Autism Confidential

Special: Mothers Day 2026 - Amplifying Mothers

Across seventeen separate kitchens and living rooms, the same patterns surface. Children who cannot describe their own symptoms have aggressive behaviors read as "just au

Autism Wars - After Action Review with Jonathan Machnee

Jonathan Machnee did close to a decade inside the neurodiversity movement as a true believer. Then his military intelligence training kicked in. He started analyzing the

Episode #058 - Crisis Care for Severe and Profound Autism

Arzu Forough, President and CEO of Washington Autism Alliance, is our guest discussing crisis care for severe/profound autism. She discusses medical necessity, governing

Episode #057 - Standing Up for Severe Autism on Social Media: Eileen Lamb

National Council on Severe Autism Webinar, May 15, 2024 We feature Eileen Lamb, one of the most visible and prolific social media personalities in the autism world. Eilee

Episode #056 - Sounding Off About Autism Month

Autism Confidential returns to its usual podcast format for a discussion about April, Autism Month featuring host Jill Escher and guest Thomas McKean, a pioneering autism

Episode #055 - Karen Fessel: Insurance Coverage for Severe Autism

Karen Fessel, executive director of the Mental Health and Autism Insurance Project, returns to our National Council on Severe Autism webinar series to explain how insuran

Episode #054 - Discrimination by Design: How Policies Threaten the Most Severely Disabled

Featuring: Ashley Kim, Together for Choice Jackie Ceonzo, SNACK* NYC Note: For a video recording with slides, please see NCSAutism.org/webinars. There is a nationwide

Episode #053 - Seizures and Epilepsy in Severe and Profound Autism

This episode features Stephanie M. Morris , MD, is Medical Director, Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation (CASSI) At Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore. S

Episode #052 - National Council on Severe Autism Webinar, February 15, 2024

National Council on Severe Autism Webinar, February 15, 2024, featuring: Jill Escher, Escher Fund for Autism Walter Zahorodny, PhD, Rutgers University This webinar examin

Episode #051 - The Reauthorization of the Autism CARES Act

This episode features Alison Singer, president of Autism Science Foundation, and Craig Snyder of IKON Consulting, discussing why the Autism CARES Act should be reformed b

Episode #050 - Girl Storm: A Stunning New Memoir of Profound Autism

We interview Peg Kerswell, the author of a bold new book chronicling her experiences raising a daughter with extremely severe autism. Ellie is nonverbal and self-injuriou

Episode #049 - A Musical Mind: The Story of Adam Mandela Walden, a Cellist with Severe Autism

We interview Rosanne Katon Walden, the mother of Adam Mandela Walden, a young man with autism with remarkable musical talent. At the age of 2 he taught himself harmonica,

Episode #048 - Richard Edley, The Need for Reality-Based Programs for Adults with Severe Autism

Richard Edley, PhD is President/CEO of Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA) of Pennsylvania, and a nationally recognized leader pushing for care opti

Episode #047 - Open the Floodgates! Mary Ogle of A New Leaf in Oklahoma

This interview will blow your mind. You will have just one thought: "We need a thousand more Mary Ogles!" Mary is a force of nature and CEO of A New Leaf near Tulsa, Okla

Episode #046 - The Benefits of Residential Communities and the Need for Choice: Molly Nocon, CEO of Noah Homes

The next few episodes feature esteemed speakers from the recent Together for Choice conference held in Las Vegas Nevada. First up is Molly Nocon, CEO of Noah Homes in San

Episode #045 - How to Be an Autism Advocate in Your State

State policy is hugely consequential for autism families — from state Medicaid programs, to support worker wages, to health care, to guardianship, to recreation and respi

Episode #044 - Title: Autism Research Roundup, with Dr. Alycia Halladay

We are delighted to bring back Dr. Alycia Halladay, Chief Science Officer of the Autism Science Foundation, who we first featured way back in Episode 4. Alycia and host J

Episode #043 - Battling the Vaccine-Autism Myth, with Paul Offit, MD

The vaccine-autism myth is rearing its head again, particularly via statements by Democratic presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy, Jr., so it's never been more importa

Episode #042: Jackie Ceonzo: A Hero Serving Severe Autism in NYC

If Jill were to create a pantheon of Autism Gods, Jackie Ceonzo would be right there in the center. She is the rare autism mom who struck out to create recreational and e

Episode # 041 - Jill Gets Deluged by Questions

Last week, a long-form essay about autism by Jill Escher was published in The Free Press (TheFP.com). The article was about how we have grown increasingly complacent abou