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Neurodiversity & Storytelling: Building Bridges with Thomas R. Wilson
21 Plays3 days ago
Discover the transformative power of neurodiversity and storytelling in this inspiring episode of Unsolicited Perspectives. Host Bruce Anthony sits down with Thomas R. Wilson, the visionary founder of R&H Creative Advocacy and Storytelling, to explore how empathy, creativity, and inclusion can reshape our world.
Thomas shares his personal journey from overcoming trauma to becoming a passionate advocate for the neurodiverse community. Together, they delve into topics like creating safe spaces, designing sensory-friendly events, and using storytelling as a tool for empowerment and connection. Discover the unique perspectives of neurodivergent individuals and learn how sharing stories can foster empathy, dismantle stigma, and build bridges of understanding within our communities.
In this conversation, you'll learn how Dungeons & Dragons fosters community-building, how educators can support neurodivergent students, and why advocacy rooted in empathy is essential for driving change. Whether you’re a parent of a neurodivergent child, an educator, or someone seeking to create more inclusive spaces, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable advice.
Join us as we celebrate resilience, radical accountability, and the human connection through storytelling. This episode is a must-watch for neurodivergent individuals, parents, educators, advocates, mental health professionals, storytellers, and anyone passionate about creating a more inclusive and compassionate world. #Neurodiversity #neurodivergence #adhd #autism #unsolicitedperspectives
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Thank you for tuning into Unsolicited Perspectives with Bruce Anthony. Let's continue the conversation in the comments and remember, stay engaged, stay informed, and always keep an open mind. See you in the next episode!
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to Unsolicited Perspectives 🎙️🔥💥
00:34 Meet Thomas R. Wilson: The Storytelling Advocate 🗣️📖
02:11 From Loss to Legacy: Thomas's Early Life Journey 🌟💔
04:34 Storytelling as a Superpower: Transforming Lives with Words ✍️🔮
10:39 Unlocking the Mind: Understanding Neurodiversity 🧠🧩
13:39 Designing Calm: The Magic of Sensory-Friendly Events 🕊️🎶
20:48 Rolling the Dice: Dungeons & Dragons and Community Building 🎲🐉
25:05 Bridging the Gap: Engaging with Neurodiverse Families ❤️🏠
29:00 A Voice for Change: Speaking Engagements and Advocacy 🗣️📣
30:09 Empowering Voices: Supporting the Neurodiverse Community 💬🛡️
31:13 Smashing Norms: Redefining Program Development 🛠️🚀
35:04 Moments That Matter: Heartwarming Client Stories ❤️✨
38:34 Building Bridges: Partnerships with Charities and Organizations 🤝🤝
41:58 Sharing the Magic: Educational Endeavors on OutSchool and Skillshare 📚💻
46:17 Shifting Perspectives: Public Views on Neurodivergence 🔍🧠
50:45 Words That Heal: Writing for Mental Health and Resilience 📝💪
53:36 A Vision for the Future: Goals and Aspirations 🚀✨
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction
00:00:11
Speaker
First of all, welcome. This is us, List of Perspectives. I'm your host, Bruce Anthony, here to lead the conversation in a important events and topics that are shaping today's society. Join the conversation to follow us wherever you get your audio podcasts. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for our video podcasts, as well as YouTube exclusive content. Rate, review, like, comment, share, share with your friends, share it with your family.
00:00:34
Speaker
You can share it with
Introducing Thomas R. Wilson
00:00:35
Speaker
your enemies. For today's episode, I'll be interviewing Thomas R. Wilson. He's the founder of H and&R Creative Advocacy and Storytelling. Thomas is an advocate, storyteller, and public speaker. We'll be talking him to him about his life and his work, but that's enough for the intro. Let's get to the show.
Thomas's Journey and Inspiration
00:01:02
Speaker
Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Thomas R. Wilson, founder of R&H Creative Advocacy and Storytelling. Thomas is an advocate, storyteller, author, and public speaker with over a decade of experience using storytelling to inspire empathy and amplify marginalized voices.
00:01:20
Speaker
He cooperates with a lot of organizations across the Colorado, creating sensory friendly events, and is an author of several books that we're going to get into. He's a past he passionate and mentor and speaker. Thomas is dedicated to fostering inclusion and understanding through the power of shared stories. I want to welcome Thomas to the show. Thomas, welcome.
00:01:41
Speaker
Thank you, thank you for having me on. Yes, I am excited to talk about this, the big ah talk about everything that you have going on because first and foremost, it's about helping people. And that's what the premise of this show is all about, enlightening and helping. So I know this is going to be really interesting for my audience to hear not only your story, your background, but what it is that you're actually doing.
00:02:06
Speaker
Thank you very much. No doubt, no doubt about it. Okay, so let's start with your background. Could you tell us a little about a little bit about how you were raised and then get into what inspired you to create R&H Creative Advocacy and Storyteller?
00:02:21
Speaker
Absolutely. So, um I mean, starting with our address, I'd love stories ever since I was really little. One of my all-time favorite activities, I mean, when I was a kid was having people read to me to this day. I still love listening to storytellers. I still love hearing all of that. But I grew up in a house that was filled with stories. um Some of them good, some of them bad. um I learned at a young age that you know we have to use stories responsibly as well as using them to communicate instead of to hold back. And so I spent a lot of my time in that. I spent, I always attribute my father being one of the earlier storytellers that I knew.
00:03:05
Speaker
um in good ways and bad as well, but in a way that really taught me the value of words. And so when I was a kid, I i remember being, I think it was like first or second grade, I was told that it was a prodigy. ah warren Then when I hit, he was close to third grade, my father actually passed away. a um And that's where my mental health struggles really kicked in.
The Role of Neurodiversity in Advocacy
00:03:33
Speaker
I had always had a hard time with them before then.
00:03:36
Speaker
But I have learned over the years of my life that there is nothing quite like losing a loved one. and In third grade, I went from that prodigy to one of the more disruptive angry students or so my teachers told me. Their opinion of me very much changed radically and that lasted into high school and in college.
00:03:58
Speaker
I remember hearing a lot of people telling me that I was going to end up in jail or I was going to be a monster. I was going to be on the streets. Many influences who should have been supporting me did not. Luckily, I had some very key people in my life who helped me out. My mother in particular has been through a lot and has taught me a lot about the mental health advocacy kind of things.
00:04:21
Speaker
But one of the things I really understood at a young age was what I was experiencing is not what people should go through. No one of any age should be told those things, ah especially a kiddo who's only like eight years old. um The other thing that I learned in that was how much stories really are a connector to our humanity, you especially those of us who are struggling. It is this great our art form that can help us understand and empower ourselves And so going into high school, I was really a point where I started to have some change in my life, had teachers who actually supported me ah in a program that I was in. I remember my math teacher. Math is one of my worst subjects. My math teacher fought hard for me. He gave up numerous lunches just to help me pass algebra. My English teacher told me I was a gifted writer.
00:05:15
Speaker
I got into college. um And by that time, I was already working within the neuro-reverse community, volunteering, helping, doing what I could. and I remember going to college and already shattering expectations people had. After that, not long after that, I ended up in the healthcare field serving as a mentor, which I've been doing for 10 years, helping out with various different events. And then in 2021,
00:05:41
Speaker
I was once again, as many of us with mental health needs know, there is never 100% security in our lives. um We always have to work to make sure every day is a good day. I was at another point where I really needed to radically change my life. It was it was a time, I mean, early, like mid COVID, a lot of things happened now in the world and my own life was a little bit in chaos.
00:06:06
Speaker
And I remember having this moment where I was sitting there crying on the couch. I was like, what am I going to do with my life right now? I don't want to leave my job, but I need something different. And I went, I'm going to be a storyteller. And in that moment, I jumped up, smiled as big as I could and went, this is one thing I'm supposed to do right now.
00:06:27
Speaker
since then opened my business in December 2021, like two weeks later, took a while for it to get started. um But since then, I started doing D and&D, advocacy, problem solving, events, all different kinds of things.
00:06:42
Speaker
And I'm proud to say it's at a point where I'm actually contemplating having to hire my first employees and your work. And I've been, you know, highlighted internationally in certain elements. I've been building connections, but the really the best thing is the fact that what I do, what I've taken from the lessons of my life is to carry empathy and kindness and patience and it has helped so many people. um yeah Very quick summary of my life there.
00:07:15
Speaker
Empathy, my favorite word. I want to rewind a little bit for the lack of empathy that some of the teachers were showing to you, Thomas. And and I have to ask, what was it that that made these teachers and these people that are supposed to be having your best interest at heart say, well, you're not going to be anything or that you're going to end up in jail?
00:07:41
Speaker
at such a young age, because you're saying things started to change for you at high school. So this is in elementary and middle school that these people that are forming young minds, right, at the most crucial time when we're going through so many changes in our body and and in our and our brain structure and in and the chemical imbalances that are going on and different emotions that are going on in our lives. What, i'd like, why? if that's my maid That's my big question after all those words. Why?
00:08:11
Speaker
So ah for so long, I would talk myself and was taught to blame myself. I'm not going to lie, some of it was my big behavior. I had a very hard time controlling
Systemic Issues in Education
00:08:22
Speaker
my mental health. But I think when it really comes down to those positions of power,
00:08:28
Speaker
And part of it was the schools I went to were very understaffed. There were thousands of kids, a lot of really harsh situations. um And I'm sure there are many underlying elements such as burnt out teachers and the flaws in the education system and so many different things. But I think when it came down to it really was a lack of willingness to want to understand me and work alongside me and my own period that's at like that point in life where I also wasn't really being taught a whole lot in those institutions how to communicate my needs. You mentioned empathy. Empathy is a huge thing for me. It's it's wild how rare even the strengths-based mindset or an empathy-based mindset is even today.
00:09:18
Speaker
um And the last thing I'll attribute it to in that mindset is I think in the 90s and early 2000s. I mean, it's been joked about in TV. There's been a lot of commentary on it.
00:09:31
Speaker
But it seemed like there's this really weird point in the 90s and the early 2000s where empathy wasn't really considered a valuable teaching tool in a lot of ways. And I don't mean not just in schools, like in businesses, in programs, it just it seemed to be this, if you don't know, ah this era where mental health was at a very dark point.
00:09:55
Speaker
um And I say mostly for the audience, if you don't know. And I think in that it's hard enough being a teacher at any point in the world, it's hard enough being a youth at any point in the world, and then to throw us into this era where empathy is so non-existent in many ways.
00:10:13
Speaker
I think that's the core of it. I don't want to blame my teachers fully because you know I believe in radical accountability as well. But there is only so much that I can give considering they were the people in power. And I was you know like an 8 to 10 year old, 8 to 13, 14 year old, and the mindsets and the positions there are very different.
00:10:38
Speaker
For my audience, and I guess a little bit from me as well, can you tell us exactly what neo-diverging is? um I can do my best. so I'm not a diagnostician, so always take what I say with a grain of salt, especially with how wide-ranging neurodiversity actually is. um In a very basic sense, neurodiversity is kind of a way in which people process information. It's something someone is born with.
00:11:06
Speaker
um It can include things like autism, ADHD, anxiety, a very wide net. Things like dyslexia as well would be included in something like that? Okay. Okay. Dyslexia, a variety of other things. and Part of the reason they call it neurodiverse is kind of the way in which the brain processes. and There's another term which is neurotypical.
00:11:29
Speaker
which is also very much challenged and even in healthcare to a degree around the idea of how can you have such a wide net and then have neurotypical The other easy way to think of it is when we go through life with ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, many different diagnosis, our brain just functions differently. It doesn't process the same way, ah especially within the fact that many people who have autism or ADHD or anything else that fall into that have some very intertwining diagnosis that exists.
00:12:04
Speaker
where And the way I try to think of it is not always necessarily the autism spectrum or even the neurodiversity net. I like to think of it as an umbrella in the sense that when you fit under the umbrella, you have like a certain realm where you protect it from darkness and rain and things.
00:12:25
Speaker
um But if someone is caught in that, they can see the world through a certain way versus someone who doesn't have an umbrella. um And part of the reason I emphasize seeking of it as an umbrella is because having an umbrella is something you carry with you. It's a natural defense mechanism against the ways of the world. And for a lot of people outside of that umbrella,
00:12:51
Speaker
they're just not gonna necessarily metaphorically understand what's going on in that scope that's perfecting you. And so that's part of the reason I like to say it. Obviously, as not as a diagnostician or an MD or many other dash you know aspects of things, I'm not gonna be able to give it well. And I always encourage people to understand neurodiversity includes many, many things that I can't say in time.
00:13:19
Speaker
on The other thing I would say, if you are interested and think that you want to know more about it, there are so many great, even free webinars and things in this world right now on people who are qualified to give kind of a diagnosis aspect.
00:13:38
Speaker
Well, one of your specialties is creating sensory-friendly events. For my listeners out here that are listening and my watchers as well, who might not be familiar, could you explain
Sensory Experiences and Design Impacts
00:13:51
Speaker
the what sensory-friendly means in connection with neo-diverse communities and why this is important?
00:14:01
Speaker
Absolutely. The first thing I always like to mention um when I talk about sensory friendly is like to give an example. so I know many people who love to go to concerts or love to go to like community events where there's lots of people or even just like a football game.
00:14:23
Speaker
And so part of the reason I bring that up is you may love them, but de for a lot of people, they're overstimulating. They have a lot of noise. there's If you're at a concert, there could be thousands of people. um And even within like some of the more small community events, there is a large audible noise or lighting or colors or darkness. and Really what sensory friendly means is in its most simple form, making sure that you can provide a setting that isn't too loud for someone, that isn't too bright, that doesn't have the wrong lighting. um There aren't thousands of people up close and personal. And part of the reason why I think there is a big movement towards this
00:15:12
Speaker
is for those of us who have autism like myself, I'm sure I do. ADHD, many other diagnosis is because for so many of us, that is just too much. I've been to a concert personally or myself.
00:15:27
Speaker
I tried to go by myself at this point in my life because I would get over-simulated, then my processing would shut down. I would be in the middle of nowhere with no real safety connections, and I would be stuck at a concert dealing potentially with a high degree of anxiety. And so when I brought when i do my events, what I try to do, and I'll try to slow down a little bit here,
00:15:51
Speaker
is I try to think about how the lighting might impact people. How my phrasing and the language I use might trigger someone, or the storytelling elements I use might bring back past trauma. I try to think about how I can space tables so that they people have enough room where they want to sit.
00:16:11
Speaker
And I also, within myself, work very hard to be diligently patient. ah So many of the people I work with, if they have anxiety, they also need somewhere to go where they can move or play or just read a room that's lightly dark, where they can desensitize. And so,
00:16:32
Speaker
Part of that involves patients. I can't just snap at someone because they're having a bad day. I can't um look at someone negatively because it's just too loud and they don't know how to communicate more.
00:16:47
Speaker
But the other big thing is, even if someone isn't neurodiverse, I think the world is just getting so chaotic is that having a quiet calm space where someone can be themselves, access the community, and not have to worry about leaving so emotionally distraught that they missed out on their huge chunk of the event. um And that's part of the beauty of creative sensory family spaces.
00:17:14
Speaker
That's really dope. and And I tell you why, personally, it hits home for me. It was in April. I was in Atlanta visiting my sister, my dad, and my father were there as well. And my sister and my dad wanted to go to this rents restaurant to have dinner.
00:17:32
Speaker
And I don't like going out to dinner. I can't explain why, but i I just, I don't like it. So as I was as i was getting prepared going to get ready for dinner, this overwhelming anxiety came over me and I i went to him and I said, guys, i i just I don't want to go. And my dad said, you know,
00:17:57
Speaker
Why is that? And I was like, I just have this over overwhelming anxiety. I don't want to go. He was like, you know, when you were a kid, you always hated going out to dinner. I just thought it was because you school obviously believe there's something going on that.
00:18:10
Speaker
It's affecting you. And I know a lot of people out there can't, I have a friend who couldn't stand whistling. We were in the gym the other day and somebody was whistling and there's, I guess there's a, there's a condition where the sound of whistling just irritates the person to to no end.
00:18:27
Speaker
So that's interesting that you are creating these events specifically for these people to feel comfortable. I don't i know a lot of my audience is going to be listening to this and they're going to say, oh yeah, no, this this is registering with me because I've been in that situation before.
00:18:44
Speaker
Absolutely. It's actually really fascinating. There's a lot of data out there now about just so just about restaurants and how a lot of times they're actually designed to be loud enough just to actually force you out of the restaurant.
00:19:00
Speaker
um I don't know everything about it off the top of my head, but I've seen a few things about like they'll play the music really loud and have tables to closer together and they're actually set up the the paneling so that it can be louder, um which I guess is like a marketing technique so people eat and then leave so they don't stick around.
00:19:21
Speaker
I can't say that all restaurants do this, but I have heard about it. um And there's actually some really fascinating data out there as well. um Not even just about you know youth have experienced traumatic events, um but about the realities and the mindsets that are used to design spaces. so like i um I just did an event at a resource fair, and as someone who works within the accessibility space and does sensory friendly work, one of the things I noticed is it's really hard to plan for someone's sensory needs, especially if you're going to have lots of people.
00:20:00
Speaker
But there's also this really rich fascination that a lot of the people with c sensory needs, if they were brought in and had those conversations, there is a lot of good that can be done.
00:20:15
Speaker
And there's a lot of buildings that are facing this now where they're running into like rent issues and things because people won't go there because it's so loud. And this is a really facet. I could nerd out on this for a little while longer. or But it's it's really interesting and I highly and recommend checking it out because you don't even have to have autism for the stuff to bug you.
00:20:38
Speaker
um Well, if i if we listen to my sister, she says I have ADHD with a touch of autism, but who knows what she's talking about. um So moving on to your sensory um
00:20:56
Speaker
equal, sitry equal, events. You also do D and&D events. Dungeons and Dragons, ladies and gentlemen, the game, Dungeons and Dragons. And that would foster community. How does that work and and what made you come up with that?
00:21:15
Speaker
um So the great thing about D and&D and other tabletop role-playing games, I'll be kind to your audience and not use all the acronyms that I use on a regular basis.
Community Building through Games
00:21:26
Speaker
um The really fascinating thing is ah I truly believe that these games are very much designed from within the NAR diverse community. There's actually a running jokes of many people I know which is if you like D and&D, there's probably like a 97% chance that you have autism. um And it's just because there's these games are designed in their core to actually bring people together.
00:21:54
Speaker
But one of the great things about these games as well is they teach creativity, math, problem solving, critical thinking. And it's not just because it's a board game with dice as many. i I love my clickety clacks. I have like three dubs of them.
00:22:12
Speaker
oh but it is because they create a space where people can either escape. I'm not always a big fan of the word escapism. I think it can have a very negative connotation, but it creates this safety net within a fantasy world where someone can become someone else for a moment. um I'm running a game at a space called the Autism Store once a month. ah There's a kiddo that I know he loves dragons and the first day he should have said, can I be a dragon?
00:22:47
Speaker
and I said sure and through that this individual has made a ton of friends just by being a dragon in this fantasy world. I've also seen it through stylized leadership um offer opportunities for like imaginary characters to think through how their actions might impact fellow players.
00:23:10
Speaker
And it's really fascinating because the rules are often way too complicated. In my opinion, it's actually a very common critique. But when we actually sit down and instead of just always trying to have an end goal of slaying a monster, when it becomes the end goal of how can I ask you to share a bit about yourself?
00:23:31
Speaker
How can I ask you to listen to someone else with more intention? How can I tell a story that gives someone power and freedom and bravery and a time when they're hurting? These games have this immense power to heal. And on top of that, ah much of the communities I work with, even if someone isn't neurodiverse or living with mental health needs,
00:23:55
Speaker
These games create opportunities to help build a world around them that they are invested in, that they love, they want to see grow and connect with. And I think there's this great correlation to how we can be using creativity in many different facets, in many different communities for what it's really designed to do, which is help with those anxieties, help us connect to the peoples around us, and ultimately claim more of our power that there are a lot of people that don't want us to have in a lot of ways.
00:24:43
Speaker
What I'm hearing a lot in your work is you're creating safe spaces. I'm a big advocate of safe spaces. And it seems like for people that by and large don't feel like they have a lot of safe spaces, your vips are creating those. oh So that's, I love that. For my parents out there who,
00:25:14
Speaker
thinks that their child might be different than others and may or quite possibly fits in this neurodiversity umbrella or neck that you describe. What are some of these games that you're talking about that they could play with their kids, that they could then have a connection with their kids that they might not have otherwise?
00:25:43
Speaker
First of all, I want to say I love their question. Second of all, I wanted to say I really appreciate your intentionality. I could really see it going throughout that question. So thank you for that. or um On top of that, what I'm going to say is, um so even if you don't have access to Dungeons and Dragons or even just necessarily a fidget toy, one of the things that I would encourage is, I mean, I would always encourage D and&D. I've worked with many people
00:26:18
Speaker
who are nervous about adding in the idea of wizards and dragons and magic and things due to spiritual or other beliefs. um But what I really think is going to help, especially if you don't have the money for it, is sitting down her and just finding ways to act out stories. ah There are so many resources out there, so many unique in contemplative ideas. I mean, one of the things that I've done in the past when I run an event is literally just to give someone the opportunity to draw a picture. Like I've worked with them about what they want to draw, what they want to try. And then I asked them to act out and tell me the story of their drawing and show me how they might move. And if they're a puppy, how they might run, um there's
00:27:10
Speaker
I mean, there's so many more I could give. And there's wonderful tabletop role-playing games. Dungeons and Dragons isn't the only one. ah For people who have teens and want an older activity, there are, I think, literally thousands, if not more. um And the great thing about these communities is it is so often more about creating than profiting. ah Yes, there's the big box companies that you know they have the massive expenses. They have to make a certain amount of money.
00:27:43
Speaker
But there are so many creators that you can just go online, Google games for neurodiverse families, or tabletop role-playing games with good reputations, or simple one-page adventures, and you can get a lot of them for free nowadays.
00:28:03
Speaker
um And if you do do that for all the parents out there, please continue to consider supporting some of these wonderful creators because even if they're not you know making tens of thousands of dollars, this is someone's passion and loves and um desire to be part of a community and express themselves. and so There's so much more I could say on this. But the other thing I do want to say is if you are creating a game from scratch, please involve your family members. You don't always have to go out and buy. One of the great things I love working about with with young kids is they are a wealth of creativity.
00:28:45
Speaker
it very much is reminiscent of what we need in our lives, even as an adult. I'll even just say, what do you want to try to do today and how can we make it happen? Hold on there. so On top of all the events that you do, you've also had an opportunity to speak at various conventions and events. Can you share a little bit about the speaking engagements and what messages you hope to convey through these talks?
Promoting Creativity and Empathy
00:29:15
Speaker
Absolutely. so Honestly, when i I've done a lot of conventions. I'm happy to say I'm already booking more in 2025 already. um The message that I always try to spread is kind of like when I do these these podcast talks, ah which is the power of creativity as a means to educate and empower. um Within that though, especially if it's a professional speaking gig, I try to really work in not just creativity and not just heing this education, but how important it is to really preserve cultures of radical accountability um and radical honesty. I'm a big believer
00:30:00
Speaker
that um we don't have to always be perfectionists or we don't always have to be ah you know have all the answers. But like I've done talks on things like how anime and video games can empower the neurodiverse community. I've done talks on the longevity of programs and breaking norms.
00:30:22
Speaker
um And if someone does not necessarily know what I mean by radical accountability or radical kindness or empathy, it's really the mentality of one, making sure those are my guiding actions in a lot. I often fail at that.
00:30:39
Speaker
But also, especially with radical accountability, making sure that even if I want to pity myself, I own up to what I have done wrong. And I actually seek to undo the damage that is done and not just puff myself up in my frustration or anger.
00:30:56
Speaker
radical empathy in my mind style, which I've given many talks on involving creativity and things, is really about the idea of understanding that yes, empathy is convenient when we're happy, but it needs to be a daily choice and a live action. And there's many more I can go on, but one of my favorite talks that I recently did was on breaking barriers and program development. and Part of the reason this is one of my favorites I've done recently is because so much of that talk is designed around challenging the status quo. The mentality of, oh, you know there are clients, they're here to give us money, or these programs work, we just don't have the right people, and it is very much focused on
00:31:44
Speaker
How can we make those programs actually work for the people we have? How can we understand the sustainability of a program versus the sustainability sustainability of our actions and what we're delivering? And part of what I mean by that is making sure we're not overcharging. um I run into a lot of business owners who they want to do the good work, but their system is set up to charge like hundreds of dollars for a service. And I have talked to people, unfortunately, and their mentality has been, and I'm not saying this is necessarily a bad thing for us, but the mindset has been, oh, if they can't pay for it, then they don't really need our service.
00:32:31
Speaker
or something along those lines, and that's not a reality. um I myself have been in services, I've had to choose between ah food and rent or food and therapy, and that's a situation no one should ever have to go through. And so part of that sustainability is making sure people can actually afford, even if you're not making a ton of money right off the bat, they deferred those services. The other thing is making sure that us as providers, as service people, all of these things as program developers are making sure that we're actually giving people what they need. Not just lumping them into the box of, oh, we're telling them what they need, but actually working alongside people to find out what they need and then delivering that. And there's so much more I should go into this, but
00:33:24
Speaker
um That talk is, like I said, very much designed to challenge those and bring it back to the person and the idea of if they can't afford a ton now, that may change or at least let's build our reputation on people first over money first in a very genuine capacity. and so That is that. I could go more and more. Obviously, I have a lot of opinions on this, but um So and in still talking in that same realm, ah you work with the wide range of groups. We've talked about the gaming events, we talked about the sensory events. You also do family mentorship programs. What's one of the most memorable experiences that you've had with these groups? Because what you're saying to me is that some people have services that they provide.
00:34:22
Speaker
And they're like, hey, look, this is the cost of the service. If you can't afford it, so bad. And I have a company as well where there are certain services that I'm just, I'm not gonna bend on. The cost is the cost because if I lower the cost of this service, it almost divides the service. But you create other alternatives he and that are price worthy so that you can still reach the audience and the people that want your service.
00:34:51
Speaker
so In that same vein, for people that that are taking you on your services, what are some of the memorable experiences that you've had when dealing with individuals or groups?
00:35:04
Speaker
so Going off of that, I've been working with the young individual now. I'm not going to give any names just out of respect for this individual. but um so I started with him. He joined one of my first D and&D groups. and I'll explain why this is with the service here in a moment. But um going off of what you said, ah when I was starting, I only charged $5 per person per ticket to an event, very much wanting to build my reputation.
00:35:33
Speaker
um I'm proud to say this young individual still going through programs, still going through things, but the great thing about it was after a few months, his family was like, can we give you more money? know Can we ask you to charge more? Because what we're getting, we almost feel kind of like we're not giving enough.
00:35:56
Speaker
And over the course of time, this family has supported me on Patreon. and They've supported me through more expensive programs. There's been a few times they've actually just said, set the price for something. We don't care. We believe in this enough. We'll pay whatever we have to. um And there's been numerous instances of that. But even just outside of the cost realm,
00:36:20
Speaker
One of my favorite things I hear on a regular basis from this family is, you know like, Thomas, you're amazing. You do such good work. Or Thomas, you know like if we didn't know about this year, we would have lost out on so much growth for our family member. um And over the time, this has been This has been over two years almost of me working with this individual, creating new programs, having this ongoing relationship. He is regularly excited to be there, no matter what it is. His growth and creativity has been exponential.
00:36:58
Speaker
But it's also very much this thing that I always like to say, if you work within the mental health, nervous, many underserved communities, if you're bad at what you do, they will let you know. It won't be like an ongoing, am I good or bad at this? but They will let you know and they will leave.
00:37:17
Speaker
And being able to create programs and create contemplations and having all this growth built around the idea of being putting people first, putting these programs in the mindset of the community, understanding how to work with people. I have gotten so many people who have just said that how much they value it. And they may not always seem like the biggest deal, but when you work with communities where people have trauma and hurt and pain or anxiety or they're struggling in school and you have something like you said that's a safe space where their creativity and their talents and their skills can grow,
00:37:58
Speaker
For me, that that is still like this wide-eyed all moment of of I'm creating something that's rapidly growing because this community craves it so much. And even if it weren't for people like this young individual who had started in these programs, I wouldn't have been able to try so much. And it's this really beautiful connection to honoring what I always knew the community needed.
00:38:25
Speaker
and then to a degree what I need in my life that feel more fulfilled. That's incredible. So you're doing so much and you've also partnered with charities to support underserved communities through your storytelling and your creative events.
Support for Underserved Communities
00:38:44
Speaker
Could you tell us more about these these agreements and these cooperations with other companies and and and what ultimately is the goal with these partnerships. So there have been many. There's there's more on a regular basis. um It's been a great blessing. um I mean, when it comes to each organization, it really depends more on if they're trying to access the community or understand how to develop and run programs better, to simply trying to create a one-off event. One of my first ones that I did when I first became
00:39:22
Speaker
a public speaker was I got to do a talk on the story of my life about how I overcame a lot, how I continue to overcome, but I was able to use my ah neurodiversity in my own really powerful ways. and ah Not long after that, there was another one where I got to attend ah got to tell stories around you know overcoming loss. And I got to tell one of my favorites um for some of the people in my community, they know Abigail the bunny is one of my mascots, which is a stuffed animal um at this overcoming loss, like the passage of people passing away.
00:40:04
Speaker
um I got to tell a story about Adalil Abani who learned how to be quiet and just be with her friend who had lost her father. And one of the really cool things is one of the family members of the other speaker at that event brought me over a stuffed bunny rabbit. um And she said, this is Abigail the bunny. And she handed it to me. And ever since then, Abigail the bunny has been kind of like an unofficial motto. But all of these different things, it's so much about, I'd like to say it's often about me, you know, raising procedures or doing all the success.
00:40:45
Speaker
It's not. it's It's about helping people connect to new organizations, helping people understand the mechanics and the ideas of how to work with the community, being able to tell stories. and like Even now, I know I'm talking about my work, but it's it's often not about me. It's not always even about the business. It's about The people who show up and want to try to access their community, want to try to grow, want to try to understand or listen and hear about all these unique things and ways to help people in themselves and
00:41:22
Speaker
I mean, after all of these events, one of the coolest things is that my retention rate for the people who ask for more services, ask for more help, is I think roughly like 80% right now, which is really high. yeah It's really high. And I think so much of it is that there is a happiness there.
00:41:54
Speaker
So Thomas, I keep piling on all the different things that you do here. But one of the things that I haven't brought up yet is that you're also an educator. You teach on platforms like OutSchool and Skillshare. what ah What kinds of skills or insights do you try to impart in your classes and how does this educational side connect to your advocacy work?
00:42:20
Speaker
i have so My focus in education um is in all honesty not to be the teacher who yells up my students, um not to be the teacher who is hard on my students, not to be the one that makes them feel anything like what I felt as a kid. and so I've been running some passes now on out-school for a bit. i got I'm doing a few now and Right now, I do a couple of homerooms, I do a couple of creative classes, and the mindset is always, how can I get these students to actually enjoy the classes? How can I get them to want to come back? OutSchool is a ah paid platform. it It literally costs families money to be there, and it is a joy. There are so many trends when I wake up and I am excited to see my students.
00:43:14
Speaker
and they hop on the call early and they want to talk about what they're doing. But it's also really about getting high quality education out there while confirming with this younger generation the importance of empathy. I mean, so often what amazes me about like Gen Z and the younger generations is the mindset already towards empathy and towards mental health.
00:43:42
Speaker
where Like me is a on the older or like the later side of older millennials. Like I grew up feeling very isolated. I know it still happens to kids nowadays, but the mental health journey the younger generations are on already is amazing. And I'm like, I'm going to be clear. No one's their best self at like 10 or 12 or 15.
00:44:04
Speaker
But the way in which these generations are thinking about the future, they're socially conscious, they're concerned about like recycling and all these great things, it's profound. And on Skillshare, I'm actually working on readying my next class. And my goodness is a weird thing to procrastinate by doing 50 other projects just so you don't do the one you're procrastinating on. yeah oh But I'm working on that. um The focus really is around. So I did one class on working as a game master, finding out your voice as a game master. My second one, as I go, I don't want to give it out, just in case I decide to change my mind halfway
Generational Differences in Empathy
00:44:50
Speaker
through it, um is really my goal is to create a culture, even on Skillshare, of empathy and how storytelling can transcend into this
00:45:02
Speaker
productive skill-based aspect of people pursuing their their game master careers. So I praise Gen Z to to piggyback off of what you're saying all the time. I think that they are teaching their parents who are millennials and zillennials empathy, because there is something about millennials and zillennials, and it might just be because we were latchkey kids.
00:45:30
Speaker
that we had to depend on ourselves. Our parents were at work, not to say the parents aren't at work now, ah but our parents were at work and we didn't feel connected to them to come to them with their problems. We didn't have a safe space. So we
00:45:46
Speaker
withdrew ourselves and got kind of this callousness to our empathy. Whereas Gen Z doesn't have that. And I think that they're the kids that are also teaching their parents, hey, you need to have more empathy. Hey, what you just said was really insensitive. mom And I liked that. Also, I want to touch back on your events.
00:46:10
Speaker
and your talks, and I didn't get to ask this question. no Let's be honest, I forgot it because I got old and now I remember it. But what is what has been your view from the general public as far as a lot of these issues that that you're talking about, neurodivergence, autism, mental health,
00:46:36
Speaker
were ignored for so long, willfully ignored in a a lot of and lot of cases. What has been your perception of general public growing more compassionate, growing more accepted?
00:46:54
Speaker
asking more questions because they want to know, is this what you're seeing out there or is is there is there still like, no, it's a small minority that are really trying to to grow. There's still a big large section of the population out there that just don't give a damn. You know, honestly, I think There's so much I could say here. I have so many opinions on this. I think in my experience, I am observing it more and more. um Part of that I do believe is largely because of my approach. um One of the great lessons that I have learned, especially from older generations,
00:47:35
Speaker
is if you go at someone with a bit of information, with hostility, anger, judgment, that person is going to shut down before you can even help them understand something better. um And so when I try to approach things, my main mentality, and i I'll be honest, I am not a political person, but I work with people who have been deeply political on either side.
00:48:02
Speaker
But my my mentality is I'm not going to judge someone for not understanding someone. I'm not going to hurt them. I'm not going to label them. I'm not going to be destructive towards them, partly because so often, even some of the louder and more angry people, when you go to them in a calm, rational kind of mindset, there's already a lowering of walls there.
00:48:27
Speaker
And I get to be like, I'm the person I show up. I get to be the fun one. I get to roll dice. I get to tell stories, all of these things. But there is such a power in showing empathy towards where someone doesn't have knowledge. um And I think for a lot of people, especially those who are parents and things in the 90s, 80s, 2000s,
00:48:51
Speaker
There was already such an anger towards so many different mentalities and so many people were taught to be angry, were taught to diffuse a situation by getting aggressive. I think when someone realizes that's not going to work um or they're not going to be disrespected because they have a different mindset,
00:49:12
Speaker
there's a very different conversation that happens. And I think one of the great things that I also have is the proof. like you know The old saying that I love is the proof is in the pudding. A completely absurd saying. to I don't understand exactly how you would have proof in the pudding, but anyways.
00:49:30
Speaker
oh When someone can see those things actively working, I think that is another way to actually show that these changes are good. and I have remembered the people who refuse to accept whatever I say, um especially if I use terms like the energy of a space or the mindset of a space. A lot of people are just going to tune in.
00:49:54
Speaker
But I think one of those things we really need in this world is more patience and conversation and less debating going on, less trying to necessarily convince someone to your side because you think you are right and more, let's meet in the middle, let's talk, let's have an understanding. And I think that's something that's being lost in a lot of ways.
00:50:20
Speaker
But I also, once again, going back to Gen Z and the younger generations, I think that's something that's really going to become even more prominent, especially as we get like new generations of teachers and educators and care providers. I think we're going to be seeing a lot of change there. Yeah.
00:50:42
Speaker
yeah I'm hopeful. I'm All right. So we know everything that you do, but the thing that you that you said that you really are extremely talented in is storytelling.
Expressing Mental Health through Writing
00:50:59
Speaker
And you've written two books, The Glimmer of a Soul and The Revive of the Lost Notes. How does writing help you process or express the themes of mental health and resilience?
00:51:14
Speaker
So I don't want to see a simple answer as I think writing is ultimately an expression of that. um In so many books and so many stories and so many great literature, I mean, oh dating all the way back to before the Iliad and the Odyssey, um stories have ultimately been an exploration of the human experience.
00:51:40
Speaker
They have been a way for us to once again connect. It has been a way for us to profit, a way for us to educate, empower, create empathy. And so when I think we look at these ideas of writing,
00:51:53
Speaker
It's so much largely due to how human beings connect to writing, how we feel and express. like The big thing now, our comic books and manga and all these things, even if there's a fictional character, it's still the human journey in some way or another.
00:52:13
Speaker
um And I think as human beings, we want our feelings to be on those pages. We want our our hopes and dreams to be seen as possible. And I think especially for those like, I i am a die-hard e-muck kid at at heart. I was that five-year-old who got mad at people because they read The Raven Wrong by Edgar Longwell. I quite literally got mad at people for that.
00:52:42
Speaker
um And I think for me, the lesson I learned is Edgar L. Poe, he's like my literary hero. Yes, he did apparently die in a gutter, not in the best mental health space. But he found power in that. I found power in that. And by doing my own writing,
00:53:01
Speaker
I continue to find my power in that. And I think that's going to continue. I think that's probably why stories are most likely live past their author ah tremendously. And whether or not you like to read or experience things in some way or in another,
00:53:20
Speaker
our culture is so defined and so predicted and so almost ruled by the written word in one way or another. yeah I mean, it's going to be that way for a long time. So you started R&H Creative Abiskan Storytelling in 2021.
00:53:42
Speaker
We're about to enter 2025. So let's just say it's been three full years. No, four full years, 2001, 22, 23, 24. Where do you see your company in the next four years? Where do you see it? Where do you want it to be? What it is it that you want to accomplish?
00:54:04
Speaker
So, I mean, the first things I'll give are simple. I want to keep getting these gigs. I want to keep talking to people, keep spreading this um this work, keep doing good work. um I mean, a big thing for me right now, especially with so much uncertainty, is finding ways to continue to do what I do in new ways, in sustainable ways.
00:54:26
Speaker
to help spread those ideas of hope. Even though I am myself, by nature, a pessimist, um I think there's a lot of power and hope, and by spreading storage, we can do that. I think you know the big the next four years continue to go, maybe you're hiring someone. I don't think I can do that now.
00:54:44
Speaker
by I think you know my selfish goal and kind of my self-serving goal is to a degree is wanting to inspire more people to do this work, partly because we need it. But you know the writer in me, the dreamer in me, wants to see that those hundreds of storytellers who go out there, who go, who ask when they're asked to inspire them, they go Thomas R. Wilson, who go out and do the work.
00:55:12
Speaker
But even in that selfishness, I think the end goal really is getting more people to find their power in their voice, doing the good work, and hopefully working through that future where even if my name becomes unknown, there is so many people doing the work that it's sustainable, it's accountable, and it'll go through generations.
00:55:41
Speaker
wow Thomas, I don't know if there's any other better way to end this interview. That was absolutely perfect. Typically I ask, what do you want to leave the audience with? But you did it. You left the audience with everything. This has been absolutely a phenomenal interview, and I really appreciate you coming on the show and dropping knowledge to not only me, but also to all my listeners and watchers. So thank you so much for coming on with us.
00:56:09
Speaker
Thank you, and ah thank you for your time. And I just want to give you a shout out as well. I could really tell your intentionality throughout this conversation. um And as someone who works very hard to have that, I just want to give you a kudos for that as well. Well, thank you. I will always take a compliment. So I appreciate that. That made my day. But thank you once again for coming on the show. I really appreciate it. You're very welcome.
00:56:36
Speaker
Once again, I want to thank Thomas for coming on the show. And, you guys, I'll always say interview was good. I'll always say that, but this this interview was really, really good. Look, if you're somebody out there who might be narrow divergent, somebody close to you, a love horn, narrow divergent, child, narrow divergent for my parents out there, this was an interview for you to learn.
00:57:01
Speaker
I love one of the key words that he said was empathy. One of the key words that I said was safe space. One, everybody should have empathy. Empathy is what should rule the world, right? To care for one another, to to accept the fact that you are not and an individual walking into this world. There's a star here on the movie. There are other people who are going through struggles and strife that need some understanding.
00:57:29
Speaker
and then you should show empathy for whoever and whatever somebody is or something is going through. And safe spaces. Who doesn't want to feel safe? I cannot express to you guys enough how dope it is is to have a safe space or place, a safe space, person, place, thing, what have you, just to feel safe.
00:57:54
Speaker
And that's extremely important for children to feel safe. I could tell you, personally, you don't have these safe spaces. They become closed up individuals. And it's gone, and it's taken a lot of therapy for me to open up. My friends and my family and people that are close to me will tell you, this ain't the most open person. I know y'all think I am from this show, but I'm not, right? and And it's because, you know, I didn't feel like I had a lot of safe spaces. Some of it was my own cause.
00:58:23
Speaker
Right. that not Just not speaking because it's kind of just my personality. I'm a cancer, you know, to show up and you go through it. But Not to diverge, but safe spaces are so very, very important. And a lot of Thompson's work is creating safe spaces for people who ordinarily wouldn't have a lot of safe spaces. So I love the work that he's doing. I love the knowledge that he dropped today. And I know you guys out there that are listening and watching really learn something. So take the heart.
00:58:55
Speaker
move forward in life, and let's all just try to be better. But on that note, I want to thank everyone for listening. I want to thank everyone for watching. And until next time, over as always, a holler.
00:59:11
Speaker
That was a hell of a show. Thank you for rocking with us here on Unsolicited Perspectives with Bruce Anthony. Now before you go, don't forget to follow, subscribe, like, comment, and share our podcast wherever you're listening or watching into it. Pass it along to your friends. If you enjoy it, that means the people that you rock will willing enjoy it also. So share the wealth, share the knowledge, share the noise.
00:59:34
Speaker
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01:00:30
Speaker
for listening and watching and supporting us. And I'll catch you next time. Audi 5000, peace.