Exploring Neurodiversity with Adina Levy from Play. Learn. Chat

Today I'm sharing some of the ways that being Autistic is a strength for me as a business owner, and a few ways it makes things challenging. I first shared this episode on my podcast for Neurodivergent Business Owners - Differently Aligned. I feel like this will be useful for anyone supporting ND children to see 1 version (my own experience) of how an ND human might create a work/business life for themselves that fits their neurotype and strengths. If you're listening on my Exploring Neurodiversity Podcast, and you'd like to learn more from me in my 'other hat' where I support Neurodivergent Business owners, here's how you can find me:

• Subscribe to the Differently Aligned Podcast
• Follow me on Instagram @neurodivergent.business
• Grab 20% off my already-low-cost workbook - The Aligned Business Workbook for Neurodivergent Business Owners. Use code POD20 here: https://courses.ndbusiness.co/offers/kdZKBFa3?coupon_code=POD20

In this episode, I had the joy of chatting with Dr. Katherine Sanchez, a speech pathologist, science communicator, and lecturer. We talk about the nuances and complexities of what 'evidence-based practice' really is, including the importance of integrating lived experience into clinical decisions, how to assess research critically, and tools to facilitate evidence-based practices. And we go there… We talk about where the research is at for Gestalt Language Processing, a pretty hot-button topic these days! LINKS Connect with Dr Katherine Sanchez: www.proteatherapy.com.au www.instagram.com/proteatherapy Resources & Research Tools we discussed: ASHA Evidence-based process - https://www.asha.org/research/ebp/evidence-based-practice-process/ Hutchins et all article - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23969415241249944 Article Katherine discussed - https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/09/magazine/reaching-my-autistic-son-through-disney.html The Informed SLP - www.instagram.com/theinformedslp The Informed SLP summary about GLP - https://www.theinformedslp.com/review/let-s-give-them-something-to-gestalt-about SpeechBite - http://www.speechbite.com/ ASHA Evidence Maps - https://find.asha.org/evidencemaps/

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

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In this episode I examine the question: Is a Neurodiversity Affirming approach to behaviour support a permissive approach? We talk about whether 'permissive' is a bad word, saying yes before saving no, boundaries, and I share examples of different approaches to supporting behaviour. LINKS Grab you FREE CHEATSHEET: Neurodiversity Affirming Approaches to Supporting Behaviour - https://playlearnchat.ck.page/7193b7c5f3 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

In today's episode, I'm keeping it short and sweet. I'm going to share eight of my biggest hopes for the kids, today and tomorrow. I'll also share a few wonderful hopes that some beautiful folks shared on Instagram. I have such desire to go deep into commenting further on each one of these hopes. Into the practical, how we get there, but I'm going to leave that for myself in future episodes. I think it's really important sometimes to pull it back and remember why we're here. What is the big dream? The big vision, the big hope.

Affirming Communication for Autistic Children Course for Speech Therapists - https://playlearnchat.com/acac-course/ 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

In today's episode, I'm going to run you through five simple shifts that you can make to take your practices from what we might call old ways towards a truly neurodiversity affirming approach. We're going to cover interest based learning, accepting old play as valid, understanding and honoring sensory challenges or differences, whether we should be teaching children to learn flexibility or not, and what we should do instead of saying "use your words" to children, which is probably one of my most hated phrases.

Keep learning with me!

Speech Therapists - Here's how I can help you get there, make the shifts and gain confidence that you're doing Neurodiversity Affirming Practices when you support Autistic children!

My course Affirming Communication for Autistic Children is open for enrolment right now! Doors are now open! You'll get 12 months access so you can register now and participate in the course anytime you're ready in the next year! More info here ➝ https://playlearnchat.com/acac-course/

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

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down for a wonderful chat with Stephanie Robertson, who is a great friend colleague and really wise autistic ADHD. She's an occupational therapist and has many other identities as well. This chat that we're going to have is about the intersection between being an autistic ADHD and how it's sometimes work for us or works against us.

Keep learning with me!

Speech Therapists! Affirming Communication for Autistic Children course opening very soon, join the waitlist early June if you're listening when this comes out live for the best deals! Doors open 2x a year only so check it out here ➝ playlearnchat.com/speechie-course

Connect with Steph - SGR Occupational Therapy: www.sgroccupationaltherapy.com Instagram: @sgroccupationaltherapy Facebook: SGR Holistic and Family Focused Occupational Therapy - https://www.facebook.com/SGROccupationalTherapy Facebook group: The Neurodiversity Empowerment Movement - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1258437025035170 YouTube: The Spiritual OT - https://www.youtube.com/@TheSpiritualOT

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

In this episode, I wanted to share with you a brief section from my recent webinar, Collaborative Connections, where I talked all about how you can actually get children involved in their collaborative teams. I'm going to share practical suggestions about how you can actually involve children in these situations so that they can be a core part of their own journey. Their self advocacy ability can increase when you support and guide them and you're including them in their whole process. You're supporting self determination, choice making, and honouring them as a whole human by showing them the value of their own perspectives.

Speech Therapists - get my Affirming Communication for Autistic Children course: https://playlearnchat.com/speechie-course

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

In this episode, I'll share my journey to identification as an Autistic ADHDer. I recently got an email from another speech therapist who is in the neuro questioning phase. And she asked me this "As I understand you were late diagnosed. I wanted to ask you about your experience getting diagnosed and what you feel have been the benefits and drawbacks of it" and I really, really thank you for this email. And interestingly, I think within a day I got a message on Instagram from somebody else with a very similar question. So I thought it is probably high time for me to share a bit more about my journey through AuDHD identification and diagnosis here on the podcast, because the bits that I do share always get interesting. I had a long time of questioning before I decided I wanted to seek formal identification (a.k.a. diagnosis). Here's how my journey went... Links:

• Born on a blue day book - Daniel Tammet: https://a.co/d/5PJefFj
• Yellow Ladybugs conference: https://ylbconference2024.vfairs.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

In this episode, I'm going to be sharing some practical ideas about how you can tackle a challenge that a lot of us experience. Whether you're a therapist, a teacher, a parent, or a carer of a neurodivergent child. At some point when supporting this child, you're going to be interacting with a team around them. And at some point you're going to be experiencing different approaches to how you will support that title, how you believe that child should be supported. It can be incredibly hard to navigate these different perspectives and to find that common ground and come to a productive point in how you work together to achieve solid support for this child.

I'm going to share the following five strategies that can be very useful for conflict resolution, but also give you an example of what that might sound like, exactly what you might say, depending on the situation of course:

1. Build Empathy 2. Ask open-ended questions with curiosity 3. Take time to reflect and process in private 4. Assess possible outcomes 5. Collaborate to come to solutions together

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

In this episode, I'm super excited to be talking about a topic that is just deeply embedded in my clinical practice, in my worldview and in how I support autistic children in my whole life. And that topic is Responsive relationship strategies for building connection with the autistic children in your life. We'll be outlining some of the ideas behind what forms responsive relationships. And the opposite, what forms directive relationships and why that can be quite damaging or challenging for your relationship with the autistic kids in your world.

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