Meet My Autistic Brain

We’ve waited for decades for an autism assessment tool that reflects the experiences of adult women. The older diagnostic tools based on research of autistic boys left many of us misdiagnosed, overlooked, or completely missed. 
Dr. Rebecca Evanko set out to change that. After her own diagnosis at age 47, she used her background in cognitive linguistics, clinical practice and research to create an autism screening instrument developed specifically for adult women. It’s based on women’s personal experiences. It’s called WRADIANCE© Instrument and Protocol and is going into Phase III Clinical Trial.
In this episode Rebecca also explains why the words clinicians choose can dramatically change an assessment outcome, how autistic burnout is often mistaken for personality disorders, and why traits like heightened pattern recognition and focused persistence deserve recognition as autistic strengths rather than symptoms to be explained away.
The conversation also turns to identity after diagnosis, the grief many late-diagnosed women experience, and why therapies that include the body—not just the intellect—can play an important role in healing. Rebecca shares how equine-assisted therapy can help autistic women connect thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in ways that traditional talk therapy often cannot.
In this episode:
The words a real psych evaluation used to describe an autistic woman and what they actually mean
Why cognitive linguistics — the study of how thought and language shape each other — explains so much of why women get missed
What existing autism assessments overlook about adult women
How autistic pattern recognition can appear as "intuition"
The women’s autistic strengths that deserve greater recognition
What horses can reveal about emotional regulation that talk-therapy alone cannot
And more that would make this list much too long
Dr. Rebecca Evanko’s website 

  

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June 24-28, 2026 In Rewilding Together

In this episode you’ll hear from Tanya Roberts about Mindfulness Done Differently. For those of us who find meditation and mindfulness difficult Tanya has a solution. She teaches a method that works for autistic people by taking sensory needs into account. She also created a supportive community of other autistics who are learning and practicing these skills.
Next, Tanya answers four unique questions about being an autistic woman. She shares deeply personal insights about her life now and before knowing she is autistic. 
Website: Mindfulness Done Differently

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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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June 24-28, 2026 In Rewilding Together

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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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

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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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