TED Health

Women and girls with autism spectrum disorder often don’t display the behaviors people typically associate with neurodivergence, greatly impacting when, how -- and if -- they are diagnosed. Autism acceptance advocate Kate Kahle makes the case for more research into this gender discrepancy, sharing her personal experience with masking, being diagnosed as a teenager and how it allowed her to better understand herself. “Autism is not a disease, and it doesn’t need to be cured,” she says. “It’s just a different way some brains can work.”Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do we say to kids when intensely traumatic events interrupt everyday life? Whether you're a teacher, parent or community builder, educator Kristen Nguyen provides three research-backed steps for navigating these difficult conversations, restoring a sense of safety and facilitating collective healing.Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Love him or hate him, ever since his debut in Star Wars Episode 1, Jar Jar Binks has been one of the most divisive characters in movie history. And the backlash against him? It almost destroyed the man who played him. Host Dylan Marron goes back in time to learn what we got wrong about Jar Jar the first time around. Coming June 28 from the TED Audio Collective. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or visit tedtalks.social/3HEinGiLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kelli is a nurse at a leading teaching hospital where communication issues are not only leading to resentment – they could also be affecting patient care. After hearing from Kelli about the larger problems at play in the healthcare space, Anne and Frances discuss the link between communication and transparency and guide Kelli into taking matters into her own hands. This is an episode of Fixable, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. You can follow Fixable wherever you are listening to this.Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The happiest and healthiest people are those who have an abundance of warm connections with others, says psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, who leads the Harvard Study of Adult Development -- one of the longest-running studies of adult life ever conducted. Exploring the link between social bonds and quality of life, he shares insights into how to identify and strengthen the relationships that impact your well-being most. (This conversation, hosted by TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event. Visit ted.com/membership to become a TED Member.) After the talk, Shoshana shares a surprising perspective shift that may boost your happiness.Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our memories and bodies give us clues about who we are, but what happens when this guidance shifts? In this mind-bending talk, science writer Anil Ananthaswamy shares how the experiences of "altered selves" -- resulting from schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, foreign limb syndrome or other conditions -- shed light on the constructed nature of identity. He breaks down where our sense of self comes from and invites us to challenge our assumptions about who we are, with the aim of building a better you and a better world.Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While we often talk about puberty's effect on the body, what gets overlooked are the fascinating changes that happen in the brain. Puberty, in fact, begins in the brain, and lasts as long as five years. And during this extended process, the brain undergoes its own transformation, thanks to estrogen and testosterone. Shannon Odell details what we know -- and still don't know -- about puberty. This TED-Ed lesson was directed by Biljana Labović, narrated by Alexandra Panzer and Adrian Dannatt, with music by Weston Fonger.Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In crowds, at meetings, get-togethers with friends, everyday interactions: social anxiety can show up as an unwelcome guest at any time. But why? Psychologist Fallon Goodman digs into the source of social anxiety, setting the record straight about this common condition with practical solutions to help you feel the most authentically "you" while out and about. After the talk, mental health specialist Dr. Jessi Gold joins Shoshana in a sweeping conversation on social media’s impact on social anxiety and how we can best support ourselves and others.Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever had a hard time doing daily household tasks -- cooking, cleaning, laundry -- and felt like a terrible person for struggling in the first place? Therapist KC Davis is here to flip that negative internalized script with a simple yet perspective-shifting fact that may change your approach to life. Learn a gentler, more practical approach to mental health as Davis shares hard-won wisdom and helpful shortcuts on how to get by when you feel like you've barely got it together.Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One billion people worldwide are living with a disability, and too many of them are left unemployed or feeling like they need to hide their conditions due to discriminatory hiring practices, says social innovator and TED Fellow Ryan Gersava. With a focus on healing and disclosure, he created an online school to provide people like him with the technical skills and employment aid they need to thrive. Now he's calling for every company to initiate efforts to welcome and support those with disabilities, creating a future of work that leaves no one behind.Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.