Episode 6: Love & Neurodivergence

Shelby and Bryant Geralds reveal the raw, heartfelt insights of living with autism while being married, offering a powerful look at how neurodivergent strengths and struggles shape their relationship in ways most people never see.

Join us as we celebrate neurodiversity and learn how embracing differences leads to deeper connection and growth. Whether you're in a relationship with a neurodivergent partner or just want to foster more empathy in your conversations, this episode offers invaluable insights.

This episode is perfect for neurodivergent couples, mental health professionals, or anyone seeking to understand how love, patience, and clear communication can turn differences into extraordinary strengths. Bryant’s perspective will shift how you see autism, and Shelby’s blend of professional advice and personal experience offers a blueprint for more compassionate and understanding relationships.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome to Married to Wellness, a Two Roads Wellness Clinic podcast.

SPEAKER_05 0:04

We're Ted and Jessica Nimitz, married for over 20 years and owners of Two Roads Wellness Clinic.

SPEAKER_03 0:09

After years in the wellness world, we've learned that caring for people is about more than just health. It's about relationships, work, family, and how we show up in all of it.

SPEAKER_05 0:18

Each episode we'll have real conversations about mental and physical wellness, cutting-edge treatments, changes in healthcare, and the messy, meaningful reality of running a business together while raising a family.

SPEAKER_03 0:28

If you're passionate about wellness, curious about new approaches to care, or trying to build a life in a business you love without burning out, this podcast is for you.

SPEAKER_05 0:37

Let's dive in. Hey everybody, welcome back to Married to Wellness, where we talk about health and wellness, entrepreneurship, and the real life that happens when you're married and in business together.

SPEAKER_03 0:50

We're so glad you're here for episode six. We're joined by Shelby and O'Brien Jarrell.

SPEAKER_05 0:56

Hey guys. So a little intro on Shelby. She's one of our mental health therapists here at Two Roads, uh, Two Roads Wellness Clinic, and she works out of our Danville office uh where she also pulls double duty as a clinical supervisor. Um so she helps lead our therapy team there, and um she has a list of specialties. Uh I'll just touch briefly on them, but uh her specialties are folks who are neurodivergent. Uh and within that banner, that includes um patients who have ADHD, um, autism spectrum disorder, and uh some other some other um neurodivergent uh diagnoses as well.

SPEAKER_03 1:40

Yeah, and her husband Bryant joins us today as well. Bryant was diagnosed with autism, and together they're going to share what it's like to be married, some of the strengths and challenges neurodivergent couples can experience, and also what it's like for Bryant to be married to a therapist.

SPEAKER_05 1:57

So that that'll be fun for me to hear from someone else married to a therapist. Uh so we'll also take a take a moment to recognize Autism Awareness Month and talk about ways we can um support those folks in uh raising awareness about autism.

SPEAKER_03 2:13

So Shelby and Bryant, welcome to Married to Wellness. Thank you. We're excited.

SPEAKER_05 2:18

All right. So before we dive into the deep end of what we're talking about today, let's start with something simple. Um, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves like as a couple? Like how did you meet? How would you describe your relationship? You know, kind of let the let the listeners get to know you a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 2:37

So Bryant and I, we met online actually in 2021. Yeah. Yeah in 2021. Um, I was in the middle of my grad school summer of getting my master's degree, and Bryant was working full-time. So we met online, and it took us a couple weeks to have a free day to be able to go out on our first date. So we got to know each other over the phone a lot faster than we did in person, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_05 3:06

That's kind of old school.

SPEAKER_00 3:08

Yeah. Yeah, it definitely was um, I don't think either of us were really looking looking at the time, but it just happened to kind of fall into place.

SPEAKER_05 3:18

That's cool. So you guys were just open to it and uh it it grew out of uh an introduction, huh?

SPEAKER_00 3:24

Yeah. So let's oh sorry, go ahead, Shelby. No, I was gonna ask say ask Bri what what are we what do you how would you describe us?

SPEAKER_01 3:35

Uh I don't know. I feel like we we were married way before we actually were married.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

Just from how well we knew each other by then.

SPEAKER_00 3:46

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 3:49

But in those two weeks we talked like quite a bit and learned about each other.

SPEAKER_03 3:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 3:58

That's cool.

SPEAKER_03 3:58

Good. Uh well, what's one thing you really appreciate about each other?

SPEAKER_00 4:04

I love Bryant's sense of humor. Um sometimes it takes a little bit to get to know him for him to let his sense of humor out, but once you get it, he is one of the most sarcastic and funny people you will ever meet. And I love that. I love that.

SPEAKER_05 4:19

Brian, do you have a uh do you have a favorite like stand-up comedian?

SPEAKER_01 4:23

Larry the cable guy. I love Larry the Cable Guy. Larry the cable guy.

SPEAKER_05 4:27

Nice. Nice. I dig it.

SPEAKER_03 4:31

And Brian, what's one thing you appreciate about Shelby?

SPEAKER_01 4:34

I like how we can support each other through anything.

SPEAKER_05 4:38

Yeah, you gotta have each other's back if you're married for sure.

SPEAKER_03 4:40

That's right. Yeah. Well, Shelby, let's uh talk a little bit about work. So you're a therapist at our uh Two Road Samble Clinic, and you also help lead our team as a clinical supervisor. So what's a typical day look like for you?

SPEAKER_00 4:56

Oh well, every day's a little bit different, but so I don't know, maybe I'm unique in the fact of I work with all ages. So I don't see just kids and I don't see just adults. Um, I read I go the gamut. So um I'll see anywhere from five to eight people a day normally. That's my goal. Um, sometimes it's a little less, sometimes it's a little more. Um, and uh that can be anything with from ADHD, autism, anxiety, trauma. I have had a lot of work with trauma. And then when I'm not in sessions, um I'm doing paperwork, so signing off on notes, or I'm teaching some of our other counselors here about different things, or helping them solve some of their problems or work through a difficult case. Uh, and then also just trying to work with some of the other leadership in the building to figure out how we can make things run a little more smoothly because we all need something to communicate.

SPEAKER_03 6:00

Yes. And you do a great job at that, Shelby. You're an excellent leader. Uh, you forgot to add in there the runs to Seven Brew to get coffee or McDonald's to get a tea. Coke. Yeah. Yep.

SPEAKER_05 6:16

Well, let me highlight Yes. Yeah. Let me let me highlight something Shelby said for those of those of you listening who aren't familiar. She said she sees up to eight people in a day, and you might be thinking, that's not that many people. Well, in the therapist world, that's actually that is a heavy caseload for a single day. Um, most of the time, max is like six-ish. Um, so you tack on two more people, the accompanying notes, case management, uh, in conjunction with Shelby's leadership duties. I just, you know.

SPEAKER_03 6:49

It's a lot.

SPEAKER_05 6:49

Tip tip of the hat, Shelby. I know you go, you go hard in the paint when it comes to that stuff.

SPEAKER_03 6:53

And Shelby comes before she worked at Two Roads, she worked at a Medicaid facility, and it was a lot, I mean, even more there, right, Shelby?

SPEAKER_00 7:02

Oh yes. It's a whole different, whole different level of paperwork and management. So yeah.

SPEAKER_05 7:09

Yeah. So what do you what do you enjoy the most about working for Two Roads? I mean, not that we're we're pretty much putting you on the spot. If you don't have something, just be honest. Like if there's not something you enjoy completely.

SPEAKER_00 7:23

Absolutely. Um, I love that we have such a team dynamic. So I love being able to refer in within our com within our agency. So if I have someone who's needing some medication management, it's nice to have nurse practitioners right down the hallway that I can refer to. Um, I also love that you guys give us a lot of flexibility and the ability to, you know, make our schedules work for us and our clients, which is a huge piece. And I'm I come from, like Jess said, I come from the Medicaid world. So that's, you know, a caseload of 45, 50 people. You're packing your work week in as much as you can. And you guys really stress your self-care and balance and making sure you're taking care of you. And um, for me, I have to have somebody who holds me a little bit accountable to that. Otherwise, I will push myself way too hard. And um, it's nice to have people who will tell me, you know, to slow down or like Jess is saying, you need to just go take a break for a minute.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:25

That's why we go get the emotional support drink, right?

SPEAKER_00 8:28

Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 8:30

So, um well, you specialize in working with people who are neurodivergent. So, what drew you to that area of focus, Shelby?

SPEAKER_00 8:40

So when I was in high school trying to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, I thought I would want to work as a teacher in special education because I had already worked with some kids who are special needs and I really enjoyed it. Um and then I took one education class and realized that was not for me. Um, and then I found my way to counseling through my own, you know, path and trials. And I was in the middle of my graduate program when I met Bryant, and um we we had a lot of growing together. And I realized as we were walking together and I was learning more about how his brain works and how he perceives the world and some of the struggles and just lack of flexibility, maybe that the world gives for some of our neurodivergent folk. Um, I really realized that that's kind of where I fit in, like all the pieces of who I thought I was when I was, you know, wanting to work in special education or as I was going through the rest of my, you know, my time, they all kind of clicked into this place of neurodivergence really hits home. Okay. Yeah, that makes sense.

SPEAKER_05 9:52

All right. So I would imagine there's a a unique level of like empathy and understanding that you you have to bring to that work. Um so how how has your own experience been shaped by you know the way you connect with clients? Like it almost I guess Shelby, what I'm what I'm asking more specifically is like your your lived experience with neurodivergent folk near neurodivergent folks and deciding to specialize in that you know very specific uh arena of mental health. Um how did your lived experiences you know shape how you treat clients that come in the door?

SPEAKER_00 10:36

So I think part of it was as um as Bryant and I were navigating the system together of helping him get some of the supports he needed, um, I saw how there really was such a lack of care. So I wanted to help advocate from that. And also, I mean, Bryant and I, we we connected very dip deeply, very quickly. And so we've spent a lot of time together and learning um that when there's there's an overwhelm or there's a moment where he feels like he's shutting down, it's not him getting upset with me or um all of the other things that a lot of times he would get labeled as being defiant or being guarded or um just trying to make things difficult, like realizing there was just this huge difference in perspective of what was actually happening and how other people took it. And um, you know, he really taught me a lot about how so many people in this world have so many bad experiences because people don't take the time to listen and actually get to know like what their experience is.

SPEAKER_05 11:49

Yeah. So show you said something there that it kind of spurred a thought. Like it it sounds like you know, either you guys are a couple or or Bryant as an individual living with ASD, like it's more of and obviously I'm not a clinician, but so so feel free to educate me here. The um it's like the folks living with ASD are they process information so differently than you know, people who aren't living with ASD. And then you know, if you process information or your environment differently, you're going to interact and respond according to that. Is is that kind of a safe safe way to capture, you know, sort of where the where that experience came from?

SPEAKER_00 12:37

I'd just say that's about safe. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 12:40

Yeah, I would say so.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

Yeah. Yeah. The idea, yeah. Because a lot of times it really is when we stop and we have clear communication, we realize that it's just a difference in perspectives or we took a tone differently, or something like that. So I would say that that's pretty accurate.

SPEAKER_03 12:56

So you're just saying we need to have more understanding for each other. Yeah. Okay. Um so for listeners who may not be familiar with you know, that lived experience that you both have, um, can you share a little bit more about maybe some of the strengths and struggles that you might have as a couple? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:21

I think we um we were talking about this a little bit, you know, last night and what we were you know looking at. And I think what what was one of the biggest ones?

SPEAKER_01 13:32

Communication. Communication's one of the biggest ones, I think.

SPEAKER_00 13:36

Yeah. So uh having to, I mean, which as therapists, we know communication is something that all relationships we have to have. Um and so for us, navigating what communication looks like and how we need that has probably been a huge, huge hurdle that we continue to climb.

SPEAKER_03 13:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

What kind of issues come up when with communication? Well, I would say probably a big one is Bryant really needs the direct communication, very direct, very um, sorry if I'm calling you out, uh, very, you know, almost blunt, right? And so some the passive aggressive doesn't work or leaving little hints doesn't work. Yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_05 14:23

Um, so having Brian, if if if you were in the room here, I'd high-five you, bro, because I'm I'm right there with you. Like just just say what you mean. I don't I don't pick up hints. I'm too dense for it.

SPEAKER_00 14:37

So it um so that like for me, I think that was probably the challenge I had to learn to overcome was making sure that when I say something, I'm being direct. I'm being nice. You know, we can't be nice, then we need to take a moment and breathe. But still being able to be direct and blunt. I think your side of communication is probably a little different. Learning how to communicate.

SPEAKER_01 15:03

I'd quite a struggle with that pretty much most of my life. The lack of being heard didn't make me want to communicate as I get got older and got harder and harder. Mostly my voice heard or accurate, I guess. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:33

So just really feeling like nobody understood, Bryant, like what you're trying to communicate. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:41

Well, I would imagine that's because it at least as I grew up and like graduated high school, it felt like the world sped up. It did not slow down. Yeah. It was like even more is coming at you as you traverse into adulthood, and then obviously when you're married, now you've got somebody else to care for and Yeah. Yeah. That makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 16:05

It's pretty complex, but yeah.

SPEAKER_05 16:08

So when when your guys' communication differences show up, what what helps the two of you stay connected um instead of just, you know, staying in an unresolved conflict?

SPEAKER_00 16:19

Um, I think a big one we've learned is to take a pause. So um one of the things that I think I mean, again, I had to learn really quickly was if if w Bryant's overwhelmed, which sometimes verbal processing, right? If we're speaking a lot, it can overwhelm his brain pretty easily. Um and then you add emotions to the mix, and it's like adding gasoline to a fire. Um that if he's starting to get overwhelmed, then continuing to press the issue in that moment is not gonna be super helpful. And so we've both had to learn, like he had to learn to say, okay, stop. I need a minute. And I had to learn how to be able to respect that he needed that minute and that it didn't mean he would be gone forever. It just meant that we would take a minute, let it ground, like go do some grounding. Um, we really had to learn how to work together to get grounded. And then um we could come back and have a conversation once we were back in our level heads. Yeah, I think that's great for every couple, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 17:25

I was like, that's I wouldn't even say that's unique to you guys. I think that's just sound marriage advice.

SPEAKER_03 17:30

Yeah. Never discuss anything when you're upset. Wait until you calm down first. Right. So yeah, I think that's great advice. Um, so have there like been moments where you realize we're not actually against each other, we're just processing this very differently.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

Yeah, I would say so, probably. Um I'm trying to think of an example off the top of my head here. Um, I would say sometimes Bryant Bryant's brain goes all or nothing sometimes. It's which again is pretty common that I see a lot with my people who have autism or are neurodivergent. Um but his brain will go all or nothing. So if um there's something that's bothering us or we're having a it's causing issues in our life, it his first reaction can be, well, then we're just gonna stop doing it, or we're gonna stop seeing them, or we're just gonna not talk to them, or we're gonna cut them out. And sometimes I have to say, okay, well, can we back up? Is there a way that we can, you know, think about this a little bit, or just calm, can we give it a couple days to just calm down and see what's gonna happen? Um, and then vice versa. There are times when I can be really stubborn. I don't know if you guys have seen that side of me yet, but I can be really stubborn. And there's times where he he kind of has to rein me in and say, okay, can you be a little more logical here because you're being pretty emotional?

SPEAKER_03 19:00

I I feel like some of that to me sounds like you know, like the difference between, you know, met women maybe in a relationship as well, Shelby. I don't know, or Brian, I don't know if you both agree with that or not, but Ted and I just gave Ted a look like, oh, that sounds like uh when you especially Shelby when you were talking about Brian being like, you know, dude, we're just not gonna do that anymore.

SPEAKER_05 19:24

And I'll cut them out if I need to.

SPEAKER_03 19:26

I was like, that sounds like Ted. And then he'll be like, um, let's look at the logic. And I'm like, I don't want to. Let's just burn it to the ground. Yes. So it's nice when you can balance each other out, right? Yeah. What have you guys learned about giving each other grace? Like, I know we all have to do that in our relationships.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

I think I had to learn. So I'm a kind of I'm a type A person. So I like to do things and I like to get them done right now. So like if you ask me to do something, I'm probably gonna be jumping on it to do it like as soon as I can. And yeah, like I'm I'm very type of.

SPEAKER_04 20:04

I'm like, Shelby, this this can wait. Just like I need you to do it eventually.

SPEAKER_00 20:08

But we love that you teach Shelby. It's it's one of the best blessings and curses of my personality is that I'm very type A. And um if I don't know, uh not that Bryant's type B, but he's definitely one where he's not gonna jump and do 25 things at once because he knows it's gonna overwhelm him. So I've had to learn like if I give a deadline and it's not done right away, like I have to give grace to the fact of like it just because he didn't do it on my timeline doesn't mean that it's not gonna get done. And that if it's not done the way that I would have done it, that doesn't mean that it isn't okay. Right. Yeah, I think that's great advice too.

SPEAKER_02 20:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 20:54

So do you guys use any um I guess like regular like practical tools, tactical tools, um that keep your that keeps your marriage humming along. Um like some people are very routine driven. Um other people want to have that like nightly check-in with their with their spouse, or um you guys kind of alluded to it earlier that it's like uh direct communication. Um you know, what's how do you guys, you know, keep keep the uh the gears greased of your marriage and uh and how what tools might you guys use to kind of repair any conflict that arises.

SPEAKER_00 21:36

Yeah. One of the things we like to do is um best part of the day, worst part of the day, and something that surprised you in the day.

SPEAKER_02 21:46

Um that's good.

SPEAKER_00 21:47

We try to check in with each other on that one. We I wouldn't say we do it every night. We probably would like to, but sometimes when you get tired, that doesn't happen. Um, I would say love languages have Yeah. So what are your love languages? What's your love language again?

SPEAKER_01 22:09

Quality time, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

Quality time, yeah. Quality time. And quality time. Quality time. And I am an acts of service person. So we have two complete we have two different love languages. And um, which we can we have all five of them, but you know, our top ones are different. So um when it comes down to if either of us are having a moment where we're feeling like we just need a little extra love or support, um, we tend to fall back on the love language piece and say, it's great. You know, Bryant knows that if I come home to the dishes put away, for instance, like that's gonna make me so, so happy. And I know that if you know I have the ability to come home in a little early, or I give us a weekend that's just us and nobody else, right? Like I don't I make sure I don't schedule anything else in. And it helps us reset quite a bit.

SPEAKER_03 23:07

Yeah, that sounds awesome. So do you remember your love language?

SPEAKER_05 23:11

Yeah, mine is acts of service and and yours is words of affirmation.

SPEAKER_03 23:16

Yeah, yeah. So most couples have different ones.

SPEAKER_05 23:20

So yeah. And it it's the irony in those two being ours being it's similar to like Shelby and Bryant's situation, right? Where it's they're kind of the polar opposites of the love languages, and we've had to find a way to meet each other's needs within those, you know.

SPEAKER_03 23:38

Because we tend to speak our own language, so then we have to learn the other person's okay. So let's see. Um okay. So Brian, I guess our question for you is what is it like being married to a therapist?

SPEAKER_01 24:00

It is definitely an experience.

SPEAKER_05 24:04

So do you ever do you ever feel like you're getting the therapist version of your wife at home? And you know, because I I've had to tell Jess in the past, I'm like, don't be my therapist, just be my wife right now. Have you ever experienced that?

SPEAKER_01 24:20

Yeah, I I've definitely experienced that. Yep. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 24:28

So I mean that that could be a challenge, right? When you just wanna just want to talk to your wife, but you know, she's done eight sessions in the day, and that hat just doesn't come off real easy when she walks through the door. So um what what are some benefits of being married to someone who understands uh mental health at such a deep level?

SPEAKER_01 24:48

I've definitely learned quite a bit about mental health since I met Shelby, and uh that's it's helped me out in my personal stuff, like my personal experiences and I guess also gave me a different perspective on people, like how to deal with them, why they act the way they do.

SPEAKER_03 25:23

It sounds like you've both learned a lot from each other.

SPEAKER_01 25:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:27

Absolutely. Do you Brian, do you feel like there's any challenging parts to being married to a therapist?

SPEAKER_01 25:33

Yeah, there's uh there's a there's a few challenges.

SPEAKER_05 25:39

I don't think he was ready for us to put him on the spot like that.

SPEAKER_04 25:44

Sitting right next to his wife.

SPEAKER_00 25:46

We talked about this last night, actually, and he what what was it you told me you said something about ADHD?

SPEAKER_01 25:54

Yeah, that's right. Yeah, I've always wondered what people saw when I had an ADHD moment, and nothing nothing showed me that quite like my wife being off her medicine. Like just like so that's what I look like to people.

SPEAKER_03 26:18

Well, like I said, you both have learned a lot from each other, right?

SPEAKER_00 26:24

We he got we got on that topic because he was talking about how sometimes it's really easy for for me to forget about myself and to put everybody else first. And that sometimes, you know, he's the one who gets the the brunt end to be like, Did you drink any water today? Oh yeah. Did you take your medicine? Because you all the cabinet doors were left open in the kitchen when I walked through.

SPEAKER_03 26:51

So you guys really take care of each other is what I'm hearing. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 26:57

That was that was yeah, that was a very real life explanation.

SPEAKER_05 27:01

Yeah, I dig it. All right. So Shelby, how do you balance being a therapist professionally without feeling like you have to be on all the time, right? Like how do you how do you draw that line between professional life and and personal life?

SPEAKER_00 27:19

Uh I would say boundaries. Boundaries are a huge thing. So some of the counselors that I supervise will make will make jokes about it because I tell them, you, you have my cell phone number, you have my email, you have a way to get a hold of me. It's Monday through Thursday, 7:30 to 5:30. Those are my hours. Unless you are in crisis on a Friday or on a weekend, you do not call me, do not text me, do not, you could well, you can do all those things. That's fine. I'm not gonna get back to you. Don't email me. Um, because it really does. It takes one thing to put your brain back into that therapist mode. And if I'm trying to wind down for the night and somebody calls me and they're like, oh my gosh, you'll never guess this client I had today. Or, hey, I need help finding this resource, right? Or hey, whatever the case is, it's or they just need something like, where are the forms for the PHQ nine at the office? Because I have to do those now and I don't remember where you told me. Um it really can snap my brain back into work. So boundaries, boundaries are a really big one. And then, and that's very physical boundaries of I actually leave my computer at work now so that I don't bring my work home with me. Yeah, because that really does bleed over. Um taking time, scheduling time to spend like with Bryant or with family that's away from work that has nothing to do with work. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 28:53

So really being intentional in your off time, right?

SPEAKER_03 28:57

Yeah, I think that's a good point, Shelby, is like we can't be on all the time. Being a therapist is just one part of our identity, you know, and what we do. And it would be exhaustive or or exhausting, I should say, to be on all the time, right? Yes. Like we need to be able to, you know, do some of those other things that are a part of who we are.

SPEAKER_00 29:20

Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 29:22

Well, since April is autism awareness month, we did want to take a moment to highlight that. And Brian, we had a question for you. What do you wish more people understood about autism?

SPEAKER_01 29:35

Good question. I think for me, it's just I wish people would see that people with autism view the world so much differently than people that don't have autism. Like we don't we don't mean to like call anyone out or erude or anything. Like sometimes we just see different perspectives. Sometimes we just need a minute to process and see the people.

SPEAKER_05 30:09

Need a minute to get your head wrapped around a situation, huh? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:11

So Brian, it sounds like you're asking for more like understanding as well. Like there it sounds like you're saying there's oftentimes a lot of misunderstandings about people with autism. Yeah. Yeah. I think, you know, you sharing your story today is helpful in like shining a light on, you know, what it is like to, you know, live with autism and be in a relationship and go through your day and things that you are really good at, you know, and things that you struggle with as well. So thank you so much for sharing all that with us today.

SPEAKER_05 30:46

Yeah. Yeah. Shelby, from a like a personal and professional perspective, what what would you love for, you know, communities to know about supporting uh people with autism? What what would you want them to know would be like key to supporting them well?

SPEAKER_00 31:06

I would say it doesn't it doesn't take a lot of big, big m shifts, not a lot of monumental changes really need. I mean, there are things that need to change. However, it can start with giving someone a little bit of extra time to speak or to just be patient with someone as they maybe you have to explain something a different way. Um, but we don't have to make it doesn't have to be a life-altering change for us. It can simply be slowing down and taking the time to listen and give them a space. And it would, it will change the world for somebody if we can do that for them.

SPEAKER_03 31:45

Absolutely. Shelby, I think you and I had a conversation just last week about like our counseling styles. And I had shared with you that, you know, like when I communicate as a therapist, I'm more like I speak in more metaphors, like um kind of big picture, um, more abstract. That's my natural language. But I have learned if I have a child a child, a child or an adult client that's neurodivergent, like what my clients have taught me is that it helps them when I change my language. Like I'm more direct, um, I don't use the metaphors. I'm very more like uh grounded in how I speak. Um and they've shared with me that that's more helpful. Uh, would you agree with that?

SPEAKER_00 32:33

I would say yes. Yeah, a lot of I've noticed a lot of clients, and maybe this is anecdotal, right? Just from experience of if I can provide a very real life example or realistic example that they can relate to. A lot of times the concepts that I'm trying to teach or I'm trying to express, they they click a little better. So Bryant is wonderful and he lets me use him as an example all the time. Um so being able to use an example of okay, well, this is a very real life thing, and we can see how this works here and how this could work for you. It's not so abstract.

SPEAKER_03 33:17

Yes. Yeah, I love that. Like using real life stories. I think that's really helpful. Well, Shelby and Bryant, thank you so much for being on the podcast today. Is there anything that we didn't ask you that you'd like to share with us?

SPEAKER_01 33:31

Not that I could think of.

SPEAKER_03 33:32

I don't think so. Okay. Okay. Well, we appreciate you both so much. So thank you again.

SPEAKER_05 33:39

Yeah, thanks for coming on, guys. Appreciate all the useful insight, you know, into interacting with neurodivergent folks and uh the differences to be celebrated, right?

SPEAKER_03 33:50

Absolutely. Yes, absolutely. Thank you both. Bye. See ya.