need for increased awareness and understanding of autism's physical manifestations and the importance of advocating for better nutrition and ove ..read more

Autistic Friends Orion  @orionkelly  and Donna  @IShouldSayThatOutLoud  discuss several pages and topics from Orion's book "Autism Feels...An Earthling's Guide." There's so much more to share in a conversation between friends than can be fit into a book, including shared experiences between friends. Orion discusses the importance of including autistic voices in parenting and the workforce. He emphasizes the need for professionals to have a better understanding of autism and the lived experiences of autistic individuals. Orion also highlights the challenges of self-care for ..read more

In this week's conversation, Donna Brendel (USA) introduces and interviews her friend from across the globe,  @orionkelly  Orion Kelly (Australia), a content creator, podcaster, author, and advocate for autism. They have a blast discussing their friendship, their experiences with autism, and the importance of sharing their stories. They also talk about their respective books and the challenges of writing and publishing. The conversation touches on themes of identity, resilience, and the power of connection. Have a laugh along with them, it's good for you! Coming up next week in Part ..read more

In this episode, Donna Brendel shares her research on autism and developmental disabilities. She discusses the findings of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM Network) and highlights the increasing prevalence of autism in children. She also emphasizes the importance of outdoor recreation for children with disabilities and the benefits it provides for their physical and cognitive development. Donna encourages parents to get their children outside and seek support from communities like Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), now known as The MomCo. 00:00 Introduction and B ..read more

In this episode, Donna Brendel shares an overview of her book, "Autistic Revelations: Body Edition," which explores her head-to-toe surgeries and the life lessons she learned from them. She discusses the physical and emotional scars she carries and the importance of speaking up for oneself. Donna shares tid-bits of each chapter, including additional content not found in the book. She highlights a range of topics, from the significance of finding shoes that fit properly to the impact of her surgeries on her ability to interact with her children, from the genetic aspect of bone spurs to the chal ..read more

In this episode, Donna Brendel shares her thoughts on various topics, including her writing journey, her love for nature and outdoor activities, and the concept of the mycelial network. She also discusses her memoir and the importance of self-care. Donna then explores the book 'The Reason I Jump' by Naoki Higashida and highlights the connection between nature and autistic health. She emphasizes the need for understanding and giving autistic individuals the time and space to explore new things. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/donna-brendel/message ..read more

After a long break since Season 2 I'm ready to launch Season 3 of I Should Say That Out Loud and announce my first memoir Autistic Revelations: Body Edition - What My Head-to-Toe Surgeries Have Taught Me About Life and Autism. I will be sharing excerpts from my book this season as well as inviting guests to share about the fascinating way that autism affects our bodies. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/donna-brendel/message ..read more

Have you ever struggled in the workplace? I had a marvelous time interviewing my first guest this season, Genie Love, who is a Neurodiversity Coach for businesses, organizations and individuals. The topics we discussed, including the three pillars of her program, especially mindfulness, as well as other topics, are beneficial for anyone with autism, ADHD and/or ADD. And I think even neurotypical folks will find her advice helpful as well. I wish I had had Genie along for my recent discussions of my autism diagnosis in my workplace, which as you will hear in this discussion had many speed bumps ..read more

What do I mean when I say, "I Should Say That Out Loud"? what exactly should I say out loud? This is the topic of this month's theme. And this week I talk about things I believe we should say to protect ourselves. It's difficult for me and for many people with autism to say certain things that are needed to be said in order to protect ourselves. I only learned how to stand up for myself as I raised my children. My love for them gave me the courage and boldness to stand up for them. And then as I realized that I'm worthy of loving myself as much as I love my children, I finally found the coura ..read more