Share
The Neurodivergent Experience
Summer Farrelly - The Life Of An Autistic Prodigy | EP11
Ep. 11
•
Collaboration and understanding between different species, including humans and animals, can lead to a more harmonious world.
In this episode of the Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott talk to Summer Farrelly, an Autistic inclusion advocate and animal behaviorist. They discuss Summer's journey to becoming a zoologist, their special interest in chickens, and their assisted animal learning program. Summer shares how their understanding of animal behavior has helped them navigate social settings and learn about human behavior. The conversation delves into the topic of advocacy and the impact of positive feedback from the community, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and sharing personal experiences in advocacy.
Takeaways
- Understanding animal behavior can provide insights into human behavior. Learning from animals can teach us valuable lessons about cooperation and survival.
- Studying animal behavior can provide insights into human behavior and vice versa. Favorite animals can vary among individuals, and personal preferences are influenced by various factors.
- Authenticity and sharing personal experiences are key in advocacy, as they can inspire and help others.
- Understanding and advocating for neurodivergent individuals is important for creating an inclusive society. Positive feedback from the community can have a profound impact on advocates and reinforce the importance of their work.
- Building meaningful friendships can be a challenge for neurodivergent individuals, but finding like-minded people can lead to strong connections.
- Starting as a content creator and advocate can be a way to connect with others and make a positive impact. Social media can have both positive and negative effects on individuals, and it's important to find a balance and prioritize real-life connections.
- Disability and ability are two sides of the same coin, and it's important to embrace and appreciate both aspects of one's neurodivergent identity.
00:00 Introduction to Summer Farrelly
04:32 Defining Neurodivergence and Autism
06:29 Living the Neurodivergent Experience in Australia
08:25 Summer's Journey to Studying Zoology
10:21 Passion for Animals and Special Interest in Chickens
20:21 Favorite Animals and Evolved Dinosaurs
28:49 Navigating Social Interactions and Friendship
37:51 Assisted Animal Learning Program
42:13 The Power of Authenticity
51:06 Navigating Challenges
56:24 The Impact of Positive Feedback
01:06:55 Embracing Neurodiversity
01:14:37 Self-Acceptance and the Journey of Advocacy
Summer Farrelly, Autistic Inclusion Advocate & Animal Behaviorist:
Website: https://summerfarrelly.com.au/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Chickens2love
Whether you're Neurodivergent yourself, a friend, family member, or simply curious about this extraordinary way of experiencing the world, this podcast is your guide to unravelling The Neurodivergent Experience.
Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
Facebook: theneurodivergentexperience
Youtube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
More episodes
View all episodes
Hot Topic: Navigating the News with a Neurodivergent Brain
27:18|In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Simon Scott is joined by Ashley Dupuy to explore why the news feels so overwhelming — especially for neurodivergent brains.With relentless headlines, graphic footage, political division, and algorithm-driven doom-scrolling, they unpack how constant exposure to crisis can heighten anxiety, disrupt sleep, and intensify black-and-white thinking.Ashley explains the role of the brain’s reticular activating system (RAS) — the internal filtering system that shows us more of what we focus on. When we consume dark, catastrophic stories repeatedly, our brains begin scanning the world for more threats, reinforcing anxiety and hypervigilance.They discuss:Doom-scrolling and negativity biasHeightened empathy and justice sensitivityPTSD and re-traumatisation through graphic mediaADHD, stimulation-seeking, and news addictionBlack-and-white thinking in polarised timesThe pressure to “have an opinion” on everythingFeeling powerless outside your circle of controlSocial conversations built around “ain’t it awful”News detoxes and intentional media boundariesUsing gratitude and inspiration to rebalance the brainA thoughtful, honest discussion about emotional intensity, media overwhelm, and how to stay informed without sacrificing your nervous system.Our Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘♀️ Ashley Dupuy – 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
101. Who Am I Without the Mask? Unmasking as a Neurodivergent Adult
01:03:10||Ep. 101In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Simon Scott is joined by Ashley Dupuy to explore the emotional reality of unmasking as a neurodivergent adult — especially after late diagnosis.With Jordan still in New Zealand, Simon and Ashley dive into identity shifts, grief, anger, boundaries, and the destabilising question so many people face:Who am I without the mask?They discuss how masking begins as a survival strategy rooted in nervous system safety, but can eventually leave you disconnected from your authentic self. From overcorrecting into bluntness to navigating workplaces and losing friendships built on compliance, they unpack what really happens when you stop performing.This episode explores:The identity crisis after late diagnosisGrief, anger, and the “what could I have been?” questionFawning, people-pleasing, and compliance-based friendshipsOver-correcting during early unmaskingAddiction, substances, and masking sociallyBeing told “you’ve changed”Boundaries and losing fair-weather friendsProfessional masking and workplace minefieldsThe difference between authenticity and dysregulationNervous system regulation as the foundation of unmaskingCuriosity vs shame when you “get it wrong”A thoughtful, validating conversation about learning to be yourself — slowly, imperfectly, and without burning your life down in the process.Our Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘♀️ Ashley Dupuy – 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
24. Mindful Mondays With Ashley Dupuy: How Gratitude Rewires the Neurodivergent Brain
33:40||Ep. 24If the word gratitude has ever made you roll your eyes, this episode is for you.This isn’t about toxic positivity or pretending everything is fine. It’s about neuroscience.In this episode, Ashley explores how gratitude reshapes your Reticular Activating System (RAS) — the brain’s internal filter that decides what gets noticed. For neurodivergent nervous systems wired for intensity, pattern recognition, and threat detection, that filter can easily become tuned toward what’s overwhelming or missing.Gratitude, practised intentionally, becomes a neural training practice.You’ll learn how negativity bias and modern media hijack your attention, why simply searching for something to appreciate changes your brain, and how a simple six-week challenge can gently retrain your inner lens.This is grounded, science-backed, and fully relevant to the lived experience of neurodivergence.Gratitude isn’t naive.It’s neural.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
Hot Topic: I Swear (2025) – The Most Neuroaffirming Film We’ve Seen
24:46|In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott explore the powerful impact of the British biographical drama I Swear — a neuroaffirming film based on the life of John Davidson, who developed Tourette’s syndrome as a child and later became a speaker and advocate.They reflect on their wider experiences of being neurodivergent — the bullying, blame, masking, rejection, and misunderstanding that shaped their early lives. The film mirrors what it feels like to grow up different in a world that often responds with judgment rather than understanding.Jordan shares memories of being mocked at school and blamed for behaviours he couldn’t control, while Simon opens up about the emotional impact of recognising how much he has masked over the years.The conversation also explores how society can “disable” people through discrimination and rigid expectations, and how those social responses create lasting wounds. They reflect on the film’s empowering message of turning lived experience into advocacy — and how authentic neurodivergent representation can help transform pain into purpose and community.They discuss:Tourette’s syndrome and visible ticsChildhood bullying and social rejectionBeing blamed for behaviours you can’t controlMasking and suppressing neurodivergent traitsAnxiety and symptom exacerbationLaw enforcement misunderstandingsDisability vs social disablementGrowing up feeling “othered”Authentic neurodivergent representation in filmTurning lived experience into advocacy and communityAn emotional, reflective episode about neurodivergence, identity, stigma, and the power of storytelling to shift perspective and create change.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 episodes100. How Neurodivergent People Self-Sabotage
01:07:36||Ep. 100In this milestone 100th episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott reflect on self-sabotaging behaviours — from procrastination and perfectionism to impulsivity, addiction, rigid thinking, and negative self-talk.They share personal stories about turning down opportunities, abandoning creative projects, gaming addiction, risk-taking, substance use, phone dependence, and the ways neurodivergent intensity can both fuel success and quietly derail it. The conversation explores how fear of failure, rejection sensitivity, and the need for stimulation often sit beneath these behaviours.From code-switching and conscious camouflaging to asking “do you want my opinion?” before giving it, they reflect on how intentional change, emotional regulation, and meeting people where they are can reduce conflict without losing identity.They discuss:Procrastination, perfectionism, and fear of failureNegative self-talk and rejection sensitivityRisk-taking, addiction, and impulsivityGaming, gambling, substances, and phone dependenceRigid thinking and relationship conflictOversharing and social misstepsAuthenticity vs accountabilityCode-switching and conscious camouflagingMeeting people where they are Learning to pause before speakingA reflective, honest episode about growth, responsibility, and the messy reality of being neurodivergent — 100 episodes in.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
23. Mindful Mondays With Ashley Dupuy: Thoughts Are Not Facts | Growth Mindset for Neurodivergent Minds
38:48||Ep. 23Seeing your life clearly doesn’t mean seeing it harshly.In this episode of Mindful Mondays, we explore how mindset and reframing shape not just how we think - but how our nervous system experiences the world.Many neurodivergent and highly sensitive people live with a loud inner commentary. Thoughts can feel convincing, critical, and fixed - yet thoughts are not facts.Together, we explore:* Growth mindset through a neurodivergent lens* Why reframing supports nervous system safety (not toxic positivity)* How meaning - not circumstances - shapes our experience* Why challenges often deepen, rather than diminish, a meaningful lifeDrawing on wisdom from thinkers and creatives including William James, Hugh Mackay, Tina Turner, Joan Rivers, Kurt Vonnegut, and Michael Jordan, this episode invites a gentler, truer way of seeing yourself.You’ll also be guided through a reflective visualisation - The Gallery of Your Life - offering a new relationship with past moments, old judgments, and the stories you live inside.This is not about fixing yourself.It’s about learning to see yourself in a way that supports you.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
Hot Topic: Are Schools Really Supporting Autistic Children — Or Just Moving Them Aside?
17:00|In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott react to a BBC story about schools opening specialist units for autistic pupils — and question whether these plans are about support, or simply about moving autistic children out of sight.They unpack concerns around lumping autistic children together across wide age ranges, the overuse of special units as a cost-cutting measure, and the way neurodivergent pupils are often treated as a problem to be managed rather than as individuals with different needs.Jordan draws on years of lived experience working with schools, SEND staff, parents, and neurodivergent children to challenge saviour narratives, infantilisation, and misinformation — including being told by a special school that ADHD “doesn’t exist in adults.” Together, they discuss how EHCP barriers, funding caps, and systemic misunderstandings risk limiting potential rather than supporting it.Rather than rejecting specialist provision outright, the episode questions who these systems are really built for, and whether convenience and cost are being prioritised over dignity, autonomy, and individual development.They discuss:Specialist units vs genuinely individualised supportLumping autistic children together by diagnosis rather than needInfantilisation and “saviour” narratives in SEND educationMisinformation about ADHD and neurodivergence in schoolsEHCP barriers and unequal access to supportCost-cutting vs child-centred educationWhy autism isn’t a reason, on its own, to remove a child from mainstream learningA frustrated, informed, and necessary conversation about education, power, and why neurodivergent children deserve more than being quietly moved out of the way.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 episodes99. Executive Dysfunction and PDA: Why Everything Feels So Hard
55:20||Ep. 99In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott explore the overlap — and important differences — between executive dysfunction and pathological demand avoidance (PDA), and why both can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming.They unpack how executive dysfunction is linked to planning, organisation, and overload, while PDA is driven by anxiety, autonomy, and threat responses — and why, in real life, the two often collide. Through personal examples, they explore why getting started, following through, or responding to demands can feel impossible, even when you want to do the thing.Jordan and Simon reflect on how fear of failure, shame, trauma, and being told to “just do it” can intensify paralysis rather than help. They also discuss how misunderstanding these patterns leads to judgment — at home, at work, and in childhood — instead of support.Rather than offering quick fixes, the conversation focuses on reducing pressure, understanding what’s really happening in the nervous system, and finding supportive ways to move forward.They discuss:What executive dysfunction and PDA are — and how they differ Why do they often show up together Anxiety, autonomy, and threat responses Task paralysis and avoidance Fear of failure and internalised shame Every day struggles like hygiene, work, and leaving the house Why increasing pressure makes things worse What actually helps insteadA validating conversation about why simple tasks can feel so hard — and how understanding, compassion, and the right support can make a real difference.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
22. Mindful Mondays With Ashley Bentley: The Art of Resilience | the Squeeze, the Release, and the Capacity to Return
35:17||Ep. 22Resilience is often misunderstood.It’s not about pushing through at all costs, pretending you’re fine, or never getting overwhelmed — especially if you’re sensitive or neurodivergent. Real resilience is something far more human, far more embodied.In this episode of Mindful Mondays, we explore what resilience actually looks like in the nervous system — the ability to move through challenge, to feel the squeeze of life, and to gently find our way back.Drawing on neuroscience, somatic wisdom, Buddhism, psychology, and lived experience, we explore:Why resilience is about movement, not perfectionHow discomfort can become meaningful rather than overwhelmingThe role of contrast - squeeze and release - in nervous system flexibilityWhy resistance, not discomfort itself, often creates sufferingEmotional complexity as a strength, not a flawHow sensitive and neurodivergent nervous systems can learn to “bounce back” with kindnessWhy acceptance can create a deeper baseline peace, even during hard timesYou’ll also be guided through a gentle squeeze-and-release meditation designed to help your body experience resilience directly - not as an idea, but as a felt sense.If you’ve ever felt like you’re “too sensitive,” slow to recover, or worn down by life’s demands, this episode is an invitation to reframe resilience - not as something you force, but something you cultivate through care, curiosity, and self-trust.You don’t have to harden to survive.You’re allowed to soften - and still be strong.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