September Reflections • October Excitement

In 60 days, we grew partnerships, trained volunteers, and turned ideas into action—coaching, creative events, and science-based supports that amplify the voices of neurodivergent individuals.

Author

Spectrum Speaks
October 14, 2025

Upcoming Events

Let’s Break the Stigma Around Mental Health Issues

Collaborative Initiatives for Community Awareness

Hello and welcome to the month of August. As the end of summer approaches, new events and initiatives are happening.

Spectrum Speaks Florida and Behavioral Teaching Solutions are partnering with several companies and people to bring you topics relevant to the today's times.

From neurodiversity to mental health navigation to financial know-how, these events will inform and create a movement within our community.

Click the button below, scroll down to the Upcoming events portion, and register for your desired event.

Collaborative Initiative by Jess Blagton and Belle Stikeleather

Dismantling the Stigma, Together

Who is Jess Blagdon?

Jess Blagdon is a trauma-informed nonprofit leader with a passion for using data, storytelling, and strategy to help organizations deepen their impact. With experience in grant writing, database management, program development, and training, she brings both heart and structure to her work. Jess is also a certified TBRI® Practitioner, a facilitator of Making Sense of Your Worth, and a longtime advocate for children and families navigating foster care, adoption, and mental health or socioeconomic challenges.

What is your definition of leadership?

To Jess, leadership means showing up with integrity, listening well, and creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and empowered.

What is your leadership style?

Her leadership style is compassionate, collaborative, and mission-focused; she believes that the best results come when people are both equipped and inspired. Whether building systems or facilitating healing work, Jess leads with purpose and authenticity.

Note from the Executive Director of Behavioral Teaching Solutions:

RCC—relationship-building, community-building, and collectivism—guides everything we do. When we lead in building relationships, it leads to the creation of a community, and through collective efforts, ideas have a greater impact. Small acts, done together, can move mountains.

I'm excited to continue our partnership with Jrpreneur Brunch in October, benefiting Dragonfly and advancing this mission. Click this link for more information.

Our fun work is just beginning. ✨

#DragonflyMentalHealth #BTS #SpectrumSpeaks #Neurodiversity #MentalHealthAwareness #InclusiveLeadership #CommunityImpact #BreakingStigma

🇯🇵 Global Note

Belle represented Behavioral Teaching Solutions (BTS) at a conference in Japan. She also co-created the first-ever Autism conference alongside sensei Sakurako “Sherry” Tanaka, sharing assent-based, constructional practices and ready-to-use tools for inclusive classrooms. Read more here.

Belle with Greg Stikeleather, and Lorri Unumb

Fireworks — Final Venue Confirmed

FIREWORKS: Breaking the Stigma around Mental Health Issues with Ret. Gen. Martin

Sat, Oct 25, 2025 • 1:30–3:30 PM

Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N Palm Ave, Sarasota

Media: Press release — Sarasota Scene and Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

Also Coming:

  • Nov 22 – Financial Literacy & Neurodiversity (Asha Campbell & Belle)

  • Dec 20 – Beyond Compliance: Trust-Building & Assent (Jess Blagdon & Belle)

Much Gratitude

Endless gratitude to our sponsors, supporters, donors, volunteers, partners, and GCLI family—your belief powers this work.

Take Action

Register / Sponsor / Volunteer for Oct 25 • Share the press release • Follow @spectrumspeaksfl • Partner with BTS to bring assent-based, constructional coaching to your team.

Understanding Autistic Perception and Communication: A Unique Lens
By Aaron Freed, Behavioral Teaching Solutions

Human perception and memory shape how we interact with the world, but autistic perception often diverges from neurotypical norms, influencing communication in profound ways. As an autistic individual, I’ve explored these differences in my unpublished book, weaving personal experiences with insights from the film Moonlight (2016). This blog post draws from those reflections, emphasizing how shared humanity transcends differences, as captured by John Berger’s quote: “The strange power of art is that sometimes it can show that what people have in common is more urgent than what differentiates them.”

Neurotypical perception often filters sensory input linearly, prioritizing certain stimuli. In contrast, autistic perception can be holistic, processing details simultaneously, which may lead to sensory overload or unique communicative styles. For example, I connect my experiences to Moonlight’s narrative, finding universal themes of identity and belonging. This perspective echoes Berger’s idea, a quote I rediscovered on a shirt from Pine View School’s Drama League, where I crossed paths with Moonlight producer Adele Romanski.

Reflecting on language, I find case systems like Latin’s offer clarity neurotypical communication sometimes lacks. They force intentionality, a trait I believe society could embrace to foster better listening. By understanding autistic perception, we can bridge communication gaps, celebrating both differences and shared humanity.

References
Berger, J. (1972). Ways of seeing. Penguin Books.
Choi, B. (Director). (2016). Moonlight [Film]. A24.
Grandin, T. (2006). Thinking in pictures: My life with autism. Vintage Books.

Note: Excerpts from Aaron’s book are forthcoming, with personal elements adapted for clarity. For more insights, visit Aaron Freed’s website.

In Case You Missed Our Previous Events

  • If you missed it, you can click this link to view the highlights.

Share the Buzz Now!

Grab a copy today and bring it on October 25th, 2025, for Ret Gen Gregg Martin’s autograph

We're all in this together!

This newsletter provides a springboard for a healthy and happy spring season. Remember, consistency is key!

By incorporating these tips and tricks into your routine, you can cultivate a vibrant and healthy lifestyle that flourishes throughout the year.

Until next time :)