#2: Maureen Bennie - Autism Awareness & "The 8th Sense"

In this episode of the Sensory Friendly Solutions Podcast our Host Matt George is chatting with Maureen Bennie, the Founder of the Autism Awareness Centre.

Maureen Bennie created the Autism Awareness Centre in 2003 to address what she saw as a gap in support, information, resources and advocacy for those struggling with autism spectrum disorders. For Maureen, education and knowledge brings positive change to the lives of those affected by autism and autism spectrum disorders.

Maureen is the mother of two young adults with autism – Marc and Julia.  For 8 years, she managed an at-home Intensive Behavioral Intervention Program which involved working with speech pathologists, child development specialists, psychologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.

Maureen has written over 200 articles and book reviews that have appeared in magazines, newsletters, and on websites throughout North America and the UK. She is also an active presenter throughout Canada on autism topics.

Maureen’s weekly blog post topics range from her personal experience as a parent of two children on the autism spectrum to detailed coverage of top news stories, events, and resources concerning autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

EPISODE GUIDE
2:19 Maureen talks about the effects of COVID-19 on the Autism Awareness Centre
5:19 Maureen introduces her two adult children with autism and their experience with the pandemic
7:47 Maureen introduces the disruption of routine we've all experienced and it's effects on our wellbeing
12:13 How Maureen breaks down routine and consistency with her children
14:59 How important the discussion around PPE and Sensory Overload is to the current time
16:41 Creating consistency in the home
22:01 Maureen's unique solution that allowed her children to better experience the world
25:35 Interoception: The Eighth Sense
36:21 Where you can find Maureen's work
42:26 Maureen's strategy to reduce the noise of the current world
47:07 Christel Seeberger addresses our listeners
49:15 Acknowledgement of violence within families in this moment
54:29 Christel's reflections on Interoception
58:31 Innovation Segment


Thanks for listening - Christel Seeberger and the Sensory Friendly Solutions Team.

Full blog posts and transcripts for each episode can be found on our website.

Podcast leadership is provided by Sensory Friendly Solutions Founder & CEO Christel Seeberger.

This podcast is produced by Matt George. is engineered by the great Zachary Pelletier and is part of the Unsettled Media Podcast Network.

Thank you to our sponsor TakingITGlobal, ensuring that youth around the world are actively engaged. Head to risingyouth.ca to learn more and to become the next RisingYouth grant recipient.

The podcast is also supported by New Brunswick Community College as part of the Community Resource Awareness During and After COVID-19 applied research project, funded by the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation. Learn more about NBCC's efforts to transform lives and communities.