Exploring Different Brains

Evolve Learning Community’s Christina Sullivan discusses how the micro-school gives unique support to students that have struggled in traditional classrooms.

Christina Sullivan is Co-Founder and Clinical Director of Evolve Learning Community (ELC), and provides individual therapy, coaching, training, and consultation in the community. From ELC’s website: “ELC is a progressive and inclusive homeschool drop-off program that supports cognitively average to above average middle and high school students who are neurodivergent, gifted, have anxiety or mild learning differences. We also provide in-person and virtual tutoring and one-on-one classes for learners ages 5-18.”

Christina Sullivan, MSW (Master in Social Work), LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), ADHD-CCSP (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Certified Clinical Services Specialist), earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology from University of Maryland at College Park and a Master’s in Social Work degree from Barry University in Miami. She is also the mother of a now-adult son diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,

For more about ELC: https://www.evolvelearningcommunity.com/

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Mental Health counselor Gabriela Guardarrama shares her personal experiences dealing with bipolar disorder.

Gaby is an an Outpatient Mental Health Therapist in the South Florida area. She was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type 1 at age 19, and is dedicated to helping others deal with their mental health challenges. She is also a poet who uses her writing as a mental wellness tool, and to help others.

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ADHD Coach & self-advocate Brooke Schnittman MA, PCC, BCC returns to discuss helping people overcome ADHD related challenges.

Brooke Schnittman MA, PCC, BCC is an esteemed expert in the field of ADHD management and support, renowned for her unwavering dedication to empowering individuals with ADHD to overcome challenges and achieve their full potential. Her new book is Activate Your ADHD Potential.

​Brooke's personal journey, being diagnosed with ADHD later in life and marrying into a family of ADHDers, has provided her with profound insight and empathy for her clients. In 2002, she embarked on her mission to make a positive impact in the lives of individuals with disabilities. She earned her Bachelor's in Elementary Education from Penn State University and her Master's Degree from New York University, specializing in Students With Disabilities.

With over two decades of experience, Brooke has worked closely with thousands of individuals with ADHD, utilizing her comprehensive knowledge and expertise to guide them toward success. In 2018, she founded Coaching With Brooke, a groundbreaking organization that has rapidly become a leading global authority in the field of ADHD coaching.

Beyond her coaching practice, Brooke actively contributes to the ADHD community through various initiatives. She is the mastermind behind ADHDEdCamp, a platform that fosters education and collaboration within the ADHD community. Additionally, Brooke co-hosts the popular ADHD PowerTools podcast and hosts the SuccessFULL with ADHD Podcast, where she shares valuable insights and strategies to help individuals overcome obstacles and achieve success.

For more about Brooke: https://www.coachingwithbrooke.com/

To order Brooke’s book: https://www.coachingwithbrooke.com/activatebook

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Author & psychiatrist Dr. Mark Goulston shares the peace and wisdom he has found while facing cancer.

Originally a UCLA professor of psychiatry for over 25 years, and a former FBI and police hostage negotiation trainer, Dr. Mark Goulston’s expertise has been forged and proven in the crucible of real-life, high stakes situations. An influencer who helps influencers become more influential, his unique background has made him an indispensable and sought after resource and change facilitator to Fortune 500 leaders, entrepreneurs and educators across the nation. He is also host of the podcast My Wakeup Call. and is a producer on the documentary What I Wish My Parents Knew.

For more about Dr. Goulston: http://markgoulston.com/

For Mark's “I’m Dying to Tell You” series: https://www.youtube.com/@Imdyingtotellyoudrmark

To learn more about the Deeper Coaching Institute: https://ongloballeadership.com/dci

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Educator & musician Joseph Lento discusses how he thinks the education system can better serve neurodiverse students.

Joseph Lento is an educator and a Conservatory-trained professional Musician. He is licensed by NYS as a Teacher of Orchestral Music and School District Administration and began his career in 1984. In 1999 he was named NYC Bronx County High School Teacher of the Year. In 2014 President Barack Obama named him a National Teacher of Arts and Humanities. Joseph is called on frequently by local Radio Hosts, NY Cable TV and local T.V. News stations as an expert on Music, Special Needs students and curriculum development.

Joseph can be emailed at [email protected]

You can also check out the blogs he has written for us here: http://differentbrains.org/author/joseph-lento/

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Miss Missouri 2023 Hayley Leach and self-advocate Matthew Leach discuss being siblings working together to advocate for the autism community.

Hayley Leach is a 25 year-old law student at Washington University in St. Louis and was recently crowned Miss Missouri 2023. During her year of service, Hayley will travel the state of Missouri and promote a community service initiative (CSI) of her choice. Hayley's CSI is autism awareness and acceptance which was inspired by her brother, Matthew, who was diagnosed with autism in 2002. Upon graduation from law school, Hayley plans on practicing Labor and Employment law with a specialty in disability issues and advocacy. Since competing in the Miss America Organization, Hayley has accumulated over $31,000 in scholarships which have been used to further her education. She will go on to represent Missouri at the Miss America Competition later this year.

Matthew Leach currently resides in Lexington, Kentucky where he is a senior at the University of Kentucky. He majors in Biology and plans to further his education by going to graduate school and getting a master's degree in Forensic Science. His favorite things to do are reading, going to the movies, and spending time with his French Bulldog, Chloe.

Together they have co-authored two books: "Frankie and Finn" and "See the Able, Not the Label." They also host the podcast called "Puzzle in Progress”, available on Apple and Spotify Podcasts.

For more about their work: https://linktr.ee/hayleyleach

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Atlas Primer CEO and founder Hinrik Jósafat Atlason shares how the learning assistant app can make education more accessible for neurodivergent learners.

Atlas primer is a learning assistant app that creates a “personal learning environment” for it’s users. Atlas Primer was founded on the vision of creating a learning environment that combined the accessibility and convenience of audiobooks and podcasts, with the interactivity and flexibility offered by voice assistants and smart devices. The primary goal of Atlas Primer is to increase the availability of quality education through the use of technology, by increasing access, usability and automation. Their approach allows the creation of interactive learning environments with even the simplest of devices and in the most remote locations.

For more about Atlas Primer: https://www.atlasprimer.com/

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Team members from TERC share the organization’s innovative work for improving S.T.E.M. education, and making it more inclusive for neurodivergent learners. TERC team members featured are:

Dr. Jodi Asbell-Clarke is an educational researcher focusing on game-based learning, computational thinking, and neurodiversity in K-12. Dr. Asbell-Clarke’s academic background includes an MA in math, an M.Sc. in astrophysics, and a Ph.D. in curriculum, teaching, and learning. Early in her career, Jodi was an onboard software verification analyst for IBM during the first 25 missions of the space shuttle and later taught Physics and Astrophysics at the laboratory school at University of Illinois. She has led national and international STEM education projects involving curriculum development, professional development of teachers, and educational research. In 2009, she co-founded the Educational Gaming Environments group (EdGE) at TERC to study how game-based learning and is now a co-founder of NDinSTEM at TERC to focus on innovative pedagogies can foster inclusive STEM education.

Dr. Ibrahim Dahlstrom-Hakki is a senior research scientist at TERC. A cognitive psychologist by training, his research focuses on the use of theories of cognitive science to improve STEM learning for neurodiverse populations of learners. Dr. Dahlstrom-Hakki is a first-generation Arab American who is particularly interested in better understanding and supporting learners with an intersectionality of identities that impact their learning. His current projects include exploring the use of VR, AR, and other technologies to teach science to neurodivergent learners. Dr. Dahlstrom-Hakki was the director of the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training, conducting research and providing professional development training to educators working with students with LD, ADHD, and autism.

Dr. Zachary Alstad is an experienced educational consultant, teacher, and researcher. He has been accepted into top publications such as the Journal of Writing Research. He has taught at almost every level from kindergarten through college and adult education. Dr. Alstad is currently a researcher on several National Science Foundation grants exploring educational technologies for neurodiverse students. His ongoing mission is to help students who struggle with school to feel capable and be successful. Dr. Alstad is passionate about neurodiversity because of professional interest and personal diagnosis.

For more about TERC:

https://www.terc.edu/

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Members of the Autism Theater Project share how they are working to change the perception of neurodiversity through performing.

The Autism Theater Project is a a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the autism community. We express the voice of the autism community through theatrical experiences, and empower special needs children to express their own voices through our drama therapy workshops. Their latest production is a web series titles “The Voice Inside”. Featured in this episode are: Gena Sims (founder of the Autism Theater Projects, producer, director, writer, performer, and autism advocate), Matteo Esposito (autism self-advocate, playwright, and co-writer of “The Voice Inside”), Kaylah Taylor (autism self-advocate, performer, teacher, and actress in “The Voice Inside”), and Zack Hoaglund (autism self-advocate, performer, filmmaker, and actor in “The Voice Inside”).

For more about The Autism Theater Project:

https://autismtheaterproject.org/

www.facebook.com/AutismTheatreProject

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Autism self-advocate Travis Misurell shares how the Future Is Now Coalition is working to make the democratic process more accessible.

From the FiNC website: “They say those who don't conform to society create the most significant changes to the world. FiNC founder Travis Misurell, a neurodivergent and atypical thinker, saw how backward, contradictory, and antiquated our political systems are and felt compelled to design a solution.

“Armed with a BA in Psychology and over a decade of experience in Operations and Process Management, Travis developed the tools to solve the increasing partisan divide, introducing the concept of Digital Politics. Travis founded the Future is Now Coalition (FiNC) using his unique perspective, passion for transparency, and the need to educate and empower Americans. Soon after, he was joined by over 40 people who felt the same and were willing to volunteer their time to bring FiNC, Digital Democracy, and the FiNC Research Hub to life.”

For more about FiNC: https://futureis.org/

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