Totally Over The Spectrum

Totally Over The Spectrum provides autism-focused education, online training, and consulting. Our work is centred on building greater understanding and acceptance, while helping people put that understanding into practice.

Founded by Tessa Marshall and Kim Lewis, Totally Over The Spectrum brings together professional expertise and lived experience to create evidence-informed, autism-affirming education and training. Our work supports individuals, families, professionals, and organizations in developing a better understanding of autism and more supportive approaches when working with autistic people.

Our work is grounded in the belief that understanding autism should extend beyond awareness to provide practical support. We aim to equip caregivers, professionals, and organizations with knowledge that supports better communication and understanding, and helps translate that knowledge into everyday practice.

Meet Tessa and Kim

Tessa

Educational Assistant, Special Education

Tessa is an Educational Assistant with more than 16 years of experience supporting students in special education. She brings an energetic and engaging approach to education, with a strong focus on building relationships, understanding individual needs, and creating supportive environments where people can learn and thrive.

Kim

BSc., Autism Advocate, Autistic Parent

Kim is a parent of two autistic children and a late-diagnosed autistic person herself. She is passionate about challenging negative narratives surrounding autism and promoting greater understanding, acceptance, and meaningful support.

Our Story

Tessa and Kim first met in 2018, when Tessa was an educational assistant supporting Kim’s youngest son. What began as a professional relationship grew into a friendship and, eventually, a shared vision for creating better understanding of autism and more meaningful support for autistic people and their families.

In November 2024, they launched the Totally Over The Spectrum podcast as a way to explore autism-related topics and share information, experiences, and perspectives with a wider audience. The podcast continues to be an important part of TOTS and has grown into a substantial body of educational content available across major podcast and video platforms.

As TOTS grew, so did the scope of its work. What began with the podcast has developed into autism-focused education, online training, and consulting for individuals, professionals, and organizations.

In 2026, TOTS participated in Ontario’s government-funded Starter Company Plus program, which provides training, mentoring and business advice to emerging entrepreneurs, and was selected as a winner of its grant competition. TOTS also officially incorporated as Totally Over The Spectrum Inc., marking an important milestone for the organization.

Our Approach

Autism-Affirming
TOTS approaches autism with a focus on understanding, acceptance, and support. We recognize differences in communication, sensory experiences, behaviour, and ways of interacting with the world, while understanding that support is individualized.

Evidence-Informed
Our education and training draw on current research and established knowledge about autism, while acknowledging that research is only one part of understanding the autistic experience. We combine evidence with professional expertise and lived experience to provide information that is relevant and meaningful.

Individual Understanding
There is no single way to be autistic. The same behaviour or communication style can have different meanings for different people and in different situations. We encourage people to look beyond assumptions and consider the individual, their communication, their environment, and the circumstances around them.

Practical Application
Understanding is most useful when it can be put into practice. Our training focuses on helping people translate autism knowledge into practical approaches that support communication, reduce barriers, and create more positive interactions with autistic people.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse