The Autistic's Guide to Self-Discovery with Sol Smith Ep 74

The Autistic's Guide to Self-Discovery with Sol Smith Ep 74

Author: Sarah Kesty, Brain Tools School January 23, 2026 Duration: 55:28

Team,

Autism is on the news, tv, and social media a lot, and much of the conversation is aimed at helping people understand autism. Sol Smith helps fill in a missing piece: helping autistic people understand themselves. We talk on the show all the time about how executive dysfunction and being neurodivergent are not a character flaws, but people often feel as if they are. Sol's conversation on the show and his book, The Autistic's Guide to Self-Discovery, help untangle and identify the self-perceptions that are untrue and unhelpful, replacing them with self-acceptance and tools that actually work. There are some funny moments that you might find very relatable, too!

All my love,

Sarah

PS My book is out in the wild, and it's changing lives! Order Growing Executive Function at ⁠Solution Tree ⁠or on ⁠Amazon⁠.

I'm also training organizations and educators across this beautiful globe, and we're finding improving executive function is game-changing! Improved student behaviors, attendance, learning...big, surprising impacts (even to me, who loves this stuff!) If that sounds like what your school, organization, or child's school needs, ⁠reach out⁠! Sarah at sarahkesty.com.

Connect with Sol:

TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@bettersol  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprofessorsol 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solsmith  

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@professor_sol  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sol-smith-mfa-eds-ms-cas-7955364 

Sol Smith is the author of The Autistic’s Guide to Self-Discovery and of the manager of the Neurospicy Community, which is the largest support network for autistics and ADHDers in the world.  A certified autism specialist who is autistic, dyslexic, and living with ADHD. He spent more than two decades as a college professor before shifting his professional focus to coaching other autistic and ADHD people to gain autonomy in their lives. Sol’s speaking skills have earned him a following of hundreds of thousands on TikTok and led to educational seminars about neurodiversity with corporations around the world. He lives in Southern California with his wife and four children and you can find him online at http://www.ProfessorSol.com.


Here’s a link to his book on Amazon:  https://a.co/d/dO0dUh6

#autism, #ExecutiveFunction, #AdultAutism, #AuDHD, #college, #NeuroSpicy, #Neurodiversity


Ever feel like your brain's filing system is in a state of permanent chaos, or that getting from an idea to action feels like an impossible maze? That's where executive function comes in-it's the mental toolkit we all use to manage our attention, organize our tasks, and plan our days. On The Executive Function Podcast, host Sarah Kesty from Brain Tools School moves beyond dry theory to offer genuinely helpful, fun, and effective strategies. Each episode feels like a practical conversation, whether you're looking to coach yourself through a project, support a teen struggling with organization, or help a child learn to manage their time. Sarah brings a palpable passion to the topic, sharing inspiration drawn from real-world experience with neurodivergence, ADHD, autism, and learning disabilities. This isn't about fixing what's broken; it's about building on strengths and discovering new ways to thrive in daily life. Tune in for a down-to-earth mix of brain science and actionable tips that make the challenges of executive function feel a bit less daunting and a lot more manageable. You'll find this podcast is a supportive resource for families and individuals alike, all delivered with a sense of warmth and understanding that makes complex concepts accessible.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 87

The Executive Function Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Introducing the IEP OMG Show! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:28
Navigating the Special Ed World is tough! On the IEP OMG Show, I share insider tips on how to secure and maintain the best supports for your child with special needs. These bite-sized shows will leave you informed, inspi…
Ep 34: Change is hard... and possible with these 2 strategies! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:24
Making goals can be exhilarating! Keeping the momentum, however, is not as much fun. It takes real work and the right mix of baseline strategies. In this episode, we uncover the two non-negotiables that need to be in pla…
Ep 32: It's the Most Stressful Times in School, A Pep Talk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:10
Hey Kid, Did you know that I can predict your grades, your energy, and your schedule based on the month? And no, I'm not psychic! School terms follow a pattern, and those patterns of demands, interest, and energy levels…
Ep 30: Our Challenges are Invisible! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:28
No one would be cool with shaming someone who had a visible disability, yet the assuming, blaming, and shaming is loaded onto people with executive function challenges. Jump on this ride as we explore how to rethink our…
Ep 28: Hack Motivation to End the School Year Well! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:47
Lacking motivation to finish the school? Maybe not! Let's massage your perspective a bit with exploring why you and your child may be feeling low "motivation" these days---and what to do about it! There's a strategy for…
Ep 27: Organizing your child's mind: the Bullet Map strategy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:27
Team, I want you to meet and learn from my friend Darius Namdaran. He's brilliant, and his simple-but-profound method of brain organizing will empower you today! Hear his thoughts on dyslexia, executive dysfunction, and…
Ep 26: Kid, You're Gonna Fail. A Pep Talk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:50
Turn that frown upside down! Fix your attitude! Stop crying! We do a lot to prompt our kids to feel better, and it makes sense: we don't want our loved ones to hurt. But, could it be that when we try to "fix" what we thi…