Otherness Podcast

Joe Barksdale shares his story about a life that was forged and assembled by an abusive and neglectful family in Detroit, tested on football fields, and released in recording studios and on stage. While feeling so much pain and internal self-loathing, he talks about how he tolerated the social discomfort and loneliness of autism. He goes on to describe how he has endured his own da

Todd talks to his mother, Melanie, about how families form around defining members and moments. The Levine family was created around his brother, Jay, and moved forward with the compassion and conviction of Melanie. They reflect on how they purely embraced who Jay was and how they saw a future of companionship and community for him in s2. E6. N16. of the Otherness Podcast titled Fa

When Todd’s daughter, Sofia, told him she wanted to write about autism for her end-of-year middle school research paper, Todd was both excited and anxious. Both the anxiety and excitement came from wondering what parts of her life experience with autism she incorporated into herself. The connective conversation that took place and became s2. E5. N15. of the Otherness Podcast titl

Todd finds himself closely relating to retired Officer Jerry Turning who has learned that patience, relatability, and trust lead to better outcomes in interactions between the autism community and law enforcement. Todd has learned similar lessons in his medical career and he and Jerry take inventory on how autism has shaped them as people and professionals in s2. E4. N14. of the Ot

Todd sits down with retired Officer Jerry Turning who has chronicled his life as an autism dad in his blog “Bacon and Juiceboxes” where he describes the often gritty and disruptive life in autism. They go into the shared experience of appreciating the autism mindset as something of beauty despite it being a big mystery in s2. E3. N13. of the Otherness Podcast called Failing and

Todd talks about how the stories of living with autism have been much more important than any textbook, any medical journal or any lecture he’s ever been to. What families have shown him is that autism is to be lived and experienced and not just studied in s2. E2. N12. of the Otherness Podcast called Listening to the Spectrum. An Otherness Podcast Overview.Todd speaks to how much

Todd is joined with Jason Lupow, an old friend from medical school who is raising 2 sons on the spectrum while working as an emergency department physician. He meaningfully describes how he does not sweat the small stuff, tolerates feeling judged, and has worked hard to get his sons the support they need in s2. E1. N11. of the Otherness Podcast titled Through the Autism BS: Persist

Dr. Randy Freeman joins Todd to reflect on his professional experience as a psychiatrist in autism and his personal experience as an autism father to his son, Aidan. He shares how few other doctors actually “get” autism, how we should lead with family and love, and military service can help improve compassion in s1. E10. N10. of the Otherness Podcast titled Stories from an Auti

Peach pits and fairy dust have been key ingredients for Sue Jewel, who is raising two daughters with autism. A peach pit almost killed one of her daughters and she sprinkles fairy dust over her family as tensions inevitably run high. Hear how Sue deals with losses and finds growth in s1. E9. N9. of the Otherness Podcast titled Darkness Finds You In Autism. A Mother’s Losses and G

A fellow autism psychiatrist and brother of a young man on the spectrum, Dr. Jared Reichenberg, shares with Todd how life in autism started in childhood and extended into a career. They discuss how feelings of helplessness can generate hope when relating to families affected by autism for s1. E8. N8. of the Otherness Podcast titled Boulders and Mirrors in Autism. Examining the refl