Welcome to
Uniquely Wired
Real Talk. Real Stories. Real Support for Young Adults On The Spectrum.
About
Uniquely Wired is a podcast that embraces the diverse voices and lived experiences of young adults on the autism spectrum. Each episode, we create space for honest conversations, powerful storytelling, and practical support — all with the goal of helping individuals navigate life with confidence, clarity, and community.
Why Listen?
Because growing up and finding your place in the world is hard enough — and even more complex when you’re wired differently.
Whether you’re autistic yourself, a parent, a mentor, or just someone who wants to better understand and support the neurodiverse community, this podcast is for you.
What You’ll Hear
Firsthand stories
from young adults on the spectrum navigating school, work, independence, and identity.
Expert interviews
with psychologists, educators, advocates, and families.
Tools and tips
for building confidence, communication skills, and emotional wellness.
Conversations that matter
regarding mental health, relationships, and resilience.
Episodes
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Episode No
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Where to Listen?
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Special Episode: Dr. Rubin featured The Andrew Taylor Show Help for the Future: Life Transition Support for Autistic Individuals
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Episode 1: New Directions: Guiding Young Adults with Autism Into the World
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Episode 2: The Power of Wilderness Therapy
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Episode 3: The Changing Landscape of Therapeutic Programs
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Episode 4: Anxiety, Perfectionism, and the Truth About Hoarding with guest Dr. Greg Chasson
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Quotes from Episode 4: Anxiety, Perfectionism, and the Truth About Hoarding with guest Dr. Greg Chasson
In this insightful episode of the Uniquely Wired Podcast, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Kellen sit down with Dr. Greg Chasson—clinical psychologist, University of Chicago professor, and expert in OCD and related disorders—to explore the misunderstood world of hoarding, anxiety, and perfectionism. Dr. Chasson dispels common myths, noting that hoarding isn’t about laziness or messiness but often rooted in deep anxiety and fear. They also discuss how hoarding connects to OCD and autism in young adults, the importance of healthy motivation, and why aiming for zero anxiety misses the mark: “You want that sweet spot—that Goldilocks zone.”
“Part of the intrigue and my involvement, and the intrigue that came with it was, can we look at some difficulties with hoarding and clutter and having too much stuff, and difficulty getting rid of things, how much do we see that on a daily basis among some of these young adults? How does that impact families? And are we noticing any trends over time in that tendency as New Directions works their magic with some of their kids?”
- Dr. Chasson
“Hoarding is not about laziness, this is not a laziness issue. And often people don’t understand that. I’d also like to dispel the myth that people with hoarding are dirty. They often have a lot of things but there’s a difference between hoarding and squalor. And those two don’t always go hand-in-hand. So you could have squalor conditions, dirty and gross, but that may not be from hoarding and vice-versa. So I want to make it clear that this is not about laziness and it’s not always about dirtiness. This does, as you said Dr. Kellen, comes from a deep place of anxiety or distress and needing to be able save things because of fear.”
- Dr. Chasson
“Anxiety is just an emotion and we all have it, and it’s adaptive. If we didn’t have anxiety, there’d be major problems with motivation. So you need a certain amount of motivation to be able to move forward. …. If you have a fear response, that fear response is designed for a reason, or evolved for a reason, it’s to keep you safe. And that anxiety is motivation, that fear is motivation. And if you have too little of it, it’s a major problem, you’re just not motivated to do anything. But if you have too much of it, it interferes with your ability to concentrate and function. So you want that sweet spot, that Goldilocks-zone that is often very hard to find. And that’s where therapists can come in and move you to the Goldilocks-zone with strategies. But ultimately the idea that, ‘I want zero anxiety,’ just doesn’t ring true and doesn’t make sense from a treatment standpoint.”
- Dr. Chasson
A Goal Without a Plan is Just a Wish
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