This week, Emily Kircher-Morris sits down with Jessica Sinarski, a mental health counselor who merges neuroscience with education and family dynamics. They dig into the complex relationship between trauma and neurodivergence, underscoring the critical need for trauma-responsive practices and a strengths-based perspective in supporting neurodivergent people. They explore how trust and early life experiences shape brain development, and the profound impact these factors have on individuals...

Today we’re tackling the challenge of decoding ADHD in children. Emily Kircher-Morris chats with Drs. Yael Rothman and Katia Fredriksen about the cultural and socioeconomic factors that influence the diagnosis, the disparities in diagnosis rates among different racial and ethnic groups, and the impact of stigma. They also explore the benefits of early diagnosis and intervention, and of recognizing and leveraging the strengths often inherent in ADHD. They touch on a host of other subjects as...

Our guest is Jane Singleton, an executive function coach and consultant, and she talks with Emily Kircher-Morris about the development of executive functioning skills through different life stages, and how it impacts individuals. They talk about the importance of practicing these skills early on, to prepare for the increasing demands of independence. You’ll pick up strategies for parents to help their children build executive functioning skills, including asking questions, creating a safe...

In episode 221, Emily talks with Brad Wright, a Neurodivergent Educator and Administrator, and author of the Infinity Blast series of middle grade books featuring neurodivergent characters. They discuss his work as an educator and how it influenced his decision to write fiction for young people. It’s important for educators to be educated about neurodiversity and provide accurate information to children. Brad also talks about the evolution of neurodivergent characters in children's literature...

We’re talking STEM today, and Emily Kircher-Morris is joined by Dr. Arash Zaghi, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut, to discuss the importance of neurodiversity in STEM fields. They talk about the need for diverse perspectives and ways of thinking to solve complex problems in science and engineering. There’s a value in different types of contributions, such as creative ideas and detailed execution plans, and a need to shift...

In this episode of the Neurodiversity Podcast, Emily Kircher-Morris answers questions submitted by members of the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy and Support Group on Facebook. The questions cover a range of topics including listening to the podcast with children, supporting processing speed issues, managing low self-esteem, diagnosing ADHD in older age, the overlap between cognitive giftedness and autism, exploring masking, and managing chores and responsibilities for individuals with a PDA...

Jen Merrill, creator of Laughing at Chaos and author of If This is a Gift, Can I Send It Back?, shares her experience as a parent of a twice-exceptional child and discusses the challenges and benefits of homeschooling. She emphasizes the importance of self-care for parents of gifted and twice exceptional children. Takeaways Parents of gifted and twice exceptional children need to prioritize self-care to better advocate for their children and maintain their own well-being. Twice...

Often, neurodivergent people have a completely different communication experience than neurotypicals. They respond differently to regulation, attention, and motivation, and often parents struggle when trying to improve connections with their kids. Linda Murphy is the author of The Declarative Language Handbook, and we present an encore of our conversation from 2023, with ideas on how to reframe communication and break down barriers. To learn more about the Neurodiversity University courses...

Dr. Donna Henderson joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about the changes in the assessment process for autism, the importance of empowering therapists to diagnose autism, and the need for equity in masking. Their conversation also explores the double empathy problem and the challenges of balancing unmasking with the needs of neurodiverse individuals in educational settings. They also discuss the PDA profile and its place within the autism spectrum. That’s all waiting for you on episode 216. ...

On this episode, Emily Kircher-Morris talks with Jeff Horwitz about the concept of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and its application in education. UDL focuses on creating learning environments and experiences that are accessible and beneficial for all students, regardless of their learning styles or abilities. How can UDL be implemented in both classroom and home settings? What are some common barriers to implementing UDL, and what are some strategies to overcome them? What’s the role...

Friendships and relationships can be hard for neurodivergent people, especially if they experience lagging social skills, or struggle with executive function. Emily Kircher-Morris is joined by Caroline Maguire, author of Why Will Nobody Play With Me?, and they discuss the challenges and importance of neurodivergent friendships, particularly for individuals with ADHD. They talk about the lack of support for ADHD kids in developing social skills, and the negative impact it can have on their...

On episode 213, Emily is joined by Matt Lowry, host of the Autistic Culture podcast. They discuss the concept of autism as a neurotype and culture, Matt shares his personal experience as an autistic individual, and they discuss the importance of understanding autism in a non-pathologizing way. They also discuss the need for neurodiversity affirming evaluations and therapy, as well as the challenges of balancing autistic identity and social adaptation. It’s a challenge to create a life that...

On episode 212, Emily Kircher-Morris and Jess Lahey discuss the importance of understanding and supporting neurodivergent students. Jess highlights the need for teachers to question traditional teaching methods and adapt their practices to meet the diverse needs of their students. They talk about the value of formative assessments, peer-to-peer teaching, and creating an inclusive learning environment. They also explore the overlap between substance abuse and learning differences, emphasizing...

On episode 211, Emily Kircher-Morris talks with Brooke Schnittman, founder of Coaching with Brooke and author of Activate Your ADHD Potential. They discuss the barriers faced by ADHDers, the strengths of ADHD brains, the influence of the neurodiversity framework, the shift in our understanding of ADHD, the importance of structure and systems, her favorite tool for getting thoughts out of the head, and more. It’s a great conversation with plenty of usable advice and ideas. Key takeaways: ...

On episode 210, we dive into a topic that resonates with many of us: the struggle between wanting to achieve our goals, and a lack of motivation. Today, we're exploring all of it with a guest who has transformed this challenge into an art. Emily chats with Dani Donovan, a renowned author, ADHD advocate, and the genius behind those viral illustrations that have likely caught your eye on social media. Dani's groundbreaking book, 'The Anti-Planner: How to Get Stuff Done When You Don’t Feel Like...

What are the limits of IQ tests and scores? How can someone best advocate for gifted-affirming education for a 2e student? Why do some kids consider their neurodivergent diagnoses as failures, and how can we change that? What can we do about bullying? Plus many more questions and answers. This is episode 209, and it’s another Ask Me Anything with Emily Kircher-Morris. To be part of it, join us on Facebook in The Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy & Support Group! Also, registration for the...

Entering college can be a pivotal and challenging journey, especially for neurodivergent individuals. On episode 208, we look at what happens when traditional paths don't align with diverse needs. From systemic shifts in college admissions to the importance of soft skills beyond academics, we're talking about what it takes to thrive in higher education. Joining us is Elizabeth West, CEO of EWC College Consulting, who brings a wealth of knowledge on guiding neurodivergent students through...

Studying and learning skills are different for neurodivergent learners, and traditional teaching methods often fail to address their needs. So what happens when we rethink learning strategies to empower these students? On episode 207, we're unraveling these challenges with Gretchen Wegner, an expert in redefining study skills for neurodivergent minds. Creator of the AntiBoringLab YouTube channel, Gretchen will shed light on empowering students through innovative strategies. Registration for...

On episode 206 we talk about autonomy and motivation. In a world where autonomy is key to motivation and engagement, how do we navigate this with our children, especially those who are neurodivergent? Today, we're exploring the vital role of independence and control in fostering engagement and motivation, not just in kids, but in all of us. Joining us is Ned Johnson, founder of PrepMatters and co-author of The Self-Driven Child, and What Do You Say? How To Talk With Kids To Build Motivation,...

In episode 205 we talk about how understanding and supporting the emotional needs of our neurodivergent children is like learning a new language.  This Perspectives episode brings the insights from three of our guests together to talk about how we can connect with our children and become fluent in interpreting those behaviors and helping them with emotionally. For guest bios, or to listen to the full episodes, here are the links: Episode 186, Parenting Through the Chaos and Finding Peace...

As we wrap up 2023, we are presenting a series of episodes called Perspectives, and on episode 204 we talk about ADHD. The experience of being an ADHDer influences people throughout their lifetime. Whether it is understanding the experience of children, or reconciling a diagnosis as an adult, we know that the needs of ADHDers don’t go away - they just change. For guest bios, or to listen to the full episodes, here are the links: Episode 142, Understanding ADHD Children with Dr. Sharon...

As we wrap up 2023, we are presenting a series of episodes called Perspectives. Today, we talk about sensory needs. These varied needs impact a wide range of life activities for neurodivergent people. From unique processing needs of the five senses we were all taught in elementary school, to the newer and wider understanding we have of the proprioceptive, vestibular, and interoceptive sensory systems, having an awareness of how these systems impact our daily lives can make a big difference. ...

Emily Kircher-Morris is joined by Barbara Lally, a certified professional coach and author who focuses on Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs). Barbara shares her personal story of living with trichotillomania, a chronic hair-pulling disorder, and discusses the stigma and misunderstandings surrounding BFRBs. She also offers advice for those struggling with BFRBs and their loved ones. There’s a lot to learn in episode 202. If you're a teacher and not yet a member of the Neurodiversity...

How important is early identification and evaluation of twice-exceptionality? And what are some common myths about 2e people? Julie Skolnick is the author of 'Gifted and Distractible: Understanding, Supporting, and Advocating for Your Twice-Exceptional Child,' and she joins Emily to bring insights that can empower parents who are starting on this journey with their children. This episode is brought to you by Gifted Learning Lab, offering a free email mini course about diffusing power...

The Neurodiversity Podcast celebrates its 200th episode! We’re pretty sure we were surprised to hit 10. Probably shocked at 100. But at 200, we’re grateful and excited, and already planning our path to 300! There are few people with whom we’d rather celebrate our landmark than Amanda Morin. She’s Emily’s co-author on a book to be released in 2024, and for episode 200 they talk about the things they’re grateful for as we enter 2023’s holiday season. Thank you for your loyalty, and here’s to...