The Neurodivergent Experience

In this week’s Mindful Mondays, Ashley Bentley explores the Circle of Control - a simple yet deeply regulating framework that helps neurodivergent nervous systems find steadiness in moments of anger, overwhelm, and emotional overload.Building on themes from recent episodes on December fatigue and nervous system regulation, Ashley shares how learning to release what is outside our control can radically change how we experience stress, reactivity, and burnout. Drawing on a powerful conversation from Episode 75 of The Neurodivergent Experience Podcast, she reflects on how the Circle of Control became one of the most effective tools her co-host Jordan has ever used for regulating anger - especially in high-stress moments like driving.This episode gently unpacks the paradox of control: how gripping too tightly to ourselves can create anxiety, while letting go of what was never ours restores clarity, agency, and calm. Through story, metaphor, and nervous-system wisdom, listeners are invited to rethink control not as domination, but as a compassionate way of choosing where attention and energy truly belong.The episode closes with a soothing Yoga Nidra–inspired practice, guiding listeners into deep rest and embodied focus - a way of experiencing the Circle of Control not just as an idea, but as a felt sense of inner steadiness.A grounding companion for anyone feeling stretched thin, reactive, or overwhelmed - and a reminder that peace often begins by carrying less.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott respond to an Independent article exploring whether undiagnosed ADHD increases the likelihood of young people going missing — and why headlines like this often oversimplify a much deeper issue. Jordan shares raw, personal stories of repeatedly running away as a child and how abuse, zero support, and misinterpretation shaped his behaviour — not ADHD itself. Simon unpacks why articles tend to blame neurodivergence rather than the environmental failures, lack of safeguarding, and lack of understanding that actually create crisis responses.Together, they discuss:Why “ADHD made me run away” is an oversimplificationHow unsupported neurodivergent kids end up in crisisSensationalist headlines vs. lived realityThe role of schools, police, and mental health servicesHow mislabelling kids as “naughty” shapes lifelong self-worthWhy early identification and whole-profile neurodivergent understanding mattersThe urgent need for empathy-driven support systemsThis is a validating and eye-opening conversation for anyone who grew up misunderstood — and for anyone working with vulnerable neurodivergent young people today.Our Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

In this week’s Mindful Mondays, Ashley Bentley explores the quiet emotional weight that December so often brings - especially for neurodivergent nervous systems. Through gentle storytelling, neuroscience, and ND-affirming insight, she unpacks why this season can feel overwhelming: the sensory demands, disrupted routines, family dynamics, social expectations, and the tender ache of loneliness that December can amplify.Ashley reframes exhaustion as the body’s boundary, loneliness as an emotional truth, and overwhelm as a physiological response rather than a personal failing. The episode includes a Bite-Sized Buddhism reflection on dukkha, a Microdosing Meaning moment for gentle re-framing, and a winter landscape meditation to help listeners find warmth, softness, and inner steadiness in a demanding season.A compassionate companion for anyone feeling stretched thin, out of sync, or quietly overwhelmed this December.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott react to a recent article claiming dogs can be “autistic” — and unpack why this framing misunderstands both animals and neurodivergence. They discuss how natural behaviours in animals get mislabelled as “autistic traits,” why deficit-based language harms autistic people, and how ableist assumptions shape research across species.Together, they explore:How research bias leads to fear-based language like “risk” and “behavioural problems”Why neurodivergence is a natural evolutionary advantage, not a deficitThe danger of reinforcing stereotypes (e.g., “cats are autistic,” “hyper dogs are ADHD”)Why splitting neurodivergence into strict labels misses the bigger pictureHow science goes wrong when it assumes autism is a negative traitThe importance of autistic-led insight in neurodivergent researchThis is a funny, fiery, and thought-provoking take on what happens when good intentions collide with bad science — and why autistic voices must guide any conversation about neurodivergence, no matter the species.Our Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott share a warm, funny, and deeply relatable account of their weekend in Liverpool — a true neurodivergent experience of travel, routine disruption, sensory differences, social energy, and feeling safe with the right people. From road-trip anxiety and hyperfocus preparation to navigating cities, accents, crowds, and new environments, they reflect on what makes travel hard for autistic and ADHD adults — and what makes it easier when you’re with someone who understands your needs without judgment.They explore how their friendship works so well: no masking, no pressure to perform, no expectations to “join in,” just mutual understanding, space to stim or decompress, and the comfort of being fully themselves in each other’s homes.Together, Jordan and Simon discuss:Travel anxiety, catastrophising, and the power of preparationHow hyperfocus can override fear and create excitementWhy immersive, paced environments feel more accessible for ND peopleEcholalia, accents, dialects and how ND communication shifts by environmentEating routines, interoception issues, and the pressure of being a “guest”Navigating other people’s homes and maintaining boundariesWhy ND people need autonomy, quiet time, and freedom to roamUnmasking safely and what it means to be welcomed “as you are”This lighthearted, genuine episode captures the everyday realities of neurodivergent living — the joy, the challenges, the humour, and the deep relief of finding people who get you. A comforting, relatable listen for anyone seeking ND community.Our Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

In this week’s Mindful Mondays, Ashley Bentley begins December with one of the most transformative practices in meditation - Loving-Kindness, or Metta - a heart-centred practice that played a pivotal role in her own healing during one of the most difficult winters of her life.In this deeply reflective episode, Ashley shares how she first encountered loving-kindness meditation during a period marked by isolation, burnout, chronic illness, and profound emotional fatigue. She explores why this ancient practice is uniquely powerful for the neurodivergent nervous system - how cultivating genuine feelings of warmth, compassion, and connection can shift us from protection into regulation, soften old emotional narratives, and create real physiological change.Listeners will learn about the heart-based science behind metta, how this practice supports emotional resilience and nervous system safety, and why it so often brings unexpected breakthroughs and healing tears.This episode also includes a short, grounding Loving-Kindness meditation, guided with trauma-sensitive care and designed to meet each listener exactly where they are.If December feels heavy, lonely, or overwhelming, this practice offers a gentle place to rest.And later this month, Ashley will revisit metta in a very special Self-Love episode—closing the year with compassion, softness, and deep inner nourishment.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott respond to shocking recent comments from Reform UK’s deputy leader, Richard Tice — whose claims about “overdiagnosis,” ear defenders, and SEND support reveal just how dangerously out of touch his party is with neurodivergent realities. They break down Tice’s statements about “too many labels,” “overdiagnosed children,” and the idea that SEND support should be pushed back onto already-burnt-out schools. Jordan and Simon explore why this rhetoric isn’t just ignorant — it’s harmful, ableist, and deeply rooted in a political movement that treats disabled children as a financial burden rather than human beings.Across the episode, they dive into:Why claims of “overdiagnosis” are factually wrong — and why autism and ADHD remain massively underdiagnosedThe danger of framing neurodivergent support as “optional” or “too expensive”How right-wing parties in the UK and US mirror each other in attacking disabled communitiesWhy ear defenders, sensory tools, and accommodations matter — and what it means when politicians publicly mock themThe long history of autistic people driving innovation, science, technology, art, and cultureHow austerity politics weaponise public ignorance about neurodivergenceWhy dismissing assessments, EHCPs, and support plans harms every child, not just SEND studentsWhat happens when politicians shape policy around stigma instead of science and lived experienceThis is a fiery, unapologetic episode about the real political threat facing autistic and ADHD people — and why our community cannot stay silent when elected officials target disabled children to score votes.Our Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott look back at five years since the COVID-19 lockdown — and how that period reshaped society, mental health, and the lives of autistic and ADHD adults.With honesty, humour, and emotional depth, they revisit the fear, isolation, shifting rules and political failures of 2020, and how lockdown exposed their neurodivergence in unexpected ways. They share how regression, unmasking, burnout, identity loss and relationship strain collided with a world in crisis — and how many neurotypical people began showing traits often associated with autism and ADHD.They explore how lockdown changed behaviour, communication, social skills, empathy and online culture — and how those long-term effects are still shaping autistic and ADHD lives today.Together, Jordan and Simon discuss:How lockdown triggered autistic burnout, regression, and forced unmaskingWhy do so many neurotypical people develop “autistic-coded” traits during isolationThe collapse of social norms, empathy, boundaries, and patience post-lockdownThe rise of selfishness, social withdrawal, and digital dependencyThe emotional impact on teens of losing key developmental yearsHow family dynamics shifted for better and worseWhy remote work has transformed accessibility for neurodivergent peopleThis is a reflective, raw, and deeply human conversation about the way lockdown reshaped us — individually and collectively — and why neurodivergent people felt those shifts more intensely than anyone.Our Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes