Exploring Neurodiversity with Adina Levy from Play. Learn. Chat

"Don't give up and prove everyone wrong" - Kayla Ireland shares how horses, AAC, and a fierce sense of self-advocacy help her chase her dreams and redefine what's possible for herself and others.

There are intentional silences left in this recording. Normally I edit out long pauses, but when speaking with an AAC user like Kayla, it's important to honour the natural pace of her communication and make space for her to share in her own way. This different flow of conversation may feel unfamiliar, but it's valuable to experience and listen to.

In this episode, you'll hear: • Kayla's journey with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and discovering accessible ways to communicate • Honest insights into AAC, the importance of communication partners having patience, and the power of listening to lived experience • Why therapeutic horse riding gives her freedom, confidence, and a sense of joy that medicalised therapies can't Watch this chat on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VuyKBLO_iAA Kindly Neurodivergent with Kay: YouTube / Instagram / Facebook Email: [email protected] Silver Speech Speaking Series: YouTube Rock The World with Kay & Michelle: YouTube / Instagram / Facebook Inside Scoop of Living with Cerebral Palsy: Facebook / Instagram / YouTube Kayla Interviewing Adina: YouTube / Facebook

Podcast Link: https://pod.link/1625478932

Website: www.playlearnchat.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/play.learn.chat

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/play.learn.chat

If you're an Allied Health business owner facing the NDIS pricing chaos, this episode gives you the practical steps you can take right now (today!) to steady your business, support your clients, and stop spinning in uncertainty. "When you strengthen your business with a solid, sustainable model, your clients and community are the ones that are going to benefit, as well as you, as well as your team." —Adina Levy In this episode, I speak directly to Allied Health professionals facing the NDIS pricing freeze (or backslide), and offer practical, grounded ways to respond with clarity, sustainability and self-care. Even if this exact situation doesn't affect you, there's plenty here to support you through any big, unexpected change in your business. I share about: • The immediate, simple action you can take today, using my free email template, to steady your business and show clear leadership • What the NDIS pricing freeze actually means for your business • Two key pricing paths you can take in response, with mindset shifts and maths to support your thinking LINKS:

• FREE TEMPLATE to send your clients today - 'Heads up: Upcoming pricing and billing Update - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FPdh5RkVTqICfamrj78TvvfHibV6kJtzeaL0XQb44JA/edit?usp=sharing
• Workshop: Raising Prices in an NDIS Capped World - Live on Monday 23rd June and recorded - https://playlearnchat.com/workshop-raisng-prices/
• Differently Aligned Podcast for Neurodivergent Business Owners - https://pod.link/1729123916
• Exploring Neurodiversity Podcast for Adults who Support Neurodivergent Children - https://pod.link/1625478932

Being neurodiversity affirming doesn't mean avoiding challenge. It doesn't mean staying where you are, only doing what's easy or comfortable. We can do hard things. We can learn new stuff, try new stuff, stretch ourselves – and we absolutely should. The key is doing the right hard things, for the right reasons, with the right support, at the right time. That's how growth happens without stress, burnout, or disconnection from who we really are.

"You get to define what the hard thing is in any one moment. If it feels hard, it is hard. That's a valid, real experience." - Adina Levy

In this crossover episode with my Differently Aligned Podcast, I share:

• Why doing hard things is not at odds with a neurodiversity affirming approach • My powerful framework to help neurodivergent folks of all ages to take on the right hard things with less stress and more support • Examples of how my framework looks for an Autistic boy learning to read, and for an ADHDer business owner working on changing up her chaotic non-systems.

LINKS & MORE SUPPORT

• FREE WEBINAR: Build your Business without Burnout – for neurodivergent business owners – https://differentlyaligned.com/allied-health-business-support/

• Neurodivergent Business Collective – my membership for neurodivergent service-based business owners – https://differentlyaligned.com/neurodivergent-business-collective/

• New webinar for Allied Health Practice Owners (including and especially for sole traders!) – Diversifying Revenue Streams – webinar on innovative business models – https://playlearnchat.com/webinar-diversifying-revenue-streams/

• Blog post + visual model of my "You can do hard things" framework –

https://playlearnchat.com/podcast-56

Podcast Link: https://pod.link/1625478932

Website: www.playlearnchat.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/play.learn.chat

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/play.learn.chat

What looks like "bad behaviour" is usually a nervous system asking for help. In this episode, we explore what regulation really is, why it's really, really hard for kids to self-regulate, and what adults can do instead. From brain development to fidgets, co-regulation to Disney characters, we cover the real stuff that helps kids feel safe and supported.

"A caregiver's regulation is the very first exposure a child has to what regulation is." - Cheri Strecker, Occupational Therapist from Learn and Grow OT

Cheri and I would both love to hear your feedback and thoughts, so feel free to email me [email protected] or get in touch with us on Instagram – @learn.grow.ot and @play.learn.chat

CONNECT WITH CHERI • @learn.grow.ot – Cheri's Instagram account • @chargeyourmindprogram – updates and resources for Charge Your Mind Program • Learn and Grow OT – Cheri's website, including her parent programs – https://www.learnandgrowot.com.au/programs • Regulation Rescue & other free downloadable guides and tools – https://www.learnandgrowot.com.au/free-resources

LINKS

• Watch this chat on YouTube: https://youtu.be/54HUN0lo7kw

• The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson – book recommendation – https://www.amazon.com.au/Whole-Brain-Child-Revolutionary-Strategies-Developing/dp/0553386697

• Neurodivergent Business Coaching & Consulting – my other business supporting neurodivergent business owners – https://differentlyaligned.com/

Podcast Link: https://pod.link/1625478932

Website: www.playlearnchat.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/play.learn.chat

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/play.learn.chat

If your gut says "this test isn't showing the full story," trust it – especially when working with Autistic children. I'm sharing a live Q&A on Instagram (@play.learn.chat) every day Mon–Fri this week (31st March–4th April) – share a Q by DM or email me! Ask Qs about Neurodiversity Affirming Speech Therapy support for Autistic Children, or Qs about my course Affirming Communication for Autistic Children! "We communicate in a different way. It's not wrong. But standardised assessments will often make it seem like it is." – Adina Levy Answering Qs and sharing thoughts about: • why standardised assessments often fail to capture an Autistic child's communication • what to do instead: connection-first approaches and the CPIE assessment framework • how a custom AI tool can help reframe your report language to be more affirming To get deeper and more actionable support around these topics and more, join me in my course! The Affirming Communication for Autistic Children Course is NOW OPEN for enrolments! Doors close on Friday 4th April, 1pm Sydney time (AEDT) All the info is here: https://playlearnchat.com/acac-course/

This Q&A chat is all about how to work alongside other professionals when your approaches to supporting an Autistic child don't quite align. I'm sharing a live Q&A on Instagram (@play.learn.chat) every day Mon-Fri this week (31st March - 4th April) - share a Q by DM or email me! Ask Qs about Neurodiversity Affirming Speech Therapy support for Autistic Children, or Qs about my course Affirming Communication for Autistic Children! "There is no point just telling people stuff, talking at them, when you know you're disagreeing... You may not actually be meeting them where they are or answering the questions or the fears that they actually have, or teaching them in the way that they actually learn." - Adina Levy Answering Qs and sharing thoughts about: • What to do when another therapist on the child's team isn't affirming • How to approach sticky collaboration conversations with curiosity, not judgement • My PLAN framework for preparing, listening, adding your insights and finding next steps To get deeper and more actionable support around these topics and more, join me in my course! The Affirming Communication for Autistic Children Course is NOW OPEN for enrollments! Doors close on Friday 4th April, 1pm Sydney time (AEDT) All the info is here: https://playlearnchat.com/acac-course/

Today's Q&As are on the topic of ALL COMMUNICATION IS VALID! Talking about PECS, and Artic therapy considerations I'm sharing a live Q&A on Instagram (@play.learn.chat) every day Mon-Fri this week (31st March - 4th April) - share a Q by DM or email me! Ask Qs about Neurodiversity Affirming Speech Therapy support for Autistic Children, or Qs about my course Affirming Communication for Autistic Children! "Speech, mouth words, are not the only valid way to communicate. If it's not that person's best form of communication in that moment, it's not the best form of communication, full stop." Answering Qs and sharing thoughts about: • When speech sound/artic therapy fits a ND approach (and when it really doesn't) • Why PECS is not ND affirming, but using visuals as a communication method or support IS ND affirming • How my custom AI tools help busy Speech Therapist take affirming concepts into practice, fast! To get deeper and more actionable support around these topics and more, join me in my course! The Affirming Communication for Autistic Children Course is NOW OPEN for enrollments! All the info is here: https://playlearnchat.com/acac-course/

Curious how to support autistic kids in speech therapy without trying to change how they play? This 17 min episode is for you! "Play and genuine playfulness—that is the context where learning, engagement and all the other things happen." I'm sharing a live Q&A on Instagram (@play.learn.chat) every day Mon-Fri this week (31st March - 4th April) - share a Q by DM or email me! Ask Qs about Neurodiversity Affirming Speech Therapy support for Autistic Children, or Qs about my course Affirming Communication for Autistic Children! In this session I'm answering Qs and sharing thoughts and examples about: • Why writing goals about changing a child's play is missing the point, and what to do instead • What Neurodiversity Affirming play support really looks like, including examples of better goal wording • Why adult goals should be part of kids' therapy plans, and how we can write progress notes that align with affirming practice To get deeper and more actionable support around these topics and more, join me in my course! The Affirming Communication for Autistic Children Course is NOW OPEN for enrollments! Doors close on Friday 4th April, 1pm Sydney time (AEDT) All the info is here: https://playlearnchat.com/acac-course/

Want to better support the Neurodivergent kids in your life, without falling for outdated myths? This episode is a must-listen. "When a child is in distress, it is not the time to try and enforce boundaries and teach them a lesson... it's only going to lead to trauma, shame, and withdrawal." Adina Levy In this episode I cover: • Three common myths about neurodiversity affirming practice, and why they just don't hold up • How to rethink structure, evidence, and communication in a way that truly centres the child • Why honouring all forms of communication, not just speech, is a radical and essential shift Links and Resources mentioned:

• Affirming Communication for Autistic Children Course - https://playlearnchat.com/acac-course/
• Free Turning Affirming Webinar - https://playlearnchat.com/free-speechie-webinar/
• Evolve your Affirming Practice Free Podcast-Based Mini Course for Speech Therapists - https://playlearnchat.com/evolve-your-affirming-practice-free-training/

YOU'RE INVITED! Free webinar 'Turning Affirming: Neurodiversity Affirming Practice in Action' on 14th March 2025 (Recording available for 2 weeks after).

A practical, myth-busting deep dive into key Neurodiversity Affirming Practice principles and tools you can implement immediately to better support your Autistic clients and students.

 

Learn more and register here: https://playlearnchat.com/free-speechie-webinar/