![[55] S4, Ep12: The PDA profile, social justice and being an openly autistic CEO – with Helen Evans](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Helen_Evans-400x250.jpg)
Helen Evans is Chief Executive of the PDA Society. She was diagnosed autistic aged 39 in October 2020, two years after her son, who has a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) profile. After speaking publicly about systemic sexual abuse perpetrated by Oxfam workers Global Head of Safeguarding at Oxfam, she was awarded Whistleblower of the Year in 2019.
![[54] S4, Ep11: Autism, victimisation and trauma, and the journey to healing](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Shannon-Collins-400x250.jpg)
Shannon Collins is a social worker and educator from Denver, Colorado in the United States. She describes herself as ‘an autistic, queer survivor of sexual and physical violence’ and has spent over 20 years working to end domestic violence and sexual assault through advocacy, prevention and education.
![[53] S4, Ep10: Getting a teen autism diagnosis, social and sensory issues, and finding success at school and college](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Kelly-Coons-400x250.jpg)
Kelly Coons was diagnosed autistic as a teenager. She lives in the United States and is a prize-winning fourth year English student at Smith College, a liberal arts college in New England. She has two autistic brothers who were the inspiration for her debut young adult novel, a coming-of-age story about two autistic young men.
![[52] S4, Ep9: Dropping the mask and finding your core self after autism diagnosis](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Ann-Molgaard-400x250.png)
Ann Mølgaard is a teacher at a sixth form college in Copenhagen in Denmark. She is 34 and was diagnosed autistic and ADHD in May this year, after being told that her initial referral had been declined because she was “too high functioning”. Since her diagnosis, she has chosen to be open about her neurodivergence with her colleagues and students.
![[51] S4, Ep8: Diagnosis difficulties, toxic workplaces and discovering joyful and purposeful work](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Suzi-Payton-400x250.png)
Suzi Payton is a life coach, stand-up comedian, comedy improvisation teacher and autism trainer from Brighton in the UK. She is 46 and has been diagnosed with ‘clinically significant autistic traits’, but believes that her lifelong masking has prevented her from receiving a full diagnosis. When her 17-year teaching career ended after she experienced workplace bullying and gaslighting she became self employed, and she now coaches other neurodivergent adults and delivers autism training to organisations.
![[50] S4, Ep7: Autism, feminism and sexuality: reflections on an undiagnosed life](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Carolyn-Gage-2-400x250.png)
Carolyn Gage is a American playwright, performer, director, and activist. She was diagnosed autistic last year, at the age of 68. She is the author of twelve books and close to 90 lesbian and feminist themed plays, and her work is widely published and performed. She toured for 22 years in her internationally-acclaimed one-woman show, The Second Coming of Joan of Arc.
![[49] S4, Ep6: Out of place everywhere: communication, community and coming to terms with autism](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Sophie-Adamkiewicz-400x250.png)
Sophie Adamkiewicz was born in Poland, but was brought up in Germany and says that she has felt like an outsider all her life. She is a producer at a large production agency and is currently self-diagnosed. We talk about coming to terms with being autistic and the intersection of autism and her transition as a trans woman.
![[48] S4, Ep5: Fatigue, hypnotherapy and getting in tune with your own energy as an autistic person](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Kathy-Carter-400x250.png)
Kathy Carter is a writer and neurodiversity-affirming hypnotherapist from Kent in the UK. She is the Neurodivergence Advisor to Therapy Today, the journal of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
![[47] S4, Ep4: Self acceptance, autism and gender – and how sharing your story can change your life](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Yenn-Purkis-400x250.png)
Yenn Purkis is an inspirational autistic and non-binary author, advocate, public speaker and community leader from Canberra in Australia. In our conversation we talk about coming to terms with an autism diagnosis, mental health, how writing their story turned their life around, gender diversity, transphobia, and the crossover of autism and queer identities.
![[46] S4, Ep3: Hormones, reproductive and mental health and stepping into our sensory selves](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Becky-Beasley-400x250.png)
Becky Beasley is an award winning visual artist and also teaches Fine Art part time at Goldsmiths College. But alongside her career success she has battled with mental health and hormonal problems, prompting her to go on a research journey that ultimately lead to her autism diagnosis in February this year.
![[45] S4, Ep2: Ability and disability: getting the right support to thrive in academic settings](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Daisy-Shearer-400x250.png)
Daisy Shearer is a PhD candidate in experimental condensed matter physics at the University of Surrey in the UK. She is a passionate researcher, science communicator, and educator with a drive to make STEM more accessible and inclusive, focusing on disabled and...
![[44] S4, Ep1: Holly Smale: Synaesthesia, hyperlexia and accidentally writing an autistic book-child](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Holly-Smale-episode-cover-400x250.png)
It was only after being diagnosed autistic herself at 39 that award-winning Geek Girl author Holly Smale realised that her character Harriet is also autistic – and that she had actually been writing about neurodivergence for a decade.
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