Episode 286: Autism and Relationships with Tara McMullin (Neurodivergence in Relationships)
The Divorce Survival Guide Podcast
Kate Anthony
4.4 • 574 Ratings
🗓️ 22 August 2024
⏱️ 53 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Tara McMullin, creator of What Works and the co-founder of YellowHouse.Media, shares her journey of receiving an autism diagnosis at 38 and its profound impact on her relationships. She explores the concept of 'biographical illumination,' revealing how understanding her diagnosis has brought clarity and validation to her life. Tara also discusses the intricate dynamics of 'masking' and emotional communication in relationships.
Together, we explore the importance of recognizing and respecting personal boundaries, advocating for mutual understanding, and navigating the complexities of being autistic.
Featured topics:
- How being diagnosed with Autism at 38, transformed Tara's perspective on work, relationships, and parenting (3:20)
- The impact of autism on relationships, including getting your social needs met, learning to compromise, and the journey to understanding (10:49)
- Highlighting the burden on neurodivergent individuals to conform and mask their true selves to meet societal expectations (14:44)
- The distinction between being autistic and being an asshole—two entirely different concepts (32:35)
- Debunking the myth that people with autism lack empathy; their empathy is just expressed differently (33:17)
Learn more about Tara McMullin:
Tara McMullin is a writer and critic who studies the future of work through the lens of philosophy, critical theory, and media. She's the creator of What Works and the co-founder of YellowHouse.Media, a boutique production agency.
She believes that care, curiosity, and context create an environment where we can not only learn but experience new and sometimes challenging ideas with grace. She's coached, taught, and facilitated for over 15 years—including more than a dozen classes with CreativeLive.
Tara brings her own experience as an autistic feminist, endurance athlete, and amateur baker to everything she does.
Resources & Links:
Phoenix Rising: A Divorce Empowerment Collective
The Electricity of Every Living Thing, Katherine May
Episode Link:
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DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY, COACH, OR THERAPIST IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN ADVICE WITH RESPECT TO ANY PARTICULAR ISSUE OR PROBLEM.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Divorce Survival Guide podcast, where we have open and honest conversations about co-parenting, separation, divorce, and the hardest question of all, should you stay or should you go. |
| 0:17.8 | I'm Kate Anthony, your divorce survival guide, and I'm here to help you navigate some of |
| 0:23.3 | the roughest waters you've ever swum in and answer some of your toughest questions. I've been to |
| 0:29.1 | hell and back, and now it's my mission in life to help you get to the other side of this process |
| 0:35.1 | with your sanity and your heart intact. |
| 0:43.8 | Hey everyone, welcome back. |
| 0:47.4 | So today I have with me Tara McMullen. |
| 0:53.3 | Tara received an autism diagnosis at the age of 38, |
| 0:59.4 | and it profoundly impacted her life and her relationships. She is a divorced and remarried mother, |
| 1:08.6 | and so she has navigated all of the waters of, you know, motherhood and divorce and |
| 1:17.7 | dating and remarriage before actually understanding and having her diagnosis. |
| 1:27.9 | And so in this episode, we have really great and illuminating conversations about how that |
| 1:33.9 | impacted her and how the diagnosis has changed the way that she understands herself and |
| 1:41.0 | her relationships and how she's better able to communicate her needs |
| 1:44.4 | and how that is actually how that impacts her marriage in particular. So it's a great episode. |
| 1:51.9 | I'm so grateful for Tara for coming on and talking about all this stuff with us. She normally |
| 1:57.0 | talks about she studies the future of work through the lens of philosophy, |
| 2:03.6 | critical theory, and media. |
| 2:05.7 | She is the creator of what works and the co-founder of Yellowhouse Media, which is a |
| 2:11.1 | boutique production agency. |
| 2:12.8 | And full disclosure, her husband, Sean, I work with as part of my podcast revamping in this |
| 2:23.9 | latest sort of phase of things. |
... |
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