Adulting with Autism

If you live in fight-or-flight—anxiety, hypervigilance, chronic stress, shutdown, or even chronic pain—your body isn't being "dramatic." It's protecting you. But healing is hard when your nervous system can't access safety.
In this episode of Adulting With Autism, we talk with Ethan Reisboard, CHT, a hypnotherapist who helps clients regulate their nervous systems and create lasting change using evidence-informed hypnotherapy tools.
Ethan shares his own recovery story: in 2021 he developed post-concussion syndrome with debilitating migraines and eye dysfunction. After trying numerous approaches with no results, hypnotherapy helped shift his body out of fight-or-flight so recovery could finally begin. Now he works with clients (mostly over Zoom) to build safety, reduce triggers, and develop skills that last beyond a single session.
In this episode, we cover:
What hypnotherapy is (and what it is not)
Why the hypnotic state supports the parasympathetic nervous system
How fight-or-flight can show up as anxiety and chronic pain
How you know you're "out" of fight-or-flight: when triggers become less relevant/reactive
"I can't be hypnotized" — stage hypnosis vs therapeutic hypnosis
How to find a qualified hypnotherapist (training, supervision, credentials)
Tools Ethan uses with clients: breathwork (including vagus nerve activation), somatic tracking, guided practices
Working with neurodivergent clients: visualization differences, trust, sensory concerns
Nature and travel as nervous system support—without using external "escape" as the only strategy
Consent, safety, and agency: why hypnosis can't make you do what you don't want
How hypnotherapy can complement OT/PT/clinical rehab when progress is stuck
Connect with Ethan Reisboard, CHT:
Website: https://ethanreishypnotherapy.com
Social: Ethan Reis Hypnotherapy
Free consultation scheduling and resources available on his website

Burnout doesn't always show up as a dramatic crash. Sometimes it's slow erosion: late nights, weak boundaries, snapping at people, losing hobbies, and waking up feeling like life is a chore.
In this episode of Adulting With Autism, we talk with Loren Silverman, a former digital transformation leader turned coach and creator of Life Reboot: Nerd Edition—a 90-day coaching experience designed for nerds, geeks, tech professionals, and high performers who want clarity, better boundaries, and sustainable follow-through.
Loren shares how a pivotal experience in 2022—supporting Ukrainian refugees in Poland after the invasion—helped him realize what mattered most: moving people forward. We break down his gamified coaching framework (think D&D stats, quests, XP, rerolls, and boss battles) and why consistency—not perfection—is what creates real change.
In this episode, we cover:
Early warning signs of burnout in tech and high-demand careers
Why burnout is "insidious" and how boundaries erode over time
What "align your actions with your values" actually means (and how to find your values)
Beginner-friendly boundary script: "Let me think about that for a minute."
How to tolerate the guilt/discomfort of saying no and protecting your energy
Breaking overwhelming tasks into micro-steps (SMART stories / project management thinking)
All-or-nothing thinking and how to practice "good enough" without quitting
Tracking progress without turning it into another self-criticism tool (rerolls + XP)
Building support through "co-op challenges" and safe accountability
Connect with Loren Silverman:
Website / strategy call: https://silverman.coach
Ask about: Life Reboot: Nerd Edition community, weekly mastermind, and "Lantern Fall Thursdays"

Many adults grew up around domestic violence and minimized it because they "only witnessed it." But childhood domestic violence (CDV) isn't just witnessing—it's an experience that can shape the nervous system, self-concept, and lifelong beliefs about worth, guilt, fear, and safety.
In this episode of Adulting With Autism, we talk with Brian F. Martin, founder and CEO of the Childhood Domestic Violence Association (CDV.org) and bestselling author of Invincible: The 10 Lies You Learn Growing Up with Domestic Violence, and the Truths to Set You Free.
Brian explains why naming CDV matters, how children form survival-based beliefs before their brains are fully developed, and why many high-functioning adults still carry "unexplained" anxiety, shame, hypervigilance, and self-blame.
We also explore how CDV often overlaps with other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)—including bullying, chronic invalidation, and neurodivergence in non-accommodating environments—and what the first steps toward healing can look like, especially for young adults still living at home.
In this episode, we cover:
What childhood domestic violence is (and why "witnessing DV" understates the impact)
How CDV affects the nervous system, fear responses, and long-term self-beliefs
The concept of the "10 lies" many survivors learn (guilt, worthlessness, being unlovable, hopelessness)
Why non-physical violence (threats, intimidation, constant verbal conflict) can be especially destabilizing
How CDV interacts with other trauma and adversity (ACEs), including autism-related invalidation
How to notice CDV beliefs when conflict or criticism triggers old survival wiring
Why community and one safe conversation can change the meaning of your story
Resources and a quick screening tool at CDV.org
Learn more:
Childhood Domestic Violence Association: https://cdv.org
Brian F. Martin's book: Invincible (summary and resources available at CDV.org)

In this episode of Adulting With Autism, we talk with E.A. Johnson, motivational speaker and pharmaceutical sales rep, about rebuilding your life after trauma, bullying, anxiety, insomnia, and addiction.
E.A shares his rock-bottom moment—writing down everything he was taking and realizing that if someone he loved saw it, they'd think he was trying to kill himself. That realization became the turning point that pushed him toward change.
We break down E.A's Success VIBE System, where success is a VIBE:
Vision, Intention, Belief, Execution—and how to use it to create momentum when you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or trapped in survival mode.
This is a conversation about mindset and practical steps: micro-wins, discipline, community support, morning routines, reframing "failure," and building self-worth without tying it to achievements.
In this episode, we cover:
E.A's rock-bottom moment and what made him finally change
How trauma and anxiety can drive insomnia and addiction
Why "planning" can become procrastination—and how to take the first step
Micro-wins: using "one more minute" to build momentum
Why belief shapes behavior (and how to build belief through kept promises)
Reframing setbacks: you don't fail unless you stop
Community and relationships as accelerators for healing
Practical routines: mindfulness in nature, affirmations, gratitude journaling
Boundaries, burnout recovery, and staying steady as responsibilities grow
Connect with E.A. Johnson:
Instagram: @EAJohnsonSpeaks
Website: https://EAJohnsonSpeaks.com
Email: [email protected]

Big change can be exciting—and completely destabilizing, especially for autistic and ADHD adults who thrive with clarity, predictability, and nervous-system safety.
In this episode of Adulting With Autism, host April sits down with Jennie Lee, a trusted personal coach to creatives, CEOs, military officers, teachers, therapists, and more. Jennie bridges spiritual self-development with physical self-expression, offering pragmatic tools for inner alignment and conscious, strategic change.
Jennie is the author of Spark Change, a highly practical book built around transformational questions you can use in real time—whether you're stuck in indecision, rebuilding after burnout, unmasking, changing careers, or redefining relationships. She's also the author of True Yoga: Practicing with the Yoga Sutras for Happiness & Spiritual Fulfillment and Breathing Love: Meditation in Action, and she's a multi–award-winning author including the Nautilus Book Award.
In this episode, we explore:
Why the right questions create real change (not just "thinking about it")
Turning insight into action during transitions and identity shifts
Inner alignment: spiritual development that stays grounded in daily life
Using reflection without getting trapped in overthinking
Spark Change: 12 themes, 9 questions each—how to use it as a daily prompt or conversation starter
Moving beyond self-imposed limitations and expanding creative self-expression
About Jennie Lee:
Jennie has been teaching and coaching in the spiritual/personal development space for nearly three decades. She's known for being fun, highly engaging, and spontaneous—while still delivering practical tools that actually help people implement change.