On this episode of the Future Looks Good, we meet Jason Bean. Jason is one of the most resilient people and persistent learners I've ever met. Today we get to peel pack some layers of the onion that is Jason and find out how he made the transition from "you can't do that" to "I'll show you" without completely losing his Ogre in the process ;)…

Why does society get to dictate how people express their emotions? Excellent question. Let's discuss ;)توسط Elizabeth Plouffe

Do you deny your pink? Do you mask to fit in? We're talking embracing the things in life that make you happy vs worrying about what other dingalings think you should be. Someone wants you to fit in? That's a them issue, not a you issue. Are you getting grief about what colors you choose to wear? Also a them issue. We're chatting about our "roles" i…

Maddy and I began this podcast talking about coffee. The beans of the gods for some folks. Or is it? Is it the beans or the moment you take for yourself to do something just for you? That moment of comfort. And then I said, Should we press record. Maddy said yes and now you have whole podcast dedicated to why finding what gives you comfort and not …

What if we started looking at change as a pivot? Looking at our existing skills and building on them instead of thinking we have to learn a whole new set of skills? Pivoting isn't just a funny Friends meme - it's a tactic used in business and many other places when what we're doing just isn't working for us anymore.…

Have you ever tried something brand spanky new? Something different than anyone else in your network? Something that causes you to feel uncomfortable? Good! The feelings that come along with that are a human response to doing something brave. Unless you are lying your face off, you are not an imposter. You are just kicking ass and taking names ;)…

The C word. I'm sure some of you thought cancer. Some thought something I can't type here without getting censored. And some just wondered, what the heck does this mean??? Without context, it's hard to understand ;)توسط Elizabeth Plouffe

I had a GREAT description written and then Soundcloud messed it up! Now my expertise is in writing and crafting messaging but that doesn't mean I want to rewrite this one ;)Today we're talking about the value of lived experience and owning the title of expert if it fits you. It's a bit of a journey to get there but the other value is that if you ca…

Sometimes navigating the world of autism can be a dark and lonely place for many people. Those diagnosed and those along for the ride to support the individual. The ever lovin' Maddy came up with the PERFECT analogy to describe what that wild ride can be like. Today's a shorty podcast but we expand on it next session. Don't miss it!…

Once again, Betty and I get in to a non-podcast podcast where Betty starts talking smarticles and all I did was ask a damn question. Jeepers.We talk about the anticipatory energy brought to a conversation which can either go smoothly or become a conflict depending on how we show up. Then we leap to change: who should start? More importantly, why sh…

What do we ramble on about on this episode? When I listened back while editing, I had to message Maddy because we covered SOOOO much that all tied back to communication and personal space. We touch on how trauma influences how we engage in certain situations. How our lenses on life can contribute or get in the way of belonging. How personal space, …

One thing I've always struggled with is putting value on lived experience. Not that it doesn't have value but how do you get paid for it? How do you get others to recognize it? If you think I've struggled, I've got nothing on the autism community. Tokenism is not paying someone a fair value in exchange for sharing lived experience. If it's valuable…

Socrates, Suzy's, Robert's and more. We get in to the necessity of having variety on a team and particularly so when dealing with the neurodivergent community. If you're a service provider and you've hired yourself a team of Suzy's, that all meet the same hiring criteria and wouldn't know the Socratic method of teaching if the philosopher himself w…

Adulting was hard on the day we recorded this podcast. HARD I tell you. But as usually Betty pulled up their socks and dragged me along for an insightful, vulnerable and honest to goodness learning session on setbacks. They do have value as long as you try to learn from them and don't let them keep you mired in the muck for too long. A little pity …

Do you get sick and tired of people treating your autistic kid or your autistic self as someone who's incapable of doing just about anything? It really grates my cheese when people make assumptions about my son's capabilities and Maddy's cheese is equally grated for themselves and their kids. Sometimes it's just about capacity and understanding the…

The word should is one that really grates my cheese. And not in a delicious mac and cheese way but in a ticks me off way. Should implies that what you're doing is wrong and the person who's saying it? Their way is better. Should creates limits when it becomes shouldn't. As the parent of an autistic individual I have banished should and my lovely co…

Have you ever been sick and then spent weeks catching up from that??? Shortly after we recorded this AMAZING episode, Elizabeth got COVID. She got it goooood. And she's been catching up ever since. So while this Holiday glitterati inspired podcast is late, it can be applied to birthday parties, summer gatherings, graduations and more. Because a par…

We all have things we need to work on. For some it's talking to loud or too much (that's a me thing, hence the podcast) for others it's refusing to bathe and for some it's about whether they can rock a tiara. It's all about how we show up in the world and how we communicate our needs around that. Sometimes it's not about not wanting to take a showe…

Meet Whitney Hodgins, an autistic Canadian who is a change maker and policy shaker! Learn more about the inaugural Jim and Jinette Munson Award winner who is absolutely a leader in the autism community and someone I plan to keep an eye for great things ;)توسط Elizabeth Plouffe

I am a proud Monarchist. I come from a long line of Monarchists. It's not for everybody and I respect that. What caught me unawares was the level of grief I'd feel at the death of Her Majesty. Of course Maddy and I went off on a bit of a tangent instead of our scheduled topic but we both see value in embracing the moment vs strictly adhering to a t…

Have you ever had to work with a school to develop an IEP for your child? Was your child ever given an opportunity to be a part of the discussion? Mine wasn't and it didn't even occur to me to ask him because the school never said it was an option. But who better to influence how an IEP is developed that the person it's most affecting?? Join us as …

Did Gene Roddenberry have any idea that when he created Star Trek in 1966 that he'd be influencing technology development, societal relationships, exploration and so much more for generations to come? He definitely boldly went where no one had gone before and has been inspiring people around the world ever since. Today, Maddy and I discuss the crea…

We don't want to should on you but being an ally is part of being a good human. It doesn't have to be a huge action to count. It can be standing up for someone in a meeting. It can be acting through altruism vs ego. It can be shining a light on tokenism. Or any other ism. Being an ally isn't about you - it's about what you can do to make a differen…

As the Queen of Soul once sang: R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to me.We're back with the indomitable Maddy Dever and a chat about the intersectionality between the autism community and the LGBTQ+ community. Maddy, who is non binary, uses the pronouns they / them. This was not an easy choice but one they felt they needed to live as authentica…

What could prompt you to get outside? Is the benefit of getting outside enough to prompt some movement or is there something creating a barrier? Today we chat about the benefits of looking after your mental health and your physical health and hopefully at the same time ;)توسط Elizabeth Plouffe

So what does a rambler do? Well it can drive you from A to B. It can keep you cool in the hot sun. Or it can chat about all kinds of things under the sun which is what this Rambler does. I'm so tickled to introduce you to Maddy Dever who is one of the kindest, sweetest, perceptive, strong, intelligent and best advocate for others I've ever met. In …

Sometimes when you're looking to get in to a new job, you need to get the inside scoop on how to make it more successful. That's what we're offering here. Some tips to be aware of if you're looking to try out our Autism and Advanced Manufacturing program or to start applying on your own. We all need a helping hand (or gantry ;)) now and again!…

We are not fans of boxes when it comes to employment opportunities. Unless you're ticking one off on a job application ;) It's one of the reasons we launched the Autism and Advanced Manufacturing Career Exploration program! Learn how you can blow the lid off employment opportunities by exploring roles like CNC Operator or Mold Maintenance Technicia…

What are partnership and collaboration such amazing things for a business? Because they open up opportunities that you might not have been able to act on by yourself and they create opportunities that you could never consider. I was fortunate to be introduced to Wayne Lamon from the Work Based Learning Consortium almost 2 years ago. Not only are th…

This is a Canadian success story across so many levels. It brings together the importance of pursuing an idea, being open to opportunity and the power of being a part of a mentorship. Meet Amanda Craig and Doug Wallbank and hear their story of how mentorship changed their lives and businesses.توسط Elizabeth Plouffe

From a very young age, I have not liked to be told no, stuck in a box or what I can and cannot do by someone other than me. That goes for my business as well. Thank goodness I have amazing partners who don't say no and are as crazy as I am about kicking those constraining boxes to the curb. Now as a team we're trying to do that for autistic Canadia…

Everyone likes a success story. If you are a parent of an autistic person, success stories are extremely important. Meet Courtney Weaver who is a success story on many levels. A strong autistic self-advocate, Courtney's journey to employment has had many stages and phases that all driven people can relate to.…

Have you ever had the chance to learn from or be a mentor? It's an amazing opportunity that MentorAbility Ontario is helping to make happen for folks with a disability. Why is that important? When you've already got some barriers up against you for successful employment, support is a very important thing. Meet Brittany Williston from Performance Pl…

There is nothing worse than a situation where a group elects itself the voice of another group. Why? Because how then do we really know whose voice we're listening to? This is what makes the 200th episode on the Across the Desk podcast extra special. It's what the podcast is all about - giving folks a voice who might not otherwise have one. It's my…

I think we can all agree that COVID has put our mental health to the test. Imagine being in a situation where you are not only dealing with the stress of COVID but suddenly all supports for yourself or someone you care for who is autistic disappear. No warning. No other plan. Just gone. Dr. Carly McMorris and self advocate and parent Rebekah Kintzi…

I was fortunate to welcome Debbie Irish and Kim Ward to the CASDA podcast and learn more about how the Canadian Autism Leadership Summit got started and the steps in growth its taken to become more diverse and inclusive.توسط Elizabeth Plouffe

Join Dr. Stephen Gentles, Maddy Dever and Corey Walker as we discuss how the lack of data standardization and linking precludes the necessary complex analyses that could lead to significantly more efficient targeted care, and innovative environmental and policy modifications. As a result, Canada is far from achieving the improvements to quality of …

Most parents plan for the day when their children will grow up and leave the "nest". Their kids will find their own way in the world, get an apartment or house and live independently and successfully. But what if your plan has to include finding a group home situation for your child to age in to? What if your adult child requires support for the re…

It is my great honor to welcome Deputy Grand Chief Walter Naveau of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation to Across the Desk and the CASDA podcast series. Deputy Grand Chief joins us to discuss the growing concern about autism in the First Nations communities. We discuss how families need access to autism services which not only provide existing non-Indigenous…

On April 6th the Canadian Journal of Autism Equity successfully launched its inaugural issue! Bringing together the voices of autistic Canadians from across the country, this journal is being created to amplify the voices of those who have always belonged in the conversation. Learn how you can add your voice to the conversation with the team from C…

MentorAbility is a program which focuses on connecting protégées with mentors in careers. One of the best ways to learn about a career is to talk to someone who is passionate about what they do and will show you the realities of a career choice.Today we meet Tiffany Drummond who is an entrepreneur from Ottawa. Her business, ProCare Family Center, f…

This executive function thing - how many ways can having a deficit actually screw up your life? Quite a few apparently. Not the least of which is building and maintaining relationships with folks besides your family. Family are a built in "safe space" for relationships. They already know you and love you so not much effort is needed to make that wo…

Are you autistic and looking for work? Finding that a bit tricky during COVID? SpectrumWorks is offering a free virtual job fair which will be happening across Canada on April 8th. Visit SpectrumWorks.ca to find out more and register! Is this just for job seekers? No! We need employers for networking and service providers to introduce themselves an…

Meet the editorial team for the new Canadian Journal of Autism Equity. Maddy Dever, Megan Krasnodembski, and Terri Robson are creating an opportunity to bring Autistic Canadian voices together. What will that look like? Listen to find out more and then watch for the official launch on April 6, 2021!توسط Elizabeth Plouffe

Executive function deficit can present as challenging for alot of folks on and off the spectrum. Ever had a really busy day and your to do list goes out the window? That's an executive function fail. When it happens all the time, it's a considered a deficit. Usually we have those moments in response to periods distraction or overwhelm. But what hap…

When do you start thinking about where your autistic child is going to live? When they're 8 or 18? For some folks the conversation has to start as early as 8. Why? Because the supported housing wait list can be 10 years long. Join us as we discuss different housing options for autistic Canadians and how HAL-Labs is making a difference.…

When you're in a situation that involves a disability, things can get a little tricky with accessing services and equitable access to those services. This needs to change. CASDA is working with members of the autism community, policy makers and government to level the playing field and lessen the challenges when it comes to making sure that autisti…

Join Across the Desk for our new series in partnership with MentorAbility Ontario. A national initiative that promotes the employment of people who have a disability in communities throughout Canada. MentorAbility is spearheaded by local Coordinators who facilitate a full or half day mentoring experience in which job seekers who have a disability a…

We're welcoming Vanessa Tomas back to further discuss the employment aspect of the National Autism Strategy.توسط Elizabeth Plouffe

Executive function - sounds like something you get cured of when working in a big company right? Turns out it affects a lot of different aspects of our lives and probably way more than we realize. Join us to learn about the five core skills of executive function, what can happen when these skills need some support in development and how you can wor…