Autism Labs
Practical tips and evidence-based guidance to make life easier for you and your severely autistic loved ones.
Episodes
56 episodes
Part 1 AI for Autism Care: Daily Living Labs for Parents
In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr speaks with futurist and researcher Mike Courtney about how AI and emerging technologies can be applied in practical, meaningful ways to support individuals with complex specia...
Part 3 What I Learned as an Autism Parent About Respite Care, Staff Culture and Letting Go of Fear
This episode focuses on lessons learned from building and running a special needs program, emphasizing that strong outcomes depend less on daily tasks and more on culture, trust, and communication. Mike Carr and Johnna Oppermann discuss how fea...
Part 2 Why Culture is the Most Important Thing to Look for in Autism Respite Care
Choosing the right autism program comes down to culture, transparency, and a commitment to long-term success rather than quick fixes. High-quality programs take the time to truly understand each individual through a thorough intake process, ...
Part 1 Why Culture is the Foundation of Every Effective Behavior Support Program
This episode highlights a critical lesson for families navigating autism care: the long-term success of any residential or day program depends far more on culture than on buildings, funding, or initial plans. Drawing on decades of experience, J...
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8 Ways to Improve Sleep For You & Your Child
Improving sleep for individuals with autism and their families requires a flexible, trial-and-error approach rather than relying on a single solution. Consistent physical activity and mental engagement during the day can significantly increase ...
Part 2 BCBA Autism Insights: Medication, Behavior & Quality of Life
This episode highlights that improving behavior in autism requires a holistic, individualized approach that goes far beyond therapy alone. Medication can be helpful when tied to a clear goal and guided by simple, objective data, but it must be ...
Part 1 of BCBA for Profound Autism Higher-Support Adults
This episode explores the often-overlooked transition from structured therapy to adulthood for individuals with high support needs in autism, emphasizing that success is less about continuing rigid interventions and more about adapting to real-...
Part 2 of Howdy Homemade Ice Cream Employment for Special Needs
Howdy Homemade Ice Cream is a unique business that not only serves delicious ice cream but also provides employment opportunities for individuals with special needs. The company is committed to empowering these individuals by offering them r...
Part 1 of What I Learned From Tom & Jeff Of Howdy Homemade
On this Autism Labs episode, Mike Carr talks with Tom Landis (Howdy Homemade Ice Cream) and investor Jeff Schiefelbein about creating meaningful employment for people with autism and developmental disabilities. They explain how clear routine...
Adaptive Listening for Nonverbal Children with Autism
In this episode of the Autism Labs Podcast, Mike shares how “adaptive listening” has transformed the way he connects with his nonverbal son, emphasizing that listening is far more than hearing words. For children with limited speech, communi...
Autism Advice for Parents: Finding Wisdom in The Beatitudes
This episode explores the application of the Beatitudes to parenting children with complex special needs. The host discusses six key principles: being poor in spirit through humility and teachability, mourning as honest acknowledgment of pai...
Essential Parenting Tips For Autism: Part 2 Mother's Journey
This episode explores the journey of supporting a child with autism through the experiences of Diana Danu and her son, Gabi, emphasizing the importance of individualized approaches, strong communication, and parent advocacy. Diana shares how me...
Autism Parenting Tips Part 1 of Mother's Journey
In this episode, Mike Carr speaks with Diana Danu, a mother from Romania, about her journey raising her son Gabi, who was diagnosed with autism at age three. Diana describes the challenges families face in Romania, where limited services, incon...
Building Autism Support Programs That Actually Work: Beyond Just Finding Great People
Supporting individuals with autism and complex needs requires more than exceptional staff members. While finding dedicated caregivers is valuable, challenges such as staff turnover, scheduling limitations, illness, and burnout create inevitable...
Autism Transition to Adulthood: Tips for Parents and Caregivers from Transition Specialists
In this episode, the Round Rock ISD team emphasizes that successful transition for young adults with autism requires individualized, out-of-the-box approaches tailored to each student’s interests and strengths, including small motivators and sa...
Autism Transition to Adulthood Programs: Expert Guidance from Round Rock School District
Autism Labs: Transition Programming in Round Rock School DistrictThis episode features representatives from Round Rock School District, one of the larger school districts in the greater Austin, Texas area. The discussion centers o...
Why I’m Optimistic About My Severely Autistic Child’s Future
In this episode, Mike Carr shares why he remains optimistic about the future for his severely autistic son despite the many challenges parents face, including the loss of school-based supports after age 21, difficulty accessing adult service...
5 Autism Parenting Tips from a Dad’s Honest Experience
In this podcast, Mike Carr shares five key lessons he’s learned raising a child with complex special needs. He emphasizes the importance of humility, encouraging parents to ask for help rather than guessing or improvising, and warns against ...
Finding Autism Residential Care: Tips For Parents & Families
Mike Carr and Joel Wood discuss building residential and support options for adults with profound autism, saying staffing - motivated, caring people over credentials- is the biggest challenge. They recommend partnering with universities, usi...
Residential Care for Autism: What We're Learning About Creating Programs That Actually Work
Joel and Martha are planning a meaningful future for their 20-year-old son William, nonverbal but highly intelligent (spells to communicate), with autism and apraxia, body-control issues, and elopement—because typical programs don’t engage p...
Part 2: Autism Respite Care: What We've Learned Building a Program for Adults with Severe Autism
In this episode of Autism Labs discussion between Mike Carr, Allie Langan, and Sharon Holloway regarding respite care programs for parents of severely autistic adults. The key points from the transcript include:- Getting indivi...
Part 1: Respite Care for Autism: A Parent's Guide to Life Skills Training and Support Programs
In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr, Sharon Holloway, and Allie Langan discuss the importance of respite care and life skills programs for autistic and neurodivergent young adults, emphasizing early, consistent, and individualized supp...
Revolutionary Autism Resources for Parents: Dr. Karnik's POD Health App
Dr. Dilip Karnik, a pioneering pediatric neurologist with over four decades of experience, joined Autism Labs to introduce POD Health, a free, AI-powered digital platform designed to revoluti...
Part 2 Supported Living for Adults with Autism: A Parent's Guide to Housing Options
Mike Carr and Ann Hart discuss housing and independence for adults with autism, stressing that options depend on each person’s support needs. They note SSLCs have improved, recommend visiting programs and evaluating staff, and suggest starting ...
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Part 1 Supported Living for Adults with Autism: A Parent's Guide to Housing Options
In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr and guest Ann Hart explore the complex landscape of housing options for adults with autism and other significant support needs. They emphasize the importance of preparing early—especially getting on Med...
