Join Dr. Regan for this episode on neurodiversity and holiday celebrations. Sometimes the most memorable moments come from holding tightly to our foundations and releasing other things that don't fit our season of life or individual needs.  Planning a Merry Holiday on the Autism Spectrum, podcast episode 2020   Dr. Regan's Resources Course for Clinicians - Interventions in Autism: Helping Clients Stay Centered, Connect with Others, and Engage in Life Course for Clinicians: ASD Differential Diagnoses and Associated Characteristics Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website homepage Website Resources for Clinicians   Read the transcript here: 100:00:03,870 --> 00:00:09,800Hello and I'm glad you're joining me today for this episode of Autism in the Adult podcast. 200:00:09,810 --> 00:00:12,790I am your podcast host, 300:00:12,800 --> 00:00:14,430Dr Theresa Regan, 400:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,530a neuropsychologist. 500:00:16,540 --> 00:00:25,010I am the founder and director of an autism diagnostic clinic in central Illinois for adolescents, 600:00:25,020 --> 00:00:27,830adults and geriatric patients. 700:00:27,840 --> 00:00:32,780I'm a certified autism specialist and the mother of a teen on the spectrum. 800:00:33,790 --> 00:00:37,770Today we are going to talk about the holiday season. 900:00:37,780 --> 00:00:41,460If you are listening to this shortly after its release, 1000:00:41,470 --> 00:00:45,980you may be within a holiday season as well. 1100:00:45,990 --> 00:01:01,120There are many different meaningful celebrations going on at this time of year across the world and those look different across families and countries and backgrounds and faith experiences. 1200:01:01,470 --> 00:01:07,150But many of us are celebrating a yearly, 1300:01:07,160 --> 00:01:09,310meaningful 1400:01:09,320 --> 00:01:12,910moment in our lives and that can get hectic. 1500:01:12,920 --> 00:01:24,980It can get exciting ... and we're going to talk about how to do that with intention and meaning and hopefully a bit more peace, 1600:01:24,990 --> 00:01:33,490particularly in light of the neuro diversity that may be within your home or your extended family. 1700:01:34,960 --> 00:01:49,930I published one other holiday episode two years ago and re ran that last year. I will link that in the show notes in case you're wanting even more ideas or information about holiday seasons. 1800:01:51,580 --> 00:02:00,770What I wanted to talk to you about today is really something that impacts everyone regardless of generation, 1900:02:00,770 --> 00:02:06,720regardless of region that you're from or what you're celebrating. 2000:02:07,260 --> 00:02:26,270It impacts those on the autism spectrum and impacts neurotypicals...  it's something that also is not specific to holidays that really these are concepts I want to talk about related to anything that we celebrate and re celebrate, 2100:02:26,270 --> 00:02:33,050that we have some kind of tradition for ... this meaningful moment or life season. 2200:02:33,510 --> 00:02:40,420And this could pertain to how we celebrate birthdays or the birth of a child, 2300:02:40,430 --> 00:02:42,290the death of a family member, 2400:02:42,300 --> 00:02:43,320a wedding, 2500:02:43,320 --> 00:02:44,570a graduation. 2600:02:44,580 --> 00:02:47,570You know that in addition to holidays, 2700:02:47,570 --> 00:02:52,450these are events that often have some tradition to them. 2800:02:52,450 --> 00:02:55,880Like this is how we  2900:02:55,890 --> 00:02:57,510remember this person. 3000:02:57,510 --> 00:02:59,590This is how we celebrate this event. 3100:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,190This is this is our tradition. 3200:03:02,190 --> 00:03:10,420And what happens in these moments is that we have reproducible  3300:03:10,430 --> 00:03:13,290items to how we approach this season. 3400:03:13,290 --> 00:03:17,340So we reproduce the birthday celebration. 3500:03