Meet My Autistic Brain

The medical system wasn't built for women who ask too many questions, need more time, or leave an exam still wanting answers. As a result many women have learned not to trust their bodies and their needs. Nikki Vinckier, a Physician’s Assistant, spent a decade working in medical care before she decided to write the manual it didn’t come with.
This conversation is not just about what's broken, but about what you can actually do about it before your next appointment.
In this episode you’ll hear:
How the history of reproductive healthcare still shows up in exam rooms today
What medical gaslighting is and why autistic women are especially vulnerable
Why a clinician can’t address your health issues during your annual exam 
How to communicate symptoms when the one-to-ten scale makes no sense for your brain
The approach that gets you care in an autistic-friendly environment
What trauma-informed care looks like in practice 
Why you don't have to disclose that you're autistic, and what to say instead
Grounding techniques for exam rooms and waiting rooms
Nikki's book: We Deserve More: Why Health Care is Broken and What You Can Do About It 
The We Deserve More Workbook: A Companion for Navigating Your Reproductive Healthcare
Take Back Trust: Nikki's platform for visit prep, reproductive health information, and combating medical misinformation. 
Find Nikki: All social media platforms at @NikkiVinck

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If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.
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June 24-28, 2026 In Rewilding Together

Allie Memery never imagined that a late autism diagnosis at age 57 could be the launching pad for a whole new, satisfying life. In this episode she talks about the thing that became her special interest, the path to self-regulation and the social life that she couldn’t have expected.
She did it all while handling menopause, taking care of her aging mother and facing her own personal challenges. 
Alllie talks candidly about:
How menopause amplified her sensory sensitivities long before she had any framework to understand why
The physical toll of years of unaccommodated autistic needs — and how the body keeps score
What it took to actually slow down when you've masked for decades
The unexpected source of regulation and community she discovered after her diagnosis
How her life was changed by a nature-inspired special interest
The peer support she now offers other late-diagnosed adults, and why she built it the way she did
This one is practical, honest, and genuinely warm — exactly what you want from someone who's a few steps ahead on a path you might just be starting.

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RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.2 million downloads!
If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.
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Email: info@theautisticwoman.com
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June 24-28, 2026 In Rewilding Together

What does thriving actually look like for a late-diagnosed autistic adult?
Alexis Kruel gives a pretty specific answer from a life of contradictions.
Alexis is a commercial model and actor who was diagnosed autistic at 53 and ADHD shortly after. But this isn't really a diagnosis story. It's a story about what happens when your whole life suddenly plays back differently, and every awkward moment, every friendship that went cold, every dinner party you wanted to escape, finally makes sense.
She's built a life that genuinely fits her brain. In this conversation she talks about how she did it — and what she'd tell anyone who's still figuring that out.
In this episode:
The video that stopped her cold and started everything
Sensory life in the 70s — polyester, crinolines, a doomed trip to Stride Rite
Why she was simultaneously popular yet seen as “different”
How the fear of being seen inspired her to become a model
How two autistic people built a marriage that works — and why she thinks that's not an accident
Her advice for finding your comfort after late diagnosis
Find Alexis: 
Instagram & TikTok: @alexiskruel_official 
YouTube & Facebook: Alexis Kruel
Alexis Kruel website
Resources mentioned:
@whileyouwonderau 
theartofautism.com 
Prosper Health — telehealth autism assessments for adults

Support the show
RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.2 million downloads!
If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.
Instagram
Ko-fi, PayPal, Patreon
Linktree
Email: info@theautisticwoman.com
Website
June 24-28, 2026 In Rewilding Together

Have you ever felt like the world's volume is turned all the way up — and no one else seems to notice?
For autistic people, sound sensitivity isn't just a quirk or an overreaction. It's a daily, exhausting reality. In this episode, you’ll hear what it actually feels like when everyday sounds become unbearable — and learn the science behind why it happens.
In this episode:
Why between 50–70% of autistic people experience sound sensitivity at some point in their lives
The elements of sound that can push an autistic brain into overdrive: frequency, duration, quantity, repetition, and volume
What's happening in your brain when a disturbing noise sends your nervous system into fight-or-flight
Why the common advice to "just get used to it" can actually make things worse for autistic people
Practical tools and strategies that can help — from noise-canceling headphones to acoustic wall panels to earplug alternatives

Meet My Autistic Brain is a podcast for late-discovered autistics and anyone who wants to understand what life on the spectrum really looks like — no filters, no sugarcoating.
Listen, subscribe, and share with someone who needs to hear this one.

Support the show
RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.2 million downloads!
If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.
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Ko-fi, PayPal, Patreon
Linktree
Email: info@theautisticwoman.com
Website
June 24-28, 2026 In Rewilding Together

Did you know that AuDHD is its own unique experience, not just autism plus ADHD co-existing? In this episode Megan Griffith, author of Welcome to AuDHD: How to Survive and Thrive as an Adult with Autism and ADHD, gives us the inside look at AuDHD from her lived experience. Some of the things Megan talks about:
 Why AuDHD is its own unique experience, not just autism plus ADHD stacked on top of each other
How autism and ADHD can mask each other, leading to late or missed diagnoses
Practical advice on employment, salary negotiation, and finding work that fuels rather than drains you
Why autism and ADHD are often misunderstood as behavioral issues instead of neurodevelopmental disabilities
Misdiagnosis and what to look for in an autism/ADHD assessment
Learning to make accommodations instead of trying to “fix” yourself
Why many autistic and ADHD people struggle with self-trust
There’s so much more!
The book: Welcome to AuDHD: How to Survive and Thrive as an Adult with Autism and ADHD
The Neurocuriousity Club
Megan Griffith website 

Support the show
RATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.2 million downloads!
If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.
Instagram
Ko-fi, PayPal, Patreon
Linktree
Email: info@theautisticwoman.com
Website
June 24-28, 2026 In Rewilding Together