Mind Matters

Is the neurodiversity movement a social justice issue? How can we convince the world that differences aren’t deficits? Many of our widely-held beliefs are grounded in fairly obvious ableism. Dr. Bibi Pirayesh is a learning specialist and educational therapist, and founder of the Differences Are Not Deficits Project. She speaks out with Emily Kircher-Morris on episode 170. Here’s the link for the summer camp program at Young Scholars Academy. Please use promo code YSANDP10 for 10% off, and to let them know you heard it on the Neurodiversity Podcast. Get mom some swag for Mother’s Day and support the podcast at the same time. Dr. Bibi Pirayesh works with children in grades 1-12 with a wide range of learning difficulties, including dyslexia, ADHD, and spectrum disorders. Her work as a learning specialist and educational therapist in private practice emphasizes on remediating learning disabilities in a one-on-one setting. Dr. Pirayesh is also a speaker and community advocate for children and families around learn

As Autism Acceptance Month continues, we present a visit with Casey Ehrlich. Casey talks with Emily Kircher-Morris about the relationship between autism and PDA, and about her experience raising her PDA autistic son. She has a different approach that works for her, but is met with a measure of skepticism from some. It’s all ahead, in episode 169. For information about our SPACE Program, and to get registered, go here. Register today and get started on our free executive function course from the Neurodiversity University! It's set up for educator professional develop and continuing education credit. Join the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy and Support Group on Facebook. Casey Ehrlich, Ph.D., is the founder of At Peace Parents, LLC, an organization that gives parents and therapists tools to support kids with PDA. She’s also the co-founder of the PDA Parents community and podcast. With a background in social science, methodology, and research, Casey takes an objective and non-judgmental approach to supporting fa

Selah is an autistic 7th grader at a private school, and is navigating all of the expectations and social relationships of being neurodivergent. She’s the main character in a middle-grade fiction book called Good Different, by Meg Eden Kuyatt, and Emily Kircher-Morris talks to her about life as an autistic author. Who was the inspiration for Selah? Was it difficult to write her story completely in poem form? What advice does Meg have for neurodivergent kids growing up today? It’s all in episode 168, part of our celebration of Autism Acceptance Month. Here’s the link for the summer camp program at Young Scholars Academy. Please use promo code YSANDP10 for 10% off, and to let them know you heard it on the Neurodiversity Podcast. Register today and get started on our free executive function course from the Neurodiversity University! It's set up for educator professional develop and continuing education credit. To get A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children (2nd edition) at a 25% discount, click here and use the dis

Are there training and certification programs for medical practitioners? How can we help our kids deal with existential dread? Is there still no connection between taking Tylenol during pregnancy and autism? Plus many other questions, asked and answered, on our fourth Ask Me Anything. Emily Kircher-Morris dishes it out on episode 167!  To get in on the asking, join our Facebook group: The Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy & Support Group. To get A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children (2nd edition) at a 25% discount, click here and use the discount code NDPOD25.

It’s common today for people to be diagnosed as neurodivergent as an adult, having survived childhood without the recognition or support that may have come along with a diagnosis. Our guest lived that experience. Carolyn Kiel is the host of the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast, and she joins Emily to talk about her life as an autistic woman. What are the hurdles and barriers to getting an autism diagnosis? Does a diagnosis even matter once you’re an adult? How can looking back at your childhood from that new perspective change the way you think about the world? It’s episode 166, and it’s part of our special series during April, Autism Acceptance Month. This episode is brought to you by SPACE - Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions. To register for SPACE, submit your information through this portal. For more details go to Neurodiversity University. Join the Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy and Support Group on Facebook! ABOUT THE GUEST Carolyn Kiel is an experienced instructional designer of employee trai

During Autism Acceptance Month, we’re reminding anyone who will listen that acting differently, speaking differently, or following different social rules, doesn’t make someone less human or deserving of respect. Dr. Barry Prizant is the author of Uniquely Human, and joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about moving the concept of neurodiversity forward, and how we can continue advancing society toward equality and respect for everyone, regardless of their wiring. This is a previously published interview with updated information for AAM 2023. Our new program is SPACE - Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions. To register for SPACE, submit your information through this portal. For more details go to Neurodiversity University. Emily is a co-author of A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children (2nd edition), which will be released April 11! For 25% off, click here and use the discount code NDPOD25. ABOUT THE GUEST Barry M. Prizant, PhD, CCC-SLP is among the world’s leading authorities on autism and neurodevelo

Many consider “A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children: A Resource for Caregivers and Advocates” to be the most comprehensive and important handbook on the subject of giftedness ever published. However, it was originally released in 2007, and since then, updated research has placed giftedness under a much more focused lens. Our guest, Ed Amend, was one of the original co-authors, and he recruited Emily Kircher-Morris to co-author a second edition, complete with a wealth of new information and research. In this episode they talk about what’s new in the updated version, and how our understanding of giftedness has changed in the 16 years since its first release. This episode is brought to you by SPACE - Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions. To register for SPACE, submit your information through this portal. For more details go to Neurodiversity University. To get A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children (2nd edition) at a 25% discount, click here and use the discount code NDPOD25.   ABOUT THE GUEST Edward

We welcome Elizabeth Hamblet, the author of Seven Steps for College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities, to talk about how parents can prepare their neurodivergent kids for college. We talk about when to begin preparing, and how to develop processes and good habits. We discuss what most colleges offer (or don’t offer) to neurodivergent students, and when it might be best to alter plans. The truth about post-high school accommodations might shock you. We talk about it in episode 163. This episode is brought to you by On Your Marq, a College Success program for neurodivergent students at Marquette University. Call 414-288-0203, or go to www.marquette.edu/on-your-marq. To register for a spot in our SPACE program, submit your information through this portal. For more details, and for information on our courses for educators and parents, head to the Neurodiversity University. ABOUT THE GUEST - Elizabeth Hamblet began her career as a high school special ed teacher, then transitioned to working in a co

While career changes are possible later in life, our first choice defines much of our career so it’s important to make careful decisions. But when multipotentiality comes into play, there could be many solid options. Throw in something like perfectionism, and it can bring the process to a halt. Dr. Jon Goodwin from UC Santa Barbara joins Emily to talk about multipotentiality, and when there’s more than one right answer. This episode is brought to you by On Your Marq, a college success program for neurodivergent students at Marquette University. Call 414-288-0203, or go to https://www.marquette.edu/on-your-marq. Sign up for our free course, Using Fandoms + AI to Develop Coping Skills for Neurodivergent Kids, available through our learning portal, the Neurodiversity University.  Head to our new merchandise page to check out our popular “a little weird is good” t-shirt, along with lots of other shirts and swag to tell the world you support the podcast! ABOUT THE GUEST - Jon W. Goodwin, PhD, is an Assistant Profe

Parents often struggle with helping their children manage anxiety. Dr. Eli Lebowitz of Yale University joins us to talk about his research and work with children and their parents on managing anxiety and OCD. He’s also developed a program to teach parents how to help their children with anxiety, and to help therapists learn new therapy techniques. To register for SPACE, submit your information through this portal. For more details, head to Neurodiversity University. ABOUT THE GUEST - Professor Eli Lebowitz studies and treats childhood and adolescent anxiety at the Yale Child Study Center. His research focuses on the development, neurobiology, and treatment of anxiety and related disorders, with special emphasis on family dynamics and the role of parents in these problems. Dr. Lebowitz is the lead investigator on multiple funded research projects, and is the author of research papers, books (including Breaking Free of Child Anxiety & OCD) and chapters on childhood and adolescent anxiety. He is also the fat

Intelligence is divided into several categories, and today we’re talking about non-verbal intelligence. It’s often harder to recognize, so it can be a struggle for people with higher non-verbal intelligence to show their abilities. What are the signs of high non-verbal intelligence? How can we tease out those signs in people who mask, or those who have spiky profiles? Mark Hess is the editor of the SENG Library, and President of the Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented. Mark and Emily are talking about non-verbal intelligence, today on episode 160. Here’s a link to register for our free webinar about the SPACE program, happening Monday, February 27 at 8:00pm eastern/5:00pm pacific. SPACE is a service provided through the Neurodiversity University. Get more info on the website. Bridges Academy Online is a proud sponsor of episode 160. For more information go to bridges.edu. ABOUT THE GUEST Mark Hess is the President of the Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented and editor of the SENG Library. He

Often, autistic girls are called shy, introverted, perfectionistic, confused, anything BUT autistic. There is a pervasive impression, even in the medical community, that autism occurs in boys vastly more often than girls. The result is, autistic girls are missing out on services and tools that are available to them. Holly Blanc Moses is a therapist, and the host of The Autism ADHD Podcast, and she joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about missing autism in girls. On Your Marq at Marquette University is a proud sponsor of episode 159. For more information, go to http://www.marquette.edu/on-your-marq. Also, here’s the link to pre-order A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children, Second Edition. ABOUT THE GUEST - Holly Blanc Moses is passionate about helping neurodivergent children, adults and their families. Over the last 23 years, she has provided mental health therapy in the areas of emotional regulation, anxiety, social interaction, depression, parent-child relationship, and school success. She is the host of The Au

The technology world is changing quickly. For confirmation, look no further than ChatGPT. Parents, teachers, and mental health professionals are rushing to determine where to draw new lines, and which lines to erase, so that kids are able to safely utilize resources and entertainment. Also, what is okay to post publicly? How can kids cope with FOMO (fear of missing out)? How can we help them deal with anxiety when they see the highly filtered lives of others on social media? Dr. Devorah Heitner is the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World, and the forthcoming book Growing Up in Public. Dr. Heitner joins Emily Kircher-Morris to discuss these issues and more. This episode is sponsored by Understood. Visit U.org for expert resources on ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning and thinking differences. If you’re a parent with kids who may be struggling with anxiety or obsessive & compulsive thoughts, make plans to join us for a free webinar to learn more about a new program

We’re still in a years-long pandemic. Humanity feels like it’s crumbling. How do we deal with the inevitable feelings of existentialism? It’s common for neurodivergent people to experience it more intensely, and at an earlier age. They question life, worry about death, and generally ask, “what’s it all about?” Our guest is Leon Garber, author of a blog called Leon’s Existential Cafe, and we’re diving deep on episode 157. It’s an encore presentation of a chat from 2020, but is very pertinent today. Today’s episode is sponsored by The Council for Exceptional Children. For more information, go to exceptionalchildren.org. ABOUT THE GUEST - Leon Garber is a philosophical writer, and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor/Psychotherapist — specializing in Existential Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Trauma Therapy. He’s also the author of Leon’s Existential Cafe, a blog exploring issues of death, self-esteem, love, freedom, life-meaning, and mental health/mental illness, from both empirical and personal

What more do parents need to understand about their neurodivergent kids in order to reach that “aha” moment? Does it ever even really arrive? Penny Williams, author of Boy Without Instructions, host of the Beautifully Complex Podcast, and co-founder of The Behavior Revolution, joins Emily Kircher-Morris on episode 156 to talk about understanding what motivates our kids to be who they are. This is an episode every parent should hear. Download the Behavior Wheel here. Today’s episode is sponsored by The Council for Exceptional Children. For more information, go to exceptionalchildren.org. ABOUT THE GUEST - Penny Williams is a coach for neurodivergent families and the award-winning author of four books on ADHD, including Boy Without Instructions. She’s the host of the Beautifully Complex Podcast, co-host of the annual Neurodiversity Summits, and co-founder of The Behavior Revolution, an initiative devoted to celebrating and supporting kids with ADHD or autism.  Penny empowers parents to help their neuro-atypical

Often, neurodivergent people have a completely different communication experience than neurotypicals. They respond differently to regulation, attention, and motivation, and often parents struggle when trying to improve connections with their kids. Linda Murphy is the author of The Declarative Language Handbook, and she’s joining us with ideas on how to reframe communication and break down barriers. Here’s a link to the Neurodiversity University, where you can find info on our first two courses, Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students, and Foundations of Dyslexia for Educators. We’ll be adding courses for parents, mental health professionals, and more as we enter 2023, so look for more information along the way. Episode 155 is brought to you by Bridges Academy Online, a high school education for twice-exceptional students. Find them at bridges.edu. ABOUT THE GUEST - Linda Murphy is a speech language pathologist and RDI Consultant. She co-founded the “Peer Projects Therapy From the Heart” clinic in

What does it take to make a counseling practice neurodiversity-affirming? What do we need for the wider mental health community to understand or embrace in order to better support neurodivergent people? Dr. Andy Kahn from Understood.org is here to talk with Emily Kircher-Morris about these subjects and many more. The Belin-Blank Center is a proud sponsor of episode 154, for more information, go to www.BelinBlank.org. Here’s a link to the Neurodiversity University, where  you can find info on our first two courses, Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students, and Foundations of Dyslexia for Educators. We’ll be adding courses for parents, mental health professionals, and more as we enter 2023, so look for more information along the way. ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Andrew Kahn is a licensed psychologist specializing in working with neurodivergent individuals. He’s also the Associate Director of Behavior Change & Expertise for Understood.org. His extensive experience within the public school system encomp

Destigmatizing labels. Teaching mental health professionals to be neurodiversity-affirming. Reasonable expectations of your kids, and when is it enough? Plus many other questions, asked and answered, on our third Ask Me Anything. Emily Kircher-Morris dishes it out on episode 153!  To get in on the asking, join our Facebook group: The Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy & Support Group.

Dyscalculia. What is it? Why haven’t we heard more about it? What is its relationship with dyslexia? On the first episode of 2023, Emily Kircher-Morris sits down with Laura M. Jackson, author of Discovering Dyscalculia, and they talk about Laura’s journey with her dyscalculic daughter, the symptoms to look for, diagnosis, advocacy, and more. This episode is sponsored by Understood. Visit U.org for expert resources on ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning and thinking differences. By the way, here’s a link to the Neurodiversity University, where you can find info on our first two courses, Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students, and Foundations of Dyslexia for Educators. We’ll be adding courses for parents, mental health professionals, and more as we enter 2023, so look for more information along the way. And, join our Facebook group here! ABOUT THE GUEST - Laura M. Jackson is a writer, advocate, and consultant for individuals with dyscalculia. Her book, Discovering Dyscalculia, is a resource for ch

We’re revisiting a conversation this week with Dr. Dan Peters. Dyslexia is often misunderstood, and educators and parents sometimes mistake it for a simple reading deficit. Dan joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about dyslexia, as well as dysgraphia, and dyscalculia; their indications, where to go for diagnosis, and ways to help your child adapt. The basics of, and the often stealth nature of, dyslexia, on episode 151. Here's a link to the Neurodiversity University, our online campus that features courses on subjects like twice-exceptionality and dyslexia. It's great for continuing education for teachers, as well as a tool to help parents advocate for their kids. Thank you to the sponsor of this episode, Bridges Academy Online, a high school education for twice-exceptional students. Find them at bridges.edu. ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Dan Peters is a psychologist, author, and co-founder and Executive Director of the Summit Center. Dr. Peters has devoted his career to the assessment and treatment of children, adole