Kyle Shepard, writer of The Resilient Mental State Substack, joins Inchstones for a powerful conversation about resilience, caregiving, and communication in the world of autism and neurodiversity. Together, we explore how parenting children with profound autism reshapes our understanding of growth, emotional regulation, and adaptability. Kyle shares deeply personal insights on the challenges and breakthroughs of caregiving, while highlighting the importance of celebrating inchstones—those small but meaningful steps forward. This dialogue underscores the strength found in community, the role of curiosity in navigating uncertainty, and the everyday resilience that defines families living with autism.

• (00:00:00) - Interview With Kyle Shepherd
• (00:00:30) - Cognitive Resilience in the Military
• (00:06:21) - On Autism and the Spectrum
• (00:12:17) - On the Concept of Typical Parents
• (00:16:06) - Anger and Control of My Feelings
• (00:23:16) - How to Manage Your Emotions
• (00:28:56) - The Importance of Self-Care for Parents
• (00:36:54) - Your Wife's Mother Intuition
• (00:42:16) - How Were You Raised?
• (00:49:05) - The Importance of Interactivity
• (00:53:00) - How do you become a more flexible person?
• (00:54:33) - The Power of Consistent Care
• (00:59:20) - One Autism Child's Speech Breakthrough
• (01:04:52) - Coming soon: The Byproduct of Writing