Neurodiversity Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The Power of #OwnVoices in Autism Advocacy May 05, 2021

Show notes

In this episode we're talking with two of the editors of Sincerely, Your Autistic Child, a book about what autistic people wish their parents knew. Emily Paige Ballou and Morénike Giwa Onaiwu join Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about autism, neurodiversity, and ways to better understand your autistic child's unique view of the world.

ABOUT THE GUESTS - Emily Paige Ballou is a Senior Editor, Online Content Moderator, and is on the Publications Committee at the Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network. She is a self-described old Millennial from the midwest who graduated from the University of Georgia and now lives in NYC, where she primarily works as an AEA stage manager of new plays and new musicals. She was diagnosed with autism in her late 20s.

Her writing has been published at the Thinking Person's Guide to Autism, Barking Sycamores, and NeuroQueer, among others.

Morénike Giwa Onaiwu is an American educator, author, and autism and HIV advocate. She is an editor of All the Weight of Our Dreams, an anthology of art and writing entirely by autistic people of color published by the Autism Women's Network in June 2017.

Giwa Onaiwu received a BA in International Relations from United States International University in San Diego, California, and a Masters in Special Education from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.

You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/neurodiversity. The Neurodiversity Podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram, and on Twitter @NeurodiversePod. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com

REJECTED! Now what? Overcoming Rejection Sensitivity Apr 22, 2021

Show notes

Most of us have at least some rejection sensitivity, but with neurodivergent people it's often magnified. Emily Kircher-Morris talks with Brendan Mahan, an ADHD and executive function consultant, about how to reduce or overcome rejection sensitivity. This is an episode everyone can benefit from, and don't forget to check out Brendan's podcast, ADHD Essentials.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Brendan Mahan, MEd., MS, is an ADHD/Executive Function consultant, coach, and speaker. As a veteran educator, he is skilled at teaching people how to effectively manage the challenges they face. He and his twin sons have ADHD, and he enjoys helping others with ADHD meet the challenges they face.

Brendan is also host of the ADHD Essentials podcast.

Homeschooling and Resilience Apr 16, 2021

Show notes

At a time when homeschooling has experienced a surge, Colleen Kessler talks with Emily Kircher-Morris about instilling confidence and resilience in neurodivergent kids. They also talk about how the Coronavirus pandemic changed the homeschooling experience. Colleen Kessler is the host of the Raising Lifelong Learners podcast and she joins us on episode 82.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Colleen Kessler is the author of dozens of books for teachers, parents, and children, most focusing on hands-on learning, experiments, science, nature, and creativity in kids – especially gifted kids. She's also the host of the Raising Lifelong Learners podcast.

She has a master's degree in gifted education and spent over ten years as a gifted intervention specialist advocating for the gifted children with whom she worked. Colleen has been a full-time writer since 2007.

Neurodivergent Adulting Made Easy Mar 31, 2021

Show notes

Equipping a neurodivergent kid for the adult world can be a challenge. Amanda Morin from Understood.org talks with Emily Kircher-Morris about some of the things you wish someone had told you about that transition. You can download a free excerpt of her new book, Adulting Made Easy: Things Someone Should Have Told You About Getting Your Grown-Up Act Together, on the episode 81 page at www.neurodiversitypodcast.com.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Amanda Morin worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She has been working as an education writer since 2007 and played an integral role in launching Understood.org in 2014. As an educator and parent of kids with learning issues, she has been an active member of numerous Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams and believes strongly in the importance of educators partnering with families.

Morin received a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Maine and special education advocacy training from the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates. She is the author of five books.

Equity, ADHD, and 3e Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

Emily Kircher-Morris talks with Colin Seale about what it's like to be diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. They discuss whether we've forgotten the real meaning of equity. They talk about teaching and promoting critical thinking, and they remind teachers about where to turn for guidance on motivating and inspiring their students. (hint: it's the parents.)

ABOUT THE GUEST - Colin Seale is a critical thinking expert, achievement gap educator, child welfare reformer, education-for-all advocate, and former attorney who founded ThinkLaw—an award-winning program that helps educators teach critical thinking to all students using real-life legal cases and other Socratic and powerful inquiry strategies.

Moving Beyond Surviving to Thriving Mar 11, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Michele Borba says it's a popular myth that our children are predetermined to be thrivers, or destined to simply survive. Emily Kircher-Morris talks to Dr. Borba about her travels and research, and they discuss ways to instill the thriving instinct in others and ourselves, no matter the age. It's episode 79 of The Neurodiversity Podcast.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Michele Borba is a globally-recognized educational psychologist and parenting, bullying, and character expert, whose aim is to strengthen children's empathy and resilience, and break the cycle of youth violence. She has delivered keynotes and workshops to over 1,000,000 participants and authored 25 books translated into 14 languages.

She received a Doctorate in Educational Psychology and Counseling from the University of San Francisco, an M.A. in Learning Disabilities and B.A. from the University of Santa Clara, and a Life Teaching Credential from San Jose State University.

Play Therapy: Meeting Kids On Their Turf Mar 04, 2021

Show notes

What is play therapy? How well-established is the process, and what are the misconceptions? What questions should you ask when looking for a qualified play therapist? On episode 78 Dr. Robert Jason Grant joins us to talk about his process, called AutPlay therapy, and the future of play therapy in the neurodiversity movement.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Robert Jason Grant is a licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, and Advanced Certified Autism Specialist. He owns and operates the Robert Jason Grant Ed.D AutPlay Therapy Clinic.

Dr. Grant is an international speaker and keynote presenter having presented for the American Counseling Association, Association for Play Therapy, American Mental Health Counselors Association, and The World Autism Congress. He is a multi-published author of several articles, book chapters, and books.

The Battle For Dyslexia Services Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

When a parent is forced to take on the education system to advocate for their child, it can be difficult, intimidating, and frightening. Micki Boas shared the story of her experience in her book, One In Five, and with Emily on this episode of The Neurodiversity Podcast.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Micki Boas is an entrepreneur and brand strategist who applied her knowledge of fixing broken systems for big national brands to help get support for her two dyslexic sons. The hobbled and ill-equipped education system would become her biggest project. During a four-year battle to provide educational services for her oldest son, she found herself asking questions about the ways in which our government and our schools fail to provide all children with equal access to quality education.

As a result, she created Invisible Red Tape, a thought leadership forum designed to expose the inequalities in education for children with dyslexia, create public awareness around the problem, and crowdsource an insider's guide to practical solutions.

A Neurodiversity Framework For Gifted and 2e Jan 27, 2021

Show notes

Gifted people often get lost in the shuffle within the neurodiversity movement. On episode 76 we talk with Dr. Matt Zakreski about how to keep them front and center, and ways to provide vital services to gifted and twice-exceptional people within the new neurodiversity framework.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Matt Zakreski has shaped his career around his passion for serving gifted kids, starting with being a counselor (and a camper) at the Center for Talented Youth summer program as a teenager. He's cofounder of The Neurodiversity Collective, LLC, and in his practice he offers therapy, consultation/coaching, and assessment.

Matt is a board member of PAGE, the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education, and works closely with multiple organizations around the country. He consults schools, presents at conferences internationally, conducts webinars, and leads discussions at his local library.

He earned BAs in Psychology and Communications at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, NC. He assisted with research at Harvard Psychophysiology Lab at the Harvard University Business School in Cambridge, MA before making his way to graduate school at Widener University, where he earned his Doctorate in Psychology (PsyD) from the Institute of Graduate Clinical Psychology. He currently serves as an adjunct professor in the psychology department at Goldey Beacom College in Wilmington, DE.

Am I the Impostor Among Us? Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

There's a nagging feeling most of us experience from time to time, that tells us maybe we've fooled everyone. We shouldn't have been placed in a certain position, or we're not qualified to take on a project. On episode 75 we talk to Lindsay Lee, the author of a study about impostorism. Why do we experience it? What can we do to tamp it down?

ABOUT THE GUEST - Lindsay Ellis Lee is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of North Texas with a concentration in gifted and talented education. She currently serves as the Assistant Editor for the Journal of Advanced Academics and Co-Chair for the NAGC Research & Evaluation Network Graduate Student Committee.

Influenced by her experiences as an advanced placement teacher, her research interests include psychological, behavioral, and environmental factors that influence the learning process. Her recent research has focused on gifted program evaluation, equitable access to advanced opportunities, creativity in schools, and the psychosocial development of talented students.

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