The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

What happens when you spend years advocating for your autistic child…only to discover that you’re autistic too?In this special April episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Paul Cruz sits down with Julie Green to explore late autism diagnosis, motherhood, masking, and identity.This episode is also a milestone.It marks the first anniversary of the podcastAnd coincides with World Autism Awareness DayTogether, these moments create space not just for awareness—but for reflection, nuance, and deeper understanding.Julie shares how her understanding of autism evolved—from early stereotypes shaped by media to a deeply personal realization that reframed her entire life.This conversation is about more than diagnosis.It’s about moving from self-blame → self-understanding, and learning to extend that same compassion to the next generation.As we recognize World Autism Awareness Day this April, this conversation invites us to move beyond awareness toward:understandingacceptanceand systems-level changeIt also marks one year of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast—a year of centering lived experience, nuance, and meaningful conversations.Resources & LinksLearn more about Julie Green: https://juliemgreen.ca/Explore her memoir Motherness: https://juliemgreen.ca/books-1Follow The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-neurodiversity-voices-podcast/id1806028241Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1lI596bVmFi1rCwXHaVZaG?si=c582d74eddbb466aRSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/the-neurodiversity-voices-podcast

In this reflective conversation, Paul sits down with Zack Yarde, neurodiversity researcher, systems thinker, and longtime leader in human services.Together they explore a question many neurodivergent people quietly carry:What happens when you realize the problem might not be you — but the system you're trying to exist inside?Zack shares insights from his work on workplace inclusion, leadership, and community spaces, including tabletop gaming environments that intentionally foster psychological safety.Rather than offering quick fixes, this episode invites listeners into a deeper conversation about curiosity, systems thinking, and the ways neurodivergent people are often asked to carry the burden of change alone.If you've ever questioned whether you're "too much," "not enough," or built differently than the systems around you, this episode is for you.Memorable Moments"We might get a good idea that helps one group — but when we apply it to everyone, we can accidentally exclude even more people.""Stop blaming yourself for being your own manifestation of neurodivergence.""True independence actually requires community."About the Guest:Zack Yarde is a neurodiversity researcher, leadership practitioner, and systems thinker focused on building more inclusive workplaces and communities.His work explores how organizational systems, leadership practices, and culture shape accessibility, psychological safety, and employee agency.Alongside his professional work, Zack is also involved in tabletop role-playing communities, where he facilitates collaborative storytelling spaces that support creativity and belonging.Connect With ZackLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackyarde/Subscribe & FollowFollow Neurodiversity Voices Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share the episode with someone who needs to hear it • Leave a rating or review to help more people find the showThe Neurodiversity Voices Podcast Centering lived experience. Amplifying diverse minds and building inclusive systems.Follow, rate, and review to help amplify neurodivergent voices.Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

At what point do you stop asking "What's wrong with me?" and start asking "What's wrong with the system?"In this episode, Paul sits down with neurodiversity researcher Zack Yarde to unpack one of the most important mindset shifts for neurodivergent individuals: you are not the problem.Zach shares powerful insights on self-acceptance, the pressure to fit "typical" presentations of neurodivergence, and why organizations often fail at true inclusion. Together, they explore where inclusion efforts break down—systems, leadership, or culture—and why all three must work together to create meaningful change.This conversation is a reminder that authenticity isn't a weakness—it's a strength.The full episode of this conversation goes live on March 25.Make sure you're subscribed to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast so you don't miss it—and be ready to join the conversation when it drops.

Guest: Lisa Shanken, Executive Functioning Coach & Founder of Social BloomExecutive functioning isn't just about staying organized — it's about emotional regulation, follow-through, cognitive flexibility, and how we move through the world.In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Paul Cruz sits down with Lisa Shanken, executive functioning coach and founder of Social Bloom, to explore why implementation is harder than planning, how accountability changes outcomes, and why structured community may be the missing piece for neurodivergent adults navigating loneliness.Lisa shares practical strategies for breaking patterns of dysregulation, explains the gut-brain connection in real-life terms, and discusses how Social Bloom and Love Bloom are creating structured, supportive spaces for authentic in-person connection.This conversation is grounded, hopeful, and deeply practical.Key TakeawayPeople aren't broken. They need systems that work for their brains.Connect with Lisa ShankenWebsite: https://lisashanken.com Schedule a free consultation directly through her site.The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast Centering lived experience. Amplifying diverse minds. Building inclusive systems.Follow, rate, and review to help amplify neurodivergent voices.Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

What happens when a late diagnosis doesn't just explain your past — it reshapes how you move through the present?In this episode, Paul Cruz talks with Erica about late-identified autism and ADHD (combined type), alexithymia, and the layered experience of unmasking while parenting a neurodivergent child. Erica shares the validation and clarity that came with diagnosis — alongside the grief for the younger self who navigated without support.We also explore how creative practice can become a lifeline: why poetry offered a "nonlinear" container for truth-telling, how nature and animals provide kinship and unconditional grace, and how activism can evolve into something sustainable through words, art, and care. Erica explains how tarot and spiritual frameworks can function as tools for self-understanding (and why "one-size-fits-all" approaches can harm neurodivergent people), and introduces her forthcoming book, The Autistic Arcana — a neurodivergent approach to tarot, magic, and the Major Arcana.If you've ever felt "too much," "not enough," or simply misunderstood — this conversation offers both language and permission.If this episode resonated, please follow/subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might feel seen by it.

In this deeply honest and expansive conversation, Paul and Tegan sit down with musician and advocate Jon Hart to explore identity, late diagnosis, burnout, creative processing, and what it means to unmask in an industry that often rewards performance over wellbeing.Jon shares his journey from building and losing a music business to experiencing a mental health crisis that ultimately led to discovering his ADHD and autism. What followed wasn't just recovery — it was what he calls a five-year metamorphosis.Together, we explore:The crash that forced a reinventionADHD, autism, and late diagnosis in adulthoodMusic as nervous system regulationWhy "sex, drugs & rock and roll" hides unhealthy copingProcessing through creativity as an "external hard drive."The power of sitting in the mud with someone instead of fixing themWhy neurodivergence isn't a deficit — it's creative wiringWhat the music industry must confront about inclusionBuilding community for neurodivergent musiciansJon also shares practical strategies he uses to regulate and protect his well-being online and build sustainable systems as a neurodivergent entrepreneur.If there's one takeaway from this episode: Process what you're going through in a way that feels natural to you — your creativity can become your clarity.Connect with Jon Hart:https://jonhartmusic.com/ndmMusic about page: https://jonhartmusic.com/aboutFacebook: facebook.com/jonhartmusicInstagram: instagram.com/jonhartmusicYoutube: youtube.com/jonhartmusicTikTok: tiktok.com/@jonhartmusicListen, follow, and share with someone who needs to feel less alone in their journey.

Guest: Dr. Shani Challenor. In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz is joined by educator, advocate, and "Neurodiva" Dr. Shani Challenor for a deeply personal and powerful conversation about neurodivergence, education, faith, and what becomes possible when people are truly seen.Dr. Shani shares her journey as a trained dancer, special and general education teacher, adjunct professor, and mom—along with her experience being diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and depression while earning her doctorate. She reflects on growing up feeling unheard in school, how movement and the arts became a gateway to learning, and why connection—not compliance—is the foundation of meaningful education.Together, Paul and Dr. Shani explore the emotional weight that families of neurodivergent children carry, the gaps in overwhelmed school systems, and the importance of shifting mindsets from "fixing" students to honouring their brilliance. Dr. Shani also speaks candidly about intersectionality, sharing what it means to navigate neurodivergence as a Black woman, and how faith continues to guide her calling and advocacy.This episode is a reminder that progress doesn't always look like perfection—and that breakthroughs often begin with patience, grace, and hope.Connect with Dr. ShaniInstagram: @DRSHANICHALLENORThe Challenor Challenge: Shifting spaces, mindsets, and systems so neurodivergent individuals and all learners are genuinely included, valued, and supported through storytelling, education, creativity, and lived experience.About the PodcastThe Neurodiversity Voices Podcast centers lived experience, amplifies neurodivergent voices, and explores what it really means to be supported, understood, and valued in our communities and systems.If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it—and follow or subscribe so you don't miss future conversations.Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com

Guest: Nathan Stafford-King. Paul sits down with Nathan, a storyteller, photographer, and theatre director whose life has unfolded across the UK, Germany, Denmark, India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, and now Canada. Together, they explore how ADHD can be misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and masked, especially when moving through different systems and cultures. Nathan opens up about early signs in childhood, the impact of a later misdiagnosis, and the moment he finally sought an ADHD assessment after realising that even "doing everything right" (sleep, routines, food, exercise) couldn't reliably stabilise focus. He describes the daily push-and-pull of time, unfinished projects, distraction, and the constant practice of patience and flexibility. The conversation also highlights the gifts: deep hyperfocus (including marathon video-editing sessions), creative spark, humour, and the ability to turn chaos into story. Nathan shares a wildly unforgettable travel moment from a night bus in India — a perfect example of how impulsivity and problem-solving collide in real life. They close with a powerful message for listeners who feel scattered or "too multi-passionate," including a recommendation for the book Range and a reminder that accumulated experiences can add up in meaningful ways — even when the path looks non-linear. Memorable Moments / Quotes (pull quotes)"Some days I did everything right… and I still couldn't focus. It felt unfair.""Task initiation is sometimes really hard… but with video editing, I could just go.""Identity is the one thing about us that isn't ours — it's given by others.""If you can step into someone else's perspective, you double your knowledge."Where to find NathanInstagram: @NathSKLink to his play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8CJ1yXZMBYLearn more about the Neurodiversity Voices Podcast: www.neurodiversityvoices.comGrab your The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast Merch Items from our Storehttps://www.neurodiversityvoices.com/category/all-products Support by joining our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/join If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast player you love, please take a moment to rate the show and leave a comment. It makes a huge difference!