Autism Central Podcast

Listener note: We want to let listeners know that this episode includes discussion of trauma, suicidal ideation, and mental health crisis. Please listen in a way that feels supportive for you.In this episode, Catherine Asta is joined by Brian Haines for a deeply reflective conversation about the often-unseen mental health crises faced by late-diagnosed autistic adults, accumulated trauma, and the life-changing power of creativity - offering hope for anyone feeling unheard or misunderstood.Diagnosed as autistic at 61, Brian shares how his NHS diagnosis brought clarity to a lifetime of feeling “peculiar,” marginalised, and out of step with the social world. What followed was not relief, but a period of profound unravelling - burnout, mental health crisis, and standing, as he describes it, at the edge of the abyss.From that darkness, poetry emerged.Brian speaks openly about how writing became his emotional scaffolding when formal therapeutic support fell short - a way to structure overwhelming thoughts, process rage and loneliness, and give voice to what had long been hidden behind the mask. For someone who struggles with the spontaneity of social communication, poetry offers rhythm, certainty, and a space where his words can finally be heard, at his pace.Together they explore masking, marginalisation, suicidal ideation, autistic burnout, and the vulnerability of sharing creative work in a world that has not always felt safe. Brian reflects on isolation and the “crevasse” of autistic loneliness, and how creative expression - through poems such as Behind the Mask - has slowly built belonging, connection, and community.Brian also shares practical, gentle steps on how to begin your own creative journey, or support someone you care for, and why simply creating for yourself is enough to start. It’s a powerful episode about voice, survival, and the courage to step out from behind the mask - a reminder that creativity can become both scaffold and bridge to belonging.Autism CentralSubscribe to our FREE newsletterExplore our FREE support - 1:1 sessions, group coaching, online events and resourcesConnect with Brian Instagram: @autistically61YouTube: ⁠https://m.youtube.com/@brianhaines7922⁠Connect with Catherine WebsiteInstagram Book

Welcome to Season 4 of the Autism Central Podcast, hosted by psychotherapist, podcaster, and author Catherine Asta. To open the season, we’re doing something special.In this episode, Catherine is joined by both of her daughters - Caty and Kristina - for a gentle, insightful mother-daughter conversation that sets the tone for the journey ahead. You’ll first hear from Caty, who not only joins on mic, but also works behind the scenes editing the podcast. Together, they reflect on what it means to create a mother-daughter show, nurturing strengths as a mature student at university, their ‘family eco-system,’ and why this podcast matters to the parents, carers, and supporters who need it most.Then the microphone is handed to Catherine’s youngest daughter, 8-year-old (and three-quarters!) Kristina, stepping into the guest-host role to ask her mum five thoughtful questions about life as an autistic person and parent.Their conversation explores:What it feels like to navigate the world with an autistic and multiply neurodivergent brainChildhood experiences before knowing she was autisticThe strengths autism bringsThe emotional clarity of a late autism discoveryWhat it’s like balancing autistic needs with parentingIt’s warm, honest and deeply human -  a window into a multiply neurodivergent family committed to kindness, compassion, curiosity, and building a life that works for each of them. This episode offers parents and supporters a rare, real-life insight into autistic experience across generations - and why community, understanding, and the right support matter so much.Connect with Catherinewww.catherineasta.comResources Catherine makes reference to in the episode:Catherine’s book ‘Rediscovered’ and ‘The Late Discovered Club Podcast’Autism CentralSubscribe to our FREE newsletterExplore our FREE support - 1:1 sessions, blogs, events 

Holly chats to autistic researcher Dr. Wenn Lawson aboutgetting older and what this means for autistic people.Find out more about our programme for parents and carers ofautistic people at autismcentral.org.ukSome of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms youmay be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary toexplain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central andis the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on our YouTube channel.

Holly talks to autistic mothers Lynette Morgan and Sophia Abdel about their experiences in pregnancy and motherhood.Links for this episode:Maternity Autism Research GroupFind out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at autismcentral.org.ukSome of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on the Autism Central YouTube channel.

Holly meets Jamie + Lion to talk about their experiences around moving away from home, setting up an autism-friendly space and how to get support with independent living.Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at autismcentral.org.ukSome of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on the Autism Central YouTube channel.

Holly talks to Senior Lecturer in Autism Dr Luke Beardon and autistic student Leona Laverty about starting university and how to get support.Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at autismcentral.org.ukSome of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on the Autism Central YouTube channel.

Holly chats to two autistic people, Andrew Carpenter and Mandy Taylor, about their experiences around starting work, with tips and advice for other autistic people.Links for this episode:·      Access to work ·      Finding work – links to resources on the Autism Central website·      Transition to adulthood – free resources that can be accessed by registering on the Autism Central websiteFind out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at autismcentral.org.ukSome of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on the Autism Central YouTube channel.

Holly meets autistic coach Sarah-Jane Critchley and autistic mum and veterinary surgeon Jacq Watkins to talk about the changes young people face when finishing school and how we can best support them.Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at autismcentral.org.ukSome of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on the Autism Central YouTube channel.

Holly talks to Dr Naomi Fisher and Eliza Fricker about puberty and what parents and carers can do to support autistic young people during this period.Links for this episode:You can watch the following free webinar series by Dr NaomiFisher and Eliza Fricker on the Autism Central website:·      Wellbeing for parents/carers·      Navigating education and working well with school·      Low demand parenting Find out more about our programme for parents and carers ofautistic people at autismcentral.org.ukSome of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned. The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central andis the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved.  More content can be found on the Autism Central YouTube channel.

Holly talks to Hannah Molloy, Jacob Lennon and Sophia Vasi about their experiences of transitions at school. Links for this episode:Autistic Young Experts share their views on bullying (requires registration on the Autism Central website to view)Autistic and OK programme Find out more about our programme for parents and carers ofautistic people at autismcentral.org.uk Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms youmay be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary toexplain some of the terms mentioned. The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central andis the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on the Autism Central YouTubechannel.

Holly chats to Amanda Hind about the experience of starting school for autistic people. Amanda is an autism researcher, qualified SENCO and autistic mum to autistic children.Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at autismcentral.org.uk Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on the Autism Central YouTube channel.

Holly Sprake Hill talks to psychologist Dr Alice Nicholls and Michelle Myers, Head of Central Services at Great Minds Together, about bigger and smaller transitions and how these affect autistic people.Links for this episode:Great Minds Together - Autism Central North West England delivery partnerFree resources by Dr Alice NichollsManual of Me programmeFind out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at autismcentral.org.uk Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on the Autism Central YouTube channel.

In episode 10, speech and language therapist Alison Futerman and parent Seema Islam join host Holly Sprake-Hill to discuss how parents can support autistic young people around friendships.Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central, and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on our YouTube channel here.

In episode 8, Holly Sprake-Hill chats to Marsha Martin and Helen Fleetwood about parenting neurodivergent children and family relationships. Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned.The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central, and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on our YouTube channel here.

In episode 7, Holly Sprake-Hill is joined by three neurodivergent guests - Andy Smith, Zeena Bishop and Sarah Davis - to talk about their experiences around family relationships. Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/ Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned. The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central, and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on our YouTube channel here.

In episode 6, Holly Sprake-Hill meets two autistic young people, Leona Laverty and Fraser Parry, to talk about growing up with neurodivergent siblings. Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/ Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned. The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central, and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on our YouTube channel here.

In episode 5, Holly Sprake-Hill meets Dawn Hockey and Louise Elliman, who share their experiences around parenting neurodivergent siblings. Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/ Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned. The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central, and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on our YouTube channel here.

In episode 3, Holly Sprake-Hill is joined by Sarah Noble and Harvey Range to talk about the Sex Education Matters project for autistic young people and why effective sex education is so important. Additional resources for this episode: Relationships and intimacy my way: an autistic perspective https://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/understanding-autism/preparing-for-adulthood/relationships-and-intimacy   Sex Education Matters website https://www.sexedmatters.co.uk/    Ambitious Youth Network https://ambitious-youth-network.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/ Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/ Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned. The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central, and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on our YouTube channel here.

In episode 2, Holly Sprake-Hill, Ashley Welton and Tom Moran chat about their experiences around dating and romantic relationships and share tips and advice for autistic young people and their parents. Additional resources for this episode: An Autistic Guide to Healthy Relationships: https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/neurodiversity-development/impact-and-engagement/healthy-relationships-for-autistic-people/   Autism, Relationships and Marriage: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/autism-relationships   Purple Ella: ‘Autistic Masking & Romantic Relationships’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOMDSQ5Dc28   BBC ‘The Social’: Autism and relationships https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p080bkmx Books: - The Autism Spectrum Guide to Sexuality and Relationships: Understand Yourself and Make Choices that are Right for You by Dr Emma Goodall, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2016 - Taking Off the Mask: Practical Exercises to Help Understand and Minimise the Effects of Autistic Camouflaging by Hannah Belcher, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2022 - Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person by Cathy Wassel, Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2022 Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at ⁠https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/ A note to listeners: In this series, we'll be discussing themes including sex that you may consider inappropriate for minors. Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a ⁠glossary⁠ to explain some of the terms mentioned. The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central, and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on ⁠our YouTube channel here⁠.

In the first episode of season 2, Holly Sprake-Hill talks to autistic author, public speaker and diagnostician Sarah Hendrickx about romantic relationships and life with her autistic partner. Find out more about our programme for parents and carers of autistic people at https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/ Sarah Hendrickx’s latest book on Women and Girls on the Autism Spectrum, which is mentioned in the episode, is available here:  https://uk.jkp.com/products/women-and-girls-on-the-autism-spectrum-second-edition  A note to listeners: In this series, we'll be discussing themes including sex that you may consider inappropriate for minors. Some of our podcast episodes contain specialist terms you may be unfamiliar with. We’ve put together a glossary to explain some of the terms mentioned. The Autism Central Podcast is produced by Autism Central, and is the copyright of NHS England. All rights reserved. More content can be found on our YouTube channel here.