Autistic Small Talk

About Autistic Small Talk

Autistic Small Talk is a blend of research-informed discussion and personal stories about autistic culture. We seek to not only inform and destigmatize but to celebrate and to share the joyful aspects of being an autistic person and finding autistic community. Currently airing on: CFUZ in Penticton, British Columbia at 3pm PST the second Sunday of every month CHSR in Fredericton, New Brunswick at 3pm AST every Thursday Met Radio (CJTM) Toronto, Ontario at 3pm EST the first and third Wednesday of every month CiTR Vancouver, British Columbia at noon PST the first Saturday of the month

Publisher

Vanessa Yaremchuk

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Feb 2026

Latest episode

10 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

20 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   10 Oct 2026

   Interview with Dr. Brett Heasman (part 2) and Autistic Interests

   In a succinct conclusion to Vanessa's interview with Brett Heasman, they talk about ways in which flow can be negative, the challenges around measuring flow, stimming as an aid to focus, flow in education settings, and the importance of sharing research outside of academia. For the second half she is joined by Jan Goh and they discuss a paper by Catherine Caldwell-Harris on autistic interests. Brett Heasman Heasman Flow Lab (https://heasmanflowlab.com/) Brett Heasman’s ResearchGate profile (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brett-Heasman) Sensory Street (https://sensorystreet.uk/) Autistic Flow Heasman, B., Williams, G., Charura, D., Hamilton, L. G., Milton, D., & Murray, F. (2024). Towards autistic flow theory: A non-pathologising conceptual approach (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/JDZZFXR6URAUQTXPD34U?target=10.1111/jtsb.12427). Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 54(4), 469–497. https://doi.org/10.1111/jtsb.12427 (https://doi.org/10.1111/jtsb.12427) A podcast of the authors discussing the paper (https://youtu.be/lGrLMPXJAuk): Wain, D., G.Williams, D.Charura, et al. 2026. “Transitioning in and out of Autistic Flow: A Qualitative Study Presenting a Non-Pathologising Approach to Autistic Well-Being and Conceptualising Autistic Ways of Being in Clinical and Therapeutic Settings. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/CXWVCJMS7ST8E6MNAXNK?target=10.1002/capr.70073)” Counselling and Psychotherapy Research26, no. 1: e70073. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.70073 (https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.70073). Understanding Autistic Flow with Dr Brett Heasman - The Middletown Centre for Autism Podcast (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1184276/episodes/18533555) Open Minds Open Minds Exhibition (https://www.eastridingtheatre.co.uk/ert_blog/revisiting-the-open-minds-exhibition/) LSE Research | Brett Heasman on improving public understanding of autism (https://www.lse.ac.uk/pbs/research/Research-Articles/Improving-public-understanding-of-autism) Autistic Interests Caldwell-Harris CL (2026) Autistic interests: wide-ranging and intellectually oriented. Front. Psychiatry 17:1749552. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1749552 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1749552/full (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1749552/full) Caldwell-Harris Lab (https://sites.bu.edu/caldwell-harris-lab/) Catherine Caldwell-Harris (ResearchGate) (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Catherine-Caldwell-Harris)

2. 

   11 Sept 2026

   Interview with Dr. Brett Heasman of the Heasman Flow Lab (part 1)

   This brief two episode interview with Dr. Brett Heasman starts with a conversation about his views on human flourishing, neurodiversity and flow, and public perceptions of autism. Brett Heasman Heasman Flow Lab (https://heasmanflowlab.com/) Brett Heasman’s ResearchGate profile (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brett-Heasman) Sensory Street (https://sensorystreet.uk/) Autistic Flow Heasman, B., Williams, G., Charura, D., Hamilton, L. G., Milton, D., & Murray, F. (2024). Towards autistic flow theory: A non-pathologising conceptual approach (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/JDZZFXR6URAUQTXPD34U?target=10.1111/jtsb.12427). Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 54(4), 469–497. https://doi.org/10.1111/jtsb.12427 (https://doi.org/10.1111/jtsb.12427) A podcast of the authors discussing the paper (https://youtu.be/lGrLMPXJAuk) Wain, D., G.Williams, D.Charura, et al. 2026. “Transitioning in and out of Autistic Flow: A Qualitative Study Presenting a Non-Pathologising Approach to Autistic Well-Being and Conceptualising Autistic Ways of Being in Clinical and Therapeutic Settings (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/CXWVCJMS7ST8E6MNAXNK?target=10.1002/capr.70073).” Counselling and Psychotherapy Research26, no. 1: e70073. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.70073 (https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.70073). Understanding Autistic Flow with Dr Brett Heasman – The Middletown Centre for Autism Podcast (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1184276/episodes/18533555) Complimentary Cognition Taylor H, Fernandes B, Wraight S. The Evolution of Complementary Cognition: Humans Cooperatively Adapt and Evolve through a System of Collective Cognitive Search. (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/cambridge-archaeological-journal/article/evolution-of-complementary-cognition-humans-cooperatively-adapt-and-evolve-through-a-system-of-collective-cognitive-search/F198B30682343E92C7E9C986332D380A) Cambridge Archaeological Journal. 2022;32(1):61-77. doi:10.1017/S0959774321000329 Open Minds Open Minds Exhibition (https://www.eastridingtheatre.co.uk/ert_blog/revisiting-the-open-minds-exhibition/) LSE Research | Brett Heasman on improving public understanding of autism (https://www.lse.ac.uk/pbs/research/Research-Articles/Improving-public-understanding-of-autism) (Show Notes Continued) (https://autisticsmalltalk.com/episode-19-interview-with-dr-brett-heasman-of-the-heasman-flow-lab-part-1/)

3. 

   4 Aug 2026

   Self-Identifying as Autistic & the Profound Problems with Functioning Labels

   Vince and Vanessa review, in a trice, research about who self-identifies as Autistic and why, followed by a state-of-the-art paper on why terms like "profound autism" and functioning labels (i.e.: high-functioning or low-functioning) end up causing harm. Ahuvia IL, Gurbuz E, Cuda J, et al. Identifying as Autistic Without a Formal Diagnosis: Who Self-Identifies as Autistic and Why? Autism in Adulthood. 2026;0(0). doi:10.1177/25739581251409920 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/25739581251409920 (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/25739581251409920) Kapp, S.K. Profound Concerns about “Profound Autism”: Dangers of Severity Scales and Functioning Labels for Support Needs. Educ. Sci. 2023, 13, 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020106 (https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020106) https://www.mdpi.com/2081376 (https://www.mdpi.com/2081376) Show notes (https://autisticsmalltalk.com/episode-18-self-identifying-as-autistic-and-the-profound-problems-with-functioning-labels/)

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

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