Autism Learning Lab Podcast

Episode 29: Misdiagnosed and Misunderstood - The Harm of “Lazy Diagnosing” in Mental Health

In this special conference edition of the Autism Learning Lab podcast, recorded during the Autism Symposium in Georgia, host Chris Blankenship is joined by Tony Meiners and Trish Ruggles for a conversation about “lazy diagnosing,” autism misdiagnosis, and the long-term impact of mismatched mental health treatment—especially for autistic women and high-masking adults. Together, they discuss how autistic individuals are often misunderstood within traditional mental health systems, leading to misdiagnoses, burnout, masking, and medical trauma. The episode also explores the importance of neurodiversity-affirming care, adapting therapy to the individual, and rebuilding trust after harmful treatment experiences. Links: Autism Learning Lab: https://www.autismlearninglab.com/ [https://www.autismlearninglab.com/] Email: chris@autismlearninglab.com [chris@autismlearninglab.com] The Neurodivergent Collective [https://theneurodivergentcollective.com/introducing-the-neurodivergent-collective/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Dr. Tony Meiners [https://theneurodivergentcollective.com/dr-tony-meiners/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Pathfinder Consulting with Trish Ruggles [https://www.pathfinderconsults.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] About Trish Ruggles [https://www.pathfinderconsults.com/about?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Quotes: [12:35  - 13:17] Trish: “Most of my clients that I work with are diagnosed late and a lot of the female clients I work with are diagnosed in their 20s or 30s, and that is so profoundly late, and they've usually encountered a lot of hardship of not being able to make and keep friends, not being able to hold jobs, or they're only able to hold lower level jobs, they're never able to get promotions, and if they do, they start to crumble, they start to become depressed, they start to become suicidal, they get involved in substances to fit in, they often end up in really abusive sexual relationships because they don't know or understand any better, and it's connection, and it looks normal.” [13:59 - 14:25] Tony: “I think the issue is that we often ask clients to adapt to the therapy instead of adapt the therapy to the client, you know, and a lot of these gold standard modalities assume a singular processing style or the singular way of perceiving the world, and when you're trying to have a client use this therapy that has these assumptions, but the client perceives the world differently. It's not going to work.” [25:17 - 25:45] Trish: “I think another chronic one [issue] that happens over a long period of time as well is mistrust of providers, right? Like, what are you going to do to me? What are you going to make me do? What are you going to tell my parents? And on the reverse, the parents are going to say, like, what kind of hope are you going to give me now? And then you're, you know, it's going to fail to produce. So I think it can be long term, like a lot of mistrust, a lot of resentment, loss of hope.” [30:48 - 31:03] Tony: “One of my mottos is, you are not the problem, the problem is the problem, and that's kind of how I start these, these sessions or conversations with clients or families, is really decentering and depathologizing that the person in front of me as the issue.”

Episode 28: How Transitional Living Helps Neurodivergent Young Adults Thrive

Live from the 2026 Autism Symposium, host Chris Blankenship welcomes Dr. Jack Hinman, founder and admissions director of Engage Transitions in Cedar City, Utah, to discuss the benefits of transitional living and therapy for neurodivergent individuals. Dr. Hinman shares how Engage Transitions supports neurodivergent young adults by providing opportunities to explore hobbies and connect with nature—experiences that help build resilience and body awareness. He also emphasizes the importance of strong connections among peers, staff, and onsite therapists, creating a trusting and caring environment for everyone who participates in the Engage Transitions program. Links: Autism Learning Lab: https://www.autismlearninglab.com/ [https://www.autismlearninglab.com/] Email: chris@autismlearninglab.com [chris@autismlearninglab.com] Engage Transitions: https://engagelifenow.com/ [https://engagelifenow.com/] Quotes: [11:23-11:27] Dr. Hinman “We believe that it all starts with connection, relationships, and proximity....” [14:08-14:12] Dr. Hinman “When you’re engaged, you're working on connection, independence, and health.”  [15:09-15:15] Chris Blankenship “The most predictive factor for success in treatment is whether you feel comfortable with your therapist.”

Episode 27: Building Futures - Autism and Careers in the Trades

In this episode host Chris Blankenship talks with Dr. Will White -  author, podcast host, and the Director of Enrollment at The Trade. They explore the value of trade careers and why they can be a meaningful, practical path for young autistic individuals. Resources:  * Autism Learning Lab: https://www.autismlearninglab.com/ [https://www.autismlearninglab.com/] * Email: chris@autismlearninglab.com [chris@autismlearninglab.com] * Stories from the Field: A Wilderness Therapy Podcast [https://storiesfromthefield.com/] * Stories from the Field: A History of Wilderness Therapy [https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Field-History-Wilderness-Therapy/dp/0692512438] * The Trade [https://www.tradeforlife.org/]   Quotes: [2:49-2:59] Dr. White: “And yet the trades are always going to be needed because AI is not going to build a house."  [12:39-12:56] Dr. White: “And so what we’re trying to do is train the apprentices so by the time they leave after nine months to a year, they’re ready to go to a job site because they’ve got used to working 40 hours a week. And they’ve learned the skills.” [16:16-16:21] Dr. White: “And we know that the trades aren't for everyone, but it should be an option for anyone.” [17:37-17:46] Dr. White “There’s so many options right now where it seems like after a four year degree, nobody knows what the options will be.” #AutismLearningLab #Autism #AutisticKids #YoungAdults #TradeWork #Trade #WorkingYoungAdults

Episode 26: A Father's Perspective - Finding Strength in the Autism Journey

Chris welcomes special guest Harry Psaros—a father, autism advocate, and bestselling author of From Struggle to Strength: A Father’s Journey with Autism and the Power of Hope and Positivity. Harry also serves as an executive neuroscience account specialist with AbbVie and sits on the board of directors for the Autism Caring Center. Driven by a mission to amplify the voices of fathers in the autism community, Harry shares his personal journey raising a child with autism, offering powerful insights on resilience, hope, and positivity. This conversation highlights how families can navigate challenges, find strength in their experiences, and build fulfilling, meaningful lives together. Resources:  * Autism Learning Lab: https://www.autismlearninglab.com/ [https://www.autismlearninglab.com/] * Email: support@autismlearninglab.com [chris@autismlearninglab.com] * Harry Psaros Website [https://www.harrypsaros.com/] * Harry Psaros Resources [https://www.harrypsaros.com/resources] * FROM STRUGGLE TO STRENGTH: A FATHER'S JOURNEY WITH AUTISM AND THE POWER OF HOPE AND POSITIVITY [https://www.amazon.com/Struggle-Strength-Fathers-Journey-Positivity/dp/1958481254] Quotes: [6:29-6:37] Harry: “My son will persevere no matter what happens. I’m going to be the engine behind changing his life and assisting him and helping him."  [8:14-8:18] Harry: “I call it unrelenting love. That’s what you need to do. You know, you need to settle in on that.” [21:24-21:32] Harry: “But I really firmly believe that your house should be a place of distinct positivity for that child.” [23:44-23:47] Harry “Ask yourself one question. Does God make a mistake? I don’t think he does.”

Episode 25: Rethinking Psychiatric Care for Neurodivergent Minds with Dr. Minh Nguyen

In this episode of Autism Learning Lab, host Chris Blankenship sits down with Dr. Minh Nguyen, DO, board-certified psychiatrist and founder of Cedar Integrative Psychiatry, for an insightful conversation on what psychiatric care can look like for neurodivergent individuals. Together, they explore what to expect from a first-time appointment, address common fears surrounding medication, and discuss how mental health care can be approached through a neurodiversity-affirming lens. Dr. Nguyen highlights the importance of supporting co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, burnout, sleep challenges, and executive functioning difficulties. Most importantly, this conversation emphasizes treating each patient as a unique individual—prioritizing personalization, autonomy, and compassionate care. Links: Autism Learning Lab: https://www.autismlearninglab.com/ [https://www.autismlearninglab.com/] Email: chris@autismlearninglab.com [chris@autismlearninglab.com] Cedar Integrative Psychiatry: https://cedarintegrativepsychiatry.com/ [https://cedarintegrativepsychiatry.com/] Quotes: [9:23-9:45] Dr. Nguyen “By treating the co-occurring conditions, you're reducing the unnecessary suffering and making it easier to adapt in work and relationships at home. It doesn't fix the issue, but it makes it much, much easier to live with.” [18:38-18:47] Dr. Nguyen “The fear is not understanding and not having freedom in these choices.”  [20:00-20:25] Dr. Nguyen “Because there's no real right way to do something. It's just what makes this person the most comfortable knowing that in the at the end of the day they're the one that's taking the medication, you know, like day in and day out they're the one that's going to bed knowing that this is something that's in their body and whether or not this aligns with like their values and what they want out of their life.”  [25:15-25:28] Dr. Nguyen “I think I'm called to do this work is to show people that psychiatry itself isn't scary or evil and hurts people and that there is a way to practice that really helps people.”