EPISODE 161
Being “Pathologically Genuine”: A discussion with Dr. Jim Coleman
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Show Notes
Jim Coleman, a semi-retired biology professor has had an amazing journey. He discusses his late diagnosis as an autistic person and his journey from feeling like “a banana slug transported into the Mojave Desert” to embracing his neurodiversity. He shared his teaching philosophy of helping every student reach their full potential, noting that over 200 of his students have disclosed being neurodivergent to him. Jim also discussed his work with his therapy dog Brea, who visits schools for autistic children and a community center for people recovering from mental illness.
Featuring
Dr. Jim Coleman
Jim currently serves as a semi-retired professor of biology at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro (UNCG). He is also an outside affiliate of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation. at Vanderbilt University, a Fellow of the American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science, and a Distinguished Alumnus of the Yale School of the Environment. Jim has been the principal or co-principal investigator on approximately 260 million dollars of research, education, and research infrastructure [both institutional and statewide] gifts, grants, and contracts.
In July 2025, he started a Substack page where he started writing a book telling a humorous story of navigating academe as an autistic person, which he has titled “Pathologically Genuine.” For much of his life, Jim felt like a banana slug transported into the Mojave Desert without the appropriate evolutionary adaptations. His late diagnosis transformed him by finally providing a context and a map.
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…and Continue the Discussion
Do you have a book or podcast club? If so, you may use this discussion guide to facilitate a conversation about this episode.
1) Following an illustrious academic career, as a researcher and administrator, Jim found that he was autistic and that realization transformational. “I thought I was a messed-up horse for 58 years and then suddenly discovered I was a zebra”. What did Jim share about the impact of his diagnosis?
3) Jim states that as a late diagnosed autistic person – he has needed to sort through two perspectives – his lived experience and navigating his professional world, and he relates this to masking. He states that “I think most would call that masking, but it doesn’t feel that way to me.” What did he share and how does this compare to your concept of masking?
3) Jim refers to himself as “pathologically genuine” and an autistic empath, and provides a number of examples of how this plays out in his life. He shares that this quality can be both “a superpower and kryptonite”. What are some examples that he discusses of the benefits and drawbacks of being “pathologically genuine”, and your impressions? Are you, or do you know of people who would fit this description?
HOSTED BY
Barry Prizant, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Dr. Barry Prizant is a speech-language pathologist with more than 50 years experience as a researcher and international consultant for autistic and neurodivergent individuals and their families. He is an Adjunct Professor of Communicative Disorders at the University of Rhode Island and Director, Childhood Communication Services (a private practice). Previously, he served as Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the Brown University School of Medicine, and held a tenured professor appointment at Emerson College. Publications include 5 books, most notably Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism (2015; 2022) and The SCERTS Model manuals, an educational approach implemented in more than a dozen countries. He has published 150 scholarly chapters and articles and serves on numerous professional advisory boards for journals and professional organizations. Barry has presented more than 1000 seminars and keynote addresses internationally, including two invited presentations at the United Nations for World Autism Awareness Day. His career contributions have been recognized with honors from Brown and Princeton Universities, the Autism Society of America and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Visit Barry’s website here
Uniquely Human, the book (Updated and Expanded edition!)
Dave Finch
Dave Finch is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man’s Quest to Be a Better Husband. As a writer and creative consultant, his work has appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, NPR, SiriusXM, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Howard Stern Show, and the award-winning Netflix series, Atypical. Based in Denver, Dave’s company, Elevated Studio, produces this podcast and other recognized series.
Visit Dave’s website here
“I have read a million and one books on Autism. Uniquely Human is the best book I have ever read, hands down. Thank you Barry for this incredible gift!!!!”
– Navah Paskovitz, Mother of three boys with Autism, Co-Founder, the Ed Asner Family Center
“Compassion, learning and supportive strategies–the three essentials for working with folks with ASD–are an integral part of this must-read book.”
– Michelle Garcia Winner, Speech Language Pathologist and Founder of Social Thinking
“Thanks be to Barry for the first-ever must read written for parents, educators, and clinicians.”
– Michael John Carley, Founder, GRASP; Author of Asperger’s From the Inside-Out
“What makes the book compelling is how funny Mr. Finch is about himself. He’s great company.”
– Susannah Meadows, The New York Times
“In this hilarious memoir (which also gives some of the finest explications of Asperger’s out there), Finch approaches trying to be a better husband and father with the determination of Sherman marching on Atlanta.”
– Judith Newman, People (4/4 stars)
“Talk about being on a roll. This dude wrote a book, he has Asperger’s syndrome. He cured himself by listening to me on the radio!”
– Howard Stern