Neurodiversity Podcast

A word many experts use to describe dyslexic people is “misunderstood.” Teachers often don’t catch the signs, parents often don’t know the best ways to advocate for their kids at school, and amidst all of that confusion, the child can feel completely misunderstood. Emily Kircher-Morris talks with Jill Stowell, author of Take the Stone Out of the Shoe, about tearing down barriers and building communication. Also, here's a link to our continuing education and professional development course for school district gifted/twice-exceptional programs. It's a 15-hour, 6-module course called “Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students,” by Emily Kircher-Morris. Learn more and get it for your district at Neurodiversity University. ABOUT THE GUEST -Jill Stowell, M.S. is the founder and executive director of Stowell Learning Centers where she and her team have helped thousands of children and adults eliminate their struggles associated with dyslexia, learning differences, auditory processing, or attention challenges. She is also the host of the LD Expert podcast. Jill is a two-time best-selling author and speaker who is passionate about helping parents and educators understand their struggling students and the possibilities for real change. You can support the podcast at www.patreon.com/neurodiversity. The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and you’re invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com Thank you for caring about neurodivergent people.

The reality of working within a system in flux. The meaning or usefulness of the term “gifted.” The utility (or futility) of labels. The confusion of overlapping diagnoses. Our conversation with Brandon Tessers runs in many directions, and covers many topics, sometimes straying into controversial areas. Nothing’s off the table in episode 130 of The Neurodiversity Podcast. Also, here's a link to our continuing education and professional development course for school district gifted/twice-exceptional programs. It's a 15-hour, 6-module course called “Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students,” by Emily Kircher-Morris. Learn more and get it for your district at Neurodiversity University. ABOUT THE GUEST - Brandon Tessers is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC), a trained professional actor, an amateur singer/songwriter, a former schoolteacher and tutor, and a husband and father. Brandon has been helping children and adults with their executive functioning for over a decade, and has been doing so as a licensed therapist for the last five years.  His work focuses on people who exist outside the norm in one way or another and is particularly focused on helping people who consider themselves neurodivergent and/or creative. He’s also a playwright and the DM for his longtime D&D group. He’s a national presenter and has conducted professional development for therapists and teachers. You can support the podcast at www.patreon.com/neurodiversity. The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and you’re invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com Thank you for caring about neurodivergent people.

Quirky kids often become the most accomplished adults, especially when they are allowed to grow and mature in a welcoming, neurodiversity-affirming environment. Dr. Dan Peters joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about the progress we’ve made toward that goal, and some of the pitfalls teachers, parents, and mental health professionals encounter as they guide kids into the future. Other topics include underachievement, PDA, dyslexia, and what we can learn from the bright, complex kids in our lives. Also, educators and school administrators who are looking for continuing education or professional development material for gifted/twice-exceptional programs should consider our new offering, a 15-hour, 6-module course called “Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students,” by Emily Kircher-Morris. Learn more and sign up at the Neurodiversity University. ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Dan Peters is a psychologist, author, co-founder and Executive Director of the Summit Center. Dr. Peters has devoted his career to the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families, specializing in overcoming worry and fear, learning differences such as dyslexia, and issues related to giftedness and twice-exceptionality.  Dr. Dan is also co-founder of Parent Footprint, an interactive parenting education community and website. He is host of the Parent Footprint Podcast with Dr. Dan, and is a contributor to The Huffington Post and Psychology Today. Dan is a co-author of Bright, Complex Kids: Supporting Their Social and Emotional Development. He is co-author of Raising Creative Kids, and many articles on topics related to parenting, family, giftedness, twice-exceptionality, dyslexia, and anxiety.

If you suspect someone in your life has PDA (Pathological/Persistent Demand Avoidance), this is a conversation you need to hear. Sandra McConnell is a trainer, speaker, and blogger on the subject of PDA, and also the mother of a PDA child. She shares important insights into the struggles involved, and her unique and thought-provoking advice about how to approach life with a PDA-er. ABOUT THE GUEST - Sandra McConnell is a blogger, speaker, and trainer on Autistic Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). She conducts webinars, workshops and conferences all across the country to train and inform people about PDA. She has two graduate certificates in Learning Differences & Neurodiversity specializing in Executive Functioning and Autism (Landmark College, 2021); a certification in PDA through the UK-based, OCN-accredited organization Neurodivergent Education Support and Training (NEST, 2020); a master's degree in Forensic Psychophysiology (Argosy University, 2006); and a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Criminology (UNM, 2000).  Sandra is the mother of three children, the oldest of whom is a 5th grader and both gifted and PDA. She lives with her family in Maryland, USA.

We took questions from people in the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy and Support Group on Facebook, and Emily answers them. This is our first AMA, and you’re invited to take part in future ones. Look us up on any of our social media channels for details and to find out how to participate. You can support the podcast at www.patreon.com/neurodiversity. The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and you’re invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com Thank you for caring about neurodivergent people.

What happens when scaffolding, such as a 504 plan or IEP, goes away at college? Some schools have transition programs, but many or most do not. We’re talking with Dr. Dawn Matera, co-founder of an institution called Westport College Prep, about how to get neurodivergent kids ready for the changes ahead. Also, educators and school administrators who are looking for continuing education or professional development material for gifted/twice-exceptional programs should consider our new offering, a 15-hour, 6-module course called “Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students,” by Emily Kircher-Morris. Learn more and sign up at the Neurodiversity University. ABOUT OUR GUEST - Dawn Matera is a Dr. of Education with over 25 years of experience. She holds a BS in Psychology, a MS in Special Education, and Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Upon completing a teacher training program and obtaining her Connecticut State Teaching Certification, she taught complex learners at specialty schools, including Eagle Hill and Winston Preparatory, for more than a decade. In 2008, Dr. Matera founded her first education company, A Way to Learn, which provides tutoring, executive function coaching, and test prep to students. Additionally, in 2013, she co-founded The Westport Day School, a Connecticut state-approved special education school for internalizing students in sixth through twelfth grades. You can support the podcast at www.patreon.com/neurodiversity. The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and you’re invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com Thank you for caring about neurodivergent people.

Educators are constantly learning how to better teach neurodivergent learners, but often we overlook the opportunity to help the students be better learners. How does educational therapy work? Is it dependent on the learner having a diagnosis? What is the process for working with families? We talk with Rachel Kapp and Stephanie Pitts, educational therapists and hosts of the Learn Smarter podcast, about helping learners learn, on episode 125. And if you’re an educator, we have a course that will help you understand and support those neurodivergent learners. It’s called Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students. It’s available now to school districts, who are licensing it for their educators, and using it to fulfill CE/PD requirements. Here’s a link to more information. Join our Facebook group to participate in our June AMA! ABOUT OUR GUESTS - Rachel Kapp grew up in Los Angeles, California. She attended UC Berkeley, and studied abroad in Rome, Italy. She discovered educational therapy after teaching preschool for 7 years in Los Angeles, and then went on to open her practice, Kapped Therapy of Los Angeles. Stephanie Pitts is also a Los Angeles native, and was a student in both public and private schools. She attended USC, and later went on to teach elementary school. She served as an executive functioning mentor for a family of 9, after which she opened her educational therapy practice, My Ed Therapist. Together, they host the Learn Smarter Podcast. You can support the podcast at www.patreon.com/neurodiversity. The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and you’re invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com Thank you for caring about neurodivergent people.

We talk a lot about the unique way neurodivergent kids see the world. Often, parents have a completely different view, and sometimes tend to try to rewire the kids to match theirs. Julie Skolnick guides and mentors parents, and has some advice on how they can adjust their approach, understand their kids better, and reap the rewards of a happier environment. We also talk about our new online PD/CE course for educators, “Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students,” which is now available at www.neurodiversity.university. ABOUT THE GUEST - Julie Skolnick, M.A., J.D., founder of With Understanding Comes Calm, LLC, guides parents of gifted and distractible children, mentors 2e adults, trains educators and advises professionals on how to bring out the best and raise self-confidence in their 2e students and clients.  Julie serves as Secretary to the Maryland Superintendent’s Gifted and Talented Advisory Council, is an advisor for the Masters of Education Program for the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity, is the Maryland liaison for Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG), is a Committee member for the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and serves as an advisor to “The G Word” feature documentary, currently in production.  Julie produces Let’s Talk 2e! virtual conferences, hosts the Let’s Talk 2e! Parent Empowerment Series, maintains the free listing service 2eResources.com, and publishes Gifted & Distractible, a free monthly newsletter. She’s the mother of three twice exceptional children.

Play therapy is an often misunderstood counseling technique. On episode 123 we clear up some of the misunderstandings, with help from Katie Bassiri, a neurodiversity-affirming play therapist. We also talk about our new online course for educators, “Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students,” which is now available at www.neurodiversity.university. ABOUT THE GUEST - Katie Bassiri, LPCC RPT-S, co-authored the book "Congratulations, You're Autistic!" with her husband, Alex Bassiri. Katie and Alex met while living in a 24-hour quiet college dormitory in Flagstaff, Arizona, where they once got into trouble for playing a board game too rambunctiously. They’ve been coloring outside of the lines together ever since. Katie is a registered Play Therapist-Supervisor and Alex likes coming up with words that rhyme. Their autistic family lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico where they own and operate a play therapy agency that supports neurodiverse families. Their new book is now available on Amazon. You can support the podcast at www.patreon.com/neurodiversity. The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and you’re invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com Thank you for caring about neurodivergent people.

A three-year-old with an autism diagnosis is looking at a completely different future than someone who has masked their neurodivergence for years. We talk with Haley Moss, an attorney, author, and consultant, who helps companies create a neurodiversity-friendly atmosphere. She was diagnosed at age 3, and now has strong opinions about what it takes to move the world in the right direction, but she also has the power and determination to do it. A reminder, we've just officially launched our new course for educators: Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students! It's a six-module, fifteen-hour continuing education course delivered by Emily Kircher-Morris, designed to help identify, understand, and educate our growing population of twice-exceptional students. Get more information via the Neurodiversity Alliance website. ABOUT THE GUEST - Haley Moss is a lawyer, neurodiversity expert, and the author of four books that guide neurodivergent individuals through professional and personal challenges. She is a consultant to top corporations and nonprofits that seek her guidance in creating a diverse workplace, and a sought-after commentator on disability rights issues. The first openly autistic lawyer in Florida, Haley is the recipient of the 2021 American Bar Association (ABA) Making a Difference by Breaking Barriers Award. Her books include “Great Minds Think Differently: Neurodiversity for Lawyers and Other Professionals'' (ABA Book Publishing; June 2021) and “The Young Autistic Adult’s Independence Handbook” (Jessica Kingsley Publishers; November 2021). Her articles have appeared in outlets including the Washington Post, Teen Vogue, and Fast Company. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/neurodiversity. The Neurodiversity Podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram, as well as on Twitter @neurodiversepod. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com. Thank you for caring about neurodivergent people.