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Why You Should Pay Yourself First – AFI: The Autism and Financial Independence Podcast – Episode 21

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. In episode 21 of AFI, David talks us through some simple, practical ways to understand and implement the concept of pay yourself first. We talk a bit about the implications for autistic people, and as usual, we take a trip on the tangent train. In this episode,…
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Autistic Masking Unmasked – AFI: The Autism and Financial Independence Podcast – Episode 20

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. The subject of autistic masking is currently a hot topic in the ongoing war of ideas in autism academia. The likes of Uta Frith and Naomi Fisher are effectively pouring scorn on this quintessential autistic experience. The thing is, autistic masking is not straightforward, and can only…
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Red Flags Autistic People Should Avoid in Jobs – AFI: The autism and Financial Independence Podcast – Episode 19

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. A constant concern for me is that autistic people, statistically, are more likely than non-autistic people to be unemployed, in low-paid work, and to be financially disadvantaged. It’s a subject we return to often on the AFI podcast. Getting a job, doing fulfilling work, for good pay…
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What’s Wrong with the Jigsaw Piece? – AFI: The Autism and Financial Independence Podcast – Episode 18

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. Let’s talk about this jigsaw piece imagery that we see everywhere autism is mentioned. Many, many autistic people reject this iconography, but some like it. Why is it so controversial? Where did the image come from, and what exactly is it about a jigsaw piece that upsets…
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Try Before You Buy – AFI: The Autism and Financial Independence Podcast – Episode 17

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. Just a quick couple of things to mention… Firstly, a request for input. I’m looking for thoughts and experiences from neurodivergent people regarding experiences at work. Specifically, we’re looking for the biggest red flags and green flags in recruitment, onboarding and general management of employees. The plan…
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What is Happening With Autism and AI? – AFI: The Autism and Financial Independence Podcast – Episode 16

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. Remember the Fonagy Review we talked about recently? Well, there was a recommendation in the review about integrating AI and other digital solutions into the improvements required in approaches to mental health, autism, and ADHD. As is my habit, I started to think quite deeply about this,…
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Is There Any Point in Arguing About Neurodiversity? – AFI: The Autism and Financial Independence Podcast – Episode 15

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. It’s all very well telling someone they’ve used a word like neurodiversity or neurodiverse wrongly… But does it actually matter? In the latest episode of AFI, David and I have a look at the regular disagreements over neuro-terminology in autistic spaces, and try to find out if…
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When to Start Investing, and Why it Matters – AFI: The Autism and Financial Independence Podcast – Episode 14

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. I just wanted to share the latest episode of AFI. In this episode, we focus on financial independence. Regular viewers and listeners to AFI will know how passionate I can get about the financial plight of many autistic people, and how important I believe it is for…
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Is Autism Being Overdiagnosed? Unpicking the Fonagy Review – AFI: The Autism and Financial Independence Podcast – Episode 13

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. On the 9th of October, the UK saw the publication of the Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. The review’s purpose was to examine changes in prevalence of autism, ADHD and mental health problems, and the increased demand for mental health services. It was also…
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Is Autism a Disability? – AFI: The Autism and Financial Independence Podcast – Episode 12

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. The question of whether autism is a disability is one of the most frequently and furiously debated autism topics online. Both sides of the debate can be equally passionate in their view. But often, the debates miss a central point. In this episode of AFI, my co-host…