Over the last year I have been searching for a new job. I ended up making it to the final interview stage for five different companies … and all five companies ended up rejecting me in the end. In this week’s episode of Working Class Autistic I talk about dealing with that amount of rejection and why it can be more difficult for autistic people due to Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria.

Follow-up Question:

• What are some times in your life where you have faced rejection, and how did you handle it?

More Resources:

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201907/what-is-rejection-sensitive-dysphoria
• Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in ADHD & Autism
• The Unbearable Heartache of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email me at kevin@workingclassautistic.com

My guest this week is Dr. Jessica Hicksted. Jessica is a researcher and advocate for people with invisible disabilities, particularly in the workplace.

You will learn:

• How to ask for accommodations without disclosing your own disability
• The surprising percentage of people who actually have invisible disabilities
• How body doubling can help create accountability

Follow-up Questions:

• Do you identify with having an invisible disability?
• What is a simple accommodation you can offer that would help people with invisible disabilities?
• Can you use body doubling to help knock something off your to-do list?

Guest Bio:

Diagnosed as an adult with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, Jessica Hicksted, Ph.D., brings her life experiences and education to advocate for people with invisible disabilities. She has faced many challenges, including sustaining injuries during military service, which she overcame with resiliency and determination. She is a mother to two sons with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.

Dr. Hicksted has faced her own battles with discrimination in the workplace after disclosing her invisible disabilities. She returned to graduate school to learn to become an effective advocate for positive social change. Through her PhD studies in Industrial Organizational Psychology, she dedicated her research to invisible disabilities in the workplace, and developed a tool for employers to measure stigma associated with the disclosure by workers of invisible disabilities.

Links:

• ndoutloud.com
• ndhive.com

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email me at kevin@workingclassautistic.com

Do you struggle with identifying your own strengths? In this week's solo episode I talk about how I used my special interests and career to figure out what I am good at. I also talk about how you can do the same!

Audio note: I realized after recording that the heater turned on partway through some sections. I cleaned up the audio as best I could so hopefully it's not too disruptive!

Follow-up Question:

• What are your strengths?

Links:

• https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/autistic-strengths
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/overcoming-failure-to-launch-in-autistic-emerging-adults/202601/strengths-that-autistic-adults
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/atypical-children-extraordinary-parenting/202511/how-solution-focused-therapy-can-help-autism

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email me at kevin@workingclassautistic.com

In this episode I talk to Dr. David Krauss. David is a psychologist with over 30 years of experience working with children, adolescents and their families, as well as individual adults, in independent practice, school and hospital settings. We had an interesting conversation about how autistic people can find their strengths and why it’s important to have awe for yourself no matter what you do.

You will learn:

• How language and views on autism have changed over the years
• How to identify your strengths
• Why the fundamental attribution error affects how we see autistic people

Follow-up Questions:

• Is your world frozen, getting smaller, or getting larger?
• What’s one thing you do that you can have awe for?
• The next time you get mad at someone, can you think about their context or history first?

Guest Bio: Dr. David Krauss, Ph.D. is a psychologist with over 30 years of experience working with children, adolescents and their families, as well as individual adults, in independent practice, school and hospital settings. He has a PhD in Clinical and Community Psychology from Yale University and a practice located in Hopewell, NJ. He specializes in working with neurologically or developmentally 'atypical' children and adolescents - ADHD, learning disabilities, autism spectrum, etc. He often works with those neurodevelopmentally atypical children, adolescent and young adults who don't easily fit into these kinds of standard diagnostic categories. He looks for and develops strengths, resiliencies and resources.

Links:

• David's Psychology Today Profile
• Atypical Children – Extraordinary Parenting

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email me at kevin@workingclassautistic.com

Lee Burdette Williams is the executive director of the College Autism Network. We had an interesting conversation that covered a few different topics related to supporting autistic people in college and entering the workforce.

You will learn:

• How autistic people and families can prepare for transitions between high school, college, and the workforce
• How to figure out if a prospective employer supports neurodiversity
• Why CBT may not always be a good approach for autistic people
• Plus, learn about Lee’s special interest!

Follow-up Questions:

• What processes do you have to work more effectively, and does your workplace support them?
• What kind of culture does the company you work for have?
• What is one thing you can do to support neurodiverse people at your workplace?

Guest Bio: Lee Burdette Williams is the executive director of the College Autism Network. She is a seasoned student affairs professional with significant leadership experience at a variety of institutions of higher education. Her particular areas of expertise include student neurodiversity and mental health, partnerships with academic affairs, learning communities, retention strategies, student engagement through community activities, and building relationships with external constituents and alumni.

Links:

• College Autism Network
• Disability:IN

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email me at kevin@workingclassautistic.com

Rachel Morgan-Trimmer is one of the UK's best known neurodiversity experts. She wrote the book How to be autistic, and had her work published in national and international publications. We ended up having an interesting discussion where we talked about both neurodiversity in the workplace as well as a broader conversation about privilege and class and how that can affect autistic people.

You will learn:

• How class and privilege affect autistic people
• Why it’s important to be open to people
• What job-carving is and how it can help your career
• Plus, learn what Rachel’s special interest is!

Follow-up Questions:

• What is one way you can be more open to people and new perspectives?
• What is one thing you can do at work to tailor your job to yourself?
• What are some tiny steps you can take towards a goal?

Guest Bio:

Rachel is one of the UK's best known neurodiversity experts. Described as passionate, funny and inspirational, she talks authentically about the strengths and challenges faced by people like her. A successful entrepreneur, she set up her first company at the age of 30, which helped over a million people, while suffering from severe mental health issues. After discovering she is autistic and has ADHD, she founded her 5-star rated consultancy Firebird to train organisations on inclusion.

Rachel has authored the ground-breaking book How to be autistic, and produced an award-winning poster. She's had her work published in the national and international press, in various books, and in peer-reviewed academic journals. She's a TEDx speaker, and delivers keynotes at international conferences. She founded AuDHD Day to raise awareness of people like her, with autism and ADHD together, and is currently working on an innovative documentary. Rachel is also learning sign language, raising a family, developing a micro-farm and writes comedy. She is passionate about building a more inclusive world, and supports neurodivergent adults and parents in her free time.

Links:

• askfirebird.com
• howtobeautistic.com

Dr. Theresa Regan is an adult neuropsychologist and host of the podcast Autism in the Adult. We had an interesting conversation that drew from her background as a certified autism specialist as well as her personal experiences.

You will learn:

• The challenges of explaining autism
• How to be a detective of your autistic behaviors
• Tips for taking care of yourself
• Plus, learn what Dr. Regan’s special interest is!

Follow-up Questions:

• Spend some time being a detective and investigate your behaviors. What are you doing, and how do you feel about it?
• What physical inputs can you use to regulate yourself?
• What have you done to take care of yourself today?

Guest Bio:

Dr. Theresa Regan is an adult neuropsychologist specializing in the complex relationships between brain function, thinking skills, behavioral patterns, emotion, and personality. A certified autism specialist and mother of an autistic young adult, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work.

Dr. Regan is the founder and director of a diagnostic autism clinic serving individuals ages 14 to 90, where she has conducted more than 1,000 adult autism evaluations. She is the author of Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults and Understanding Autistic Behaviors, two foundational texts widely used by clinicians, families, and autistic adults seeking clarity and support.

She is also the creator and host of the podcast Autism in Adults, which offers education, insight, and practical strategies to a global audience. In addition to her writing and clinical work, Dr. Regan develops comprehensive educational courses for autistic adults, their families and support systems, and healthcare professionals. These offerings can be found through her website, adultandgeriatricautism.com, as well as the Zur Institute.

Dr. Regan provides video-based clinical services for autistic adults and their families, and offers professional consultation for clinicians seeking guidance in assessment, diagnosis, and neurodiversity-informed care. Her mission is to expand accurate understanding of autism in adulthood and promote compassionate, evidence-based support across the lifespan.

Links:

• http://adultandgeriatricautism.com/
• Podcast: Autism in the Adult
• Zur Institute
• MHz’s collection of TV mysteries

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email me at kevin@workingclassautistic.com