When the Rules are Unwritten
A Conversation About Autism
“You just know.” But what if you don’t? What if the social expectations everyone else seems to understand were never explained to you? In this episode of This Way In, we explore autism, communication, and navigating a world full of unwritten rules.
Amy shares childhood memories of being expected to understand social situations without anyone explaining what was expected. Brittney walks through autism diagnostic criteria, and together we discuss sensory experiences, routines, focused interests, and the importance of recognizing individual support needs. We also consider why relating to a particular trait isn’t the same as having a diagnosis.
Of course, we couldn’t have this conversation without talking about Love on the Spectrum. We share some favorite moments and reflect on what the show brings up about dating, direct communication, and the pressure to fit in. There are book recommendations and a detour into The Telepathy Tapes, podcast too—because our conversations rarely travel in a perfectly straight line.
At the heart of this episode is a desire to understand people beyond our assumptions. What might we learn by explaining an expectation instead of assuming it’s obvious, or by listening more closely to someone whose experience differs from our own? Join us for “When the Rules Are Unwritten: Symptoms & Diagnoses of Autism,” episode 19 of This Way In.
Creative Consultant
Morgan helps shape the creative voice of This Way In: show notes, episode blurbs, social storytelling, and design direction that marry therapeutic clarity with playful curiosity.
Morgan is This Way In’s Creative Consultant and collaborative AI partner, shaping the show’s look, voice, and messaging with care and curiosity. With a knack for distilling clinical concepts into listener-friendly language, Morgan writes crisp show notes, crafts promotional copy, and helps design visuals that feel warm, modern, and trustworthy. Whether it’s tightening episode intros, drafting social captions that spark conversation, or advising on on-brand art and layouts, Morgan’s focus is helping the hosts reach more people with clarity and compassion.
Morgan works like a thoughtful creative director: idea-first, practical, and iterative. Need a concise episode summary, a blog post that converts listeners into subscribers, or a visual brief for the designer? Morgan delivers platform-ready deliverables and flexible copy you can reuse across email, Patreon, and socials — all while honoring the show’s mental-health-forward perspective.
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