Neurodiversity Podcast

Often, neurodivergent people have a completely different communication experience than neurotypicals. They respond differently to regulation, attention, and motivation, and often parents struggle when trying to improve connections with their kids. Linda Murphy is the author of The Declarative Language Handbook, and she's joining us with ideas on how to reframe communication and break down barriers.

Here's a link to the Neurodiversity University, where you can find info on our first two courses, Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students, and Foundations of Dyslexia for Educators. We'll be adding courses for parents, mental health professionals, and more as we enter 2023, so look for more information along the way.

Episode 155 is brought to you by Bridges Academy Online, a high school education for twice-exceptional students. Find them at bridges.edu.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Linda Murphy is a speech language pathologist and RDI Consultant. She co-founded the "Peer Projects Therapy From the Heart" clinic in Beverly, Massachusetts, and has authored several books and numerous articles during her career. Linda has enjoyed working with individuals with social learning differences for over 25 years.

What does it take to make a counseling practice neurodiversity-affirming? What do we need for the wider mental health community to understand or embrace in order to better support neurodivergent people? Dr. Andy Kahn from Understood.org is here to talk with Emily Kircher-Morris about these subjects and many more.

The Belin-Blank Center is a proud sponsor of episode 154, for more information, go to www.BelinBlank.org.

Here's a link to the Neurodiversity University, where you can find info on our first two courses, Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students, and Foundations of Dyslexia for Educators. We'll be adding courses for parents, mental health professionals, and more as we enter 2023, so look for more information along the way.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Andrew Kahn is a licensed psychologist specializing in working with neurodivergent individuals. He's also the Associate Director of Behavior Change & Expertise for Understood.org.

His extensive experience within the public school system encompasses providing training, evaluation, consultation and therapeutic support to students, families and staff. Dr. Khan has also worked closely with underserved communities, and supported school committees to develop policies on mental health supports, suicide prevention, and access to learning interventions. Dr. Khan himself identifies as a person with learning and thinking differences.

He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Syracuse, and both master's and doctoral degrees from Nova Southeastern University.

Destigmatizing labels. Teaching mental health professionals to be neurodiversity-affirming. Reasonable expectations of your kids, and when is it enough? Plus many other questions, asked and answered, on our third Ask Me Anything. Emily Kircher-Morris dishes it out on episode 153!

To get in on the asking, join our Facebook group: The Neurodiversity Podcast Advocacy & Support Group.

Dyscalculia. What is it? Why haven't we heard more about it? What is its relationship with dyslexia? On the first episode of 2023, Emily Kircher-Morris sits down with Laura M. Jackson, author of Discovering Dyscalculia, and they talk about Laura's journey with her dyscalculic daughter, the symptoms to look for, diagnosis, advocacy, and more.

This episode is sponsored by Understood. Visit U.org for expert resources on ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning and thinking differences.

By the way, here's a link to the Neurodiversity University, where you can find info on our first two courses, Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students, and Foundations of Dyslexia for Educators. We'll be adding courses for parents, mental health professionals, and more as we enter 2023, so look for more information along the way.

And, join our Facebook group here!

ABOUT THE GUEST - Laura M. Jackson is a writer, advocate, and consultant for individuals with dyscalculia. Her book, Discovering Dyscalculia, is a resource for children, parents, teachers, and adults struggling with or supporting someone with this little-known disability. She is also the mother of two daughters, one of whom is twice-exceptional and dyscalculic.

We're revisiting a conversation this week with Dr. Dan Peters. Dyslexia is often misunderstood, and educators and parents sometimes mistake it for a simple reading deficit. Dan joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about dyslexia, as well as dysgraphia, and dyscalculia; their indications, where to go for diagnosis, and ways to help your child adapt. The basics of, and the often stealth nature of, dyslexia, on episode 151.

Here's a link to the Neurodiversity University, our online campus that features courses on subjects like twice-exceptionality and dyslexia. It's great for continuing education for teachers, as well as a tool to help parents advocate for their kids.

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode, Bridges Academy Online, a high school education for twice-exceptional students. Find them at bridges.edu.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Dan Peters is a psychologist, author, and co-founder and Executive Director of the Summit Center. Dr. Peters has devoted his career to the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families, specializing in overcoming worry and fear, learning differences such as dyslexia, and issues related to giftedness and twice-exceptionality.

Dan is also co-founder of Parent Footprint, an interactive parenting education community and website. He is host of the Parent Footprint Podcast with Dr. Dan, and is a contributor to The Huffington Post and Psychology Today.

Dan is the author of Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child's Fears, its companion children's books, From Worrier to Warrior, and The Warrior Workbook. He is co-author of Raising Creative Kids, and many articles on topics related to parenting, family, giftedness, twice-exceptionality, dyslexia, and anxiety.

Talking to kids can be uncomfortable, but it doesn't have to be. The basis of every conversation is trust, so once you build a comfortable and trusting rapport, healthy conversations will follow. But what is a healthy conversation? Today, Rebecca Rolland, author of The Art of Talking to Children, is here to talk about the hows, whys and whens of talking to kids. It's all straight ahead on episode 150.

Thank you to the Belin-Blank Center for sponsoring this episode.

Head to our new merchandise page to get your swag just in time for holiday gift-giving!

ABOUT THE GUEST - Rebecca Rolland is a speech pathologist, writer, and speaker who is passionate about using the power of conversation to cultivate creativity, further personal development, and enhance relationships. She has been published online at Psychology Today and USA Today, and offers professional development services, as well as coaching for both kids and adults.

On episode 149 we continue moving the world toward a more positive view of neurodivergence and its impact on society. We also talk about reimagining established thought processes, and using the plasticity of the brain to move toward compassion for self and others. We bring in the perspective of a neuroscientist, Dr. Nicole Tetreault. She's the author of the book Insight into a Bright Mind: A Neuroscientist's Personal Stories of Unique Thinking, and she joins Emily Kircher-Morris for one of the final episodes of 2022.

Here's a link to the Neurodiversity University, where you can find info on our first two courses, Strategies for Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students, and Foundations of Dyslexia for Educators. We'll be adding courses for parents, mental health professionals, and more as we enter 2023, so look for more information along the way.

And, join our Facebook group here!

ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Nicole Tetreault is a neuroscientist, meditation teacher, international speaker, and author of the book, Insight Into a Bright Mind. She's the founder of the Awesome Neuroscience blog, where she translates the most promising neuroscience and positive psychology for people to live their best lives. Dr. Tetreault received her Ph.D. from Cal-Tech in Biology, specializing in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. She believes we have the ability to wire our minds for positive plasticity through compassion and wisdom, and the ability to live the life we dream about.

Dr. Ellen Braaten joins Emily to discuss processing speed and why it's important. They also talk about when it's not so important, and why it varies so much from child to child. They discuss the impact it has on intelligence testing scores, and ways to help kids increase their processing speed. Dr. Braaten is coauthor of the book Bright Kids Who Can't Keep Up.

This episode is brought to you by the Belin-Blank Center at the University of Iowa, at www.belinblank.org. With programs and resources to support neurodiverse students and their families.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Ellen Braaten is the Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at Mass. General Hospital and the Track Director of the Child Psychology Training Program at MGH/Harvard Medical School. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Braaten received her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado, her PhD in Psychology at Colorado State University, and completed her internship training at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has been affiliated with Mass. General Hospital since 1998.

Dr. Braaten is widely recognized as an expert in the field of pediatric neuropsychological and psychological assessment, particularly in the areas of assessing learning disabilities and attentional disorders. She is the co-author of Bright Kids Who Can't Keep Up, and Straight Talk about Psychological Testing for Kids, a book that has become a classic for parents and professionals. She also authored The Child Clinician's Report Writing Handbook, which has been called "the most comprehensive child assessment handbook available." Her most recent book for parents is entitled Finding the Right Mental Health Care for Your Child, published by the American Psychological Association.

Today we talk with Dr. Alex Vuyk, a Professor of Psychology at the Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Paraguay. We discuss the Big Five Personality Model, the influence of personality on neurodiversity, and much more.

Also, join our Facebook group to be part of the conversation, and get even deeper "into the weeds" on this and other subjects.

This episode is sponsored by Bridges Academy Online, a high school education for twice-exceptional students. Find them at bridges.edu.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Alex Vuyk is a Professor of Psychology at the Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Paraguay. She has pioneered gifted education research, practice, and advocacy in Paraguay, and founded both the Aikumby Center for Giftedness and Creativity and REDPAC Paraguay to assist both gifted students and professionals working with high ability students.

Dr. Vuyk holds degrees from the University of Kansas and Emporia State University. Her research interests include social-emotional development of intellectually and creatively gifted individuals, creative and non-linear career paths, and personality traits related to gifted individuals and their career paths.

Occupational therapy. What you think it is, and what it actually is, might be completely different. Keri Wilmot joins Emily Kircher-Morris for a conversation about how occupational therapy can and does help neurodivergent kids and adults, and as the Toy Queen, Keri talks about how toys and play can be valuable tools.

ABOUT THE GUEST - Keri Wilmot is an occupational therapist, toy expert, Dallas blogger, and parent, who shares popular toy reviews, tips, and toy unboxings. Keri is a full-time pediatric occupational therapist. With more than 20 years of clinical experience, professionally Keri specializes in working with infants, young children and their families by promoting developmental milestones in clients' homes, in the public school system, and in the community.

Keri is also the co-founder of ToyQueen.com. This online resource reviews toys, games, attractions, events, movies, experiences, and baby products for their developmental qualities. She's also the author of Wired Differently: A Teacher's Guide to Understanding Sensory Processing Issues, and contributes to The Genius of Play and Understood.org.