Autism in the Adult
Episodes
Conversation as Exchange: Three Ways We Connect (EP 80)
04 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Theresa Regan explores how conversations move beyond exchanging information to creating connection. Using childhood play as a model, she outlines ...
The Social Power of Stories: Why Conversation Is More Than Facts (EP 79)
21 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr. Theresa Regan explores how conversation often serves social and relational purposes beyond sharing facts. She explains the differ...
The 'Why' of Conversation: Decoding Invitations to Connect (EP 78)
07 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Neuropsychologist Dr. Theresa Regan explains how everyday questions can be invitations into different conversational roles and why that ambiguity can ...
When Friends Change: How Brain Development Shapes Friendship (EP 77)
30 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Theresa Regan explains how friendships evolve with brain development and why autistic individuals may struggle when social demands change—especi...
The Language of Play: How Fun Shapes Adult Relationships (EP76)
23 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Theresa Regan explores how play—humor, teasing, shared activities, and quiet companionship—shapes friendships, family life, dating, work, and ...
Tasks and Togetherness: When Connection Feels Confusing (EP 75)
16 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Dr. Theresa Regan explores why connection sometimes feels confusing by distinguishing task-oriented moments (doing and finishing) from...
The Hidden Skill of Connection: Theory of Mind Explained (EP 74)
09 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Neuropsychologist Dr. Theresa Regan explains theory of mind—our ability to recognize that others have different thoughts, feelings, and perspectives...
When Nervous Systems Differ: Unlocking Connection in Autism (EF 73)
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Theresa Regan returns from sabbatical to introduce her new book, "Understanding Communication and Relationships and Autism," and shares how her cl...
The Power of Small Talk (EP 72)
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan in an episode about the power of small talk as a social welcome mat and a way of testing the waters before creating longer social conne...
The Lifespan of a Household: Retirement and the Empty Nest (EP 71)
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for this episode of the Lifespan of a Household Series. The episode focuses on the experience of the autistic adult during the seasons ...
The Lifespan of a Household: Parenting Teens and Young Adults (EP 70)
12 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for this episode of the Lifespan of a Household Series. The episode focuses on the experience of the autistic parent in a household wit...
The Lifespan of a Household: Parenting Preteen Children (EP 69)
17 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the sixth episode of the Lifespan of a Household Series. The episode focuses on the experience of the autistic parent in a househol...
The Lifespan of a Household: Parenting Young Children (EP 68)
19 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the fifth episode of the Lifespan of a Household series. Today's episode focuses on topics important to autistic individuals who ar...
The Lifespan of a Household: Preparing for Children (EP 67)
06 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the 4th episode in the Lifespan of a Household series. Today's episode focuses on topics important to the autistic individual who i...
The Lifespan of a Household: Shared Living Space (EP 66)
08 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for this third episode in the "Lifespan of a Household" series. This episode highlights topics important to living in shared space, inc...
The Lifespan of a Household: Physical Intimacy in Relationships (EP 65)
18 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Regan continues the series about the lifespan of a relationship and/or household. The first episode focused on dating relationships, and this seco...
The Lifespan of a Household: Dating (EP 64)
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Regan begins a new series about the lifespan of a relationship and/or household. This first episode focuses on dating relationships. The episode ...
Powerful Self-Care: Filling the Tank (EP 63)
26 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the final episode of the Powerful Self-Care Series. Rather than becoming the victim of an intense world, constantly in survival mod...
Powerful Self-Care: Reducing the Drain (EP 62)
29 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for this second episode of the Powerful Self-Care Series. Rather than becoming the victim of an intense world, constantly in survival m...
Powerful Self-Care: Awareness of the Internal (EP 61)
07 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for this first episode of a new self-care series. Rather than becoming the victim of an intense world, constantly in survival mode, lea...
Communication Series: Using Communication to Tackle Tough Topics (EP 60)
10 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the third and final episode of the Communication Series. This episode highlights ways to communicate while talking about challengin...
Communication Series: Using Communication to Strengthen Relationships (EP 59)
18 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the second episode in the Communication Series. This episode highlights ways to use communication to protect and grow relationships...
Communication Series: Steps Toward Better Connections (EP 58)
28 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the first episode of the new Communication Series. This first episode highlights moments of connection, such as talking in the car,...
Executive Function Series: Sticking, Releasing, and Switching Gears (EP 57)
07 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this third episode of the executive function series, Dr. Regan discusses sticking, releasing, and switching gears in everyday life. Related resou...
Update and Links to Holiday Episodes (EP 56.5)
11 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Holidays and Autism: Holding Fast and Letting Go Planning a Merry Holiday on the Autism Spectrum
Executive Function Series: Speed, Working Memory, and Sequencing (EP 56)
10 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this second episode of the executive function series, Dr. Regan breaks down how speed, working memory, and sequencing impact daily life. I Love L...
Executive Function Series: EF, ADHD, and Autism (E 55)
30 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you understand what Executive Function (EF) refers to and why it is important? If you have EF difficulties, have you been diagnosed with ADHD? Do y...
What Might That Look Like: A Decision Making Tool
09 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever struggled over whether to accept an invitation or opportunity? Should I say yes, or no? Join Dr. Regan as she discusses the importance o...
Autism and Intentional Living: Expanding Special Interests
18 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to live with more intention to achieve your goals? In this 6th episode in a series on Intentional Living, Dr. Regan discusses ways to grow...
Autism and Intentional Living: Improving Household Culture
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to live with more intention to achieve your goals? In this 5th episode in a series on Intentional Living, Dr. Regan identifies ways to imp...
Autism and Intentional Living: Communicating and Connecting
07 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to live with more intention to achieve your goals? In this 4th episode in a series on Intentional Living, Dr. Regan identifies ways to use...
Autism and Intentional Living: Using Sensory Inputs to Improve Regulation
15 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Want to live with more intention in order to achieve your goals? You may wish to start with steps to improve your core resilience so you can challenge...
Autism and Intentional Living: How to Make Goals and Achieve Them
26 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may feel dissatisfaction or discomfort in some realm of life that you want to shift. But where to start and how to succeed? In this second episode...
Autism and Intentional Living: Goals and Growth
26 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may feel dissatisfaction or discomfort in some realm of life that you want to shift. But where to start and how to succeed? In this first episode ...
Neurodiversity: Making Space for Complexity
05 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for this episode on the neurodiversity movement, autism affirming services, and the importance of allowing for complexity in our unders...
Autism and ”Just Right”: The Quest for Balance
14 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for this episode on the quest for balance on the autism spectrum. Whether it's emotional regulation, attention, sleep, social interacti...
The Holidays and Autism: Holding Fast and Letting Go
03 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for this episode on neurodiversity and holiday celebrations. Sometimes the most memorable moments come from holding tightly to our foun...
Autism and Misdiagnosis: Anxiety, Trauma, and OCD
13 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the final episode in this series on autism misdiagnosis. This episode focuses on anxiety-related conditions and when their diagnosi...
Autism and Misdiagnosis: Bipolar and Depression
22 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the third in this series on autism misdiagnosis. This episode focuses on the misdiagnosis of mood conditions for the autistic indiv...
Autism and Misdiagnosis: Personality Disorders
25 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the second in this series on autism misdiagnosis. This episode focuses on how often and why autism may be misdiagnosed as a persona...
Autism and Misdiagnosis: Foundational Knowledge
04 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the first in a series on autism misdiagnosis. This episode focuses on why autism is misdiagnosed and how we can do better. Dr. Rega...
What is Spectrum?: The Importance of Pattern
14 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for an episode about what "spectrum" means and why the pattern of neurologic characteristics in each individual is so important to unde...
Q and A episode 2: Your Questions Answered
24 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the second Q and A episode in which she answers listener questions related to CBT therapy, parenting, autism in the workplace, non ...
Q and A Episode: Autism and the Physical Body
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for an episode in which she answers listener questions related to autism and the physical body. Topics include genetics, brain pathways...
Shifting Autistic Characteristics Across The Lifespan: The Impact of Aging
12 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the final episode in this series about how autistic characteristics may shift across the lifespan. This episode focuses on the life...
Shifting Autistic Characteristics Across The Lifespan: The Experience of Women
22 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the third episode in this series about how autistic characteristics may shift across the lifespan. This episode focuses on the life...
Shifting Autistic Characteristics Across The Lifespan: Adolescence
01 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the second episode in this series about how autistic characteristics may shift across the lifespan. This episode focuses on the lif...
Shifting Autistic Characteristics Across The Lifespan: Foundational Knowledge
10 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the first episode in her new series about how autistic characteristics may shift across the lifespan. This episode focuses on why t...
Talking About Autism: Characteristics in Others
27 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the final episode of the series "Talking About Autism." This episode focuses on how talk to others when you see autistic characteri...
Talking About Autism: Navigating Emotional Atmospheres
13 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the second episode of the series "Talking About Autism." This episode focuses on how the thoughtful navigation of emotions during c...
Talking About Autism: Personal Journeys
27 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for this first episode of the new series "Talking About Autism." This episode focuses on talking about autism when you are on a journey...
Recognizing Attempts at Regulation on the Autism Spectrum
13 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the final episode of a four part series on regulation and dysregulation on the autism spectrum. This episode focuses on recognizing...
Recovering from Dysregulation on the Autism Spectrum
30 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the third episode of a four part series on regulation and dysregulation on the autism spectrum. This episode focuses on strategies ...
Reducing Dysregulation on the Autism Spectrum
16 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Regan for the second episode of a four part series on regulation and dysregulation on the autism spectrum. This episode focuses on three stra...
Recognizing Dysregulation on the Autism Spectrum: Fight, Flight, Freeze
02 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Individuals on the spectrum who are going through a season of struggle often describe episodes of dysregulation (not feeling centered in their alertne...
Planning a Merry Holiday on the Autism Spectrum
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Take a moment to listen again to this holiday episode originally published in 2020. Celebrations may be draining or overwhelming to the individual on ...
Autism and Eating Disorders
31 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Autism is found at higher than expected rates in those with eating disorders or problematic eating patterns. Join Dr. Regan to hear about this link an...
Guilt and Worry in Relationships: Four Strategies Toward Freedom
16 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, hear why repetitive fears about social interactions may chase the autistic individual and learn four strategies for escaping those wo...
Keeping Momentum for Activities on the Autism Spectrum
03 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Individuals on the spectrum may have more difficulty than others finding and staying in a "just right" state for activities and tasks. Join Dr. Regan ...
Gaining Momentum for Activities: Shifting from Sluggish to Active
19 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Individuals on the spectrum may have more difficulty than others shifting from a stopped state (exhausted, "lazy," sluggish) to a "just right" active ...
Exhaustion in Autism: Balancing Momentum for Daily Activities
05 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Resiliency for daily life can be a difficult state to achieve on the autism spectrum. Individuals may struggle to gain momentum for tasks while still ...
Neurodiversity in Relationships: Making Differences Work
22 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most requested podcast topics relates to neuro diversity in relationships: family units, couples, friendships, and partnerships. Dr. Regan ...
Autism in Women
12 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Females on the spectrum are more often missing a correct diagnosis than their male counterparts. Join Dr. Regan in learning why this occurs and how to...
Shifting Behavior: Achieve Better Outcomes with a Detective Mindset
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ever been stuck in a loop of discussions about how someone else should change their behavior? Whether on the spectrum or neurotypical, your biggest su...
Abuse, Neglect, and Relational Pain on the Autism Spectrum
08 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Individuals on the autism spectrum are at risk for abuse and relational pain. Join Dr. Regan as she discusses the importance of diagnosing trauma cond...
Social Multi-tasking: Living Life on the Spectrum Within a Family Unit
19 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
An ASD partner may be very attentive during a dating relationship but struggle in the context of family life with children. Join Dr. Regan as she talk...
The Two Pillars of Communication: Attention to Topic and Person
24 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Many individuals on the spectrum are passionate about topic, data, and facts. However, attention to the social context of communication may take a bac...
Autism in the Adult: The Quest for a Diagnosis
10 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Many are on a journey in adulthood to determine whether they (or someone they love) is on the autism spectrum. Dr. Regan talks about the importance of...
Autism in Relationships: Three Tips to Help the ASD individual Let Go of a Topic
02 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One of the defining characteristics of autism is a neurologic "leaning toward" repetition. In relationships, this can lead to "conversational persiste...
Planning a Merry Holiday on the Autism Spectrum
29 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For many on the autism spectrum, coming together for the holidays is overwhelming. The adrenaline rush that brings anticipation and excitement for mos...
Autism Spectrum: The Benefits of Written Communication
14 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Communicating through technology may have a bad rap. But in the autism spectrum, there are times when emails and texts can enhance social-emotional ...
Autism Spectrum: The Challenges of Self-Advocacy
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Self-advocacy is an often-used term in higher levels of education, community agencies, and medical settings. It describes the commitment to encourage ...
Grief Reactions in the Autism Spectrum: Recognizing Signs and Providing Support
10 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Grief reactions can look different for the individual on the autism spectrum than for the neurotypical. Join Dr. Regan to learn how to detect signs of...
Autism Diagnosis: A Vital Step Toward Best Outcomes
27 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For those on the autism spectrum, a diagnosis clarifies which of their characteristics are brain-based. This understanding breaks the cycle of relying...
Name that Emotion: Difficulty Decoding Emotions on the Spectrum
13 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Although many on the spectrum describe sensitivity to emotional atmospheres, the ability to detect specific emotions, understand what triggered the fe...
Autism and Truth-Telling: Four Strategies for Protecting Relationships without Lying
06 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Many individuals on the spectrum feel a deep commitment to facts and truth. This passion can lead to problems when also trying to navigate the relatio...
My Son Shuts Down When I'm Talking To Him: Listener Request
30 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Regan answers a listener's questions about communication with her adult son on the spectrum. Have you ever wanted to have better exchanges with so...
Missed Diagnoses on the Autism Spectrum: The Parable of the Elephant
29 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Estimates indicate that about 25% of school children on the autism spectrum are missing a correct diagnosis, and over 90% of adults on the spectrum re...
He Can't Be Autistic: He's So Social!
22 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, Dr. Regan busts the myth that someone who is talkative cannot be on the autism spectrum. It is important to understand the differen...
The Difference Between Intellect and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Knowing Versus Doing
16 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Regan explains the differences between intellect and autism, and why the distinction is important for providing the best support to those on the s...
Attention Deficit Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Similarities and Differences
07 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast will explain the similar anatomy and behavioral characteristics in ADD and ASD while emphasizing the differences in critical features. Ha...