“Unmasking Social” Podcast: Finding Common Ground in a Noisy World
Today, August 15, 2025, I recorded an episode for the Unmasking Social podcast hosted by Sharon Baum, MA, CCC-SLP. Sharon is a speech-language pathologist with almost 15 years of experience in autism, ADHD, and social communication. She draws on her background in educational settings to create thoughtful, grounded conversations for neurodivergent teens, young adults, families, and professionals.
We did not just talk about hearing. We talked about listening.
I shared how, in my work, I have seen professionals in different fields operate in silos. Families are left juggling audiologists, speech professionals, and educators with no cohesive plan that truly fits the individual.
I used a trust-fall metaphor. Picture a group linking arms to catch someone falling. If one person drops the catch, it all collapses. That is how support should work. And the person falling should also be part of the catching team, because no one knows their needs better than they do.
We discussed children with auditory processing disorder (APD), who may appear to ignore you while really missing parts of what is being said. I told the story of a little one who used the “beach sound” setting on her hearing aids to calm herself. Having control over that sensory tool did more than help her hearing. It gave her confidence and opened doors for learning and connection.
We also explored the power of language access in all forms: speech, sign language, or Cued Speech. A strong first language makes it easier to adapt, to learn, and to communicate effectively.
My main takeaway is simple. Self-advocacy is not optional. It is essential. Every one of us, young or old, should be the captain of our own care team.
If we all worked together as true teammates, the world might become a lot less noisy and a lot more welcoming.
The full episode will be aired in November, 2025. For other Unmasking Social episodes:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0pJUS1hby5UtO7EAttixiA?si=882eba9b095c4db5
You can also find more of my stories and resources here: DrRaeStout.com/blog
