630: What My Nonverbal Autistic Son Taught Me About Truly Listening with J. Brad Britton

Mar 25, 2026

J. Brad Britton, author and father who co-wrote Real Words with Sam, shares his family’s journey discovering spelling-to-communicate with his nonverbal autistic son. He describes the breakthrough symposium, how spelling revealed Sam’s rich, poetic thoughts, and the role of apraxia. Short stories explore changed assumptions, patient listening, spiritual lessons, and why learning to truly see someone matters.

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INSIGHT

Discovery Rewrote Family History

Learning that Sam could spell original thoughts rewrote Brad's memory of their entire past interactions.
That realization forced him to reinterpret decades of behavior and recognize he'd misunderstood Sam's capabilities.

INSIGHT

Write Story First Let Readers Draw Lessons

Brad aimed to write the book broadly instead of for a narrow niche so diverse readers could draw personal lessons.
He chose to mostly present story and let readers infer lessons rather than teaching overt takeaways.

ANECDOTE

Symposium Moment That Changed Everything

J. Brad Britton and his wife discovered spelling-based communication at a Thousand Oaks symposium after years of limited progress with Sam.
They watched Elliot, a loud, nonverbal teen, effortlessly spell witty sentences which convinced them to try spelling-to-communicate with Sam.

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Today's guest, J. Brad Britton, is one of my earliest mentors and the co-author of the new book, Real Words with Sam. J. Brad's son Sam was diagnosed with autism at age two, and he remained largely non-speaking for most of his life.

But after attending a symposium and seeing the success other families had with a unique spelling method, J. Brad discovered that Sam had been thinking, listening, understanding, and was capable of communicating, often poetically, in ways that changed everything.

In our conversation, Brad shares the emotional story of how his relationship with Sam has evolved and how it has completely changed the way he understands his son, himself, and others.

You'll also understand why this conversation is about so much more than autism, what it means to move beyond assumptions and truly see someone, and why becoming a more patient, present, empathetic human being may be one of the most powerful transformations any of us can experience.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Inspiration For Writing "Real Words with Sam"
How Brad's Entire View of People Changed
The Symposium That Created A Huge Breakthrough
Spelling to Communicate Changed Everything
The Relationship Between Apraxia and Autism
The Power of Open Questions and Original Thought
Everyone Needs to Be Seen and Heard
Learning and Adapting Never Stops As a Dad
Spiritual Lessons Learned On This Ongoing Journey
The Chapter That Intentionally Induces Tears
Why This Book Is For Every Human Being

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