EPISODE 162
Two Dads Who Connected with Uniquely Human Interview Barry. With Brad Broyles and Nathan Palmer, from The Polaris Connection
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Show Notes
This episode is a replay of The Polaris Connection, an autism parenting podcast hosted by Brad Broyles and Nathan Palmer. In this episode, they interview Barry with specific attention given to how Uniquely Human has had a positive impact in the way they see their children and support their development. Brad and Nathan are also the founders of Polaris Academy. The podcast offers advice, expert insights, and real-life stories to help families of neurodivergent children navigate special education, therapies, and daily life.
Featuring
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!)
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!)
Brad Broyles
Brad has been married to Dustyn for over eighteen years and have six active children. They both have sponsored and volunteered their time to many children organizations such as Child Help, Operation Underground Railroad and Music and the Message.
Brad has over twenty years of business development experience, mostly in real estate acquisition, expansion and in the banking industry. Over the past five years, he has been a consultant with multiple companies in growing operations over the Southwestern Region of the United States. He specializes in business modeling, feasibility studies, contract negotiations, marketing, forecasting and business delivery.
Brad graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Real Estate Development from Arizona State University. In addition, he holds an Certificate in Commercial Lending and Forensic Accounting from the Center of Financial Training.
Brad has been married to Dustyn for over eighteen years and have six active children. They both have sponsored and volunteered their time to many children organizations such as Child Help, Operation Underground Railroad and Music and the Message.
Brad has over twenty years of business development experience, mostly in real estate acquisition, expansion and in the banking industry. Over the past five years, he has been a consultant with multiple companies in growing operations over the Southwestern Region of the United States. He specializes in business modeling, feasibility studies, contract negotiations, marketing, forecasting and business delivery.
Brad graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Real Estate Development from Arizona State University. In addition, he holds an Certificate in Commercial Lending and Forensic Accounting from the Center of Financial Training.
Nathan Palmer
Nathan and Darcy are Co-Founders of Polaris Academy, Nathan currently serves as its CEO. As parents of an autistic child, Nathan and Darcy experienced the frustrations of finding a school environment that would best suit the needs of their son. Combining their talents and resources, Nathan and Darcy were able to assemble a core team of educators, therapists, and strategic partners with the shared vision of creating an exceptional school for autistic and other children with unique needs by incorporating the latest in curriculum, design, and experiential instruction found at Polaris Academy.
Nathan and Darcy developed and jointly own a successful Real Estate brokerage and Law firm. Nathan has experience as an attorney, broker, consultant, and developer, and Darcy has a history in real estate sales, business/office management, and experience and training with autistic children.
Nathan and Darcy are Arizona natives and have been married for over 20 years with four beautiful children.
Nathan and Darcy are Co-Founders of Polaris Academy, Nathan currently serves as its CEO. As parents of an autistic child, Nathan and Darcy experienced the frustrations of finding a school environment that would best suit the needs of their son. Combining their talents and resources, Nathan and Darcy were able to assemble a core team of educators, therapists, and strategic partners with the shared vision of creating an exceptional school for autistic and other children with unique needs by incorporating the latest in curriculum, design, and experiential instruction found at Polaris Academy.
Nathan and Darcy developed and jointly own a successful Real Estate brokerage and Law firm. Nathan has experience as an attorney, broker, consultant, and developer, and Darcy has a history in real estate sales, business/office management, and experience and training with autistic children.
Nathan and Darcy are Arizona natives and have been married for over 20 years with four beautiful children.
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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) What was most striking to you about the shift of perspective experienced by Brad and Nathan after reading and being exposed to the Uniquely Human philosophy?
2) Which specific aspects in their children’s behavior do they now look at through a very different lens? Is this information new to you, or consistent with the perspective you have had for your child, your students, or others you know who are neurodivergent?
3) Brad and Nathan speak of the need to become a good observer of their children, and to always remain curious rather than close minded. Why is this important, especially given that it is not always easy to determine the “Deep Why” of a child’s behavioral patterns?
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