Autism Central Podcast

In this episode, Catherine Asta is joined by Dr Helen Lawal to explore the realities of work, identity and wellbeing as a neurodivergent woman navigating a demanding career. Together they reflect on Helen’s journey through medicine, from her early inspiration to become a doctor to the barriers she faced before understanding her ADHD and autism, and how that self-knowledge transformed the way she works and lives.Late-discovered ADHD and autistic, she shares how years of masking, pushing through and internalising struggle led to burnout, low self-esteem and physical and mental health challenges, and how diagnosis helped her reframe those experiences with compassion rather than shame.The conversation explores the practical realities of working life, including sensory overwhelm, information processing, travel, long shifts, memory demands and the importance of reasonable adjustments. Catherine and Helen also discuss the power of understanding strengths, recognising what support is needed and letting go of career expectations that no longer fit. At the heart of this episode is a hopeful and honest discussion about what helps when life feels overwhelming. Helen shares the practices that support her most, from movement and breath to time in nature, rest and nourishing food, and reflects on how parents and carers can begin to think ahead about supporting young neurodivergent people into adulthood, education and work.What’s on at Autism Central?Subscribe to our FREE newsletterExplore our FREE support - 1:1 sessions, blogs, events Connect with Dr Helen www.drhelenlawal.comConnect with Catherine WebsiteInstagram Books - Rediscovered and Still Living

In this episode, Catherine Asta is joined by Sophie Cartledge to explore the powerful intersection of perimenopause and late-discovered autism and ADHD. Together they discuss why many autistic and ADHD women describe perimenopause as the point where ‘the wheels fell off’ and how hormonal shifts can amplify sensory sensitivities, emotional regulation challenges and burnout. Late-discovered autistic and ADHD at 44, Sophie speaks openly about how this collision is one of the most misunderstood and unsupported phases of a woman’s life, often leading to burnout, misdiagnosis and workplace exclusion.They reflect on the profound identity shift that can happen when decades of masking are no longer sustainable and how perimenopause can act as a catalyst for unmasking, self-advocacy and redefining what safety and wellbeing look like. The conversation also highlights gaps in healthcare and workplace understanding, the importance of tracking symptoms and the role of peer support in reducing isolation.At the heart of this episode is a compassionate discussion about rebuilding self-trust, reframing needs as preferences and finding practical ways to navigate this often misunderstood stage of life. Sophie shares the mindset shifts and small accommodations that have helped her move towards a more sustainable, authentic way of living.This episode is for you if:- You’re navigating perimenopause/menopause and noticing changes in your sensory sensitivities, emotions and/or capacity.- You’re late-discovered autistic or ADHD and experiencing unmasking or a shift in identity.- You’re feeling dismissed, misunderstood or unsure how to advocate for yourself in healthcare or work.- You’re looking for validation, practical strategies and reassurance that you’re not alone in this experience.What’s on at Autism Central?Subscribe to our FREE newsletterExplore our FREE support - 1:1 sessions, blogs, events Connect with Sophiewww.hormonesontheblink.comConnect with Catherine WebsiteInstagram Book

In this episode, Mike and Phil, both mental health nurses and late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD, join Catherine Asta to explore their experiences of fatherhood. They speak about feeling unseen in schools and workplaces, confronting internalised rejection and navigating the expectations placed on fathers about how they ‘should’ show up. Through their own personal reflections, they share the journey of self-discovery that followed their diagnoses alongside their children, and the importance of finding community along the way.At the heart of this conversation is the creation of NADS (Neuroaffirming Dads and Dudes) a local peer support space created by Mike designed specifically for neurodivergent fathers. Mike and Phil discuss how spaces like these allow men to show up as their authentic selves, build connection and transform shame and isolation into strength and solidarity.In this episode we explore:- The challenges they have both faced in parenting, workplaces, and the SEND space.- How societal expectations and stigma can impact fathers navigating autism and ADHD.- The unique strengths neurodivergence brings to their parenting.- Why peer support spaces can be life-changing for fathers.- Tips for dads who want to get more involved in the SEND space.- Practical ways schools, services, and workplaces can better support neurodivergent dads and families.Listener Care:The views shared are personal perspectives from the guests based on their lived experiences. Their reflections highlight some of the barriers they have faced when engaging with schools and support spaces. Along with practical things that dads can do to become more involved in the SEND space, while also recognising the important role many mums and carers already play in advocating for their children. We recognise that many families and professionals are working hard to support children with SEND and that experiences may vary widely. We invite listeners to approach this conversation with curiosity and care.What’s on at Autism Central?Subscribe to our FREE newsletterExplore our FREE support - 1:1 sessions, blogs, events Connect with Catherine WebsiteInstagram Book

In this episode, Catherine Asta is joined by Heidi and Theo, a single mother and her only son from Wakefield in West Yorkshire, for a powerful and hopeful conversation about autistic burnout, rebuilding confidence, and the power of self-advocacy.When Theo was 15, he crashed out of school in what was later understood as significant autistic burnout. What followed were five years of navigating complex systems, challenging decisions, and fighting for his right to an education that truly met his needs. During that time, both Heidi and Theo were diagnosed as autistic and ADHD; a pivotal shift that reframed their past and reshaped their future.Now studying zoo management at university, Theo shares how he chose where to go based not on course appeal or location, but on the level of support available. Supported by Disabled Students’ Allowance and his assistance dog, Bertie, whom they describe as life-changing and life-saving, Theo reflects on building self-knowledge, independence, and the confidence to advocate for what he needs. Theo speaks openly about learning to understand his nervous system, recognising his limits, and communicating them clearly, skills that have become foundational to both his wellbeing and his success.Heidi speaks candidly about the emotional complexity of sending your neurodivergent child to a university that isn’t close to home, and why trust, safety, and the right support structures matter. Together, they explore transition, sensory worlds, and the importance of asking the right questions when navigating education systems. Heidi also shares practical strategies for parents and carers; how to challenge decisions constructively, how to prioritise safety, and how modelling honesty and resilience helps young people develop their own voice.This episode offers practical insight for families supporting neurodivergent young people, alongside an honest reflection on resilience, overcoming barriers and hope. It’s a conversation about the emotional and practical considerations of transitioning to university, about building self-advocacy skills early, and about choosing the right support over the “right” course, and what can happen when someone is finally given the space and understanding to come back to themselves.What’s on at Autism Central?Subscribe to our FREE newsletterExplore our FREE support - 1:1 sessions, blogs, events Connect with Catherine WebsiteInstagram Book

Listener note: We want to let listeners know that this episode includes discussion of trauma, suicidal ideation, and mental health crisis. Please listen in a way that feels supportive for you.In this episode, Catherine Asta is joined by Brian Haines for a deeply reflective conversation about the often-unseen mental health crises faced by late-diagnosed autistic adults, accumulated trauma, and the life-changing power of creativity - offering hope for anyone feeling unheard or misunderstood.Diagnosed as autistic at 61, Brian shares how his NHS diagnosis brought clarity to a lifetime of feeling “peculiar,” marginalised, and out of step with the social world. What followed was not relief, but a period of profound unravelling - burnout, mental health crisis, and standing, as he describes it, at the edge of the abyss.From that darkness, poetry emerged.Brian speaks openly about how writing became his emotional scaffolding when formal therapeutic support fell short - a way to structure overwhelming thoughts, process rage and loneliness, and give voice to what had long been hidden behind the mask. For someone who struggles with the spontaneity of social communication, poetry offers rhythm, certainty, and a space where his words can finally be heard, at his pace.Together they explore masking, marginalisation, suicidal ideation, autistic burnout, and the vulnerability of sharing creative work in a world that has not always felt safe. Brian reflects on isolation and the “crevasse” of autistic loneliness, and how creative expression - through poems such as Behind the Mask - has slowly built belonging, connection, and community.Brian also shares practical, gentle steps on how to begin your own creative journey, or support someone you care for, and why simply creating for yourself is enough to start. It’s a powerful episode about voice, survival, and the courage to step out from behind the mask - a reminder that creativity can become both scaffold and bridge to belonging.Autism CentralSubscribe to our FREE newsletterExplore our FREE support - 1:1 sessions, group coaching, online events and resourcesConnect with Brian Instagram: @autistically61YouTube: ⁠https://m.youtube.com/@brianhaines7922⁠Connect with Catherine WebsiteInstagram Book

Listener note: We want to let listeners know that this episode includes discussion of grief and the loss of a child. Please listen in a way that feels supportive for you.In this episode, Catherine Asta is joined by Sue Lansbury for a deeply moving and compassionate conversation about late autism discovery, grief, creativity, and aging as an autistic woman in a world that often overlooks older women, especially autistic older women.Diagnosed as autistic at the age of 68, Sue reflects on a lifetime shaped by confusion, overwhelm, masking, and the huge personal cost of pushing through. She shares how receiving her diagnosis brought both relief and the slow, ongoing work of rediscovering herself - reconnecting with her youngest self through art, making, and a lifelong relationship with the natural world.Sue speaks powerfully about burnout, invisibility, and the risks faced by autistic people whose needs remain undiscovered later in life. She also reflects with great tenderness on the death of her son Jay - a gifted, fearless artist - and how art, ritual, and the changing seasons have helped her hold grief, love, and memory together.Throughout the conversation, Sue offers “waves of compassion” -  for herself, for parents and carers navigating guilt around late discovery, and for autistic people and families living within systems that still struggle to understand and support them. She introduces the idea of creating a personal “self-portrait” to capture needs, sensitivities, and ways of being, as a way of protecting dignity and wellbeing as we age.Their conversation explores:- Late autism discovery and the emotional cost of masking- Burnout, aging, and the invisibility of older autistic women- Grief, loss, and autistic experiences of profound change- Art as a process for expression and healing when words aren’t enough- Compassion over guilt for families facing late discovery- Advocacy, legacy, and why a more diverse society benefits everyoneIt’s a wise and hopeful episode about grief and growth, creativity and care, and the importance of meeting ourselves -  and each other -  with compassion at every stage of life.Autism CentralSubscribe to our FREE newsletterExplore our FREE support - 1:1 sessions, blogs, events Connect with Catherine WebsiteInstagram Book

TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast episode mentions suicidal ideation.In this episode, Catherine is joined by Jo Feaster for an honest and deeply reflective conversation about lived experience, identity, and what it can mean to finally make sense of yourself later in life as an autistic and bipolar woman, along with the small, real life supports and accommodations that help power self-acceptance, build stability and live well, and as Jo says, “help to change my world”.Their conversation explores:- What finally helped Jo feel seen and understood, and the challenges of living with co-occurring conditions alongside being autistic, and the additional stigma associated with them.- The importance of community, belonging, role models and peer support.- The role of writing and advocacy as tools for mental health and challenging societal stigma. - Insights into the dynamics of family support and the impact of personal relationships on mental health.- The transformative power of self-acceptance and the significance of self-care as a parent carer.It’s a compassionate, hopeful and practical episode for anyone navigating late identification, multiple neurodivergence and mental health, and / or supporting a loved one through crisis and recovery. Autism CentralSubscribe to our ⁠FREE newsletter⁠Explore our ⁠FREE support⁠ - 1:1 sessions, group coaching, resources and events Connect with Jo on LinkedInLinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-feaster/ LinkedIn Newsletter - Autistic & Bipolar Musings - https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/autistic-bipolar-musings-7239130678460649473/ Connect with Catherine Website: https://www.catherineasta.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/catherine.astaBook: https://amzn.eu/d/1MJL4h2 www.catherineasta.com

Welcome to Season 4 of the Autism Central Podcast, hosted by psychotherapist, podcaster, and author Catherine Asta. To open the season, we’re doing something special.In this episode, Catherine is joined by both of her daughters - Caty and Kristina - for a gentle, insightful mother-daughter conversation that sets the tone for the journey ahead. You’ll first hear from Caty, who not only joins on mic, but also works behind the scenes editing the podcast. Together, they reflect on what it means to create a mother-daughter show, nurturing strengths as a mature student at university, their ‘family eco-system,’ and why this podcast matters to the parents, carers, and supporters who need it most.Then the microphone is handed to Catherine’s youngest daughter, 8-year-old (and three-quarters!) Kristina, stepping into the guest-host role to ask her mum five thoughtful questions about life as an autistic person and parent.Their conversation explores:What it feels like to navigate the world with an autistic and multiply neurodivergent brainChildhood experiences before knowing she was autisticThe strengths autism bringsThe emotional clarity of a late autism discoveryWhat it’s like balancing autistic needs with parentingIt’s warm, honest and deeply human -  a window into a multiply neurodivergent family committed to kindness, compassion, curiosity, and building a life that works for each of them. This episode offers parents and supporters a rare, real-life insight into autistic experience across generations - and why community, understanding, and the right support matter so much.Connect with Catherinewww.catherineasta.comResources Catherine makes reference to in the episode:Catherine’s book ‘Rediscovered’ and ‘The Late Discovered Club Podcast’Autism CentralSubscribe to our FREE newsletterExplore our FREE support - 1:1 sessions, blogs, events 

Holly chats to autistic researcher Dr. Wenn Lawson aboutgetting older and what this means for autistic people.Find out more about our programme for parents and carers ofautistic people at autismcentral.org.ukSome of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms youmay be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary toexplain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central andis the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on our YouTube channel.

Holly talks to autistic mothers Lynette Morgan and Sophia Abdel about their experiences in pregnancy and motherhood.Links for this episode:Maternity Autism Research GroupFind out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at autismcentral.org.ukSome of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on the Autism Central YouTube channel.