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All Episodes
Episode 1: New Directions: Guiding Young Adults with Autism Into the World
Welcome to Episode 1 of the Uniquely Wired Podcast! In this premiere episode, Dr. Drew Rubin introduces two key team members from New Directions for Young Adults—pioneers in autism research, diagnosis, and treatment. With him are Dr. Michael Kellen and Bobby Jividen, offering their expertise in a compelling conversation about the challenges young adults on the autism spectrum face when transitioning out of the home and into independent life. The discussion also explores how family dynamics play a critical role in this process, including the emotional impact on parents as their young adult children take this important step toward independence.
Guest of this Episode :
Bobby Jividen and Dr. Michael Kellen
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Quotes From This Episode :
“I feel like some people will relate to this and some people won't relate, but I feel like this parental guilt is something that comes from early childhood. And I think like you said, Dr. Kellan, it might be the expectations that maybe my child is supposed to be completely what you would call normal and they're not for whatever reason. And there's some guilt associated with that. And as we start, I see parents for many years compensating for their kids and helping them in all different ways and here they are about to step out into the real world and it's an environment obviously that parents can't control 100% so there's a lot of anxiety on the parent side that I think that may emanate from this early experience of feeling guilty as a parent.” - Dr. Rubin
“You know, this guilt can sort of cause parents to underestimate the children's ability and then they just avoid setting goals of pushing them further for things that they're actually quite capable of achieving.” - Dr. Kellen
“I think a lot of our listeners are probably going to be anxious parents that want to hear like our experience with young adults on the autism spectrum and just know that there's a community of other anxious parents as well who have the same feelings as you have.”“I think a lot of our listeners are probably going to be anxious parents that want to hear like our experience with young adults on the autism spectrum and just know that there's a community of other anxious parents as well who have the same feelings as you have.” - Bobby Jividen
Episode 2: The Power of Wilderness Therapy
Dr. Drew Rubin is joined by Greg Hitchcock, Scott Hess, and Dr. Michael Kellen to explore the healing impact of wilderness therapy. With decades of experience in behavioral health and psychology, they discuss how stepping away from screens and comfort can lead to self-discovery and emotional growth. In this insightful episode, Greg Hitchcock explains how nature fosters leadership and self-reliance, while Scott Hess highlights how simplicity helps people connect with who they really are. Whether for teens, adults, or families, this episode shows how nature creates space for real connection and lasting change.
Guest of this Episode :
Greg Hitchcock, Scott Hess, and Dr. Michael Kellen
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Quotes From This Episode :
“Wilderness therapy is forever evolving. It started in the late 1800s, early 1900s, with the introduction of summer camp in New England and getting kids out for the summer, into nature, and having experiences individually and in the community. In the 40s it took on a little bit more of a therapeutic flavor, with Outward Bound beginning to come in, taking young people out on short-term expeditions and challenging them and teaching them leadership skills and all of the things that come with an experience like that.”- Greg Hitchcock
“I got to take a family trip last year where we all were forced to unplug from the internet because there was no internet. And just that alone, what a grounding, connecting experience as a family. And the value of that, whether you’re a struggling teen or you’re an autistic adult or you’re just a family guy who hasn’t really had a chance to connect on a deeper level with the people in your family sometimes. It’s such an important part of progress in relationships in therapy or in family relationships.” - Dr. Rubin
“When we get back to the basics of life or living, whether it’s psychologically or socially, you get to take a look at yourself and know who you are. And when those distractions go away, which by the way, was one of the biggest things we struggled with in wilderness treatment, because a lot of us don’t like to look at ourselves really well - it can sometimes be scary to take that deeper look and find out who we are. But you’re right, one of the greatest things there is that you created a very simple place where a person could genuinely connect with who they are and then have some confidence with that and get that to be something that they can translate into other areas of their life.” - Scott Hess
Episode 3: The Changing Landscape of Therapeutic Programs
Dr. Rubin and Dr. Kellen sit down with Josh Doyle, M.Ed.—a seasoned educational and therapeutic consultant—to discuss how the landscape of therapeutic programs and boarding schools has evolved over the last few decades. From rising mental health challenges in youth to the critical role of residential care and wilderness therapy, Josh shares insight from over 25 years of experience helping families find hope and healing. He reflects on how today’s young people are increasingly struggling with isolation, depression, and limited access to effective treatment. The conversation also explores the growing impact of program closures and what that means for families navigating a mental health crisis.
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Guest of this Episode :
Josh Doyle
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Quotes From This Episode :
“I look at a lot of the programs that are out there for young adults, with New Directions included, as being far more equipped than a generation ago, of understanding these kids and being able to process with them appropriately, therapeutically.” - Josh Doyle
“I’m a big advocate of residential care, because in most cases for the students I work with, they’re not able to access the therapy that’s available to them. And with the closures happening, it’s making things worse. As evidenced by the fact that, now more than ever, the number of ER visits for teenagers and young adults has skyrocketed in recent years. There’s no place to send these children like there used to be.” - Doyle
“I would argue, of the students that I’ve sent you [NDFYA] over the years, the ones that hit the ground running more than ever were kids that were sent directly from wilderness [therapy]. That’s been my observation with your program and with several others.” - Josh Doyle
Episode 4: Anxiety, Perfectionism, and the Truth About Hoarding
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.”
Guest of this Episode :
Dr. Greg Chasson
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Quotes From This Episode :
“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
Episode 5: From Control to Connection: Guiding Your Young Adult Toward Independence
“As they get older, you have to learn to take steps back so that they can have that independence.” — Savannah Paponetti
In this episode of the Uniquely Wired Podcast, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Kellen sit down with Savannah Paponetti, a licensed counselor and Assistant Clinical Director at NDFYA, to talk about how parents can best support their young adult children. They explore the balance between support and enabling, the shift from managing to mentoring, and why setting realistic expectations and boundaries is essential. Savannah also shares the value of involving therapists and parent coaches in creating healthier family dynamics.
Guest of this Episode :
Savannah Paponetti
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Quotes From This Episode :
“I think there’s a fine line between supporting a child and enabling unhealthy behavior. And I think it’s difficult for parents sometimes to know the difference between those two.” - Dr. Kellen
“Depending upon what other issues kids are having with their parents when it comes to communication, having that 3-way dynamic with the therapist, the young adult, and the parent allows for more consistent communication which can benefit goal-setting.” - Dr. Rubin
“I love when parents go out and get parent coaches along the way. When I’m a therapist for their child and it could put me in a tough situation then I can’t be the therapist for them too. And for them to get their own help and support as we all work as a team, because like I said it’s years of trying to create a new relationship or better relationship, and for them to understand these feelings are very normal and part of the process and trusting that.” - Savannah Paponetti
Episode 6: AI and the Future of Healthcare
AI is transforming healthcare, but it can’t replace human expertise. Dr. Marco Rossi, an AI scientist with 20+ years of experience, joins Dr. Rubin and Dr. Kellen to discuss how AI can aid diagnosis and treatment—while warning against over-reliance. They highlight the need for human responsibility, the risk of losing essential skills, and why, as Dr. Kellen notes, “the human component is so important to sift through and diagnose correctly.”
Guest of this Episode :
Dr. Marco Rossi
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Quotes From This Episode :
