![140 [S10 E12] Working with autism, not against: Mental health, masking and giving ourselves grace](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Kara-Nash-episode-art-1080x675.jpg)
by Laura Shakesby | 1 Nov, 2025 | Podcast episodes, Season 10
Kara Nash is a registered nurse and autism consultant who focuses on creating positive change in how the healthcare system treats people on the spectrum. Kara has over twenty years’ experience working in the field of autism and mental health. Now 50, she was diagnosed...
![138 [S10 E10] Working with our ocean and our tides: the impact of autism self identification](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lara-Schaeffer-Episode-art-1-1080x675.jpg)
by Laura Shakesby | 18 Oct, 2025 | Podcast episodes, Season 10
Lara Schaeffer taught high school English for 28 years until her autism identification at age 47 – and her school’s resistance to her being open about her autism to her students. She waited three years for them to change their stance, before eventually leaving...
![116 [S9 E11] Rekindling our dimmed spark and reclaiming autistic joy](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Dani-Rodwell-1080x675.jpg)
by Laura Shakesby | 30 Mar, 2024 | Podcast episodes, Season 9
Dani Rodwell is a licensed Clinical Social Worker, therapist, and Co-founder of NeuroSpark Health. She lives in New Jersey, USA. She has worked in the field of autism and neurodevelopmental conditions for over 7 years – including working with neurodivergent...
![[114] S9 E9: Playing on ‘hard mode’: accepting our autistic challenges while anchoring to our brilliance](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Anissa-Ljanta-1080x675.jpg)
by Laura Shakesby | 16 Mar, 2024 | Podcast episodes, Season 9
Anissa Ljanta is a writer, a neurodivergent specialist coach, educator and equity and inclusion advocate living in the remote hills of a wild surf beach in West Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. She grew up in Samoa and South Auckland in Aotearoa New Zealand, where she...
![[103] S8 E11: From feeling ‘deficient’ to self acceptance, research and advocating for autistic colleagues](https://squarepeg.community/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Kirstie-Pickles-wide-artwork-1080x675.jpg)
by Amy Richards | 10 Jun, 2023 | Podcast episodes, Season 8
Kirstie Pickles is an equine vet, academic, mum and mental health advocate from Derbyshire in the UK. Now 49, she was diagnosed autistic at 47, following her daughter’s diagnosis. She is passionate about sharing her story and raising the awareness of neurodiversity to...
