15 Sept 2026
How to Build Connection Despite the Social Tax of Autism with Jessica Penot
"So that's always my analogy for autism. We're not broken birds. We're fruit bats. And we're just trying to figure out how to live in a bird's world."
My guest this week is Jessica Penot, an autistic therapist and writer. She was diagnosed with autism in her 40s, which helped her understand a lifetime of feeling different. She is the author of several books, including The Unmasking Autism Workbook for Autistic Adults.
You will learn:
Why autistic people are fruit bats, not broken birds
How Jessica’s app Glimmernest can help autistic adults
How you can build connection with other autistic people
Plus, learn about Jessica’s special interest!
Follow-up Questions:
What’s one passion you’ve hidden away that you want to bring back?
What are some activities you can do to build connection with other people?
Can you think of a neuroaffirming place near you?
Guest Bio:
Jessica Penot, LPC-S is the founder of Tree of Life Behavioral Health and the Neuroaffirmative Autism Resource Center (NAARC). She is an autistic therapist, writer, speaker, and unapologetic advocate for embracing the beauty found in human difference.
Long before she knew she was autistic, Jessica always felt like she was living just outside the world everyone else seemed to understand. She found belonging where many people overlooked it—in forgotten places, ghost stories, folklore, fantasy, and the strange corners of history. Those lifelong passions led to bestselling paranormal novels, regional history books for The History Press, and countless late nights chasing stories that made people wonder.
Receiving an autism diagnosis in her forties gave a name to a lifetime of feeling different. It also transformed the direction of her work. Today, Jessica writes to help autistic people understand themselves with compassion instead of shame, to unmask safely, honor their disability needs, and build lives that fit who they truly are rather than who the world expects them to be.
She is the author of ten books, including The Unmasking Autism Workbook for Autistic Adults (New Harbinger Publications), writes for Psychology Today, develops therapeutic apps designed specifically for autistic adults, and speaks internationally on neuroaffirmative autism, mental health, and authentic living.
Whether she is writing fiction, developing new tools, counseling clients, or standing behind a podium, Jessica's work is guided by the same belief: the goal isn't to teach autistic people how to fit into the world—it is to help them build lives where they no longer feel they have to hide who they are.
Links:
Jessica’s website (https://www.jessicapenot.me/)
Glimmernest (iOS) (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/glimmernest/id6787284454)
Neuro Affirmative Autism Resource Center (https://naautismresourcecenter.org/)
Questions? Comments? Feedback? Reach out to me through Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/workingclassautistic/), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-joseph-236657171/), or email me at kevin@workingclassautistic.com (mailto:kevin@workingclassautistic.com).
