Before you can be anything, you have to be you: Nurturing autistic identity with Maisie Soetantyo
Hosted by
Laetitia Andrac
Host of The Neurodivergent Pulse, CEO and co-founder of Understanding Zoe, and a neurodivergent parent.
With
openly autistic family and inclusivity consultant, Autism Career Pathways
Maisie Soetantyo, M.Ed., is an openly autistic family and inclusivity consultant based in California who has worked alongside autistic people and their families for more than 30 years. After beginning her career as a behaviourist, Maisie moved into relationship-based practice and spent two decades coaching families at home. She later founded Autism Career Pathways, helping autistic people build meaningful career paths and supporting businesses to create more sensory-friendly spaces. Maisie is also a customised employment specialist and curriculum designer, bringing neurodivergent voices — including AAC users and spellers — into her work. At the heart of her approach is nurturing autistic authenticity as the foundation for self-advocacy and a meaningful life. She also spoke at the Yellow Ladybugs 2026 Conference, where Laetitia first heard her speak about why mindset matters more than method.
The Neurodivergent Pulse is Understanding Zoe's podcast for families raising neurodivergent children in Australia. Hosted by Laetitia Andrac, each episode is an honest conversation about autism, ADHD and everyday family life. In this episode, "Before you can be anything, you have to be you: Nurturing autistic identity with Maisie Soetantyo", you'll hear practical, neuroaffirming ideas you can use today.
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Show notes
What if supporting an autistic child starts with curiosity, rather than having all the answers?
In this episode, Laetitia is joined by Maisie Soetantyo, an openly autistic family and inclusivity consultant who has worked alongside autistic people and their families for more than 30 years.
Together, they explore why mindset matters more than method, and why parents don’t need to know everything to support their child well. Maisie shares the importance of radical acceptance, staying curious, trusting yourself as a parent and giving neurodivergent children and teens space to discover who they are in their own time.
They also talk about family dynamics, special interests, creating safe spaces at home and letting go of the pressure for neurodivergent children to follow a predetermined version of success.
As Maisie puts it: “Before you can be anything, you have to be you first.”
✨ Try Understanding Zoe free for 7 days – the neuroaffirming app turning every report, observation and meltdown into an actionable next step.
KEY TAKEAWAYS 👇
🧠 Why mindset can matter more than method
🧠 Staying curious when you don’t have the answers
🧠 Why home needs to be a safe place to be yourself
🧠 Accepting what you don’t understand yet
🧠 Why special interests don’t need to become careers
🧠 Letting autistic identity belong to the autistic person
🧠 Finding small moments to slow down as a caregiver
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🔗 Try Understanding Zoe for free today
ABOUT THE GUEST 👇
Maisie Soetantyo, M.Ed., is an openly autistic family and inclusivity consultant based in California who has worked alongside autistic people and their families for more than 30 years.
After beginning her career as a behaviourist, Maisie moved into relationship-based practice and spent two decades coaching families at home. She later founded Autism Career Pathways, helping autistic people build meaningful career paths and supporting businesses to create more sensory-friendly spaces.
Maisie is also a customised employment specialist and curriculum designer, bringing neurodivergent voices — including AAC users and spellers — into her work. At the heart of her approach is nurturing autistic authenticity as the foundation for self-advocacy and a meaningful life.
She also spoke at the Yellow Ladybugs 2026 Conference, where Laetitia first heard her speak about why mindset matters more than method.
💻 Website: www.autismcareerpathways.org | www.gemacademy.us
📸 Instagram: @maisiesoetantyo | @autismcareerpathways | @guidingextraordinaryminds
ABOUT THE HOST 👇
Laetitia Andrac (Autistic & ADHDer) is an award-winning entrepreneur, international speaker, and podcast host.
She is the bestselling author of Light It: How to Trust Your Intuition and Build a Thriving Business. With over 15 years of experience in consulting, strategy, and innovation, Laetitia has worked with industry leaders like Deloitte and Telstra.
Inspired by my journey as a neurodivergent parent, she co-founded Understanding Zoe, an AI-driven solution dedicated to supporting caregivers of neurodivergent children.
Her passion is creating a more neuroinclusive world, where everyone can thrive—whether in their homes, communities, or workplaces.
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