Neurodiversity Podcast

When someone struggles in a group conversation or misses the unspoken cues of a classroom or workplace, the solution isn't giving them a prescriptive checklist of social rules and expecting them to fit in. For years, traditional interventions leaned heavily on teaching people what to do and say, while often overlooking whether those expectations made sense to the person living them.
Michelle Garcia Winner, speech-language pathologist and founder of Social Thinking, joins Emily Kircher-Morris to discuss how feedback from the neurodivergent community has reshaped her approach to social learning. The conversation explores why social problem-solving is about figuring out dynamic situations rather than memorizing scripts, how high-structure roles can mask deeper relational challenges, and why genuine support always starts by getting the other person's point of view.
TAKEAWAYS
Effective social learning focuses on helping people interpret specific situations and intentions.

Real-world social problem-solving requires a continuous process of attending to context, interpreting what is happening, and deciding on a response based on personal goals.

Fidgets and sensory tools support focus when used in an unobtrusive way, but they turn into distractors when they draw attention away from the group's shared purpose.

Stepping back to observe a social environment from the outside helps people identify unspoken dynamics without the immediate pressure of participating in them.

Many neurodivergent people thrive in structured professional roles where expectations are explicit, yet struggle in family or community settings where social boundaries are fluid.

Conducting a virtual autism evaluation isn't as simple as moving in-person assessments onto Zoom. On Friday, November 6th from 2:00 PM-3:30 PM Eastern / 11:00 AM-12:30 PM Pacific, join us as Dr. Taylor Day presents a live, 90-minute training, Conducting Comprehensive Telehealth Evaluations for Autism and Co-Occurring Conditions. You'll earn 1.5 CE credits through the APA and NBCC, while learning practical, neurodiversity-affirming strategies for virtual assessment. Register at this link by November 2nd to receive a free bonus resource guide with planning checklists and client materials!
Michelle Garcia Winner, MA, CCC-SLP, is the founder and CEO of Social Thinking and a globally recognized thought leader, author, speaker, and social-cognitive therapist. She is dedicated to helping neurodivergent and neurotypical people of all ages (starting at 4 years old) meet their social goals through better understanding of social emotional concepts, increase the development of their social competencies, learn strategies for social problem solving and executive.
BACKGROUND READING
Michelle's website, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube
The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you're invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com
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.
Thank you for supporting neurodivergent people.

You are surrounded by things you could be doing, yet none of them feel worth starting, leaving you stuck in a weird mix of restlessness and agitation. Do you chalk that up to being lazy or unmotivated? Many people do, but science tells a very different story. Boredom is actually a motivated state. It's an internal signal that your brain is hungry for meaning and personal control, but can't find a good place to land. In this episode, Dr. James Danckert, psychology professor at the University of Waterloo and co-author of Out of My Skull: The Psychology of Boredom, joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about what is really happening when our brains check out, why people with ADHD feel boredom so intensely, and how having real agency can change the way we engage with the world.
TAKEAWAYS
Boredom is an active, motivated state marked by restlessness and a search for purpose, distinguishing it from passive laziness or apathy.

A lack of personal agency strongly triggers boredom, especially when people are told what to do rather than having a say in choosing their own goals.

The brain seeks an optimal Goldilocks zone of stimulation, signaling discomfort through boredom when a task is either mind-numbing or overwhelmingly difficult.

Chronic boredom proneness is often rooted in trouble launching into action, making task initiation the primary hurdle rather than poor impulse control.

ADHD symptoms and boredom are closely connected because attention functions along a continuum driven by interest and personal relevance, and not an on-and-off switch, as some believe.

Smartphones often provide empty engagement that occupies cognitive resources for a moment, but leaving the underlying need for agency and purpose unmet.

Conducting a virtual autism evaluation isn't as simple as moving in-person assessments onto Zoom. On Friday, November 6th from 2:00 PM-3:30 PM Eastern / 11:00 AM-12:30 PM Pacific, join us as Dr. Taylor Day presents a live, 90-minute training, Conducting Comprehensive Telehealth Evaluations for Autism and Co-Occurring Conditions. You'll earn 1.5 CE credits through the APA and NBCC, while learning practical, neurodiversity-affirming strategies for virtual assessment. Register at this link by November 2nd to receive a free bonus resource guide with planning checklists and client materials!
James Danckert is a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo. He and his students explore the brain bases of boredom and how we create and update mental models of the world. He has published well over 100 journal articles and is co-author of the book Out of my skull: The psychology of boredom.
BACKGROUND READING
Dr Danckert's website, BlueSky
The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you're invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com
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.
Thank you for supporting neurodivergent people.

Say someone you know is exceptionally articulate, intellectually advanced, or academically capable. Do you then assume their general ability to function, emotional regulation, and organizational skills also operate at that same high level? You might, but that would be a mistake. For gifted and twice-exceptional people, intellectual capability often outpaces practical execution. In this episode, Mark Talaga, a licensed professional counselor, founder of the Center for Identity Potential, and host of the Hopelessly Gifted podcast, joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about the painful gap between intellectual insight and daily functioning, and why being bright does not make navigating everyday life any easier.
TAKEAWAYS
Intellectual capability does not guarantee consistent execution, leaving many twice-exceptional learners stuck between understanding a strategy and being able to carry it out.

Spiky developmental profiles cause an identity panic when someone who excels in one domain suddenly struggles in another context.

Highly verbal neurodivergent people sometimes use intellectualization as a defense mechanism, talking around their feelings rather than experiencing them.

Perfectionism is rarely about high standards, it often serves as a protective shield against the vulnerability of not knowing the next step.

Chronic anxiety functions as an internal alarm signaling that the sufferer lacks a clear pathway, necessary tools, or specific micro-skills to meet an expectation.

Effective self-advocacy requires identifying the exact type of help needed and suggesting a workable solution, rather than issuing an open-ended plea for help.

Conducting a virtual autism evaluation isn't as simple as moving in-person assessments onto Zoom. On Friday, November 6th from 2:00 PM-3:30 PM Eastern/11:00 AM-12:30 PM Pacific, join us as Dr. Taylor Day presents a live, 90-minute training, Conducting Comprehensive Telehealth Evaluations for Autism and Co-Occurring Conditions.You'll earn 1.5 CE credits through the APA and NBCC, while learning practical, neurodiversity-affirming strategies for virtual assessment. Register at this link by November 2nd to receive a free bonus resource guide with planning checklists and client materials!
Mark Talaga, MA, LPC, CCS, is a licensed professional counselor, speaker, and founder of the Center for Identity Potential, where he specializes in working with gifted, twice-exceptional, and neurodivergent individuals and their families. With a background in both mental health counseling and the video game industry, Mark brings a unique perspective to topics such as giftedness, motivation, anxiety, asynchronous development, screen time, and family dynamics.
He is also the host of the Hopelessly Gifted Podcast, where he explores the real-world challenges and opportunities facing gifted children, adults, parents, and educators. Mark is passionate about helping people better understand themselves, navigate complexity, and develop their potential in meaningful ways.
BACKGROUND READING
Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you're invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com
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.

True classroom inclusion involves far more than simply placing a student's chair inside a general education room. When schools define inclusion purely by physical placement, neurodivergent students often face conditions that fall short of genuine access, belonging, and appropriate challenge. Dr. Katie Novak, an internationally recognized education consultant, former assistant superintendent, and author of The UDL Shift, joins Emily Kircher-Morris to discuss how Universal Design for Learning creates classrooms that support learner variability from the ground up.
TAKEAWAYS
Physical placement in a general education classroom does not equal meaningful inclusion and a genuine sense of belonging.

Universal Design for Learning operates on three foundational pillars: embracing learner variability, establishing firm goals with flexible means, and cultivating student agency.

Gating learning tools behind formal diagnosis plans creates stereotype threats, and causes students to reject accommodations to avoid looking different from their peers.

Designing flexible learning paths for the entire class normalizes tools like text-to-speech, graphic organizers, and verbal response options for every student.

Educational variability is contextual and dynamic, meaning a student's strengths and support needs fluctuate across subjects, environments, and energy levels.

Designing effective accommodations should actually start with asking students what classroom barriers stand in their way, and involving them in the solution.

Dr. Katie Novak is the founder and CEO of Novak Educational Consulting, an educator with 25 years of experience, and an internationally recognized expert in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). A sought-after keynote speaker and consultant, she works with schools and districts around the world to translate research into practical strategies that strengthen inclusive teaching and learning.
Dr. Novak is the bestselling author of 17 books, with more than 350,000 copies sold worldwide, and serves as an adjunct instructor at the University of Pennsylvania. Through her writing, teaching, and consulting, she helps educators navigate complex challenges, move from intention to implementation, and create learning environments designed to support the needs of all students.
BACKGROUND READING
Katie's website, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram
The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you're invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com
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.
Thank you for supporting neurodivergent people.

When a student consistently misses deadlines, misplaces assignments, or struggles to get out the door in the morning, adults often label them as disorganized or careless. Handing them a paper planner or demanding they clean their desk rarely solves the underlying breakdown. Rachel Kapp, founder of Kapp Educational Therapy Group and co-host of the Learn Smarter Podcast, joins Emily to explore how families and educators can design organizational systems that work in the real world rather than just on paper.
TAKEAWAYS
Handing a student an organizational tool like a planner or binder does not create a system without an explicit, sustainable routine for maintaining it.

Time management depends a lot on accurate time estimation, so neurodivergent learners often need to measure how long tasks actually take versus what they assume.

Long-term projects demand backward planning, where students break complex assignment prompts into small, answerable questions mapped onto a calendar.

Physical organization works best when adults reduce decision fatigue, and align processes with a child's natural pathways.

School app sprawl and unmanaged digital inboxes increase baseline anxiety, overwhelming working memory and driving students to avoid tasks entirely.

Executive functioning challenges don't reflect on intelligence, effort, or motivation.

Mental health professionals, join us October 2 for a presentation by Heather J. DeAngelis, who will explore practical ways clinicians can adapt CBT and ACT to better meet the needs of adults with ADHD.
The course is worth 1.5 continuing education hours, and is approved through both the APA and NBCC. Register now to join us October 2 at 2pm Eastern/11:00 am Pacific.
Rachel Kapp is an educational therapist with more than two decades of experience helping students with diverse learning profiles build confidence and achieve academic success. After beginning her career as a lead preschool teacher and working as a private tutor since 2004, she specialized in educational therapy to better support students who learn differently. Her expertise spans reading, writing, mathematics, executive functioning, and individualized learning strategies.
Rachel earned a BA with Honors in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley before completing her educational therapy coursework and master's degree at California State University, Northridge. She is a Board Certified Member of the Association of Educational Therapists, a member of CHADD and the International Dyslexia Association, and is trained in the Wilson Reading System. Through her work, Rachel is dedicated to building strong relationships with students and helping them develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive academically and beyond.
BACKGROUND READING
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you're invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com
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.
Thank you for supporting neurodivergent people.