Off Script, On Spectrum Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:37:14 -0500 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2572409 en-us © 2026 Off Script, On Spectrum yes 5ed84cdd-75d6-55bd-a317-0191856dcaaa Janet Sanchez Enriquez and Fitz Sanchez episodic false Some conversations begin at home and grow into something more. Off Script, On Spectrum is a sibling-hosted podcast exploring autism, learning, and life through authentic conversations shaped by curiosity, family, and lived experience.


Join Dr. Janet Sanchez Enriquez, an autism advocate, behavior analyst, and educator, and her brother Fitz Sanchez, a creative mind with lived perspective, as they go off script to reflect on real-world issues, big questions, and everyday moments that are seen through the eyes of both science and family.


Where family meets insight, and learning goes beyond the page.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Janet Sanchez Enriquez and Fitz Sanchez https://storage.buzzsprout.com/8hihsaemdsm732dzfxf04amiy0hv?.jpg Off Script, On Spectrum Episode 2: Autism in Focus: Representation in Media Episode 2: Autism in Focus: Representation in Media In Episode 2 of Off Script, On Spectrum, Janet and Fitz turn toward the screen and ask what happens when autism is shaped by media rather than lived conversation.

Moving between sibling reflection and cultural critique, they explore how autism is portrayed in toys, television, and popular culture, and how those portrayals influence understanding. From Autism Barbie to Atypical, from Sheldon Cooper to characters like Max from Rushmore and Doug from Nickelodeon’s Doug, the conversation examines what representation captures and what it leaves out.

They sit with questions that feel increasingly relevant:
 When does representation validate, and when does it reduce?
 Does labeling create clarity, or a checklist?
 What’s the difference between being portrayed and being understood?
 And who gets to shape these stories?

Rather than deciding which portrayal is “right,” the episode centers on dimensionality. Representation, they suggest, should feel human before it feels explanatory, leaving space for complexity, agency, and self-recognition.

As in Episode 1, the goal isn’t to settle the debate but to widen it, inviting listeners to consider how media shapes perception, identity, and belonging.

Reference:
Portrayal of autism in mainstream media – a scoping review about representation, stigmatisation and effects on consumers in non-fiction and fiction media, Gloria Mittmann, Beate Schrank & Verena Steiner-Hofbauer (Accepted 3 July 2023; Published online 22 July 2023)

Send a text

]]> In Episode 2 of Off Script, On Spectrum, Janet and Fitz turn toward the screen and ask what happens when autism is shaped by media rather than lived conversation.

Moving between sibling reflection and cultural critique, they explore how autism is portrayed in toys, television, and popular culture, and how those portrayals influence understanding. From Autism Barbie to Atypical, from Sheldon Cooper to characters like Max from Rushmore and Doug from Nickelodeon’s Doug, the conversation examines what representation captures and what it leaves out.

They sit with questions that feel increasingly relevant:
 When does representation validate, and when does it reduce?
 Does labeling create clarity, or a checklist?
 What’s the difference between being portrayed and being understood?
 And who gets to shape these stories?

Rather than deciding which portrayal is “right,” the episode centers on dimensionality. Representation, they suggest, should feel human before it feels explanatory, leaving space for complexity, agency, and self-recognition.

As in Episode 1, the goal isn’t to settle the debate but to widen it, inviting listeners to consider how media shapes perception, identity, and belonging.

Reference:
Portrayal of autism in mainstream media – a scoping review about representation, stigmatisation and effects on consumers in non-fiction and fiction media, Gloria Mittmann, Beate Schrank & Verena Steiner-Hofbauer (Accepted 3 July 2023; Published online 22 July 2023)

Send a text

]]> Janet Sanchez Enriquez and Fitz Sanchez Buzzsprout-18769749 Sun, 01 Mar 2026 14:00:00 -0600 1679 full false Episode 1: An Invitation to Listen Episode 1: An Invitation to Listen The first episode of Off Script, On Spectrum opens with a conversation about autism that starts with questions rather than conclusions, and with lived experience placed alongside professional perspective.

In this episode, Janet and Fitz discuss how autism has shaped their lives in different ways and how those experiences influence how they think about language, roles, and responsibility in autism spaces. The conversation moves between family life and professional contexts, highlighting how those worlds often overlap and sometimes complicate one another.

They explore topics that are frequently debated but not always discussed deeply:
 Who gets to speak for autism?
 How do language and labels shape the conversation?
 What happens when lived experience and professional expertise intersect?

Rather than aiming to resolve these questions, the episode focuses on creating space for dialogue. It sets the tone for a podcast that values multiple perspectives and invites listeners into an ongoing conversation about autism, voice, and understanding.

Send a text

]]> The first episode of Off Script, On Spectrum opens with a conversation about autism that starts with questions rather than conclusions, and with lived experience placed alongside professional perspective.

In this episode, Janet and Fitz discuss how autism has shaped their lives in different ways and how those experiences influence how they think about language, roles, and responsibility in autism spaces. The conversation moves between family life and professional contexts, highlighting how those worlds often overlap and sometimes complicate one another.

They explore topics that are frequently debated but not always discussed deeply:
 Who gets to speak for autism?
 How do language and labels shape the conversation?
 What happens when lived experience and professional expertise intersect?

Rather than aiming to resolve these questions, the episode focuses on creating space for dialogue. It sets the tone for a podcast that values multiple perspectives and invites listeners into an ongoing conversation about autism, voice, and understanding.

Send a text

]]> Buzzsprout-18530981 Sun, 18 Jan 2026 22:00:00 -0600 2009 full false