The Autism Podcast - Episode 4 - Interview with David Grant (on the topic of the father's experience)

In Episode 4, Chris speaks with David Grant, the husband of Carrie Grant who featured in episode 2! David is a well known singer, television presenter and vocal coach and also happens to be a father of children with different additional needs including two autistic children. In this episode, David opens up about his own personal experiences during his journey of understanding and acceptance, and describes how his experiences, while challenging, have enriched his life. Chris and David also talk about why fathers can be vulnerable to poor mental health, the stigma of mental health especially among fathers, and what fathers who are struggling with poor mental health can do to support themselves.

Episode timeline:

0 - 2.51 - Intro
2:52 - 5.55 & 15:31 - 16:14, 16:55 - 19:12, 24:40 - 28:35, 44:50 - 46:27 - David's personal story
5.56 - 9:40 - Challenging what we've learned about parenting
9.41 - 13.00 - Embracing the journey
13:01 - 15:30 - Fathers' need for practical solutions
19:13 - 24:39, 46:55 - 51:55 - Fathers' vulnerability to poor mental health
29:20 - 33:44, 51:55 - 1:10:12 - Advice to fathers' struggling with mental health
33:45 - 40:40 - "Not one drop of our self worth should depend on other people's acceptance of us"
40:46 - 44:49 - Labelling, stigma and our 'normal' counts

David's twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidGrantSays

David's website: http://carrieanddavidgrant.co.uk/