April Michelle Ratchford

Occupational Therapist/Podcast Host

April Ratchford, OTR/L, is an autistic occupational therapist, writer, speaker, and global advocate specializing in the transition to adulthood for neurodivergent individuals. As the creator and host of the internationally ranked Adulting with Autism podcast—now exceeding two million downloads—she blends professional training with the lived experience of being both autistic and the mother of an autistic adult son. This dual perspective has shaped her work into a grounded, accessible, and deeply human approach to adult neurodivergent support.

With over a decade of clinical experience, April focuses on sensory regulation, executive functioning, independence training, and the complex emotional realities of autistic adulthood. Her podcast, articles, and educational content offer practical strategies for navigating college life, workplace demands, relationships, burnout, identity formation, and self-advocacy. April’s storytelling is known for being honest, culturally grounded, and uniquely relatable to autistic young adults who often feel unseen in traditional support systems.

April is currently advancing her academic training through a distance-learning program in neuroscience with King’s College London, deepening her research in brain development, perception, and neurodivergent adult learning. She is also the founder of Adulting with Autism LLC, a platform dedicated to elevating autistic voices and creating global pathways to independence, visibility, and inclusive opportunity.

Her mission is simple and powerful: to ensure that every autistic adult has the tools, support, and community they need not just to survive, but to thrive—on their own terms.