Autism and The Neuroverse

About Autism and The Neuroverse

Dr. Brandon Park, Neuropsychologist & Founder of New Focus Academy, and Alta Swarnes, Family Connections Director, present a podcast on neuroscience and family/professional support, with emphasis on Autism. Dr Park is a self-proclaimed brain nerd and cognitive neuroscientist studying and supporting Autism. Alta Swarnes has been in the mental health field since 1997 and has a son on the Autism Spectrum. Alta interviews various professionals, including Dr. Park, and special trainings with a general focus on Autism and co-occurring disorders. Reach out to Alta@newfocusacademy.net for connections

Publisher

New Focus Academy

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 Feb 2024

Latest episode

27 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

83 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Oct 2026

   Throw the Rulebook out the Window: Thriving in Neurodivergent Relationships with Maeve Hutchins

   Your relationship isn't broken. It's wired differently. Search the research on neurodivergent couples and you'll find words like "normal" versus "ADHD," "healthy" versus "not." This week on Autism in the Neuroverse, marriage and family therapist Maeve Hutchins says it's time to rewrite that story. Maeve works with couples at Flourish Therapy in Utah, spent a year at a neurodiversity clinic, and is in a neurodivergent marriage herself. She's seen what the research misses: neurodivergent relationships can be creative, joyful, and full of strengths. In this episode, you'll discover: ● "Mixed neurotype" relationships, and why seeing neurodivergence as a different way of being changes everything ● Six neurodivergent love languages, including info dumping, parallel play, body doubling, and penguin pebbling (yes, it's as sweet as it sounds) ● How to "translate" your partner's love language, so you can see the love that's already there ● Why texting your partner from the next room is okay, and other multimodal ways to communicate ● How to ask for what you need, from "praise me" to "tell me I'm pretty," no hints required ● How to avoid the parent-child dynamic that can creep into relationships ● How two neurodivergent partners can turn closeness into getting things done Maeve's message: throw out the rulebook, say what you mean, and make room for playfulness. Inside jokes, silly cues, and creative workarounds aren't signs of a problem. They're strengths.

2. 

   20 Oct 2026

   Brain-Body Connection: What Primitive Reflexes Can Tell Us About Anxiety, Autism, and ADHD with Emily Roper

   In this episode of Autism and the Neuroverse, host Alta Swarnes talks with Emily Roper, founder of Early Roots and a licensed INPP primitive reflex therapist who specializes in neurodevelopmental delay. Emily has a background in psychology, midwifery, and neurodevelopmental therapy. Many listeners, like Alta, will be hearing about this field for the first time. Emily shares the personal story behind her work. As a teenager, she watched her cousin, who had multiple diagnoses that never quite fit, go from meltdowns and overwhelm to engaging with his family, once he began neurodevelopmental therapy. She later recognized some of the same patterns in herself, which cemented her path into the field. The conversation covers: ● What neurodevelopmental therapy is: how it differs from, and overlaps with, occupational therapy, and why it focuses on early brain and body development from pregnancy through infancy. ● Primitive reflexes: the automatic reflexes babies are born with, why they should fade as the brain matures, and what it looks like when they linger in older children, such as an overactive startle (Moro) reflex that keeps a child in a stress response. ● Why it matters for learning and behavior: how retained reflexes and an immature vestibular system can affect attention, eye tracking, spatial awareness, and even mix-ups with letters like b, d, and p, which may be a brain-body issue rather than a learning problem. ● What therapy looks like: movement-based exercises combined with parent coaching that builds connection and attachment, for ages 3 and up, with a hands-on role for parents. ● Who it helps: children with ADHD, anxiety, autism, and anxiety-related conditions such as trichotillomania, OCD, and selective mutism. Emily describes anxiety as the most commonly improved symptom, followed by social connection, including children spontaneously saying “I love you” to their parents for the first time. ● Assessment: standardized neurological testing of balance, coordination, vision, and reflexes, plus a detailed family history from pregnancy through the present. Key takeaway for parents: Try to move away from seeing a struggling child as having a “behavior problem” and look for the brain-body reasons underneath. As Emily puts it, kids who are capable of doing well usually do, and seeing struggles through this lens makes room for more compassion and connection. Find Emily: earlyrootstherapy.com, Instagram and Facebook (@Early Roots), and the Early Roots Podcast for parents.

3. 

   25 Jun 2026

   From Surviving to Thriving: Finding Peace as a Special Needs Parent

   What if the greatest transformation for your child begins with transforming the way you see yourself? Alta welcomes Jennifer Swann—former constitutional lawyer, TEDx speaker, founder of the Peace, Power & Possibility Institute, and mother of two children with complex needs. Jennifer shares how parenting her son with autism and her daughter with a rare neuromuscular condition completely reshaped her perspective on caregiving, possibility, and joy. Together they explore how parents can move beyond survival mode, challenge limiting beliefs, embrace self-care without guilt, and create a life filled with peace and purpose—even in the midst of extraordinary challenges. Jennifer also shares practical tools for advocating for children, finding support, and recognizing that our children are so much more than their diagnoses. Whether you're raising a neurodivergent child, supporting someone who is, or simply looking for a fresh perspective on resilience, this conversation offers hope, encouragement, and practical wisdom for living a fuller life. Because sometimes the biggest shift isn't changing your circumstances—it's changing the way you see them.

Who has been a guest on Autism and The Neuroverse

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Winslow Morrell
• Amanda Baker
• Tim McMahon
• Andrew
• Bart Morrill

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.3 / 5

6 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 37 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

50

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

Contact Autism and The Neuroverse

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Autism and The Neuroverse