Neurodiversity Podcast

Maria Munro-Schuster, a licensed counselor and former K–12 teacher, blends classroom experience with mental health practice. She explores a mental health mindset that prioritizes nervous system regulation. Topics include how personal history shapes reactions, neuroception and fast nervous responses, the idea of teachers as first responders, and using flexible boundaries to support empathy.

David Smith, a licensed clinical social worker and late-diagnosed autistic therapist, shares his transformative journey of understanding neurodiversity. He emphasizes the importance of humility in therapy and the shift from expert-led approaches to mutual discovery. David discusses the complexities of demand avoidance, particularly how high-masking perfectionism often emerges. He advocates for prioritizing connection over correction and reveals how traditional reward systems can increase anxiety in neurodivergent clients. His insights call for patience, self-compassion, and reframing identity.

Cindy Goldrich, founder of PTS Coaching and author, dives into the nuanced world of parenting children with ADHD. She discusses the significance of letting go of preconceived expectations and instead embracing each child's unique strengths. Goldrich clarifies the distinction between intelligence and executive function, revealing that many bright kids struggle with organization. Stress impacts a child’s ability to utilize executive function, making calmness essential for effective parenting. She also emphasizes the importance of teaching skills through appropriate accommodations rather than enabling.

Dr. Ross W. Greene, a clinical child psychologist and expert in collaborative problem-solving, challenges traditional views on child behavior. He argues that noncompliance is a signal of distress rather than disrespect, advocating for a shift from punishment to partnership. Greene emphasizes observing and solving the underlying problems rather than just modifying behavior. He also discusses how social issues affect children's well-being and advocates for proactive, collaborative approaches in schools to better support all kids.

Emily Kircher-Morris chats today with Diane Dempster and Elaine Taylor-Klaus from Impact Parents, hosts of the Parenting with Impact podcast. They talk about the challenge of motivating neurodivergent kids, and break down why it's so challenging. The chat includes a framework called PINCH, a way to remember and think about important elements of motivation. You'll come away with practical strategies for parents to foster a supportive environment that encourages engagement, and ways to move away from fear and stress as motivators. TAKEAWAYS Traditional parenting advice often doesn't apply to neurodivergent kids. Motivation can be misunderstood; it's not always lack of interest. Executive functioning skills play a crucial role in motivation. Dopamine is essential for engaging in non-preferred tasks. Waiting until the last minute can be a legitimate strategy for motivation. Fear-based parenting creates stress and is not sustainable. Intrinsic motivation develops later in life, especially for neurodivergent individuals. The PINCH framework helps identify different motivators for kids. Novelty keeps the brain engaged and interested. Competition can motivate but may also cause anxiety in some children. Collaboration and connection with peers can enhance motivation. Parents should experiment with different motivational strategies. Transparency and vulnerability in parenting can build trust. If you'd like members of your organization, school district, or company to know more about the subjects discussed on our podcast, Emily Kircher-Morris provides keynote addresses, workshops, and training sessions worldwide, in-person or virtually. You can choose from a list of established presentations, or work with Emily to develop a custom talk to fit your unique situation. To learn more, visit our website. Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster co-founded ImpactParents.com in 2011 because traditional parenting advice wasn't working for their complex kids and they found no training or coaching available designed specifically to support them as parents of complex kids. Internationally recognized as leading parent educators, they use a coach-approach to help parents reduce the stress of raising children, teens, and young adults with ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, LD and more. They're the creators of Sanity School® behavior training, and the authors of many books including Parenting ADHD Now: Easy Intervention Strategies to Empower Kids with ADHD and The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids with ADHD, Anxiety and More. BACKGROUND READING Impact Parents website, Parenting with Impact podcast, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you're invited to join our Facebook Group.

Many brilliant young people experience the dichotomy of disability layered on top of their intelligence. It's called twice-exceptionality, or 2e for short. What are the common misconceptions about twice-exceptional individuals? How do traditional models fall short when identifying the learning disabilities of our brightest kids? And why is early recognition so pivotal? Emily talks with Dr. Danika Maddocks, a psychologist, parent coach, and founder of the Gifted Learning Lab, about the intricacies of twice-exceptionality, in childhood and beyond. This is part of our end-of-year recap, and one of our most downloaded episodes. For information about the variety of courses for teachers, parents, and mental health professionals through the Neurodiversity University, check the info page on our website. Dr. Danika Maddocks is a psychologist, parent coach, and owner of The Gifted Learning Lab. She has supported gifted and twice-exceptional kids and their families for over 15 years as a teacher, therapist, school consultant, assessment provider, and coach. She has also published award-winning research on giftedness and twice-exceptionality. Much of her work is informed by her personal experiences growing up gifted and her experience raising a young gifted kid. Here's a link to the free course about power struggles from Danika Maddocks. BACKGROUND READING Free email mini course, Reduce Power Struggles with Your Gifted/2e Kid, Facebook, Instagram If you'd like members of your organization, school district, or company to know more about the subjects discussed on our podcast, Emily Kircher-Morris provides keynote addresses, workshops, and training sessions worldwide, in-person or virtually. You can choose from a list of established presentations, or work with Emily to develop a custom talk to fit your unique situation. To learn more, visit our website. The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you're invited to join our Facebook Group.

As we wrap up 2025, we are featuring some of our most important conversations, including this conversation about IQ, intelligence, and intelligence assessment. Emily Kircher-Morris welcomes Dr. Jack Naglieri, an emeritus professor at George Mason University and senior research scientist at the Devereux Center for Resilient Children. Dr. Naglieri is renowned for his work in intelligence testing and the development of the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test. In this sprawling conversation, Emily and Jack talk about his insights on the evolution and misconceptions surrounding intelligence assessment. They discuss the history of intelligence testing, and the limitations and biases inherent in traditional methods. Dr. Naglieri describes the experiences that led him to question the validity of verbal-based intelligence tests, and ultimately inspired his development of nonverbal assessment tools. They discuss the PASS theory of intelligence, and how it forms the foundation of the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS), a tool designed to measure these processes and offer a nuanced profile of an individual's cognitive strengths and weaknesses. You can download a free copy of the PASS Theory of Intelligence and the CAS2. Dr. Jack A. Naglieri, Ph.D., is Emeritus Professor at George Mason University and Senior Research Scientist at the Devereux Center for Resilient Children. His main interest is the development of psychological and educational tests and the implications these approaches have for accurate and equitable assessment. He has published about 25 books, 50 tests and rating scales, and approximately 300 research papers. Jack is the author of tests used for identification of gifted students, including the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test. He partnered with Dina Brulles and Kim Lansdowne to coauthor the Naglieri Tests of General Ability Verbal, Quantitative and Nonverbal, and the book, Understanding and Using the Naglieri General Ability Tests: A Call to Equity in Gifted Education (Brulles, Lansdowne & Naglieri, 2022). Dr. Naglieri has received many awards for his extensive research program that includes scholarly research, books, and psychological tests with an emphasis on uniting sound theory with equitable scientific practice. BACKGROUND READING PASS Theory of Intelligence and the CAS2, Jack's website, The Naglieri General Ability Tests If you'd like members of your organization, school district, or company to know more about the subjects discussed on our podcast, Emily Kircher-Morris provides keynote addresses, workshops, and training sessions worldwide, in-person or virtually. You can choose from a list of established presentations, or work with Emily to develop a custom talk to fit your unique situation. To learn more, visit our website. The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you're invited to join our Facebook Group.

Dr. Bill Dodson, a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in adult ADHD, delves deep into Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) and its impact on emotional health. He explains how RSD manifests in ADHD, often resulting in intense emotional pain and misdiagnosis. The distinction between RSD and social anxiety is explored, shedding light on coping strategies and the influence of childhood experiences. Dodson emphasizes the importance of medication, lifestyle adjustments, and the power of psychoeducation for self-advocacy and recovery.

In this engaging conversation, Tim Villegas, Director of Communications at the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education and host of the Think Inclusive Podcast, discusses his journey as an inclusionist. He emphasizes the significance of designing schools to be inclusive, emphasizing equity over uniformity. Tim shares insights from successful co-teaching experiences that enhance student engagement and explores how community involvement fosters belonging. He advocates for genuine inclusion that embraces all learners, challenging traditional education models to be more reflective of real life.

In this engaging conversation, Carla Ciccone, a Toronto-based writer and author of "Nowhere Girl," shares her journey with late-diagnosed ADHD and the complexities of motherhood. She reveals how emotional dysregulation was a lifelong hint of her condition and discusses the challenges of parenting through an undiagnosed lens. Carla emphasizes the importance of therapy, self-compassion, and reframing personal narratives while highlighting systemic barriers to ADHD support. Her insights offer a refreshing perspective on navigating neurodivergence with humor and grace.