Tony Mantor: Why Not Me ?

Transforming Trauma into Purpose: John King's Journey on Why Not Me

In this episode of Why Not Me, embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide, host Tony Mantor interviews John King, a trauma recovery advocate, author, speaker, and survivor.

John shares his compelling journey from being trafficked and abused as a child to becoming a prominent advocate for trauma recovery, neurodiversity, and anti-human trafficking.

He discusses his recent autism diagnosis, the challenges of masking, and his methods for healing and resilience.

John emphasizes the significance of authenticity, self-discipline, and relentless resilience in transforming trauma into a purpose-driven life.

He also talks about his foundation, Give Them a Voice, and his future aspirations as a writer.

This episode offers profound insights and practical advice for anyone facing similar struggles and endeavors to inspire and empower listeners worldwide.

01:08 Meet Today's Guest: John, a Trauma Recovery Advocate

02:00 John's Journey and Diagnosis

03:22 Steps to Healing and Managing Trauma

04:30 Understanding Trauma in the Body

05:52 Navigating Social Interactions and Self-Discipline

06:54 John's Recent Autism Diagnosis

08:43 The Venn Diagram and Living Authentically

10:37 Handling Bad Days and Emotional Challenges

14:10 John's Mission to Help Others Heal

16:24 Changing the Stigma Around Male Trauma

18:43 Reframing the Inner Narrative

20:44 Four Key Steps to Getting Back on Track

22:43 Give Them a Voice Foundation and Future Work

25:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

INTRO/OUTRO : T. Wild

Mantor Music BMI

The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only.
The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.
Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.
Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.
Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk.
Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Steph West on Building Starfish Social Club: Social Skills, Neurodivergent Friendship, and Helpful Social Feedback

Host Tony Mantor in Nashville introduces “Why Not Me: Embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide” and interviews Steph West, founder and director of Starfish Social Club in San Antonio, Texas, which runs small-group social skills programs for neurodivergent kids and teens (autism, ADHD, learning disabilities) in person and via Zoom.

West describes her path from special education teacher to autism/behavior specialist and “accidental entrepreneur,” the origin of the Starfish name, early challenges with marketing, pricing, and hiring, and how COVID shut down her in-person business but led her to create online classes, develop her own curriculum, and license others to teach it.

She explains how her ADHD helps her understand students and take risks, emphasizes that autistic people are often misunderstood (including around empathy), reframes friendship as “someone we choose to spend time with,” and outlines her interpreter approach between neurotypical and neurodivergent “social languages.”

She shares a story illustrating blunt but respectful feedback and her goals of building students’ social competence, confidence, and connection, and invites listeners to find her at starfishsocialclub.org and take one small step toward their ideas.

00:00 Show Welcome and Mission

01:21 Meet Steph West

02:31 Why Starfish Social Club

04:09 The Starfish Story Name

05:22 Local and Online Reach

06:20 Accidental Entrepreneur Challenges

08:59 COVID Pivot and Curriculum

10:25 ADHD as a Superpower

11:51 Autism Myths and Empathy

12:55 Redefining Friendship

14:21 Helping Parents Understand

16:46 Protecting Emotional Energy

18:56 Goals Competence Confidence Connection

21:10 Why Not Me Mindset

22:28 Helpful Social Feedback

25:26 Finding Steph Online

25:35 A Story That Stuck

28:50 Vision for Clubs Everywhere

30:21 Final Thanks and Sign Off

INTRO/OUTRO: T. Wild

Mantor Music BMI

The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only.
The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.
Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.
Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.
Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk.
Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Embracing Autism and Mental Health: A Conversation with Anne Grady

In this episode of 'Why Not Me,' hosted by Tony Mantor in Nashville, Tennessee, guest Anne Grady shares her profound journey navigating autism and mental health.

Anne, an author, speaker, and advocate, discusses her experiences raising her son Evan, who has multiple diagnoses including autism, severe mental illness, ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder.

The conversation delves into challenges around diagnosis, the importance of resilience, and strategies for coping with neurodiversity and mental health issues. Anne also talks about her books, advocacy work, and the personal and systemic difficulties she has encountered.

The episode emphasizes acceptance, understanding, and the profound impact of sharing stories to inspire and connect people worldwide.

Introduction to Why Not Me

Meet Anne Grady: Advocate and Author

Anne's Personal Journey with Her Son Evan

Challenges and Resilience in Parenting

Understanding Autism and Mental Illness

The Importance of Acceptance and Support

Anne's Advocacy and Writing Journey

Practical Advice for Families and Caregivers

Anne's Current Life and Advocacy Efforts

Final Thoughts and Farewell

INTRO/OUTRO: T. Wild

Mantor Music BMI

The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only.
The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.
Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.
Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.
Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk.
Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Danny Combs on Buildable, TACT, and Expanding Trade-Based Careers for Autistic and Neurodivergent People

Host Tony Mantor welcomes Danny Combs to discuss progress since their last conversation on creating meaningful employment pathways for autistic and neurodivergent individuals.

Combs shares receiving a Congressional Mentor of Honor Society Citizen Honor Award and being appointed by Colorado’s governor to the new Colorado Disability Opportunity Office, funded through reissued historic license plates that generate sustainable revenue for disability-focused grants statewide with disabled-led oversight.

He introduces Buildable, a new Tennessee-based initiative launching workshops in Nashville in March with Belmont University, aiming to expand TACT’s trade-skills transition-to-employment model toward full-time programming in the fall, supported by corporate partners like Subaru.

They address challenges including staffing, costs, facilities, and job availability, discuss policy barriers and data gaps like autism prevalence needs assessments, emphasize nonprofit collaboration, employer education, ROI-focused messaging, and the urgent need for future supports as aging caregivers can no longer provide lifelong care.

00:00 Show Introduction

01:02 Meet Tony and Subscribe

01:21 Introducing Danny Combs

02:39 Colorado Disability Office

03:14 License Plate Funding

04:25 Grants and Inclusion

05:05 Buildable Comes to Nashville

06:00 Workshops and Timeline

07:09 Partners and Workforce Shift

08:04 Scaling Beyond Colorado

08:34 Consistency and Franchising

09:30 Startup Challenges Ahead

10:37 State Role and Policy

11:37 Legislation and Data Gaps

15:14 Nonprofits Need Unity

16:56 Nashville Hub Vision

18:52 Employer Perception and Language

21:39 Rethinking Education and Training

22:38 Five Year Future Vision

23:46 Parents and Long Term Care

26:32 Final Message and Wrap Up

27:22 Closing Credits

INTRO/OUTRO: T. Wild

Mantor Music BMI

The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only.
The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.
Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.
Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.
Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk.
Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Late Autism Diagnoses, Music, and Seeing Family Through a New Lens with Liam Edward Golder

Host Tony Mantor welcomes listeners to Why Not Me: Embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide and interviews Liam Edward Golder, a London-born music PR professional and songwriter now living in New York.

Liam shares discovering his own autism later in life after his father was diagnosed around age 70, and describes how late clarity brought relief, acceptance, and a new understanding of his father’s withdrawal and difficulty reading emotions.

He discusses traits such as overwhelm with menus, sensitivity to crowds, loud noise and bright lights, hyperfocus on music, photographic memory, and co-occurring ADHD and anxiety, reframing autism as a creative strength that supported a 30-year music career working with many artists.

Liam also describes helping translate situations for his father, who also has paranoid personality disorder, and shares his goal of inspiring others that autism doesn’t have to limit achievement.

01:18 Meet Liam Golder

02:12 Creativity as Strength

03:36 Dad’s Late Diagnosis

04:15 Shared Traits and Triggers

05:37 Rethinking Autism

06:49 Getting Diagnosed and Relief

07:41 Telling Family and Support

08:49 Translating for Dad

13:13 Burnout and Anxiety

14:35 Acceptance and Purpose

17:34 Music Career and Structure

19:17 Legacy and Inspiration

20:28 Connection with Dad

23:07 Living Confidently Now

23:52 Closing and Call to Share

The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only.
The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.
Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.
Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.
Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk.
Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.