The Late Diagnosis Club

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Amber Covucci — a late-diagnosed Autistic attorney, mother of two, and brilliant pattern-matcher who spent decades thinking she was “just sensitive” before discovering she was Autistic in her mid-30s.Together, Angela and Amber explore Autistic motherhood, masking, sensory life, high-achieving burnout, and raising neurodivergent kids while still learning how to accommodate their own needs.🪑 AttendeesChair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocateGuest: Amber Covucci — Autistic attorney, writer, and motherYou: The Listener!🗒️ Meeting AgendaOpening remarks from the ChairMember introduction: Amber’s Autistic childhood & early maskingDiscussion: Pregnancy, postpartum, sensory overwhelm & burnoutKey learningsClub announcements🧾 Minutes from the Meeting1️⃣ Opening RemarksAngela welcomes listeners into a conversation many Autistic mothers rarely hear reflected: what happens when your mask collapses under the sensory, emotional, and logistical weight of early parenthood.2️⃣ Member Introduction: Amber’s storyFrom childhood, Amber felt different: intensely focused (“too much attention disorder”), deeply sensitive, academically exceptional, and physically overwhelmed by clothing, noise, and transitions.Despite high achievement — gifted programs, top grades, law school — she also experienced chronic burnout, shutdowns, and sensory barriers nobody recognised as Autistic traits.3️⃣ Discussion HighlightsMissed Signs: Sensory overwhelm, hyperfocus, and lifelong burnout are misunderstood.Pregnancy & Postpartum: What looked like “postpartum anxiety” was Autistic burnout.Birth & Autonomy: Sensory-safe support and control made labour manageable.Work & Burnout: Deep-focus strengths paired with crash-level recovery needs.Autistic Parenting: New language and compassion for her own and her children’s needs.4️⃣ Key LearningsLate diagnosis brings relief, not limitationSensory overwhelm is not weakness — it’s informationAutistic parents can be extraordinary caregiversYou can redesign your life once you understand your brainDiagnosis isn’t necessary for belonging — self-knowledge is📣 Club Announcements🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon sits down with Aletha Shapiro, a mother of four, activist, costume designer, and creator of Autistic/ADHD pride, whose recent appearance on Bravo's Wife Swap: Housewives Edition became a masterclass in what happens when reality TV meets neurodivergent truth-telling.Together, Angela and Aletha unpack late diagnosis, self-advocacy, reality TV ethics, gatekeeping, burnout, and the liberation that comes from finally understanding your neurodivergence. This one is a ride.🪑 AttendeesChair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocateGuest: Aletha Shapiro — Autistic + ADHD activist, mother of four, and costume designer.You: The Listener!🗒️ Meeting AgendaOpening remarks from the ChairMember introduction: Aletha’s ADHD → Autism discoveryDiscussion: Reality TV, erasure, burnout, boundaries, and activismKey learnings from the meetingClub announcements🧾 Minutes from the Meeting1️⃣ Opening RemarksAngela opens by explaining why this week has been “epic” for Aletha — and why every late-diagnosed person will recognise the pattern:boldness → vulnerability → erasure by non-autistic systems. Reality TV found a way to turn generosity into humiliation.2️⃣ Member Introduction: Alethea’s storyAletha discovered her ADHD first — and cried when she learned the truth. But once she understood it, everything clicked. When she later discovered she was Autistic, the whole picture made sense.3️⃣ Discussion HighlightsAletha wanted to represent neurodivergent moms on national TV — to model low-demand parenting, sensory regulation, special interests as self-care, and Autistic strengths.Though producers reassured her it would be “feel-good TV,” the final cut removed every mention of her Autism and ADHD.Aletha was blindsided by a confrontational setup not disclosed ahead of filming.Animals, crocheting, crafts, concerts — all essential for emotional regulation.4️⃣ Key LearningsLate discovery brings clarity, boundaries, and liberation.Neurodivergent people belong in media — without being erased.Gatekeeping diagnosis causes harm and delays belonging.Representation matters — especially for Autistic parents.📣 Club Announcements🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Amy Permann, a writer and Substack creator who discovered she’s Autistic in her 50s after decades of burnout, people-pleasing, and perfectionism.Together, Angela and Amy discuss self-diagnosis, trusting intuition, unlearning pressure, and why self-acceptance is a radical act of care.🪑 AttendeesChair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocateGuest: Amy Permann — Autistic writer and creator of Seeking AuthenticityYou: The Listener!🗒️ Meeting AgendaOpening remarks from the ChairMember introduction: Amy’s journey from “good girl” to self-advocateDiscussion: Misdiagnosis, boundaries, and self-trustKey learnings from the meetingClub announcements🧾 Minutes from the Meeting1️⃣ Opening RemarksAngela opens by asking: What happens when your entire life is built around expectations that were never yours?She welcomes Amy as a club member who’s learning to unlearn—redefining success, self-care, and what it means to live authentically.2️⃣ Member Introduction: Amy’s StoryAfter years of therapy and being the “good daughter,” Amy learned she was Autistic — not broken, not oversensitive.Her diagnosis followed her niece’s, sparking a journey through online communities, self-assessment, and finally, a validating experience.3️⃣ Discussion HighlightsParentified and People-Pleasing: How early responsibility shaped Amy’s self-image.The Good Girl Mask: Why pressure isn’t a motivator — and why saying no is survival.Trusting Your Own Intuition: Unlearning the habit of assuming others know best.Medical Gaslighting & Boundaries: Why autistic women often stop seeking care — and how Amy’s learning to ask questions again.Living Authentically: From checklist living to joyful presence — finding beauty in small moments, cats, and nature.4️⃣ Key LearningsYou can’t heal by pleasing everyone.Autistic women deserve support that trusts their self-knowledge.Self-diagnosis and formal diagnosis are equally valid paths to clarity.Living authentically means honouring your timing, your needs, and your truth.📣 Club Announcements🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes artist and illustrator Phoenix Goodson, whose journey through misdiagnosis, hospitalisation, and burnout eventually led to a powerful late diagnosis of autism and ADHD.Together, they explore how Phoenix rebuilt her life through art, self-advocacy, and community — turning survival into creativity, and chaos into colour.🪑 AttendeesChair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocateGuest: Phoenix Goodson — Autistic/ADHD artist, illustrator, and memoirist from the UKYou: The Listener!🗒️ Meeting AgendaOpening remarks from the ChairMember introduction: Phoenix’s 15-year road from misdiagnosis to discoveryDiscussion: Healing, identity, and art as sanctuaryKey learnings from the meetingClub announcements🧾 Minutes from the Meeting1️⃣ Opening RemarksAngela welcomed attendees and introduced Phoenix as this week’s guest. Angela highlighted the importance of recognising misdiagnosis as a barrier to care and community connection.2️⃣ Member Introduction: Phoenix's StoryPhoenix shares her experience of 15 years of psychiatric misdiagnosis before discovering she is AuDHD. She reflects on how art, writing, and structure became essential tools for healing and communication.3️⃣ Discussion HighlightsThe impact of repeated misdiagnosis on self-worth and identity.The role of creativity in rebuilding trust in oneself.How community spaces can offer safety and validation for AuDHD adults.The importance of accessible language when talking about neurodivergence.4️⃣ Key LearningsMisdiagnosis can delay self-understanding, but doesn’t erase it.Creative practice supports emotional regulation and belonging.Autistic and ADHD experiences often overlap — support needs to reflect that.Late discovery can mark the beginning of self-trust, not the end of struggle.📌 Notice BoardInto The Light — by Phoenix GoodsonA luminous, textural piece exploring self-discovery, resilience, and the transition from survival to creative freedom.💷 Price: £895 — Foil and acrylic paint on canvas board, includes professional framing and UK postage.For purchase or exhibition enquiries, don't hesitate to get in touch with Phoenix directly: phoenixgoodsonart@gmail.com📣 Club Announcements🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on all major podcast platforms.💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr. Angela Kingdon welcomes technologist and advocate Derek Crager, who discovered he was Autistic and ADHD at age 50 — after decades of burnout, masking, and surviving unsafe workplaces.Derek shares how that late diagnosis changed everything: his relationships, his leadership at Amazon, and his mission to build Pocket Mentor, a voice-based AI tool that helps real humans — not “ideal employees” — get the support they need in the moment they need it.🪑 AttendeesChair: Dr. Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocateGuest: Derek Crager — Autistic/ADHD technologist, founder of Pocket Mentor, and author of Human First AIYou: The Listener!🗒️ Meeting AgendaOpening remarks from the ChairMember introduction: Derek’s 10-year road to diagnosisDiscussion: Work, masking, and Autistic safetyKey learnings from the meetingClub announcements🧾 Minutes from the Meeting1️⃣ Opening RemarksAngela opens the meeting by reminding listeners:“You’re allowed to take ten years to get here. We saved you a seat.”2️⃣ Member Introduction: Derek’s StoryDerek describes decades of dangerous job sites and social isolation before finally receiving his autism and ADHD diagnoses at 50. Realising his brain wasn’t broken — just wired for depth and precision — gave him permission to stop apologising for his curiosity.3️⃣ Discussion HighlightsFrom Surviving to Designing: How Derek turned his late diagnosis into an advantage at work.Human-First AI: Building tech that adapts to people, not the other way around.Autistic Belonging: Creating relationships and workplaces that honour honesty and safety.4️⃣ Key LearningsLate diagnosis brings clarity, not limitation.Autistic design principles benefit everyone.Authenticity at work is psychological safety in action.🔗 LinksWeb: https://www.practicalai.appNew Book: https://www.humanfirstai.net (Free Chapter)📣 Club Announcements🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on all major podcast platforms.💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr. Angela Kingdon welcomes Lily George, a 25-year-old Autistic mental health worker who was first misdiagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder before realising she is Autistic.Lily shares what it’s like to work inside the psychiatric system as an Autistic person — supporting others while still learning to support herself. Together, Angela and Lily discuss late diagnosis, unmasking, accommodations, and what happens when you finally start to live as your authentic self.🪑 AttendeesChair: Dr. Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocateGuest: Lily George — Autistic mental health worker and late-diagnosed self-advocateYou: The Listener!🗒️ Meeting AgendaOpening remarks from the ChairMember introduction: Lily’s path from misdiagnosis to clarityDiscussion: Mental health, masking, and self-advocacy at workKey learnings from the meetingClub announcements🧾 Minutes from the Meeting1️⃣ Opening RemarksAngela opens the meeting by acknowledging how often Autistic women and AFAB people are misdiagnosed before finding the right language for who they are.“Sometimes it’s not that we missed the signs — it’s that the system wasn’t built to see us.”2️⃣ Member Introduction: Lily’s StoryLily was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder in her teens and spent years believing she was “too emotional” or “too much.” When a therapist suggested she might be Autistic, everything shifted. She began exploring her neurotype, pursuing formal diagnosis for workplace accommodations, and finding self-acceptance through Autistic community.3️⃣ Discussion HighlightsFrom Misdiagnosis to Understanding: Why BPD and autism are often confused — especially for women and AFAB people.The Autistic Worker in a Psychiatric System: Supporting others while masking your own needs.Unmasking and Regression: Why things you used to force yourself to do may feel impossible once you stop masking.Self-Advocacy: Asking for adjustments and understanding in a clinical workplace.Autistic Joy: Pattern-matching, special interests, and rediscovering comfort in authenticity.4️⃣ Key LearningsMisdiagnosis delays belonging, not identity.Self-identification can be just as valid as formal diagnosis.Autistic people make better systems when they’re allowed to be themselves.You don’t have to be fully “figured out” to start helping others.🔗 LinksFollow Lily at her Life with Lily YouTube channel📣 Club Announcements🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on all major podcast platforms.💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.