Neurodiversity Podcast

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.

What is Pathological Demand Avoidance and how does it manifest among the neurodivergent? What can we do to educate parents, teachers, and counselors about how to approach it? Understanding demand avoidance can completely transform the way you look at a child. During World Autism Acceptance Month, we feature a conversation with Harry J. Thompson from 2019, on episode 121. ABOUT THE GUEST - Harry J. Thompson was born in Edgware and grew up in Barnet in north London. He is currently based in London, UK. An avid reader & researcher, Harry speaks publicly and is heavily involved in projects & research on all topics around neurodiversity and autism; namely, Pathological Demand Avoidance, a behavior profile within the Autism Spectrum. Harry began to write the first draft of his book in 2015. After connecting with many autistic & PDA families, he pivoted his direction and completed his book in about 6 weeks, a memoir entitled The PDA Paradox: The Highs and Lows of My Life on a Little-Known Part of the Autism Spectrum, published in February 2019. He launched his YouTube channel in 2017. Harry has been elected to a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), in recognition of his work in the field of PDA, and also in recognition of the publication of his book. 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.

World Autism Acceptance Month continues as Emily Kircher-Morris has a conversation with Washington DC policy and politics journalist Eric Garcia. Eric is autistic, and the author of We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation. They talk about the shifts in how society views and supports autistic individuals, and what still needs to be done. Also don't forget the Bright and Quirky Summit 2022 is going on now. To register, follow this special link. ABOUT THE GUEST - Eric Garcia is the senior Washington correspondent for The Independent, and the author of We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation. He is also a columnist for MSNBC. Previously, he was an assistant editor at the Washington Post's Outlook section, an associate editor at The Hill, and a correspondent for National Journal, MarketWatch and Roll Call. He has also written for the Daily Beast, the New Republic, and Salon.com. Garcia is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He lives in Washington, D.C. 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.

Steve Silberman, author of Neurotribes, discusses the history of autism, the neurodiversity movement, and the future of neurodiversity. They explore high and low functioning labels, the brutal practices once used, and the importance of understanding the history of autism. The conversation also addresses the need for acceptance and accommodations, as well as the future of employment opportunities for neurodivergent individuals.