The Chronic Couple

Recorded  6-06-20: You don’t want to miss this one! We had so much fun talking  with our friend, Amaris Avellan (@ultraviolet_spectrum, @reg), that we  had to make this one a two-parter! On  the long awaited part 2, we talk about how Amaris felt when a family  member questioned her autism diagnosis, what Alexthymia feels like,  being an autistic mom of three children, Amaris’s relationship with her  Dad, autistic “superpowers”, energy work, what it’s like running an  autistic advocacy account and so much more! Amaris also shares some compelling and personal stories about what it’s like as a black autistic woman. Please check out Amaris’s new podcast, “Accidental Enlightenment”! It’s amazing! https://open.spotify.com/show/7A34I426LN0lUpTJc1Osj5?si=YZ7ifRVmRJigyV-Rhezknw Amaris is a Psychological Assistant and a Doctoral Candidate. Her  clinical interests have gravitated towards serving communities of  color, exploring the connection between the brain and behavior, and  autism spectrum disorders in pediatric and adult minority populations.

Recorded on 09/16/2020- We had a great time speaking with Max and Liliana Younger of Mobility Designed. Topics of our interview included everything from how Mobility Designed got started to personal questions like, what it’s like working with your significant other? We also discussed how the crutches are made, the company’s plans for the future, and some of their favorite user stories. They share with us the struggles of what it’s like being an entrepreneur during COVID times and the valuable things people with disabilities and invisible illnesses have taught them. Brandy also shares firsthand experience using their revolutionary firearm crutch design and how it’s changed her life. If you or someone you know uses a mobility aid, you don’t want to miss this one! Mobility Designed https://www.mobilitydesigned.com ALTSO A Leg To Stand On http://www.altso.org

Recorded 06-06-20 We had so much fun talking with our friend, Amaris, that we had to make this one a two-parter! On part one, we discuss Amaris's late ADHD/autism/non-verbal learning disorder  diagnosis, life as a neuro-psych grad student pursuing a Ph.D., her time  in the Navy, family, relationships, and what it was like being an ABA therapist while discovering her own autism diagnosis. We also go into the pressures of being gifted at a young young age and how  that affected her life and academic career. Amaris also shares some compelling and personal stories about what it’s like to be black and  autistic. And some very exciting things that she has planned for the  future! Amaris is a Psychological Assistant at Total Spectrum Counseling and a grad  student at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant  International University and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical  Psychology with a concentration in Health Psychology. In her time with  the university, her clinical interests have gravitated towards serving  communities of color, exploring the connection between the brain and  behavior, and autism spectrum disorders in pediatric and adult minority  populations.

Recorded 06-30-2020, We’re doing a Q&A with Dr. Emily Rothman on this episode with questions submitted by autistic adults. Emily is a Professor at the Boston University School of Public Health. She has been a dating and sexual violence researcher for more than 20 years. Before becoming a researcher, she worked as a counselor at a program for domestic violence offenders and worked at a domestic violence shelter. She currently has several federal research grants to study healthy relationships for autistic young adults. Emily was also a TEDMED speaker helping teens learn about consent and respect. Matt and I met Emily through our work with Jamil, the creator of @hikiapp, a FREE friendship and dating social app for the autistic community. We have been asked to contribute an #actuallyautistic perspective on relationships so Jamil can provide the safest, most accessible social environment for the users of the app. Jamil and Emily are absolutely fantastic people who are passionate about their work with our community. Jamil and Emily will be presenting at Stanford University’s Neurodiversity Project in November. They’ll be using our video podcast, with Dr. Rothman, as an example of how you CAN include autistic voices into the conversation. In this episode, we’re talking about the do’s and don’ts of online relationships when you’re on the spectrum, and Emily and ourselves will be answering some fascinating questions from real Hiki app users. Check out our video on YouTube, and you can find our podcast link in my bio or anywhere you listen to your podcasts. Emily's Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/emily_f_rothman_how_porn_changes_the_way_teens_think_about_sex/transcript?language=en Links: Hiki App Website https://www.hikiapp.com/ iOS Install: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hiki/id1466184914?mt=8 Android Install: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hiki

Recorded on 04/28/2020 - Thomas Henley from Aspergers Growth YouTube Channel and Thoughty-Auti Podcast is on this episode. We’re discussing all the details and behind the scenes of his new documentary, “Aspergers in Society.” We also talk about Thomases' early diagnosis at 10, his taekwondo commonwealth gold medal championship, working in Thailand researching mosquitoes and backpacking around Southeast Asia. Thomas discusses details of his fictional novel, "Blackbird" that he’s currently writing, and we talk a little bit about the struggles of having mental illness and being an autism activist. Documentary “Aspergers In Society” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLpcPOSFfNE Aspergers Growth Social Media links: https://www.instagram.com/aspergersgrowth/ https://www.facebook.com/AspergersGrowth/ https://open.spotify.com/show/6vjXgCB7Q3FwtQ2YqPjnEV https://twitter.com/AspergersGrowth https://www.patreon.com/aspergersgrowth https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thoughty-auti-the-autism-mental-health-podcast/id1470689079 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-henley/?originalSubdomain=uk For more tips, rants and inappropriate stories Subscribe to our Podcast. https://anchor.fm/the-chronic-couple Give us a follow-on Instagram: Brandy: http://instagram.com/the.chronic.couple Matt: http://instagram.com/spectrumy_matt Linktree for more content: http://linktr.ee/the_chronic_couple http://linktr.ee/spectrumy_matt x

We had a great discussion with Sarah Schwefel (@rising_zebra) about living with Ehlers Danlos and pain management with medical cannabis. We discuss her 1800 mile move from Wisconsin to Las Vegas, Nevada for access to medical cannabis and dry climate for pain control. Topics on Cannabis were, the use of cannabis topically for joint pain, making edibles, Rick Simpson Oil, the medicinal benefits of the addition of terpenes and CBD, and how cannabis has given her back her life. We also touch on the struggles of applying for disability, Sarah being diagnosed with EDS at 4 years old, the impact Covid_19 has had on the disabled community, medical PTSD and tips for managing Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. As well as Sarah’s beautiful message of hope.  Follow her journey at http://instagram.com/rising_zebra  Discount link for Magical butter maker ($25 off): http://magicalbutter.refr.cc/brandyhaberer  For more tips, rants and inappropriate stories Subscribe to our Podcast. https://anchor.fm/the-chronic-couple  Give us a follow on Instagram:  Brandy: http://instagram.com/the.chronic.couple Matt: http://instagram.com/spectrumy_matt  Linktree for more content:  http://linktr.ee/the_chronic_couple http://linktr.ee/spectrumy_matt

We’re Matt and Brandy, an autistic couple over-sharing life on the spectrum and living with chronic illness. He is an IT Engineer and has POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia) and she is a professional vocalist and has MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome). In 2019 we were both diagnosed with a rare connective tissue disorder called Hyper-Mobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. We share tips, candid stories, and our unfiltered perspective on everything from relationships to maintaining a career when you’re autistic and chronically ill.