Neurodiversity Podcast

This week, Emily sits down with advisory teacher Rebecca Duffus, and neurodiversity advocate Lyric Rivera, to discuss the critical shift from viewing autism as a purely medical diagnosis to embracing it as a core identity. Lyric shares their personal journey of late discovery and the complex emotions that accompany it, from grief to validation. Rebecca provides some insight into the importance of authentic, affirming language. They also discuss how to empower autistic youth to advocate for their needs, navigate a world that isn't always accommodating, and ultimately discover the power of being exactly who they are. Rebecca and Lyric are co-authors of Autism, Identity and Me.
TAKEAWAYS
Identity vs pathology is all about framing autism as a core identity, rather than strictly a medical diagnosis or a list of deficits.

Late-diagnosis autism often results in a complex cocktail of emotions, including grief, anger, and eventually relief.

There is a crucial difference between forcing an upbeat perspective, and using language that genuinely validates an autistic person's lived experience.

Equipping, not just protecting, will help autistic kids understand neurodiversity, handle misunderstandings, and utilize an autism identity statement for self-advocacy.

There is a shifting landscape of autism support, language, and systemic challenges in the US, especially compared to the UK.

Mental health professionals, join us for our next live 90-minute CE training, Inherited Neurodivergence: Supporting Parents' Identity Journeys, featuring presenter, Dr. Amy Marschall. The event is Friday, March 6 at 2:00 pm Eastern/11:00 am Pacific. It's approved for continuing education through the American Psychological Association and the National Board of Certified Counselors. If you can't make it live, you can still register for the self-study version.
Rebecca Duffus, BSc, PGCE, MA, is an experienced Advisory Teacher with a background in psychology and a master's in Autism and Education. Based in the UK, she has worked across mainstream and specialist education settings, as well as with local councils, charities, and educational services to support autistic students and the professionals who serve them.
Rebecca is the author of Autism, Identity & Me, a workbook and guidebook set published by Routledge in both the U.S. and the UK. She regularly speaks at conferences, develops parent programmes, and provides training and coaching for educators and schools. Her work centers on supporting identity-affirming practices and building inclusive, informed environments for neurodivergent learners.
Lyric Rivera is the founder of NeuroDivergent Consulting and the author of the best-selling business ethics book Workplace Neurodiversity Rising, praised by Forbes as "an excellent 'how-to manual' based on lived experience and professional competence," and named a "Trend for 2023." A prominent voice in the neurodiversity movement, Lyric is also the creator of the popular blog NeuroDivergent Rebel and the originator of the #AskingAutistics hashtag, which has sparked wide-reaching conversations about the Autistic experience.
Through their writing, consulting, and online advocacy, Lyric helps organizations and individuals build more inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming environments. Their work fosters connection and understanding across communities and empowers neurodivergent people to be heard, supported, and celebrated.
BACKGROUND READING
Rebecca: Website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn
Lyric: Website, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, Substack
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.

Parenting often feels like a high-stakes balancing act, especially when raising neurodivergent children. The pressure to get it right, advocate effectively, and manage dysregulation can leave parents frustrated and exhausted. But what if the key to being a calmer, more effective parent wasn't about doing more, but about treating yourself with more kindness?
Today, Emily sits down with Dr. Jen Ferris, a former child development professor and author of Parenting with Self-Compassion. They move beyond the fluffy idea of "self-care" to discuss self-compassion as a concrete tool for nervous system regulation. They also talk about how perfectionism and comparison fuel chronic stress, and why letting our kids see us make mistakes (and fix them) might actually be the best lesson in resilience we can teach them.
TAKEAWAYS
Self-compassion consists of three parts: self-kindness, mindfulness, and common humanity.

Perfectionism is often a response to uncertainty and a need for reassurance that they are on the right path.

Parents who admit mistakes and apologize model resilience, and show it's safe to be imperfect.

It's difficult to rationalize with a dysregulated child. Focus on safety and connection instead.

Replacing negative self-talk with self-compassion can change the emotional climate of the home.

The Educator Hub is now open, this week only! Come join us. The Hub is for educators and school administrators who want to improve the classroom learning environment for not only neurodivergent students, but for all students.
Dr. Jen Ferris is a former child development professor with years of experience teaching parenting and child development, as well as working directly with children of all ages. As a parent of two, including one neurodivergent child, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work supporting families.
Her debut book, Parenting with Self-Compassion: 12 Ways to Improve Your Parenting While Being Kind to Yourself, offers practical strategies for communication, discipline, and connection, especially for parents of neurodivergent children. Dr. Jen emphasizes self-compassion as a powerful tool for staying calm, building stronger relationships, and feeling more confident in the parenting journey.
BACKGROUND READING
Jen's website, Jen's book, Instagram, Facebook, Threads
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.

Today we're popping into your feed with a special invitation for educators and school administrators who want to improve the classroom learning environment for not only neurodivergent students, but for all students.
Give the message a listen, and then click here to learn more about the Neurodiversity University Educator Hub. We hope you'll join us.
Our regular episode will be along Thursday, as usual. Thank you for your support. We couldn't do any of it without you.
Check out the Educator Hub!

Child-led support is often misunderstood. Some imagine it as a chaotic free-for-all where the child runs the show. Some worry it means abandoning all structure. In reality, a child-led approach is about moving from being a director to being a partner.
In this episode, Emily Kircher-Morris sits down with speech-language pathologist Nicole Casey to dismantle the compliance-based models of therapy that have dominated the field for decades. Nicole explains how shifting the focus from "fixing" speech to fostering authentic connection creates deeper buy-in and faster generalization of skills. They discuss Gestalt Language Processing (GLP), why we need to stop writing "80% accuracy" goals, and how using rubrics can revolutionize the way parents and educators track meaningful progress.
TAKEAWAYS
Child-led is an approach that centers the child's interests and experiences, removing arbitrary adult-directed rules (like "sit still") to prioritize safety, connection, and agency.

Speech is just one form of communication, but gestures, hand-leading, and AAC play major roles in communication.

Some children learn language in chunks or scripts tied to emotional context.

Goals based on 80% accuracy are arbitrary and often measure compliance rather than authentic communication.

Using rubrics allows teams to track the quality and autonomy of a skill (e.g., self-advocacy) across different contexts, offering a visual and qualitative way to see growth.

Before enforcing a direction, ask, "Does this rule actually serve the child, or is it just for my convenience?"

The Educator Hub opens the week of February 16! Go here for more info, and if you'd like, you can be alerted the minute it opens.
Nicole Casey, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist, educator, and the founder of The Child-Led SLP and Child-Led Therapy Center. She is widely recognized for her work in shifting speech therapy away from compliance-based approaches and toward connection-first, neuroaffirming support for autistic children.
Nicole's approach empowers adults to follow the child's lead, honor all forms of communication, and focus on building authentic relationships as the foundation for meaningful progress. Through her online courses, membership community, and Let Them Lead podcast, she is helping parents and professionals reimagine what effective, compassionate therapy can truly look like.
BACKGROUND READING
Nicole's Facebook, Instagram, Let Them Lead podcast (via Apple Podcasts)
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.

This week, Emily Kircher-Morris sits down with Sol Smith, the founder of the NeuroSpicy Community and author of The Autistic's Guide to Self-Discovery. Sol brings two decades of education, and his lived experience as an Autistic, ADHD, and dyslexic individual, to the discussion.
They talk about the complex feelings of imposter syndrome that many neurodivergent adults face - the feeling that life is a stage play where everyone else got the script but you - and the difficulty of masking and unmasking. They also get into the science of how we think, including breaking down the difference between top-down and bottom-up processing, and the tricky world of meta-messages, which can often lead to misunderstandings among colleagues or family.
It's a great discussion on communication, identity, and the importance of finding your people.
TAKEAWAYS
Imposter syndrome often stems from feeling like you are performing a role rather than living authentically.

Unmasking is less about revealing a hidden self and more about resuming the development of your personality.

Top-down thinkers generalize based on concepts, while bottom-up thinkers build understanding from specific details.

Autistic individuals often miss implied "meta-messages" that neurotypical people rely on.

Asking for more context is a way to gain clarity, not a sign of defiance.

Predictable routines can act as a "neurotypical simulator" to save cognitive energy.

Therapists, register now for the continuing education course, Get It Done: How to Help Clients with ADHD (& Others) Improve Productivity. Dr. Ari Tuckman will join Emily for this APA and NBCC approved 1.5 hour continuing education training on Friday, February 6.
Sol Smith is the author of The Autistic's Guide to Self-Discovery and the founder of The Neurospicy Community, the largest support network for autistic and ADHD individuals worldwide. A certified autism specialist who is autistic, dyslexic, and has ADHD, Sol brings both personal insight and professional expertise to his work helping neurodivergent people build autonomy and self-understanding.
After more than 20 years as a college professor, Sol shifted his focus to coaching and advocacy, creating accessible education and support for the broader neurodivergent community. His engaging speaking style has earned him a global platform, with hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and invitations to lead neurodiversity seminars for major corporations. Sol lives in Southern California with his wife and four children.
BACKGROUND READING
The Autistic's Guide to Self-Discovery, Sol's website, TikTok, 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.