In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Paul Cruz sits down with Mark Steiner, founder of GigSalad, to explore an extraordinary journey through entrepreneurship, late-diagnosed ADHD, leadership, and personal transformation.

From working on the set of When Harry Met Sally to building an event marketplace serving performers and event organizers across North America, Mark's professional journey has been anything but conventional.

But behind the business success is a deeply personal story.

Mark shares how his ADHD diagnosis helped him better understand decades of experiences, how emotional intelligence shaped his approach to leadership, and why creating a workplace where people feel valued has always mattered to him.

The conversation also explores his experience as an adoptee, his evolving relationship with self-worth, and the meaning behind his personal philosophy: Peace, Love, and Gigs.

Together, Paul and Mark consider what it means to lead with empathy, embrace different ways of thinking, and discover a more authentic sense of self.

In this conversation:

• Discovering ADHD later in life
• Creativity, entrepreneurship, and unconventional career paths
• Emotional intelligence and human-centred leadership
• Building workplaces that value Neurodiversity
• Adoption, identity, and belonging
• Self-acceptance, purpose, and personal growth

Connect with Mark:

• www.thinkupon.com
• www.gigsalad.com

Because understanding Neurodiversity isn't just about recognizing differences. It's also about creating the conditions in which people can understand themselves, contribute meaningfully, and thrive.

Join Us at Make Change Market — November 20, 2026!

The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast is excited to announce that we'll be returning to Make Change Market, hosted by Employ to Empower!

Join us for an evening of community connection, creativity, entrepreneurship, and meaningful conversations.

📅 Friday, November 20, 2026

🕔 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Pacific Time)

📍 Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street, Vancouver, BC

🎟️ Free Admission

This year's theme, Together We Build, celebrates the power of community, inclusion, and supporting entrepreneurs who face systemic barriers.

Stop by The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast booth, say hello, and share your perspective on what Neurodiversity means to you.

We're looking forward to connecting with listeners, meeting new people, and continuing important conversations about lived experiences, accessibility, and inclusion.

Let's build empowered communities — together!

🔗 Event details and free RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/make-change-market-tickets-2003380960382

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

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@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Paul Cruz sits down with author Pieter Niemann for a thoughtful conversation about identity, autism, dating, loneliness, authenticity, and meaningful human connection.

Pieter is the author of Swiping for Something Real, a book about dating, connection, and the deeper questions people ask while looking for love. His writing grew out of recurring conversations with friends and others who kept returning to similar questions about relationships, identity, and belonging.

The conversation begins with Pieter’s belief that questions can sometimes be more powerful than answers. Rather than telling people how to live, he is interested in helping them examine their own thinking and arrive at answers that fit their own lives.

Pieter also reflects on receiving an autism diagnosis later in life. He explains how the diagnosis gave him language for earlier experiences involving communication, relationships, and belonging, while reinforcing his view that autism is an important part of who he is without defining his entire identity.

A central theme of the episode is the difference between being wanted and being known.

Pieter explores why attention, attraction, and validation can feel powerful without necessarily creating a genuine connection. Being known, he suggests, is slower and deeper. It involves curiosity, presence, shared experience, and a willingness to understand another person beyond the surface.

Paul and Pieter also discuss why people sometimes pursue relationship titles instead of relationships themselves, how loneliness can shape dating choices, and what genuine curiosity about another person looks like in practice.

The conversation then turns to authenticity. Pieter reflects on the difference between putting your best foot forward and performing a version of yourself to be liked. His example of pretending to enjoy hiking becomes a larger discussion about self-editing, acceptance, and the fear that our real selves may not be enough.

The episode also explores the difference between loneliness and solitude, why being single should not be treated as a waiting room, and what Neurodivergent perspectives can teach the wider world about clearer communication, self-acceptance, and relationships.

In this episode

• Questions as a tool for self-exploration
• Identity beyond labels
• Receiving an autism diagnosis later in life
• Self-compassion and understanding past experiences
• Being wanted versus being known
• Attention, validation, and genuine connection
• Why do people sometimes chase relationship titles
• Curiosity as the foundation of connection
• Authenticity, performance, and self-editing
• Loneliness versus solitude
• Being single as a season rather than a waiting room
• Neurodivergent communication and directness
• Self-acceptance and relationships

About Swiping for Something Real

Pieter Niemann’s Swiping for Something Real explores dating, identity, connection, and the questions we ask ourselves while searching for love.

The book launches Thursday, October 22, at 18:00 Zurich time / 12:00 New York time.

This episode releases on October 21, one day before the launch.

Connect with Pieter

Website: pieterniemann.com

Book: Swiping for Something Real

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pieter_niemann_author

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pieter-niemann

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if an ADHD diagnosis didn't change who you are—but finally helped you understand who you've always been?

In this powerful episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz welcomes Daniel Curtis—author, educator, composer, speaker, and advocate—for an honest conversation about adult ADHD, autism, identity, and the lifelong journey of self-discovery.

Diagnosed with ADHD as an adult after his son was diagnosed with ADHD and autism, Daniel reflects on growing up feeling different, navigating bullying, masking, anxiety, and low self-worth, and how receiving a diagnosis brought validation, self-compassion, and a deeper understanding of himself.

Together, Paul and Daniel explore how labels shape identity, why so many neurodivergent people feel pressured to hide who they are, and what it truly means to live authentically. Daniel also shares how music became his safe place, why community is essential for healing, and how schools can better support neurodivergent students by listening to student voices and recognizing individual strengths.

Whether you're neurodivergent, a parent, educator, mental health professional, or someone searching for greater self-understanding, this conversation offers hope, encouragement, and practical insights for embracing your authentic self.

In This Episode

• Receiving an adult ADHD diagnosis
• Understanding masking and neurodivergent identity
• ADHD, autism, and self-discovery
• Overcoming bullying and rebuilding self-worth
• The lasting impact of labels and criticism
• Why community is essential for neurodivergent well-being
• Supporting neurodivergent children in education
• Student voice and inclusive classrooms
• Creativity, confidence, and finding purpose
• Parenting an autistic and ADHD child
• Living authentically and embracing neurodiversity

Featured Guest

Daniel Curtis is an author, educator, composer, speaker, and advocate whose work explores authenticity, neurodiversity, resilience, and personal growth. His upcoming memoir, Who Were You Before the World Told You Who to Be?, encourages readers to reconnect with their true identity beyond labels, expectations, and self-doubt.

Website: www.danielcurtishq.com

Book: Who Were You Before the World Told You Who to Be? (Available for pre-order) https://www.danielcurtishq.com/book

Adult ADHD • ADHD diagnosis • Adult autism • Neurodiversity • Neurodivergent • ADHD awareness • Autism awareness • ADHD in adults • Late diagnosis • Masking • Authenticity • Identity • Self-discovery • Self-acceptance • Mental health • Anxiety • Bullying • Self-worth • Emotional resilience • Parenting ADHD • Parenting autism • Neurodivergent parenting • Inclusive education • Student voice • Special education • Occupational therapy • Creativity • Personal growth • Community • Belonging • Daniel Curtis • Paul Cruz • The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when healing begins not with changing who you are, but with finally understanding and accepting yourself?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Dr. Craig Wells, D.O., for a conversation about Neurodivergent identity, unmasking, trauma recovery, relationships, parenting, burnout, and the lifelong process of self-discovery.

Drawing from both lived experience and professional practice, Dr. Wells explores what can happen when Neurodivergent people spend years trying to adapt to systems, expectations, and relationships that do not always make room for the way they naturally think, communicate, feel, and connect.

Together, Paul and Craig discuss the emotional cost of masking, the impact of burnout, the importance of communication and relationship repair, and what it can mean to reconnect with parts of ourselves that may have been hidden for years.

At the heart of the conversation is a powerful idea:

Healing is not necessarily about becoming someone new. Sometimes it begins with allowing yourself to become more fully who you already are.

In This Episode

• Autism, ADHD, and Neurodivergent Identity
• The emotional impact of masking
• Unmasking and authentic living
• Trauma recovery and emotional healing
• Neurodivergent burnout and recovery
• Communication and relationship repair
• Parenting Neurodivergent Children
• Building meaningful and supportive relationships
• Spirituality, self-discovery, and personal growth
• Challenging common assumptions about Neurodivergence
• Reconnecting with identity after years of adapting to others

Connection Craft

Dr. Wells discusses Connection Craft, his relationship-centered approach to helping individuals and couples build stronger, healthier, and more supportive connections through Neurodiversity-affirming practices.

The conversation explores how relationships can change when people move away from rigid expectations and toward greater curiosity, communication, understanding, and authenticity.

Why This Conversation Matters

Many Neurodivergent people spend years learning how to appear acceptable, capable, or “normal” while hiding the amount of effort it takes to do so.

Over time, that can affect identity, relationships, emotional well-being, and the ability to recognize one's own needs.

This episode asks what becomes possible when we begin moving away from masking and toward self-understanding, self-acceptance, and authentic connection.

Featured Topics

• Inner Essence Activation and approaches to healing
• Hypnosis and energetic alignment in conversations about Neurodivergent burnout
• Communication and repair in queer and Neurodivergent relationships
• Somatic approaches to change
• The intersection of spirituality, energetics, and modern medicine

Connect with Dr. Craig Wells

Website:

connectioncraft.org

Free 15-Minute Discovery Call:

connectioncraft.org

Instagram:

@drcraigconnectioncraft

TikTok:

@drcraigconnectioncraft

YouTube:

@drcraigconnectioncraft

Facebook:

drcraigconnectioncraft

Key Takeaway

Healing can begin with self-discovery.

For many Neurodivergent people, unmasking may be part of learning to recognize their needs, reclaim their identity, and build relationships in which they do not have to constantly perform to belong.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone navigating Neurodivergent identity, relationships, burnout, or self-discovery.

Topics: Autism, ADHD, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent identity, unmasking, burnout recovery, trauma healing, relationships, mental health, authenticity, self-discovery, Dr. Craig Wells, Connection Craft, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if executive-functioning struggles are not signs of laziness, failure, or lack of discipline—but signals that the systems around us are not working?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with executive-functioning coach and Social Bloom founder Lisa Shanken for a practical conversation about ADHD, emotional regulation, follow-through, accountability, connection, and building systems that support the way a person’s brain actually works.

Lisa explains that executive functioning reaches far beyond organization.

It can affect how we start tasks, follow through, regulate emotions, shift between priorities, make decisions, adapt to change, and maintain relationships.

Together, Paul and Lisa explore why knowing what to do is not always the same as being able to do it, why implementation can be harder than planning, and how accountability can help bridge the gap between intention and action.

They also discuss loneliness and isolation among Neurodivergent adults and why a structured, supportive community can be an important part of wellbeing.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple idea:

People are not broken. Sometimes the system needs to change.

About Lisa Shanken

Lisa Shanken is an executive-functioning coach and founder of Social Bloom.

Through her coaching and community work, she helps individuals develop practical strategies for executive functioning while also creating opportunities for authentic connection, social confidence, and belonging.

Her approach focuses on helping people understand their patterns and build systems that are realistic, supportive, and sustainable.

Connect with Lisa Shanken

Website:

lisashanken.com

A free consultation can also be scheduled through her website.

Topics: ADHD, executive functioning, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent adults, emotional regulation, accountability, cognitive flexibility, community, loneliness, belonging, Social Bloom, Lisa Shanken, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What changes when education begins with connection instead of compliance?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz is joined by educator, advocate, speaker, and self-described “Neurodiva” Dr. Shani Challenor for a deeply personal conversation about Neurodivergence, education, faith, belonging, identity, and the power of human connection.

Dr. Shani reflects on her journey as a trained dancer, special and general education teacher, adjunct professor, mother, and advocate.

She also shares how receiving diagnoses of ADHD, anxiety, and depression while completing her doctorate changed the way she understood both herself and the students she serves.

Together, Paul and Dr. Shani explore why meaningful education cannot be built on compliance alone.

They discuss the role of movement, creativity, and relationship in learning, the emotional realities families often face when navigating school systems, and what educators can do when students are overwhelmed, misunderstood, or repeatedly viewed through a deficit-based lens.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple but powerful idea:

Students are more likely to thrive when they feel seen, valued, understood, and connected.

Connection Before Compliance

One of the central themes of the conversation is the idea that behavior cannot always be understood without first understanding the person.

Dr. Shani discusses why connection, trust, and relationship can be more meaningful starting points than simply asking a student to comply.

That does not mean removing expectations.

It means creating the conditions in which students are more able to engage, communicate, regulate, learn, and grow.

Movement, Creativity, and Learning

Drawing on her background in dance and education, Dr. Shani explores the role movement and creativity can play in helping students access learning.

For some learners, sitting still, listening quietly, and processing information in one prescribed way may not be the most effective path.

This conversation encourages a broader view of what participation and learning can look like.

Intersectionality, Identity, and Advocacy

Dr. Shani also reflects on navigating Neurodivergence as a Black woman and the importance of recognizing that identity is never experienced in isolation.

Her story highlights the ways race, gender, Neurodivergence, education, family, and faith can intersect and shape how people are perceived and supported.

Faith remains an important part of her advocacy and sense of purpose, influencing how she approaches resilience, leadership, and service.

Why This Conversation Matters

Too many Neurodivergent students spend years being described primarily by what they struggle with.

They may be labeled difficult, inattentive, disruptive, unmotivated, or noncompliant without enough attention being paid to what they are communicating through those behaviors.

This episode asks what might change if educators and systems became more curious.

Instead of asking:

“How do we make this student comply?”

We might begin asking:

“What does this student need to feel safe, connected, and able to learn?”

That shift can change not only academic outcomes, but also confidence, belonging, and identity.

About Dr. Shani Challenor

Dr. Shani Challenor is an educator, advocate, speaker, and founder of The Challenor Challenge.

Her work focuses on shifting spaces, mindsets, and systems so that Neurodivergent individuals and all learners can be more genuinely included, valued, and supported.

Her approach brings together education, storytelling, creativity, lived experience, and advocacy.

Connect with Dr. Shani

Instagram:

@DRSHANICHALLENOR

Topics: Neurodiversity, ADHD, Neurodivergent students, inclusive education, special education, accessibility, belonging, movement, creativity, intersectionality, advocacy, faith, Dr. Shani Challenor, The Challenor Challenge, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What changes when we stop assuming a struggling student lacks ability and start asking whether they have the right strategies, systems, and support?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Dr. Emily Levy, founder of EBL Coaching, for a practical conversation about executive functioning, ADHD, dyslexia, learning strategies, and building greater confidence and independence in Neurodivergent learners.

Drawing on years of experience supporting students with ADHD, dyslexia, and executive-functioning challenges, Dr. Levy shares concrete approaches that parents, educators, and students can use to make learning more manageable and effective.

The conversation moves beyond broad advice and into specific tools for organization, time management, reading, writing, planning, and self-awareness.

At the heart of the episode is an important idea:

Neurodivergent learners do not need lower expectations. They need better access to the tools that help them succeed.

Why This Conversation Matters

Many Neurodivergent students spend years being told to try harder when the real issue may be that the strategies they have been given do not match the way they learn.

That mismatch can affect more than grades.

It can affect confidence.

It can shape identity.

And it can lead students to believe they are less capable than they actually are.

This episode asks what can change when support becomes more specific, practical, and individualized.

Instead of asking:

“Why can’t this student do it?”

We can begin asking:

“What tool, strategy, or support would make this task more accessible?”

Who This Episode Is For

This conversation may be especially useful for:

• Parents of Neurodivergent learners
• Educators and classroom teachers
• Learning specialists and tutors
• Students with ADHD or dyslexia
• School support staff
• Professionals interested in executive functioning and learning differences

Learn More About Dr. Emily Levy & EBL Coaching

Website:

EBLCoaching.com

There you can find:

• Articles and educational resources
• Program information
• Additional interviews and podcasts
• Executive-functioning and learning support resources

Follow EBL Coaching

Instagram:

@ebl_coaching

Facebook:

facebook.com/EBLCoaching

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/emilylevy

Key Takeaway

A struggling learner is not necessarily an incapable learner.

When students are given strategies that match how they process information, they can build stronger skills, greater independence, and more confidence in their ability to learn.

The goal is not to reduce expectations.

It is to remove unnecessary barriers between the learner and what they are capable of doing.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with a parent, educator, student, learning specialist, or advocate.

Topics: ADHD, dyslexia, executive functioning, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent learning, education, learning strategies, Orton-Gillingham, organization, time management, parenting, teaching, Dr. Emily Levy, EBL Coaching, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What changes when experiences that once felt confusing, isolating, or deeply personal finally have a name?

Gabe, a producer based in Vancouver who grew up in France, reflects on receiving an ADHD diagnosis at 29 and how it helped him reinterpret experiences he had carried for years.

Instead of continuing to see those experiences only through the lens of personal shortcomings, diagnosis gave him another way to understand how his brain works—and an opportunity to approach himself with greater compassion.

Stacey, who was diagnosed autistic at 35, shares a deeply personal reflection addressed to her younger self.

Her words explore masking, sensory overwhelm, belonging, and what it means to look back at earlier versions of ourselves with the understanding we have today.

Together, Gabe and Stacey’s stories show that a later-life diagnosis does not rewrite the past.

But it can change the way we understand it.

At the heart of this conversation is a powerful idea:

Sometimes the person we most need to understand and forgive is the person we used to be before we had the language to understand ourselves.

Two Different Stories, A Shared Experience

Gabe and Stacey arrive at self-understanding through different experiences, but both describe what can happen when a diagnosis provides context for parts of life that previously felt difficult to explain.

For Gabe, an ADHD diagnosis helped him reconsider years of frustration and misunderstanding.

For Stacey, an autism diagnosis offered a new perspective on masking, sensory experiences, and the ways she had tried to adapt to belong.

Their stories remind us that diagnosis can be more than a clinical label.

For some people, it can provide language.

It can provide validation.

And it can create an opportunity to revisit the past with greater compassion.

Why This Conversation Matters

Many adults reach adulthood without recognizing themselves in traditional descriptions of ADHD or autism.

They may instead grow up believing they are too sensitive, too distracted, too difficult, not trying hard enough, or simply different without understanding why.

Receiving a diagnosis later in life cannot undo those experiences.

But understanding can change the story we tell ourselves about them.

Instead of asking:

“What was wrong with me?”

A different question becomes possible:

“What did I need that I didn't yet understand?”

Memorable Reflections

Gabe reflects on wishing he could tell his younger self not to feel ashamed of the way his brain works.

Stacey’s message to her younger self carries a similar sense of recognition and compassion:

“I see you now. I’m holding you. I understand you now.”

Together, those reflections capture one of the central themes of the episode: the importance of extending understanding backward as well as forward.

Key Takeaway

Understanding yourself can change the way you understand your entire life.

A late diagnosis may bring grief for what might have been different, but it can also bring language, validation, connection, and greater compassion for the person you have always been.

Every voice matters—especially voices that have spent years feeling unheard or misunderstood.

If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone navigating late diagnosis, Neurodivergent identity, masking, belonging, or self-discovery.

Topics: Autism, ADHD, late diagnosis, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent identity, masking, sensory overwhelm, self-acceptance, self-compassion, belonging, Gabe Galand, Stacey Smith, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What changes when accessibility is treated not as an afterthought, but as something built into the way we design classrooms, events, communities, and movements?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Andrew Letchuk—an autistic, disabled, and Neurodivergent advocate, writer, and podcaster—for a conversation about disability justice, representation, access, identity, and the importance of listening to disabled expertise.

Andrew shares his journey through special education, diagnosis, and post-secondary accommodations, and reflects on how those experiences shaped the way he understands disability and advocacy.

Together, Paul and Andrew explore the difference between disability rights and disability justice, the limits of representation that relies on stereotypes, and what it means to create access from the beginning rather than adding it later.

The conversation also looks at how disability justice can move beyond policy and become part of everyday choices, relationships, creative work, education, and community-building.

At the heart of the episode is a simple but important idea:

Access works best when disabled people are not just included in the conversation, but help shape it from the start.

Disability Rights and Disability Justice

Andrew discusses the distinction between disability rights and disability justice.

While disability rights often focus on legal protections, accommodations, and formal access, disability justice asks broader questions about power, inclusion, community, intersectionality, and whose needs are considered from the beginning.

The conversation explores why access cannot be reduced to a checklist.

It also requires listening.

It requires trust.

And it requires recognizing disabled people as experts in their own experiences.

Why This Conversation Matters

Accessibility is often treated as something to add after a space, event, classroom, or system has already been designed.

But when access is considered too late, disabled people are often the ones expected to adapt.

This conversation asks what might change if accessibility were built into the process from the beginning.

It also challenges the idea that inclusion is simply about being present.

True inclusion asks whether people can participate meaningfully, communicate in ways that work for them, and influence the spaces they are part of.

Representation and Media

Andrew also reflects on how autism and disability are portrayed in the media.

Stereotypes can narrow public understanding and make it harder for people whose experiences do not fit familiar narratives to feel recognized.

More authentic representation begins by making room for complexity, contradiction, and lived experience rather than relying on a single version of what disability or autism is supposed to look like.

Connect with Andrew Letchuk

Our Voices Podcast:

Our Voices: Conversations of Disability

Disability on the Street Blog:

andywrites27.wordpress.com

FUTURES Program:

The AccessStudio — FUTURES

Tangled Art + Disability:

tangledarts.org

The Disability Collective:

thedisabilitycollective.com

Key Takeaway

Disability justice is not only about access to spaces.

It is about who gets listened to, who gets believed, who gets included in decisions, and who gets to shape the systems that affect their lives.

When we treat disabled people as experts rather than afterthoughts, accessibility becomes more meaningful, more practical, and more human.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone interested in disability justice, Neurodiversity, accessibility, representation, or inclusive design.

Topics: Disability justice, disability rights, Neurodiversity, autism, accessibility, inclusion, lived experience, representation, special education, accommodations, disability advocacy, Andrew Letchuk, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the thing that once made learning feel harder eventually became one of your greatest creative strengths?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with author, educator, and advocate Nellie Nakhel, founder of Lovely Life Library.

Diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, Nellie reflects on what it was like to grow up feeling different and how her relationship with learning, creativity, and self-belief changed over time.

Rather than seeing dyslexia only as a barrier, she began to recognize the different ways her mind processed information—and how those differences could become part of her creativity.

Through Lovely Life Library, Nellie creates inclusive children’s stories designed to help young readers feel seen, understood, and proud of the ways they think and learn.

Together, Paul and Nellie explore dyslexia, Neurodiversity, creativity, education, empathy, and what it means to create stories that reflect a wider range of experiences.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple idea:

Thinking differently does not mean thinking less.

Lovely Life Library

Nellie is the founder of Lovely Life Library, a creative project centered on inclusive children’s stories.

Her work is designed to help children recognize that differences in learning, thinking, and experiencing the world do not make them less capable or less valuable.

By creating stories that reflect a wider range of minds and experiences, Nellie hopes to give children language, confidence, and representation that may not always be available in traditional learning environments.

Why This Conversation Matters

Children often form beliefs about themselves long before they have the language to understand why learning feels different.

When those differences are framed only as problems, they can affect confidence, identity, and a child’s willingness to take risks.

Stories can offer another possibility.

They can show children that difference is not failure.

They can help families start conversations.

And they can allow young readers to see themselves represented with dignity, imagination, and pride.

This episode explores what can happen when we stop asking children to fit one narrow definition of learning and begin making room for the many ways minds can work.

Memorable Ideas

Nellie reflects on the idea that thinking differently is not necessarily a negative—it can simply mean that a person’s mind works in its own way.

She also describes success in deeply human terms: if even one child feels better about their differences because of her work, then the story has mattered.

That perspective captures the heart of the episode:

Representation can change the way a child understands themselves.

Connect with Nellie Nakhel

Website:

lovelylifelibrary.com

Instagram:

@nellienakhel_lovelylifelibrary

Facebook:

nellie.nakhel

Books:

Nellie’s books are available through Amazon and IngramSpark.

Key Takeaway

The way a person learns is not a measure of their potential.

When children are given stories, language, and support that reflect who they are, difference can become a source of confidence rather than shame.

And when creativity grows from lived experience, it can help someone else feel less alone.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone interested in dyslexia, Neurodiversity, inclusive education, creativity, or children’s literature.

Topics: Dyslexia, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent learning, creativity, children’s books, inclusive education, representation, empathy, self-acceptance, Nellie Nakhel, Lovely Life Library, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the way you experience the world could become the beginning of a story?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with filmmaker Nicola Rose, director, producer, and writer of the feature film Magnetosphere.

The film follows 13-year-old Maggie as she navigates her first crush, a family move, and her experience of synesthesia, all set against the backdrop of the 1997 Hale-Bopp comet.

Through a visually imaginative and emotionally grounded story, Magnetosphere explores perception, identity, belonging, adolescence, and what it means to experience the world differently.

Nicola shares the inspiration behind the film, the creative process of representing synesthesia on screen, and why listening to lived experience was essential to shaping the story.

She also discusses interviewing more than 70 synesthetes as part of her research and how those conversations helped influence both the film’s visual language and its emotional authenticity.

Together, Paul and Nicola explore creativity, Neurodivergence, independent filmmaking, representation, and what happens when storytellers begin by listening rather than assuming.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple idea:

Authentic representation begins with curiosity, listening, and respect for lived experience.

About Magnetosphere

Magnetosphere follows 13-year-old Maggie as she experiences a period of change involving family, identity, friendship, and her first crush, while also navigating synesthesia.

Set against the arrival of the Hale-Bopp comet in 1997, the film uses color, sound, and visual storytelling to explore how perception can shape the way someone understands themselves and the world around them.

The film stars Shayelin Martin alongside Colin Mochrie, Patrick McKenna, Debra McGrath, Tara Strong, and Steven He.

Why This Conversation Matters

Representation becomes more meaningful when creators make space for the people whose experiences they are trying to portray.

Rather than treating Neurodivergence or perceptual differences as a storytelling device alone, Nicola describes a research process grounded in listening to people who actually experience synesthesia.

That approach raises a broader question for film, television, and media:

What changes when lived experience becomes part of the creative process instead of something interpreted from a distance?

Memorable Ideas

Nicola reflects on the importance of asking people what they actually experience rather than assuming what an experience should look like.

The conversation also explores how synesthesia can become a wider metaphor for feeling out of step with the world around you, and why kindness may be one of the most important skills a filmmaker can bring to a creative environment.

Connect with Nicola Rose

Watch the Magnetosphere trailer:

freestyledigitalmedia.tv/film/magnetosphere

Stream Magnetosphere:

Available through Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

Nicola Rose’s Substack:

nicolarosedirects.substack.com

Instagram:

@nicolarosedirects

Magnetosphere Instagram:

@magnetospheremovie

Facebook:

Magnetosphere — Movie

Key Takeaway

Authentic stories begin with listening.

When creators take the time to understand lived experience, they can create work that feels more thoughtful, respectful, and human.

And sometimes, the very thing that makes someone experience the world differently can become the foundation of a story that helps someone else feel seen.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone interested in Neurodiversity, film, creativity, representation, or storytelling.

Topics: Synesthesia, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent identity, film, independent filmmaking, creativity, storytelling, representation, perception, Magnetosphere, Nicola Rose, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you stop trying to fit in and begin embracing who you truly are?

In this archived episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz and former volunteer co-host Letara Couto sit down with Tamsyn Hawken, a mental health mentor supporting university students across the UK.

Together, they explore autism, ADHD, identity, belonging, unmasking, representation, and the often complicated journey toward understanding yourself.

Drawing from her lived experience as a queer neurodivergent woman, Tamsyn shares how growing up in a rural village shaped her understanding of herself and how limited representation contributed to a delayed recognition of her own neurodivergence.

She reflects on receiving autism and ADHD diagnoses, learning to unmask, developing self-advocacy, and finding spaces where people can safely explore and embrace their identities.

At the heart of the conversation is Tamsyn’s powerful metaphor of being a zebra among horses—an image that captures what it can feel like to move through a world built around expectations that don’t quite fit.

But understanding that you are a zebra can change the story.

What once felt like failure to fit in can become an opportunity for self-understanding, connection, empowerment, and belonging.

In this conversation:

• Autism, ADHD, and later self-discovery

• Neurodivergent identity and unmasking

• Queer Neurodivergent experiences

• Representation and belonging

• Self-advocacy and personal growth

• Supporting Neurodivergent students in higher education

• Systemic barriers within academia

• Building inclusive and affirming communities

• Self-kindness and self-acceptance

Why We’re Replaying This Conversation

Many Neurodivergent people spend years feeling different without having the language or representation to understand why.

Tamsyn’s story is a reminder of the importance of community, representation, self-understanding, and spaces where people can explore their identities without judgment.

It is also a conversation about moving away from the pressure to become someone else—and toward understanding the person who was there all along.

This replay also recognizes the contribution of Letara Couto, who joined Paul as a volunteer co-host for the original conversation.

About Tamsyn Hawken

Tamsyn Hawken is a mental health mentor supporting university students throughout the UK. Through mentoring, advocacy, and educational programs focused on self-advocacy and empowerment, she helps Neurodivergent individuals build confidence, navigate challenges, and celebrate their authentic selves.

Key Takeaway

You may experience and move through the world differently from the people around you.

Understanding those differences—and meeting yourself with greater kindness—can create space for advocacy, connection, belonging, and authentic living.

If this conversation resonates with you, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the episode with someone navigating their own journey of Neurodivergent self-discovery.

Featuring: Tamsyn Hawken

Host: Paul Cruz

Volunteer Co-Host: Letara Couto

Topics: Autism, ADHD, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent identity, unmasking, self-discovery, belonging, queer Neurodivergent experiences, higher education, self-advocacy, Tamsyn Hawken, Neurodiversity Voices

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when other people’s expectations become smaller than the life you know you are capable of building?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, hosts Paul Cruz and Gino Akbari sit down with writer, photographer, paraeducator, and disability advocate Michelle Steiner for a conversation about invisible disability, self-advocacy, resilience, education, creativity, and challenging low expectations.

Michelle shares what it has been like to move through the world with a disability that is not always visible to others—and how that invisibility can lead to misunderstanding, assumptions, and barriers.

She reflects on being underestimated, pursuing higher education, building a creative life, and eventually becoming an advocate for students and others with disabilities.

Throughout the conversation, Michelle returns to a central idea:

A diagnosis, disability, or limitation does not get to decide the full story of a person’s life.

Together, Paul, Gino, and Michelle explore what it means to focus on strengths rather than deficits, how confidence can grow through persistence and support, and why accessibility and inclusion matter even when a disability cannot be seen.

In This Episode

• Living with an invisible disability
• Being misunderstood because a disability is not visible
• Low expectations and the impact they can have on self-belief
• Self-advocacy and learning to speak up for your needs
• Education, persistence, and personal growth
• Building confidence after being underestimated
• Creativity as a form of expression and healing
• Supporting students with disabilities
• Disability awareness and inclusion
• Turning challenges into sources of insight and strength
• Why opportunity and support matter

Why This Conversation Matters

Invisible disabilities can be easy for others to overlook.

When someone does not “look disabled,” their needs may be questioned, minimized, or misunderstood. That can affect education, work, relationships, confidence, and access to support.

Michelle’s story is a reminder that the barriers people face are not always a reflection of their ability.

Sometimes the barrier is the expectation placed on them.

This episode asks what can change when we stop defining people by what they struggle with and start paying closer attention to what they are capable of doing with the right support, opportunity, and understanding.

Memorable Ideas

Michelle reflects on the importance of recognizing that an invisible disability is still real, even when others cannot see it.

She also speaks about moving forward despite fear, focusing more intentionally on what she could do, and allowing that shift to change the way she understands success.

Her story challenges the idea that disability and strength are opposites.

Connect with Michelle Steiner

Website:

michellesmission.com

Instagram:

@steiner7250

Facebook:

facebook.com/michelle.steiner.493966

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/michelle-steiner-0573ba260

Bluesky:

michellesmission.bsky.social

Key Takeaway

Being underestimated does not determine your future.

When people are allowed to understand their strengths, advocate for their needs, and access meaningful support, new possibilities can open up.

Everyone deserves to be seen not only for the barriers they face, but for the strengths, creativity, and perspective they bring.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone navigating disability, self-advocacy, education, accessibility, or inclusion.

Topics: Invisible disability, disability advocacy, Neurodiversity, accessibility, inclusion, resilience, self-advocacy, education, creativity, Michelle Steiner, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the collapse of the life you built became the beginning of understanding yourself more clearly?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, hosts Paul Cruz and Tegan sit down with musician, advocate, and Neurodivergent entrepreneur Jon Hart for a deeply honest conversation about identity, late diagnosis, burnout, creativity, and the ongoing process of unmasking.

Jon reflects on building a music business, losing it, and experiencing a mental health crisis that eventually led to the discovery of his ADHD and autism.

What followed was not simply a return to the life he had before.

Jon describes five years of transformation—a process of self-discovery, healing, and rebuilding that changed the way he understood his needs, his creativity, his work, and his identity.

Together, Paul, Tegan, and Jon explore how Neurodivergence can shape creative work, why performance and productivity can sometimes hide deeper struggles, and what becomes possible when a person begins building a life around who they are rather than who they have been trying to appear to be.

At the heart of the conversation is a powerful idea:

Healing does not always mean getting back to who you were. Sometimes it means becoming more honest about who you are.

Creativity as an “External Hard Drive”

Jon describes creativity as an “external hard drive”—a place to process experiences, emotions, ideas, and internal states that may be difficult to hold or explain in other ways.

For him, music and creative practice are not simply forms of output.

There are ways of understanding.

They can provide language for experiences that feel difficult to articulate, create space for emotional processing, and offer a path toward greater self-awareness.

This perspective shifts creativity away from being only about productivity or performance and toward something more personal:

a way of making sense of ourselves.

Late Diagnosis and the Process of Unmasking

Jon’s ADHD and autism diagnoses arrived after years of working, creating, adapting, and trying to navigate environments that did not always fit the way he functioned.

The conversation explores how late diagnosis can bring both clarity and disruption.

Understanding yourself differently may answer old questions, but it can also raise new ones:

• Which parts of my life were sustainable?
• Which parts were masking?
• Which expectations did I absorb from other people?
• What do I actually need now?
• What does success look like if I stop measuring myself by the old rules?

Jon describes unmasking not as a single moment, but as an ongoing process of becoming more aware of what feels authentic and what no longer fits.

Neurodivergence and the Music Industry

The episode also examines the relationship between Neurodivergence and creative industries.

The music world can reward intensity, irregular schedules, risk-taking, constant output, and high stimulation—traits or environments that may feel energizing at one stage and become difficult to sustain at another.

Jon discusses the need for more accessible and supportive spaces for Neurodivergent musicians and creators.

That includes thinking not only about representation, but also about:

• Working conditions
• Communication
• Sensory needs
• Mental health
• Community
• Burnout prevention
• Sustainable creative careers

Connect with Jon Hart

Neurodivergent Musicians Community:

jonhartmusic.com/ndm

About Jon Hart:

jonhartmusic.com/about

Facebook:

facebook.com/jonhartmusic

Instagram:

instagram.com/jonhartmusic

YouTube:

youtube.com/jonhartmusic

TikTok:

tiktok.com/@jonhartmusic

Topics: Neurodiversity, ADHD, autism, late diagnosis, Neurodivergent identity, burnout, mental health, creativity, music, unmasking, entrepreneurship, accessibility, advocacy, Jon Hart, Neurodivergent Musicians Community, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What changes when we stop asking Neurodivergent people to adapt endlessly and start examining the systems around them?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Zack Yarde, Neurodiversity researcher, systems thinker, and longtime leader in human services, for a reflective conversation about workplace inclusion, psychological safety, accessibility, community, and the burden Neurodivergent people are often expected to carry alone.

Too often, people are taught to interpret difficulty as a personal failure.

They may assume they are too sensitive, too inconsistent, too demanding, not productive enough, or simply not built for the environments around them.

Zack invites a different question:

What if some of those struggles are not individual failures, but signals that the system itself needs to change?

Together, Paul and Zack explore how systems shape behavior, access, belonging, and opportunity—and why good intentions can still create exclusion when solutions are applied too broadly.

The conversation moves beyond individual accommodations and toward a wider understanding of culture, leadership, agency, community, and the structures that influence whether people can participate authentically.

In This Episode

• Systems thinking and Neurodiversity
• Why Neurodivergent people often internalize blame
• Workplace inclusion and employee agency
• Leadership and psychological safety
• Accessibility beyond individual accommodations
• The risks of one-size-fits-all solutions
• Community, belonging, and mutual support
• Why independence does not mean doing everything alone
• Tabletop role-playing and collaborative community building
• Designing environments where more people can participate
• Listening to lived experience when building systems
• Moving responsibility from the individual toward shared systems change

Why This Conversation Matters

Many Neurodivergent people spend years asking themselves:

“Why can’t I handle this?”

“Why is this easy for everyone else?”

“Why do I keep failing at something I’m trying so hard to do?”

Systems thinking introduces another possibility:

Maybe the person is not the only thing that needs to change.

That does not remove personal agency or responsibility.

It broadens the picture.

It allows us to examine the relationship between the individual and the environment instead of automatically locating every difficulty inside the person.

About Zack Yarde

Zack Yarde is a Neurodiversity researcher, leadership practitioner, and systems thinker whose work explores how organizational structures, leadership practices, and culture affect inclusion, accessibility, psychological safety, and employee agency.

His experience in human services and community-building informs an approach centered on curiosity, lived experience, and creating environments where people have greater opportunity to contribute authentically.

Connect with Zack

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/zackyarde

Key Takeaway

Stop automatically assuming that every struggle is evidence that something is wrong with you.

Sometimes the better question is:

What is this environment asking of me—and was it ever designed with people like me in mind?

Meaningful inclusion requires more than asking Neurodivergent people to become better at adapting.

It also requires organizations, communities, and leaders to become better at listening, questioning assumptions, and changing the systems themselves.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone interested in Neurodiversity, systems thinking, workplace inclusion, leadership, accessibility, or community.

Topics: Neurodiversity, systems thinking, Neurodivergent identity, workplace inclusion, psychological safety, accessibility, leadership, employee agency, community, belonging, tabletop gaming, systems change, Zack Yarde, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What changes when the understanding you built for your child begins to change the way you understand yourself?

In this special April episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Julie Green for a deeply personal conversation about late autism diagnosis, motherhood, masking, identity, self-understanding, and acceptance.

Julie reflects on spending years advocating for her autistic child before eventually recognizing parts of herself in what she was learning.

Her understanding of autism evolved from media-driven stereotypes and narrow assumptions toward something much more personal, nuanced, and human.

That shift changed more than how she viewed autism.

It changed the way she understood her own history, her family, and many of the experiences she had previously interpreted through self-blame.

At the heart of the conversation is a powerful question:

What happens when the language you found for someone you love finally gives you language for yourself?

A Special Milestone Episode

This episode marks two important moments:

• The first anniversary of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast
• World Autism Awareness Day

Together, those milestones create space not only for awareness but for reflection.

The conversation asks what awareness is actually for if it does not eventually lead to greater understanding, acceptance, inclusion, and meaningful change.

In This Episode

• Late autism diagnosis in women
• Motherhood and Neurodivergent Identity
• Advocating for an autistic child
• Recognizing autism in yourself
• Masking and the hidden cost of fitting in
• Self-discovery and self-acceptance
• Autism stereotypes and misconceptions
• Reframing the past through an autistic lens
• Moving from self-blame toward self-understanding
• Parenting autistic children with greater compassion
• Representation and why diverse autistic stories matter
• Why awareness must lead to acceptance and change

Why This Conversation Matters

Many autistic women spend years—or decades—without recognizing themselves in traditional descriptions of autism.

When representation is narrow, people whose experiences fall outside those stereotypes may remain unseen.

Julie’s story reminds us why lived experience matters.

There is no single way to be autistic.

And sometimes understanding ourselves becomes one of the most meaningful forms of advocacy we can practice.

About Julie Green

Julie Green is a writer whose work explores motherhood, identity, family, and lived experience.

Her memoir, Motherness, reflects on the complexity of motherhood and the experiences that shape how we understand ourselves and the people we love.

Connect with Julie Green

Website:

juliemgreen.ca

Explore Motherness:

juliemgreen.ca/books-1

Key Takeaway

Understanding yourself can change the meaning of your past.

A late diagnosis cannot rewrite what happened before it.

But it can offer language, context, and compassion for experiences that once felt confusing or personal.

And sometimes the understanding we first learn to offer someone else eventually teaches us how to extend that same understanding to ourselves.

If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone navigating autism, motherhood, late diagnosis, masking, identity, or self-discovery.

Topics: Autism, late diagnosis, autistic women, Neurodiversity, motherhood, autism acceptance, masking, Neurodivergent identity, self-understanding, inclusion, Julie Green, Motherness, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when productivity stops being something we do and becomes the measure of whether we are considered valuable?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with author Helena St. George for a thought-provoking conversation inspired by her novel Shattered but Not Silenced.

Through dystopian fiction, Helena explores questions that reach far beyond the world of the book:

What makes a person valuable?

Who gets to decide what contribution looks like?

And what happens when systems begin measuring human worth primarily through productivity?

Drawing from her lived experience as a parent of Neurodivergent children, Helena reflects on autonomy, advocacy, disability inclusion, belonging, and the pressures people can face when they do not fit conventional expectations around work, independence, or success.

Together, Paul and Helena examine how fiction can give us another way to question the systems we take for granted—and imagine what might happen when productivity is valued more highly than humanity.

At the heart of the conversation is a fundamental idea:

A person’s worth cannot be reduced to what they produce.

In This Episode

• The inspiration behind Shattered but Not Silenced
• Neurodiversity and the future of work
• Productivity culture and human worth
• Autonomy, dignity, and belonging
• Parenting Neurodivergent Children
• Advocacy and systems change
• Disability inclusion
• How societies define success
• Quiet resistance and individual agency
• Dystopian fiction as a way to examine real-world systems
• The difference between being valued as a person and being valued for output
• Creating spaces where people can contribute without having to justify their humanity

Why This Conversation Matters

Many Neurodivergent and disabled people spend significant parts of their lives being evaluated according to systems that prioritize measurable performance.

Grades.

Employment.

Productivity.

Independence.

Efficiency.

Those measures may tell us something about performance within a particular environment.

They do not tell us the value of a human being.

This episode asks what might change if success were understood more broadly.

What if contribution could also include creativity, perspective, care, connection, presence, curiosity, or simply being part of a community?

About Shattered but Not Silenced

Helena St. George’s Shattered but Not Silenced uses dystopian fiction to explore autonomy, disability, human worth, advocacy, and resistance within systems that prioritize productivity.

Through its characters and world, the novel asks readers to reconsider what society calls success—and what gets lost when human beings are valued primarily according to their usefulness.

Connect with Helena St. George

Website:

helenastgeorge.com

Shattered but Not Silenced:

helenastgeorge.com/shattered-not-silenced

Key Takeaway

Human worth is not a productivity metric.

A person does not have to earn dignity through output, employment, efficiency, or independence.

People bring value through perspective, relationships, creativity, presence, individuality, and countless other forms of contribution that cannot always be measured.

Sometimes meaningful systems change begins by questioning the measurement itself.

If a system only recognizes productivity, perhaps resistance begins when we recognize that our humanity was never something we needed to earn.

If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone interested in Neurodiversity, disability inclusion, advocacy, productivity culture, the future of work, or human dignity.

Topics: Neurodiversity, autism, disability inclusion, advocacy, productivity culture, human worth, future of work, autonomy, belonging, dystopian fiction, systems change, Helena St. George, Shattered but Not Silenced, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if burnout is not only a collapse—but also a signal that the way you have been living is no longer sustainable?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Lisa Richer, a Neurodivergent success partner, consultant, advocate, and former elite gymnast, for an honest conversation about burnout, late diagnosis, parenting, workplace challenges, identity, and what she calls “the messy middle.”

Lisa shares her own experience of moving through exhaustion, survival mode, self-discovery, and the process of rebuilding a life that feels more aligned with who she actually is.

Together, Paul and Lisa explore the emotional cost of always being “the strong one,” the pressure to keep functioning even when capacity is gone, and why meaningful growth often happens before we have clear answers.

At the heart of the conversation is a powerful idea:

You do not need to have everything figured out to begin moving forward.

The Messy Middle

Lisa uses the phrase “the messy middle” to describe the space between what was and what comes next.

It is the part of change that often feels the least clear.

The old way of living may no longer work.

The new way may not yet be fully formed.

That uncertainty can feel uncomfortable, but Lisa’s perspective is that it can also be a meaningful place of transition.

The messy middle is where people begin asking different questions:

• What is no longer sustainable?
• What do I actually need?
• What have I been carrying alone?
• What kind of support would make a difference?
• Who am I when I stop organizing my life entirely around survival?

Clarity, Confidence, and Courage

Lisa shares a framework built around three ideas:

Clarity

Understanding what is happening, what matters, and what needs attention.

Confidence

Building trust in yourself after periods of doubt, overwhelm, or burnout.

Courage

Taking action even when the path is not fully certain.

Together, these ideas create a practical way to think about change without expecting someone to have complete certainty before moving forward.

Asking for Help

One of the strongest themes in the episode is the importance of support.

People who are used to being capable, dependable, or “the strong one” can find it especially difficult to admit when they are overwhelmed.

Asking for help can feel like failure.

But this conversation challenges that assumption.

Support can be part of resilience.

It can be part of recovery.

And sometimes it is the first step toward building something more sustainable.

Late Diagnosis and Identity

Lisa also reflects on how late diagnosis can change the way a person understands their history.

Experiences once interpreted as weakness, inconsistency, or personal failure can look different through a Neurodivergent lens.

That shift does not erase difficulty.

But it can create space for more accurate self-understanding and less self-blame.

It can also raise new questions about identity, parenting, work, and what kind of life actually fits.

Memorable Ideas

Lisa reflects on the possibility that some of the hardest breakdowns in life can become the beginning of transformation.

She also emphasizes that growth does not always happen in certainty.

Often, it happens in the uncomfortable space where the old answers no longer fit and the new ones have not yet arrived.

And through it all, one message remains clear:

You do not have to do it alone.

Featured Resource

Confident You – The Raw Conversations: Real Stories of Courage, Healing, and Redefining Confidence

by Lisa Richer

Learn more:

confidentyoubook.com

Topics: Neurodiversity, ADHD, burnout, Neurodivergent mental health, late diagnosis, self-advocacy, resilience, identity, parenting, workplace challenges, confidence, courage, Lisa Richer, Confident You, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, released on September 9 in recognition of International FASD Day, Paul speaks with Kathy Unsworth, Executive Director of the Canada FASD Research Network, also known as CanFASD.

Kathy explains Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or FASD, as a lifelong, brain-based neurodevelopmental disability that can affect learning, memory, attention, emotional regulation, communication, sensory processing, executive functioning, and daily living. She discusses why FASD is often misunderstood as a behavioural issue rather than a disability, and why diagnosis can be difficult, expensive, time-consuming, and unevenly available across Canada.

This conversation explores the importance of including FASD in the broader neurodiversity and disability conversation. Kathy shares how stigma surrounding prenatal alcohol exposure often shifts attention away from the person living with the disability, making it harder for individuals and families to seek diagnosis, services, and support.

Paul and Kathy also discuss CanFASD’s role as Canada’s only national organization focused on FASD research, knowledge translation, workforce development, training, policy support, and community education. Kathy highlights the importance of centering the voices of people with living experience, including caregivers, families, service providers, clinicians, and adults with FASD.

The episode also covers diagnosis gaps, misdiagnosis, early intervention, school and workplace supports, justice and child welfare systems, trauma-informed approaches, and the importance of the National FASD Framework and Senate Bill S-234.

Throughout the conversation, Kathy emphasizes that FASD does not define a person. People with FASD have strengths, talents, creativity, resilience, determination, and unique ways of thinking. With the right supports, stable relationships, respectful language, and informed communities, individuals with FASD can lead meaningful and fulfilling lives.

CANFASD Website: https://canfasd.ca

FASD, International FASD Day, FASD Awareness Day, September 9, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, CanFASD, Kathy Unsworth, neurodiversity, neurodevelopmental disability, brain-based disability, disability rights, FASD awareness, FASD diagnosis, FASD support, FASD Canada, National FASD Framework, Senate Bill S-234, prenatal alcohol exposure, FASD stigma, trauma-informed care, executive functioning, emotional regulation, sensory processing, child welfare, justice system, special education, disability inclusion, caregivers, lived experience, living experience, FASD-informed practice, public health, neurodivergent, neurodivergence

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Paul speaks with Grace Lee, a mother and advocate whose family’s experience with ADHD, special education, and school discipline revealed serious gaps in how schools understand neurodivergent children.

Grace shares how her son’s ADHD, emotional dysregulation, and need for behavioral support were misunderstood as defiance, eventually leading to a school disciplinary incident involving law enforcement and the juvenile justice system. She discusses IEPs, Behavior Intervention Plans, Manifestation Determination Reviews, documentation, advocacy burnout, and the importance of connection over punishment.

This conversation is a powerful look at what happens when systems fail to recognize neurodivergent children’s needs — and what parents, educators, administrators, and policymakers can do differently.

In the News

Grace’s family is featured in a recent New York Times and San Antonio Express-News investigation examining how school discipline in Texas can escalate into involvement with the justice system for children and young teens.

Read the investigation: For Texas Schoolchildren, Minor Misbehavior Can Mean Criminal Charges

ADHD, neurodiversity, neurodivergent children, emotional dysregulation, school discipline, special education, IEP, Behavior Intervention Plan, BIP, Functional Behavior Assessment, FBA, Manifestation Determination Review, MDR, disability rights, parent advocacy, school-to-prison pipeline, juvenile justice, educational reform, de-escalation, trauma-informed education, ADHD parenting, neurodivergent students, educational advocacy

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This interview was recorded in audio format only, as preferred by our guest.

In this heartfelt episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Robert "Bob" Schmus, a licensed clinical social worker, autism advocate, public speaker, writer, and creator of Bob's Neuro Tidbits.

Bob shares his deeply personal journey from feeling isolated as a child to receiving an autism diagnosis at age 15 during one of the darkest periods of his life. That diagnosis didn't define him—it helped him finally understand himself.

Together, Paul and Bob explore the importance of self-acceptance, why masking can be emotionally exhausting, how stimming supports emotional regulation, and why autistic people deserve understanding rather than attempts to "fix" them.

As both an autistic adult and a therapist, Bob offers a unique perspective on neurodiversity-affirming care, explaining how lived experience allows him to meet clients with empathy, compassion, and authenticity. He also shares the powerful story of overcoming low expectations after being told that living independently and attending college wasn't realistic—going on to earn both his bachelor's and master's degrees while building a meaningful career helping others.

Throughout the conversation, Bob reminds us that every autistic person has their own journey, their own strengths, and their own voice. His message is simple but profound: listen first, seek understanding, and never underestimate what someone can achieve.

Whether you're autistic, neurodivergent, a parent, educator, therapist, healthcare professional, or someone wanting to better understand autism, this episode offers encouragement, insight, and hope.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Receiving an autism diagnosis and finding self-understanding
• Growing up feeling different before having the language to explain it
• The emotional toll of masking and autistic burnout
• Why stimming is a healthy form of self-regulation
• Self-acceptance and embracing authenticity
• Neurodiversity-affirming therapy
• Mental health challenges affecting autistic adults
• Anxiety, depression, trauma, and emotional regulation
• Defying low expectations and building an independent life
• Why listening is one of the greatest forms of support
• 
  

Connect with Robert "Bob" Schmus

• LinkedIn: Robert Schmus, MSW, LCSW

• Instagram: @vintage_bob_1989

• Bob's Neuro Tidbits

• SpeakerHub

• The Mighty

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and share The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast. Every conversation helps create a more understanding, compassionate, and inclusive world.

Choose nuance. Choose understanding. And keep the conversation going.

autism, autistic adults, autism diagnosis, late autism diagnosis, masking autism, autistic masking, neurodiversity, neurodiversity affirming therapy, autism, advocate, autistic therapist, autism and mental health, anxiety and autism, depression and autism, autistic burnout, autistic self-acceptance, stimming, emotional regulation, autism awareness, neurodivergent, Robert Bob Schmus, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Carmen G. Farrell—writer, former school district administrator, disability advocate, and mother of a young adult with FOXG1 syndrome—to explore how our understanding of disability, inclusion, and belonging can fundamentally change lives.

Carmen shares her deeply personal journey from navigating years of medical appointments and uncertainty to discovering a new way of thinking about disability through the social model of disability and the transformative concept of mattering. She challenges the idea that neurodivergent and disabled individuals need to be "fixed". Instead, she invites us to consider how our schools, workplaces, and communities can become places where everyone feels seen, valued, and included.

One of the highlights of this conversation is the inspiring story of Club G, an award-winning, student-led initiative that transformed playground inclusion into a movement of kindness and belonging. Rather than focusing on one child, Club G empowered an entire school community to rethink what inclusion truly means.

Whether you're a parent, educator, disability advocate, employer, or someone passionate about creating more inclusive communities, this episode offers practical insights, heartfelt stories, and a fresh perspective on what it means to belong truly.

About Our Guest

Carmen G. Farrell is a writer, disability advocate, former school district administrator, and the mother of a young adult with FOXG1 syndrome. She is the co-creator of the award-winning Club G, a student-led inclusion initiative that has inspired schools and communities across Canada. Through her writing and advocacy, Carmen explores disability, belonging, social justice, and the transformative power of "mattering."

Learn more:

Website: https://carmengfarrell.com

Exclusive Gift for Our Listeners

As a special thank-you to listeners of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Carmen Farrell is offering an exclusive preview of the first chapter of her forthcoming memoir.

In this deeply personal memoir, Carmen chronicles her journey from believing that her son's impairments were deficits that needed to be fixed to understanding that disability is often created when impairments encounter exclusionary systems, environments, and attitudes.

Through the challenges of raising her son, Jess, Carmen discovered that it was this very friction—navigating a world not designed for him—that revealed extraordinary strengths, transformed the people and systems around them, and awakened her own calling as an inclusion ally.

The opening chapter takes readers back to the moment she first realized that her "perfect" child wasn't "perfect" according to society's expectations—a realization that became the beginning of a profound journey of advocacy, belonging, and hope.

Download the first chapter for free here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1BHGQEOuaP0NRf6oXllbjFAV8Rdp5J0UJtlKTSV8SWz4/edit?pli=1

We hope you'll enjoy this exclusive preview and follow Carmen's journey as her memoir finds its publishing home.

Connect with The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

If this episode inspired you, please:

• Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
• Leave a review to help others discover these important conversations
• Share this episode with a parent, educator, colleague, or friend

Every conversation helps create a world where neurodivergent people are understood, valued, and empowered.

Neurodiversity, Disability Inclusion, Belonging, Mattering, Carmen Farrell, FOXG1 Syndrome, Social Model of Disability, Inclusive Education, Disability Advocacy, Parent Advocacy, Neurodivergent Parenting, School Inclusion, Inclusive Schools, Neurodivergent Adults, Special Education, Accessibility, Human Connection, Community Inclusion, Emotional Wellbeing, The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Justine Jecker to explore how neurodiversity is reshaping our understanding of communication, systems, accessibility, and human difference.

This conversation goes beyond awareness. It challenges how workplaces operate, how healthcare communicates, and how society defines "normal."

Together, Paul and Justine examine what happens when we move away from trying to fix individuals and instead focus on redesigning the systems around them. They discuss communication differences, accessibility, workplace inclusion, healthcare experiences, and why embracing neurodiversity benefits everyone—not just neurodivergent people.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Rethinking traditional assumptions about communication and behaviour

• Neurodiversity in healthcare and workplace systems

• Autism and ADHD communication differences

• Accessibility as a systems issue rather than an individual issue

• Creating environments that support diverse ways of thinking

• Challenging definitions of "normal."

• Inclusive design and systems change

• Building communities and organizations where everyone can thrive

Key Takeaway

If there's one idea to carry forward from this episode, it's this:

"When we stop trying to fix people, we start building systems that actually work for everyone."

Connect with Justine Jecker

Connect with Justine on LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/justine-v-jecker

Learn more about neurodiversity in healthcare, workplace inclusion, and systems-based approaches to accessibility.

Subscribe & Support

If this conversation resonated with you, follow The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast for more conversations about neurodiversity, accessibility, systems change, inclusion, and lived experience.

Your support helps amplify neurodivergent voices and create meaningful conversations that foster understanding, belonging, and positive change.

Neurodiversity, Autism, ADHD, Accessibility, Inclusion, Workplace Inclusion, Healthcare Accessibility, Systems Change, Neurodivergent, Advocacy, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Felicia M. L. Davis to explore how autism and ADHD show up in everyday conversations, workplaces, and relationships—and why so many neurodivergent people are misunderstood.

From literal thinking and missed social cues to masking, burnout, and workplace bias, this conversation reveals the hidden cost of not understanding how different brains work. Together, Paul and Felicia examine how communication differences are often misinterpreted and why those misunderstandings can affect careers, relationships, mental health, and a person's sense of belonging.

The discussion also explores what leaders, managers, organizations, and communities can do right now to create more inclusive, productive, and supportive environments.

If you're a manager, partner, educator, or someone who has ever felt misunderstood, this episode may change how you think about communication.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Autism and ADHD communication differences

• Literal thinking and social communication challenges

• Masking and the hidden cost of fitting in

• Neurodivergent burnout and workplace stress

• Why communication is often mistaken for attitude

• Workplace inclusion and leadership strategies

• Building psychologically safe environments

• Supporting neurodivergent employees, colleagues, and loved ones

About Felicia M. L. Davis

Felicia M. L. Davis is an advocate, speaker, and business leader who brings lived experience and practical insight to conversations about autism, ADHD, leadership, and inclusion.

In this episode, she shares her personal journey toward diagnosis and the lessons she has learned navigating work, communication, relationships, and systems that often misunderstand neurodivergent minds.

Felicia is also the co-author of the upcoming book:

Autism, Not Attitude: Neurodivergence at Work and in Relationships

Learn more at:

feliciamldavis.com/book

Eunoia Thinking:

www.eunoiathinking.com

This episode is especially valuable for:

• Neurodivergent adults

• Managers and team leaders

• HR and DEI professionals

• Spouses and family members

• Educators and support professionals

• Anyone who wants to better understand communication differences and build more inclusive environments

Why this conversation matters

Too many neurodivergent people spend years being misunderstood before they are ever supported. This episode brings language, clarity, and compassion to experiences that are often dismissed, misread, or overlooked.

Felicia reminds us that understanding neurodivergence is not about lowering expectations. It's about creating the conditions for people to thrive.

Share This Episode

If this conversation resonated with you, consider sharing it with:

• A manager

• An HR leader

• An educator

• A spouse or family member

• Someone exploring whether they may be neurodivergent

Because understanding changes everything.

Subscribe & Support

If you enjoyed this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the show with others.

Your support helps amplify neurodivergent voices, increase understanding, and create a more inclusive world where every mind belongs.

Neurodiversity, Autism, ADHD, Workplace Inclusion, Accessibility, Leadership, Neurodivergent, Communication, Inclusion, Human Resources, Disability Inclusion, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Erica Settino to explore late-identified autism, ADHD (combined type), neuroqueerness, alexithymia, and the ongoing journey of unmasking.

Erica shares the validation and clarity that came with receiving a diagnosis later in life, alongside the grief, reflection, and compassion that emerged for the younger version of herself who navigated the world without support or understanding.

Together, Paul and Erica discuss identity, parenting a neurodivergent child, self-discovery, and what it means to rebuild a relationship with yourself after years of masking and misunderstanding.

The conversation also explores the role of creativity, spirituality, and self-expression in the neurodivergent experience. Erica shares how poetry became a nonlinear container for truth-telling, why nature and animals offer connection and unconditional grace, and how activism can become more sustainable through art, storytelling, and care.

Erica also introduces her forthcoming book, The Autistic Arcana—a neurodivergent approach to tarot, magic, and the Major Arcana that explores self-understanding through a neurodiversity-affirming lens.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Late autism diagnosis and identity discovery

• ADHD (combined type) and neurodivergent experiences

• Neuroqueerness and self-understanding

• Alexithymia and emotional awareness

• Unmasking and healing from years of misunderstanding

• Parenting a neurodivergent child

• Creativity, poetry, and personal expression

• Nature, animals, and belonging

• Sustainable activism and community care

• Tarot, spirituality, and self-reflection as tools for understanding

• The Autistic Arcana and neurodivergent approaches to meaning-making

Why This Conversation Matters

Many late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD adults experience a complex mix of validation, grief, relief, and self-discovery.

Erica's story highlights the power of finding language for experiences that once felt confusing or isolating—and the freedom that can come from embracing your authentic self.

If you've ever felt "too much," "not enough," or misunderstood, this conversation offers both language and permission.

Featured Project

The Autistic Arcana (forthcoming)

A neurodivergent approach to tarot, magic, and the Major Arcana that invites readers to explore self-understanding, reflection, and meaning through a neurodiversity-affirming perspective.

Subscribe & Support

If this episode resonated with you, please follow The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who may feel seen by this conversation.

Your support helps amplify neurodivergent voices and create space for meaningful conversations about identity, belonging, self-discovery, and lived experience.

Autism, ADHD, Late Diagnosis, Neuroqueer, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent, Alexithymia, Unmasking, Autistic Adults, Identity, The Autistic Arcana, Erica Settino, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Nathan Stafford-King, a storyteller, photographer, theatre director, and lifelong explorer whose journey has taken him across the UK, Germany, Denmark, India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, and now Canada.

Together, they explore how ADHD can be misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and masked—especially when navigating different cultures, systems, and expectations.

Nathan shares memories of early childhood signs, the impact of a later misdiagnosis, and the moment he realised that even when he was doing everything "right"—sleeping well, exercising, eating properly, and maintaining routines—his ability to focus still felt unpredictable. That realisation ultimately led him to seek an ADHD assessment and a deeper understanding of how his brain works.

The conversation dives into the daily realities of ADHD, including task initiation challenges, unfinished projects, time blindness, distraction, patience, and adaptability. It also celebrates the strengths that often accompany neurodivergence: creativity, humour, curiosity, storytelling, and the remarkable ability to hyperfocus on meaningful work.

Nathan also shares an unforgettable travel story from a night bus in India—a vivid example of how impulsivity, adaptability, and problem-solving often intersect in real life.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• ADHD and late understanding of neurodivergence

• Misdiagnosis and self-discovery

• Living and working across different cultures

• Time blindness, focus, and unfinished projects

• Hyperfocus and creative flow states

• Storytelling, photography, and theatre

• The value of being a generalist in a specialist world

• Building a meaningful life through diverse experiences

• Patience, flexibility, and self-acceptance

• Why non-linear paths can still lead somewhere meaningful

Memorable Moments

"Some days I did everything right… and I still couldn't focus. It felt unfair."

"Task initiation is sometimes really hard… but with video editing, I could just go."

"Identity is the one thing about us that isn't ours—it's given by others."

"If you can step into someone else's perspective, you double your knowledge."

Key Takeaway

Many neurodivergent people worry they're too scattered, too curious, or too multi-passionate.

Nathan offers a different perspective:

The experiences you collect, the skills you build, and the stories you gather can come together in meaningful ways—even when the path isn't obvious at the time.

Sometimes being a generalist is not a weakness. It's a strength.

Resources Mentioned

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialised World by David Epstein

Connect with Nathan Stafford-King

Instagram:

@NathSK

Watch Nathan's play:

youtube.com/watch?v=T8CJ1yXZMBY

Why This Conversation Matters

In a world that often rewards specialisation, this episode is a reminder that curiosity, adaptability, creativity, and broad experience have value.

For neurodivergent people whose lives don't follow a straight line, Nathan's story offers reassurance that meaningful growth can happen between places, between identities, and between expectations.

Subscribe & Support

If this episode resonated with you, please follow The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need to hear this message.

Your support helps amplify neurodivergent voices and create conversations that foster understanding, belonging, and self-acceptance.

ADHD, Neurodiversity, Generalist, Creativity, Storytelling, Late Diagnosis, Neurodivergent, Identity, Hyperfocus, Photography, Theatre, Nathan Stafford King, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz is joined by educator, author, and advocate Jeff Brown, a high school teacher with more than 25 years of experience and lived experience as an autistic and ADHD adult.

Together, they explore how slowing down our perception can transform classrooms, homes, relationships, and lives.

Jeff shares why neurodivergent behaviours are so often misunderstood, how students are frequently labelled as "lazy," "defiant," or "unmotivated," and what becomes possible when adults choose curiosity over judgment.

From sensory overload and rejection sensitivity to discipline systems, educational expectations, and long-term self-worth, this conversation challenges common assumptions and offers a more compassionate, neurodiversity-affirming perspective.

At its heart, this episode reminds us that advocacy often begins long before paperwork, accommodations, or policy—it begins with how we choose to see people.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Autism, ADHD, and neurodivergent experiences

• Why behaviour is often misunderstood

• Sensory overload and emotional regulation

• Rejection sensitivity and self-worth

• Moving from judgment to curiosity

• Creating safer and more supportive classrooms

• Discipline systems and their unintended consequences

• Building trust with neurodivergent youth

• Advocacy through understanding and connection

• What happens when people truly feel seen

Why This Conversation Matters

Too many neurodivergent young people grow up hearing messages that they are difficult, lazy, disruptive, or not trying hard enough.

Jeff challenges these narratives by encouraging educators, parents, and caregivers to look beneath behaviour and consider the experiences driving it.

When we understand the "why," we create opportunities for connection, growth, and belonging.

Who Should Listen

This episode is especially meaningful for:

• Neurodivergent youth who have felt misunderstood

• Parents and caregivers seeking a more compassionate lens

• Educators building inclusive and supportive classrooms

• School administrators and support staff

• Mental health professionals and advocates

• Anyone wanting a deeper understanding of neurodivergent experiences

Key Takeaway

When people feel seen, they feel safer.

And when they feel safe, they can grow.

Featured Resource

Learn more about Jeff Brown's book:

Seeing People

Book website:

jeffbrownsclassroom.com/books/seeing-people

About the Guest

Jeff Brown is an educator, author, and advocate with more than 25 years of classroom experience. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience as an autistic and ADHD adult, he helps educators, families, and communities better understand neurodivergent learners and create environments where they can thrive.

Subscribe & Support

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share it with a parent, educator, caregiver, or advocate.

Your support helps amplify neurodivergent voices and foster conversations that promote understanding, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging.

Autism, ADHD, Neurodiversity, Education, Inclusive Education, Neurodivergent, Advocacy, Parenting, Teaching, Sensory Processing, Jeff Brown, Seeing People, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Lynn Greenberg, a former family law attorney turned children's author, to discuss dyslexia, ADHD, advocacy, and the importance of recognizing neurodivergent strengths from an early age.

Lynn shares the inspiring story behind The Creative Cab Company, the award-winning children's book series she co-created with her son. What began as a personal family journey evolved into a creative project designed to help children better understand themselves, embrace their differences, and recognize their unique abilities.

Together, Paul and Lynn explore the early signs of dyslexia and ADHD, the challenges families often face when seeking answers, and the importance of trusting parental instincts when something doesn't feel right.

This heartwarming conversation highlights the power of storytelling, representation, and advocacy in helping neurodivergent children develop confidence, self-understanding, and a sense of belonging.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Early signs of dyslexia and ADHD

• Recognizing learning differences in children

• Navigating diagnosis and support systems

• Parent advocacy and trusting your instincts

• Building confidence in neurodivergent children

• The role of storytelling in self-understanding

• Celebrating differences instead of hiding them

• Creating environments where children feel seen and valued

• Supporting strengths alongside challenges

About Lynn Greenberg

Lynn Greenberg is a former family law attorney, advocate, and children's author.

She is the co-creator of The Creative Cab Company, an award-winning children's book series designed to help young readers better understand neurodiversity and celebrate the unique qualities that make them who they are.

Through characters such as Robbie the Dyslexic Taxi and Susie the ADHD Taxi, Lynn and her son have created stories that encourage empathy, confidence, and inclusion while helping children recognize that differences can be strengths.

Why This Conversation Matters

Many neurodivergent children struggle not because of who they are, but because they lack understanding, support, or representation.

Lynn's story reminds us that early recognition, compassionate advocacy, and positive representation can make a meaningful difference in a child's life.

When children understand that their differences are not flaws, they are more likely to develop confidence, resilience, and self-acceptance.

Key Takeaway

Every child deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued.

Sometimes the most powerful support begins with listening, trusting your instincts, and helping children understand that being different does not mean being less.

Featured Resource

The Creative Cab Company book series

Featuring beloved characters, including:

• Robbie the Dyslexic Taxi

• Susie the ADHD Taxi

Stories designed to celebrate neurodiversity, encourage inclusion, and help children build confidence in who they are.

Who Should Listen

This episode is especially valuable for:

• Parents and caregivers

• Educators and learning support staff

• Families navigating dyslexia or ADHD diagnoses

• Advocates and community leaders

• Anyone interested in supporting neurodivergent children

Subscribe & Support

If you enjoyed this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a parent, educator, or family member.

Your support helps amplify neurodivergent voices and create conversations that foster understanding, acceptance, and belonging for children and families.

Dyslexia, ADHD, Neurodiversity, Parent Advocacy, Learning Differences, Neurodivergent Kids, Inclusive Education, Child Development, Lynn Greenberg, Creative Cab Company, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Dr. Gregory James Skinner, M.D., a Calgary-based family physician and leading advocate for accessible adult autism diagnosis.

Together, they explore the growing need for adult autism assessment, the barriers many autistic adults face when seeking answers, and why diagnosis is often about far more than a label—it can be about validation, identity, self-understanding, and access to meaningful support.

Dr. Skinner shares his remarkable journey through international medical training, his personal connection to autism, and the challenges of building one of the few medical practices in Canada dedicated to adult autism assessment.

The conversation highlights the realities many adults encounter when they begin exploring the possibility that they may be autistic, including delayed recognition, misunderstandings, missed opportunities for support, and the emotional impact of finally receiving answers.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Adult autism diagnosis and assessment

• Late identification and self-discovery

• Barriers to autism assessment and support

• Understanding autistic identity in adulthood

• Validation, recognition, and belonging

• The importance of accessible diagnostic services

• Common misconceptions about autism

• Advocacy and systems change in healthcare

• Supporting autistic adults beyond diagnosis

Key Quotes

"Autism isn't invisible—it's a visible neuro-minority. People see it, but it's misunderstood."

— Dr. Gregory Skinner

"Diagnosis is not about weakness—it's about validation, recognition, and access to support."

— Dr. Gregory Skinner

Why This Conversation Matters

Many autistic adults spend years wondering why certain aspects of life feel more difficult than they seem for others.

For some, receiving an autism diagnosis can provide clarity, context, self-compassion, and a new understanding of lifelong experiences.

This conversation explores why access to assessment matters and why recognition can be an important step toward building support, community, and self-acceptance.

About the Guest

Dr. Gregory James Skinner is a family physician, autism advocate, and founder of Autism Exists Diagnosis Clinic.

His work focuses on improving access to adult autism assessment and helping individuals better understand themselves through accurate, compassionate, and affirming diagnostic processes.

Resources & Links

Autism Exists Diagnosis Clinic:

autismexists.com

Lives in the Balance (Dr. Ross Greene's collaborative approach to care):

livesinthebalance.org

Who Should Listen

This episode is especially valuable for:

• Adults exploring a possible autism diagnosis

• Late-identified autistic adults

• Family members and caregivers

• Healthcare professionals

• Educators and advocates

• Anyone interested in autism, identity, and accessibility

Key Takeaway

Diagnosis is not about finding something wrong with you.

It's about gaining a deeper understanding of yourself, accessing support when needed, and recognizing that your experiences are valid.

Subscribe & Support

If you enjoyed this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may benefit from this conversation.

Your support helps amplify neurodivergent voices and foster greater understanding, acceptance, and accessibility for autistic individuals and their families.

Autism, Adult Autism, Autism Diagnosis, Late Diagnosis, Neurodiversity, Autistic Adults, Accessibility, Advocacy, Mental Health, Identity, Gregory Skinner, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with occupational therapist, educator, and Swinging Upside Down host Cynthia Miller-Lautman to explore how sensory science can help create more inclusive, supportive, and neurodiversity-affirming environments.

Drawing on years of clinical experience, parenthood, and work with diverse communities, Cynthia shares why understanding sensory needs can transform the way we view behaviour, learning, communication, and regulation.

Together, Paul and Cynthia discuss what it means to "watch the person" rather than react to behaviours, and why many behaviours are not acts of defiance but signals that a person may be overwhelmed, dysregulated, or struggling to meet an unmet need.

The conversation explores practical ways to create sensory-friendly spaces in schools, homes, clinics, workplaces, and community settings—without requiring large budgets or perfect conditions.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Autism, neurodiversity, and sensory regulation

• Understanding the eight sensory systems

• Vestibular, proprioceptive, and interoceptive processing

• What "just right" regulation feels like

• Sensory-friendly environments and inclusive design

• Supporting sensory needs at school, home, and work

• Behaviour as communication rather than defiance

• Creating sensory-safe micro-spaces on a budget

• Safety, consent, dignity, and regulation

• Practical strategies for parents, educators, and professionals

Key Insights

Cynthia explains how sensory processing affects everyday experiences and why recognizing sensory needs can help reduce stress, improve regulation, and support well-being.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of:

• The eight sensory systems

• How sensory needs differ from person to person

• Why regulation matters for learning and connection

• Small environmental changes that can make a big difference

• How to build a practical sensory-support plan

Key Quotes

"Sensory is not a reward. Sensory is a human need."

— Cynthia Miller-Lautman

"Behaviours are often signals—our detective work is figuring out what's really going on."

"Parents, teachers, and therapists must become sensory detectives to help kids (and adults) find 'just right.'"

Why This Conversation Matters

Too often, behaviours are interpreted without understanding the sensory experiences that may be driving them.

This episode encourages listeners to move from judgment to curiosity and to recognize that many challenges can be better understood through a sensory lens.

When people feel safe, regulated, and supported, they are better able to learn, connect, communicate, and thrive.

About the Guest

Cynthia Miller-Lautman is an occupational therapist, educator, and host of Swinging Upside Down.

Her work focuses on sensory processing, neurodiversity-affirming practice, regulation, and helping families, educators, and professionals create environments that support participation, dignity, and well-being.

Resources & Links

Website:

cynthiamillerlautman.com

Facebook:

facebook.com/cynthiamillerlautmanot

Instagram:

@cynthiamillerlautman

TikTok:

@cynthiamillerlautman

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/cynthiamillerlautman

Who Should Listen

This episode is especially valuable for:

• Parents and caregivers

• Educators and school staff

• Occupational therapists and healthcare professionals

• Neurodivergent adults

• Employers and workplace leaders

• Anyone interested in creating more inclusive environments

Key Takeaway

Behaviour is often communication.

When we learn to recognize sensory needs, we can create environments that support safety, regulation, dignity, and belonging for neurodivergent people of all ages.

Autism, Neurodiversity, Sensory Processing, Occupational Therapy, Inclusive Education, Accessibility, Neurodivergent, Sensory Friendly, Regulation, Parenting, Cynthia Miller Lautman, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz is joined by Janelle Peters, Mental Health Counsellor, and Amy Bujak, Social Worker, from Coast Mental Health's Brain Training Team.

Together, they explore cognitive remediation, neuroplasticity, and practical strategies that help individuals strengthen attention, memory, executive functioning, and everyday problem-solving skills.

Through real-world examples, Janelle and Amy explain how the brain can develop new pathways and how targeted supports can help people overcome challenges while building confidence and independence.

The conversation also highlights the importance of community, hope-based recovery, and reducing stigma through education, creativity, and connection.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Cognitive remediation and brain training

• Neuroplasticity and lifelong learning

• Attention, memory, and executive functioning

• Practical compensatory strategies

• Mental retracing and task-linking techniques

• Supporting mental health and recovery

• Community connection and peer support

• Reducing stigma through education and outreach

• Building confidence through small, meaningful successes

Why This Conversation Matters

Many people assume that cognitive challenges are permanent or that growth is limited.

This conversation offers a different perspective: the brain is capable of learning, adapting, and developing throughout life.

While challenges may remain, the right tools, support systems, and strategies can help people build skills, improve functioning, and move toward their goals.

Key Takeaway

Growth is always possible.

Healing, learning, and recovery do not have to happen alone—and meaningful change often begins with small, consistent steps.

About Coast Mental Health's Brain Training Program

The Brain Training Program helps individuals strengthen cognitive skills such as attention, memory, organization, and problem-solving through evidence-based approaches grounded in neuroplasticity and recovery-oriented practice.

Learn More

Coast Mental Health Brain Training Program:

coastmentalhealth.com/brain-training-changes-lives

Who Should Listen

This episode is especially valuable for:

• Neurodivergent adults

• Individuals experiencing cognitive challenges

• Caregivers and family members

• Educators and support professionals

• Mental health practitioners

• Anyone interested in brain health and lifelong learning

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may benefit from these insights and strategies.

Mental Health, Neuroplasticity, BrainTraining, Executive Functioning, Neurodiversity, Cognitive Health, Recovery, Mental Wellness, Coast Mental Health, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz hands the mic to Hussein and Zion, two university students from the Venture for Canada entrepreneurship program, for a powerful conversation with Jenna Ignaczak, Malka Finkelstein, and Maddie Sardone from the Neurodiversity Students Association (NDSA) at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Together, they explore the realities of navigating post-secondary education as neurodivergent students—from masking and accessibility barriers to mental health, self-advocacy, and the emotional toll of constantly having to explain and defend your needs.

The discussion highlights both the challenges and opportunities facing students today while offering a hopeful vision for campuses built on equity, belonging, and meaningful support.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Neurodivergent experiences in college and university

• Accessibility and accommodation barriers

• Masking and mental health challenges

• Ableism in higher education

• Self-advocacy and student leadership

• Equity versus equality in educational settings

• Building supportive campus communities

• Practical ways institutions can better support students

Quotes to Remember

"It's not about equality, it's about equity." — Malka Finkelstein

"We don't know what we don't know. Ask students what they need." — Jenna Ignaczak

"It's easier to get rid of us than support us. That's the problem." — Maddie Sardone

Why This Conversation Matters

Too many neurodivergent students face barriers that go beyond academics. From navigating accommodation systems to managing mental health and belonging, students are often expected to carry the burden of advocacy alone.

This episode challenges institutions to listen directly to student voices and recognize that meaningful inclusion requires more than equal treatment—it requires equitable support.

Featured Organizations & Guests

Neurodiversity Students Association (NDSA)

Toronto Metropolitan University

Instagram:

@tmu_ndsa

Special Feature

This episode also includes a special clip from Telos: A Neurodiversity Conversation, a youth-led podcast hosted by autistic teen Ares Wren.

Key Takeaway

Inclusion starts with listening.

When universities ask students what they need—and act on those insights—they create environments where neurodivergent learners can thrive.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a student, educator, policymaker, or advocate working toward a more inclusive future in higher education.

Neurodiversity, Higher Education, College Students, University Students, Accessibility, Equity, Inclusion, Student Advocacy, Mental Health, Neurodivergent, TMU, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Emily Fitzpatrick, a CBC video journalist, to discuss ADHD, late diagnosis, self-acceptance, and what it means to live with grace instead of guilt.

Emily shares her personal journey of understanding her neurodivergence and how greater self-awareness transformed her relationships, workplace experiences, and mental health. Together, Paul and Emily explore executive dysfunction, rejection sensitivity, self-advocacy, and the challenges many adults face before receiving an ADHD diagnosis.

The conversation also highlights the growing role of online communities in reducing stigma and helping neurodivergent individuals feel seen, understood, and supported.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Living with ADHD as an adult

• Late diagnosis and self-discovery

• Executive dysfunction and daily life challenges

• Rejection sensitivity and emotional well-being

• Self-acceptance and self-compassion

• Workplace experiences and neurodiversity

• Advocacy and reducing stigma

• The impact of online neurodivergent communities

Why This Conversation Matters

Many people with ADHD spend years blaming themselves for struggles they don't fully understand.

Emily's story is a reminder that understanding how your brain works can open the door to greater self-compassion, healthier relationships, and a more authentic life.

Rather than viewing neurodivergence through a lens of shame, this conversation encourages listeners to approach themselves with curiosity, patience, and grace.

About the Guest

Emily Fitzpatrick is an Edmonton-based mobile journalist (MOJO) with CBC. Over the past decade, she has reported on a wide range of stories focused on community, mental health, and human experiences across web, radio, and television platforms.

Featured Resource

Watch Emily's CBC News video:

Diagnosed with ADHD as an Adult

https://youtu.be/-UArVKyH4fQ

Key Takeaway

Grace, not guilt.

Understanding yourself is not an excuse—it's an opportunity to build a life that works with your brain instead of against it.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone navigating ADHD, late diagnosis, or self-acceptance.

ADHD, Late Diagnosis, Neurodiversity, Executive Dysfunction, Self Acceptance, Mental Health, Neurodivergent, ADHD Awareness, Emily Fitzpatrick, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with autism advocate, speaker, author, and educator Becca Lory Hector to discuss late autism diagnosis, identity, belonging, and the journey toward authentic living.

Diagnosed autistic at age 36, Becca shares how receiving a diagnosis transformed her understanding of herself and sparked a lifelong commitment to advocacy, leadership, and community building. Together, Paul and Becca explore the challenges of stigma and ableism, the importance of inclusive environments, and why autistic individuals deserve the opportunity to define success on their own terms.

The conversation also examines what happens after diagnosis, the value of self-exploration, and how community support can help autistic people move from surviving to thriving.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Late autism diagnosis and identity discovery

• Living authentically as an autistic adult

• Challenging stigma and ableism

• Building inclusive communities and workplaces

• Leadership and disability advocacy

• Self-discovery after diagnosis

• Redefining success and quality of life

• The importance of the autistic community and collaboration

Why This Conversation Matters

Many autistic adults spend years trying to meet expectations that were never designed with them in mind.

Becca encourages listeners to move beyond external definitions of success and instead focus on creating lives that align with their values, strengths, needs, and goals.

Her message is simple but powerful:

A meaningful life is not about fitting in—it's about living authentically.

Featured Resource

Self-Defined Living Course: A Path to a Quality Autistic Life

Becca's course helps autistic individuals explore identity, self-understanding, and quality of life through a neurodiversity-affirming approach.

About the Guest

Becca Lory Hector is an autism advocate, consultant, educator, author, and LinkedIn Top Voice in Disability Advocacy. Through her writing, speaking, consulting, and educational programs, she helps individuals and organizations better understand autism, disability inclusion, and authentic leadership.

Connect with Becca Lory Hector

Website:

beccaloryhector.com

Disability Consulting:

trulyinclusiveleadership.com

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/beccaloryhector

Book:

Always Bring Your Sunglasses

Patreon:

patreon.com/BeccaLoryHector

YouTube:

youtube.com/c/BeccaLoryHector

Instagram:

@beccaloryhector

Self-Defined Living Course:

beccalory.com

Key Takeaway

You do not have to build your life around someone else's definition of success.

Authenticity, self-understanding, and community can create a foundation for a meaningful and fulfilling autistic life.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone navigating autism, identity, or life after diagnosis.

Autism, Autistic Adults, Late Diagnosis, Neurodiversity, Disability Advocacy, Inclusion, Authenticity, Identity, Becca Lory Hector, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Sarah Russell, founder of The Neurodivergent Report, to discuss ADHD, parenting, advocacy, and the power of embracing neurodivergent identity.

Drawing on her background in sociology and lived experience as both a neurodivergent individual and parent of a neurodivergent child, Sarah explores how social norms shape the way neurodivergent people see themselves—and why challenging those assumptions can be a powerful step toward self-acceptance.

Together, Paul and Sarah discuss self-advocacy, reducing stigma, building supportive communities, and helping people feel less alone through shared stories and lived experience.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• ADHD and neurodivergent identity

• Parenting neurodivergent children

• Self-advocacy and self-compassion

• The impact of societal expectations and social norms

• Building confidence and self-acceptance

• Evidence-based coaching approaches

• Art therapy and emotional well-being

• Community support and belonging

• Reducing stigma through storytelling and advocacy

Why This Conversation Matters

Many neurodivergent people grow up feeling pressure to conform to expectations that don't reflect how they naturally think, learn, or experience the world.

Sarah's perspective encourages listeners to approach themselves with greater compassion, embrace their differences, and challenge narratives that frame neurodivergence as something to overcome rather than understand.

About the Guest

Sarah Russell is the founder of The Neurodivergent Report, a platform dedicated to sharing stories, resources, and conversations that support neurodivergent individuals and families.

Through coaching, advocacy, and podcasting, she helps foster understanding, connection, and empowerment within the neurodivergent community.

Connect with Sarah Russell

Website:

sarruss.my.canva.site/hi

The Neurodivergent Report

Website:

ndreportpod.com

Instagram:

@ndreportpod

YouTube:

@Ndreportpod

TikTok:

@ndreportpod

Substack:

ndreportpod.substack.com

Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Key Takeaway

Self-love is not selfish.

When neurodivergent people learn to advocate for themselves and extend compassion to themselves, they create space for growth, healing, and authentic connection.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone navigating ADHD, parenting, advocacy, or their own neurodivergent journey.

ADHD, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent, Self Advocacy, Self Compassion, Parenting, Mental Health, Belonging, Advocacy, Sarah Russell, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast.

In this special launch episode, host Paul Cruz and volunteer co-hosts Livia Ward, Letara Couto, Karen Habashi, and Gino Akbari introduce themselves and share the personal experiences that inspired them to create a podcast dedicated to neurodivergent stories, lived experience, inclusion, and community.

Together, they discuss their backgrounds in psychology, education, parenthood, technology, coaching, behaviour support, writing, and neurodivergent advocacy. More importantly, they share why creating a space where people feel seen, heard, and understood matters.

This episode lays the foundation for the conversations ahead—honest discussions about neurodiversity, practical insights, personal stories, and the voices that too often go unheard.

Meet the Hosts

Paul Cruz

Reflects on the inspiration behind launching the podcast and the importance of creating conversations that celebrate neurodivergent experiences and perspectives.

Livia Ward

Shares her passion for psychology, storytelling, and supporting neurodivergent communities.

Letara Couto

Discusses her work as a learning strategist, her ADHD journey, and her commitment to helping neurodivergent learners and families thrive.

Karen Habashi

Opens up about receiving an ADHD diagnosis at age 40, motherhood, cultural perspectives, and the power of storytelling.

Gino Akbari

Explores his background in coaching, cognitive behavioural approaches, and supporting neurodivergent individuals and caregivers.

What You Can Expect From This Podcast

• Neurodivergent lived experiences

• Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurodivergent perspectives

• Conversations with advocates, educators, researchers, and community leaders

• Practical tools and strategies

• Stories of resilience, belonging, and self-discovery

• Discussions that challenge stigma and promote inclusion

Why This Episode Matters

This podcast was created to amplify voices that deserve to be heard.

Whether you're neurodivergent, a parent, educator, caregiver, ally, support professional, or simply curious to learn more, this space is for you.

Because every story matters.

And every voice deserves to be heard.

Join the Conversation

If this episode resonates with you:

• Subscribe so you never miss an episode

• Leave a review to help others discover the show

• Share the podcast with someone who may benefit from it

• Follow @NeurodiversityVoicesPodcast on social media

Thank You

Thank you for supporting the launch of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast.

We're just getting started, and we're grateful you're joining us on this journey.

Neurodiversity, Autism, ADHD, Neurodivergent, Inclusion, Accessibility, Advocacy, Community, Lived Experience, Neurodiversity Voices, Podcast

Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.

We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!

Hosted by Paul Cruz.

Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join

Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

LinkedIn • YouTube:

@neurodiversityvoicespodcast

Disclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.