“Neurodiversity doesn’t need fixing. It’s just your brain. It is your state of existing. There is nothing to fix. It is wonderful the way it is.”

-Emily Rushton

Neurodiversity manifests differently in girls, so may not be diagnosed as quickly as it is in boys. And research tells us that girls who are neurodiverse are even more at risk to suffer mental health issues. In fact, often the neurodiversity in girls masquerades as a mental health issue complicating the diagnostic process further. The journey for a neurodiverse girl is not only challenging for her; it is equally hard for the adults who love her and know her to be wonderful just as she is. How can they ensure that she will confidently turn her neurodiversity into her superpower?

In this episode, Emily Rushton, the go-to source on neurodiversity in girls for the Girls' Day School Trust, a family of 25 exceptional girls schools in the United Kingdom, shares insights. Emily couples the practical with the theoretical to ensure support for neurodiverse girls is both grounded in recent research and can be applied in real life.

This episode is especially compelling as Emily herself is neurodiverse, bringing her humor, common sense, and passion in equal amounts to this important conversation.

Resources:

International Coalition for Girls Schools

Girls Day School Trust

How to be you by Ellie Middleton

Explaining Humans by Camilla Pang

Small Talk by Richard and Roxanne Pink

Why Am I Like This by Gemma Styles International Coalition for Girls Schools · Girls Day School Trust · National Coalition of Girls' Schools