Episode 98: FLASHBACK — In-Between Phase of an Autism Diagnosis: From Asking to Assessment [featuring Jak Levine-Pritzker]
Divergent Conversations
Navigating Autism Identity and Assessment
This chapter delves into the challenges of self-identification among individuals on the autism spectrum, exploring the emotional turmoil during the assessment process. The speakers reflect on their personal experiences with diagnosis, facing external judgments and the complexities of answering binary questions about their traits. They emphasize the need for nuanced conversations around neurodiversity and the importance of understanding overlapping conditions like ADHD and OCD.
For adults who are questioning if they are Autistic, ADHD, etc., there is often an exploratory and somewhat confusing phase where they feel in between two different identities.
In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, talk with Jak Levine-Pritzker, ADHD coach and founder of Authentically ADHD LLC, about the nuances of navigating identity when exploring the possibility of an autism diagnosis, as well as the effect of facing internalized ableism and external input throughout the assessment process.
Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Learn about Jak's personal experiences with the questioning of fitting into or out of diagnostic criteria, especially when examining overlapping traits between ADHD and autism.
- Gain insights into the complexities and nuances of the assessment process for neurodivergent conditions, exploring both the quantitative and qualitative aspects that go beyond standardized tests.
- Discover the evolving understanding of neurotypes, including the impact of self-identification on assessments and the relevance of organizing principles like monotropism and flow state.
As you reflect on your own journey or support others in their quest for clarity, remember to ask questions, be mindful that neurodivergent experiences and diagnoses are full of grey areas and overlapping traits, and if you choose to seek a diagnosis, try to approach it with an open mind.
More about Jak:
Jak Levine-Pritzker(she/her) is an ADHD coach, mental health advocate, and founder of Authentically ADHD LLC. With an online community of over 90k people and a robust coaching practice, she has empowered thousands of ADHDers to heal their internalized ableism and shame and design a life that *actually* works for their brains using a strengths-based approach.
Jak is passionate about normalizing and depathologizing what it means to be human, especially a neurodivergent (and queer) human. She shares openly about her own lived experience navigating ADHD, OCD, depression, PMDD, and grief. She truly believes that people with ADHD are not disordered or broken and can live wonderfully successful, fulfilling lives when given the proper support, resources, and environment to thrive.
In what feels like another multiverse, she received a law degree from CUNY Queens with clinical training in mediation. She is from upstate NY and currently lives in the Santa Cruz Mountains with her cat, Zen.
Check out Jak’s online membership (authenticallyadhd.com/membership)! It is an online community for 18+ ADHD adults. There are coaching calls, socials, body doubles, weekly/monthly resets, and more. It is a lovely community and sliding scale starts at $19/month but no one is turned away for lack of funds.
- Website: authenticallyadhd.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/authenticallyadhd
***This episode is the 8th of 10 episodes that Divergent Conversations is re-releasing for 2025. Please enjoy, and we'll be back with new content, resources, and guests in a couple of months.
- ANNOUNCEMENT: We’re extending our break a few additional episodes. If you want more information on what is happening with Dr. Neff and Neurodivergent Insights, you can read about it using the following link, as well as learn how to connect with and support their work: notion.so/neurodivergentinsights/Thank-You-For-Supporting-Our-Work-1aaa17a4bb8b80c790abfa4a08231b7a
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Thanks to Our Sponsor: iACTcenter & Landmark College Success Center
✨ iACTcenter:
The iACTcenter is an elite global ICF-accredited coach education and training program designed to train people to become confident, skilled, professional ADHD life coaches. They prepare aspiring coaches to make a living while making a difference in the lives of ADHDers and other neurodivergent people. Learn more at iactcenter.com.
Julien Mussi, our student, passed away unexpectedly during our inaugural class in 2015. We offer Julien Mussi Scholarships to honor his passion for helping others. Visit: iactcenter.com/scholarship
✨ Landmark College Success Center:
Landmark College Success Center, located in San Mateo, California, provides academic support, executive function coaching, and transition-to-college skills training for neurodiverse learners. A subsidiary of Landmark College (landmark.edu) – the world’s first and foremost college for neurodivergent students – the Success Center is equipped to put you or your student on the path to success. Learn more at landmark.edu/successcenter.
✨ Neurodivergent Insights Autistic Burnout Resources
If you’d like to supplement your learning on burnout, you can check out Neurodivergent Insights' resources on burnout. We have articles, an Autistic Burnout course, workbooks, and print books! Visit: neurodivergentinsights.com/burnout-resources
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💬 Join Divergent Conversations Underground
Divergent Conversations Underground is a space for messy conversations, real connection, and unfinished thoughts in a neurodivergent-affirming community. If you’d like to go deeper with us into more nuanced, searching conversations, join here: divergentconversations.substack.com
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Mentioned in this episode:
Neurodivergent Insights' Autistic Burnout Resources
If you’d like to supplement your learning on burnout, you can check out Neurodivergent Insights' resources on burnout. We have articles, an Autistic Burnout course, workbooks, and print books! Visit: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/burnout-resources
iACTcenter
The iACTcenter is an elite global ICF-accredited coach education and training program designed to train people to become confident, skilled, professional ADHD life coaches. They prepare aspiring coaches to make a living while making a difference in the lives of ADHDers and other neurodivergent people. Learn more at iactcenter.com. Julien Mussi, our student, passed away unexpectedly during our inaugural class in 2015. We offer Julien Mussi Scholarships to honor his passion for helping others. Visit: iactcenter.com/scholarship
Landmark College Success Center
Landmark College Success Center, located in San Mateo, California, provides academic support, executive function coaching, and transition-to-college skills training for neurodiverse learners. A subsidiary of Landmark College (landmark.edu) – the world’s first and foremost college for neurodivergent students – the Success Center is equipped to put you or your student on the path to success. Learn more at landmark.edu/successcenter.
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