Episode: Reading Between the Lines: Dyslexia, Education, and Real Systemic Change Guest: Rosie Bissett — CEO of Dyslexia Ireland, national advocate for literacy, access, and equity in education. With decades of leadership, Rosie brings systemic insight, lived empathy, and policy-level experience into the conversation around dyslexia, co-occurring conditions, and structural change.

Host: Peter O'Brien Producer: Ian Lawton

Episode summary

In this honest, wide-ranging conversation, Rosie Bissett breaks down the complex realities of dyslexia in Ireland today—from assessment bottlenecks to shame around reading, and from leaving cert reform to AI's limits in education. Rosie reflects on personal sensory challenges, the roots of her advocacy, and the importance of seeing people beyond diagnostic labels. This episode is rich in lived experience, strategic insight, and grounded hope for long-term change in education, health, and access systems.

Key takeaways

• Dyslexia is widespread but often unsupported—at least 10% of the population, with many undiagnosed adults.

• There's no public route for adult dyslexia assessment in Ireland, creating inequality and vulnerability.

• AI tools can support logistics (like Zoom assessments) but cannot replace clinical expertise or lived conversation.

• Adults often develop compensatory strategies that mask difficulties; testing must account for this.

• Reading challenges may not be inability—but effort fatigue, attention interplay, or environment issues.

• Co-occurrence of ADHD and dyslexia is common; diagnosis should consider overlaps, not siloed categories.

• Shame around reading persists into adulthood; alternative literacy (audiobooks, podcasts, live performance) should be equally valued.

• The State Exams Commission's accommodations (e.g. 10 extra minutes) are wholly inadequate compared to international standards.

• Exam structures need overhaul: shorter papers, fewer subjects, realistic workloads, and holistic timing.

• Representation and inclusion must include all neurodivergent profiles—not just autism.

• Self-identification is valid—formal assessment isn't always necessary to understand and support yourself.

• We must reject toxic positivity and the pressure to be "exceptional" to be accepted.

Topics & timestamps

• 00:00–02:21 — Opening; climate extremes; introducing Rosie Bissett and dyslexia prevalence in Ireland.

• 02:21–04:57 — Rosie's path into dyslexia advocacy; early organisational resistance to the word itself.

• 04:57–07:15 — Personal sensory sensitivities; exploring her own neurodivergence.

• 07:15–11:03 — Assessment bottlenecks; lack of trained professionals; decades-long gap to fix.

• 11:03–12:57 — Online assessments and limits of AI in diagnosis.

• 12:57–16:45 — Adult dyslexia: reading fatigue, not inability; shame, masking, and co-occurrence with ADHD.

• 16:45–20:04 — School structures: classrooms, forest school, and the need for movement and flexibility.

• 20:04–23:40 — The structural inertia in education; behemoth systems resistant to change.

• 23:40–26:54 — Leinster House lobbying; current campaigns for exam accommodations.

• 26:54–31:12 — Leaving Cert reform: shorter exams, more individualised extra time, reduced burnout.

• 31:12–33:27 — Fear of "unfair advantage" reveals lack of understanding of real disadvantage.

• 33:27–38:38 — The Education Convention; risk of exclusion for less-visible neurodivergences.

• 38:38–41:46 — Vulnerability in private assessment space; regulation and trust are key.

• 41:46–47:26 — Self-identification vs. formal diagnosis; connect with others; see beyond the label.

• 47:26–49:33 — Beware the pressure to be the "super" neurodivergent person; be human, not heroic.

• 49:33–50:28 — Closing thoughts: be kind, be real, advocate for change.

Resources mentioned

• Dyslexia Ireland – Resources, support, and assessments

• State Exams Commission – Reasonable Accommodations

• Forest School Ireland – Outdoor learning model

• Neurodivergent Ireland – Cross-profile advocacy

• Neuroconvergence.ie – Inclusive events and conversations

Pull quotes

• "Reading isn't the problem—it's the effort required that wears people down."

• "AI can't hear your life story or read your exhaustion."

• "You don't have to be the 'best' ADHD or dyslexic person. You just have to be you."

• "Being kind to yourself isn't weakness—it's survival."

• "Systems love regularity, but people aren't regular."

Credits

Host: Peter O'Brien Guest: Rosie Bissett Producer: Ian Lawton Recorded for the Neuroconvergence Podcast

Episode: Sharks, Scripts & Showing Up Neurodivergent Guest: Tierra Porter — Actor, musician, writer, and neurodivergent artist of Indigenous American, African, and Puerto Rican descent. Tierra has toured internationally with Missoula Children's Theatre, graduated with First Class Honours from The Lir Academy, and recently performed at the Gate, Abbey, and Dublin Theatre Festival stages.

Host: Al Bellamy Producer: Ian Lawton

Episode summary

This joyful and energising conversation with Tierra Porter moves from ocean documentaries to Shakespeare, from overstimulation to art as survival. Tierra shares her journey of discovering she's neurodivergent, emigrating from Georgia to Ireland to pursue acting, and building a thriving career across stage and screen. The episode explores arts access, creative self-expression, identity, community, friendship, and Tierra's work-in-progress solo piece on being Two-Spirit and neurodivergent.

Key takeaways

• Discovering you're neurodivergent gives you the language to accommodate yourself, instead of thinking you're broken.

• Neurodivergent people often adapt and survive in education by masking — later realising what they've internalised only in adulthood.

• Ireland's arts scene, while small, provides exceptional opportunity and access, especially compared to the U.S.

• There's power in creating your own work, especially as a multiply marginalised artist — and in building circular mentorship models.

• Friendship for neurodivergent people can mean deep connection, low demand, and showing up when it matters.

• Not adhering to social hierarchies in arts spaces can be a radical, grounding act — "we're in the same room, we're equals."

• Authentic inclusion must move beyond casting to centre stories created by neurodivergent artists, not just about them.

• Creating art from intersectional identity — Black, Indigenous, Two-Spirit, neurodivergent — is both healing and political.

Topics & timestamps

• 00:00–02:49 — Introductions; when Tierra first discovered she was neurodivergent.

• 02:49–04:56 — Gospel roots, theatre training, magnet schools and early performance life.

• 04:56–06:37 — Surviving school while neurodivergent; lack of supports and constant performance.

• 06:37–09:35 — Moving to Ireland; fourth-choice surprise; finding community through questions.

• 09:35–13:29 — Navigating emigration as a neurodivergent student; planning, mentorship, building connections.

• 13:29–17:01 — Ireland vs. U.S. arts systems: funding, access, and opportunity.

• 17:01–20:58 — Giving back through spreadsheets and mentorship; community care as cultural norm.

• 20:58–23:49 — Writing her solo piece: Afro Latin Dierican; ukulele, audience play, DJing, and Two-Spirit joy.

• 23:49–25:50 — Two-Spirit identity, cultural meaning, and self-expression.

• 25:50–30:06 — Friendship as a neurodivergent artist; low-demand closeness; birds of a feather.

• 30:06–34:02 — Not adhering to social hierarchies: rehearsal room stories, treating everyone the same.

• 34:02–36:45 — Celebrity encounters, Irish humility, and "notions" culture.

• 36:45–39:16 — Future hopes: stories by neurodivergent people, not just about us.

• 39:16–42:33 — Current project: The Crucible at the Gaiety; history, roles, performance dates.

• 42:33–44:25 — No dream role—only a dream life; living as an employed American artist in Europe.

• 44:25–45:35 — Shark documentaries, the ampullae of Lorenzini, and fun neuro facts to close.

Resources mentioned

• The Gaiety Theatre — The Crucible Tickets

• Access Baliman Programme (contextual mention)

• Rachel Baptiste Programme

• Ampullae of Lorenzini — Electroreception in sharks

• Magical Negro trope — Cultural critique reference

• Missoula Children's Theatre — U.S. touring company

• The Lir Academy — Trinity College Dublin's drama school

• Smock Alley Theatre — Dublin arts venue, supports new writing

• Two-Spirit identity (Native American context) — Cultural explanation

Pull quotes

• "Ireland was my fourth choice. Now I don't want to leave."

• "I've started a Google Sheet on immigration and I send it to everyone."

• "Community is everything. Inconvenience is the cost of belonging."

• "We're in the same room—we're equals. Why should I humble myself to you?"

• "I want neurodivergent stories told by us, not about us."

• "Sharks have evolved to sense electromagnetic waves. I think that's neat."

Credits

Host: Al Bellamy Guest: Tierra Porter Producer: Ian Lawton Recorded for the Neuroconvergence Podcast

Episode: ADHD, Comedy & Coaching: Building a Life That Works for Your Brain Guest: Elle Felicity — Writer, performer, and ADHD coach; founder of Chaotic Good Coaching; creator of Close All Tabs (Smock Alley, 2024); advocate for lived-experience-led support and sustainable neurodivergent life design.

Host: Al Bellamy Producer: Ian Lawton

Episode summary

Writer, performer, and ADHD coach Elle Felicity joins Al Bellamy for a deeply candid, often funny, and emotionally resonant conversation about late diagnosis, reframing your identity, and working with your brain rather than against it. Elle shares her journey from years of shame and self-help rabbit holes to creating a one-woman show about her internet search history—and becoming an ADHD coach. The episode explores creativity, chronic illness, cultural communication clashes, game theory, masking, reframing, and how coaching can help build a personal user manual for your brain.

Key takeaways

• Late diagnosis reframes the past: it doesn't change who you are, but changes the context of your life.

• Misunderstanding is a core trauma for many neurodivergent people—coaching and creative work can rebuild self-trust.

• ADHD is not a character flaw; it's a different cognitive operating system that often masks as laziness, inconsistency, or contradiction.

• The myth of consistency doesn't serve everyone—nonlinear thinkers need nonlinear processes.

• Coaching is distinct from therapy: it's future-focused, collaborative, and supports the client to build meaningful, values-driven strategies.

• Lived experience is essential: the best ADHD coaches often come from within the community.

• Concepts like masking, PDA, and spiky profiles are still evolving—clearer definitions are needed to prevent drift or overgeneralization.

• Creativity for neurodivergent people is often tied to bottom-up processing—building meaning from details, not starting with the big picture.

• Game mechanics (e.g. RPG stats, skill buffs) can be powerful metaphors for understanding strengths and needs.

• Coaching can help clients identify "+2 to focus" environments and tools—building a user manual for your own brain.

Topics & timestamps

• 00:00–03:58 — Introductions; Elle's late diagnosis; years of misdiagnosis and shame.

• 03:58–06:43 — Reframing the past through a neurodivergent lens; identity, memory, and misunderstanding.

• 06:43–09:44 — Special interest in psychology; empathy, trauma, and the mismanaged search for answers.

• 09:44–13:53 — If society could change one thing about ND understanding: mutual accommodation, not one-way adaptation.

• 13:53–17:47 — Cultural norms, autistic communication, and narrative dissonance in film/TV.

• 17:47–20:50 — Writing Close All Tabs: comedy, self-help, and a spreadsheet of 1,869 browser tabs.

• 20:50–27:43 — Webbed thinking, bottom-up processing, perfectionism, nonlinear creativity.

• 27:43–31:10 — The myth of consistency; working in bursts; validating irregular creative patterns.

• 31:10–34:19 — "Where are the walls?": boundaries, spaghetti-at-wall processes, and thinking within containment.

• 34:19–38:38 — What is ADHD coaching? Differences from therapy; future focus; self-directed goals; red flags.

• 38:38–41:13 — Elle's training path, lived experience, and why this career finally fits.

• 41:13–43:24 — Epiphanies, video games, skill trees, and min-maxing: Fallout 4 as a neurodivergent coaching metaphor.

• 43:24–50:28 — Buff items in real life; "plus two to focus" chairs; activation, novelty, and dopamine.

• 50:28–53:10 — Coaching as building your own user manual; the power of client-led strategy.

• 53:10–54:08 — "One boring thing about yourself"; sharks, cats, and fear of the question.

Resources mentioned

• Close All Tabs – Theatre show written and performed by Elle Felicity (Smock Alley, Scene + Heard 2024)

• Chaotic Good Coaching – Elle's coaching practice

• GoldMind Coaching – UK-based neurodivergent-led coach training academy

• divergentnexus.ie – Independent ADHD coaching credential and ethics resource

• Terms discussed: Spiky Profiles, Min-Maxing, Bottom-Up Processing, Double Empathy Problem

  Resources mentioned

  • Close All Tabs – Theatre show written and performed by Elle Felicity (Smock Alley, Scene + Heard 2024)

  • Chaotic Good Coaching – Elle's coaching practice

  • GoldMind Academy – ADHD coach training

  • Divergent Nexus – Ireland-based neurodivergent-led coaching resource

  • Pete Wharmby on Autistic Communication – YouTube talk (starts at 5:25)

  • Monotropism –

    • monotropism.org

    • National Autistic Society explanation

  • Double Empathy Problem –

    • Summary for non-academics (Reframing Autism)

    • Original paper by Damian Milton (2012)

  • Spiky Profiles – Overview from ADHD Working UK

  • Situational Variability – ADDCA blog on managing variability

  • Interest-Based Nervous System – Explanation from Neurodivergent Insights

  • The Brown Model of Executive Functioning – Brown ADHD Clinic overview

Pull quotes

• "Diagnosis didn't change me—it changed the context of my life."

• "I spent years thinking I was lazy and broken. Now I know I'm ambitious, but nonlinear."

• "Coaching helps you build a user manual for your own brain."

• "Sometimes your headphones are your +2 to focus."

• "The myth of consistency does not serve a spiky profile."

• "I make spaghetti-for-wall art—but I need to know where the walls are."

Credits

Host: Al Bellamy Guest: Elle Felicity Producer: Ian Lawton Recorded for the Neuroconvergence Podcast

Episode: Research, Lived Experience & the Future of Neurodiversity Practice Guest: Dr. Blánaid Gavin — Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist; subspecialist in ADHD; Chair of UCD's Neurodiversity Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Working Group; Co-lead of Making UCD a Neurodiversity-Friendly Campus; researcher, lecturer, and clinical practitioner.

Host: Michele Van Valey Producer: Ian Lawton

Episode summary

Dr. Blánaid Gavin joins Michele for a deep discussion on the tension—and necessary collaboration—between medical frameworks, academic research, and lived experience within the neurodiversity movement. The conversation moves through the challenges of accessing assessments, the limits of current systems, the shifting understanding of concepts like PDA, masking, and ABA, and the difficulty of keeping research aligned with rapidly evolving social narratives. Blánaid also describes UCD's large-scale neurodiversity initiative, the development of new interdisciplinary book series, and the need for rigorous, inclusive research methods grounded in first principles.

Key takeaways

• The tension between clinical, educational, and lived experience perspectives is real but necessary—and can drive meaningful progress.

• Modern research funding now requires co-production: "nothing about us without us" is built into proposal structures.

• Systems risk tokenism unless there are mechanisms for meaningful lived-experience participation.

• Research struggles to keep pace with social media-driven cultural change, especially around terms like PDA and masking.

• Masking needs clear definitions, not blanket good/bad labels—its meaning varies with context and intention.

• CAMHS and related supports remain chronically under-resourced, reducing capacity for holistic, multi-disciplinary assessment.

• ABA's journey—from constitutional "right" to widely critiqued practice—illustrates how social constructs shift rapidly.

• First-principles thinking helps when formal diagnostic language is unclear: start with the child, the parent, the present difficulty, and the desired outcome.

• Co-occurrence (autism, ADHD, anxiety, PDA profiles, intellectual disability, etc.) demands integrated approaches rather than fragmented assessments.

• UCD is building a comprehensive neurodiversity strategy, including environmental audits, qualitative research, staff/student surveys, and action-based policy change.

• A major new interdisciplinary book series (mental health, higher education, criminal justice) aims to bring academic and lived-experience voices together.

Topics & timestamps

• 00:00–01:47 — Introductions; defining the tension between medical and lived-experience perspectives.

• 01:47–04:30 — Co-production in research; avoiding tokenism; embedding lived experience in funding structures.

• 04:30–08:06 — The research ecosystem: inequities in mental health funding; burnout; staying current with evolving evidence.

• 08:06–10:48 — AI, social media, and the speed of cultural change; challenges in generating timely research.

• 10:48–12:53 — PDA debates; diverse presentations; unmet needs in assessment frameworks.

• 12:53–14:33 — The case for multidisciplinary, integrated assessment models; the risk of over-subspecialisation.

• 14:33–17:00 — Systemic underfunding of CAMHS; firefighting in an overwhelmed service.

• 17:00–20:46 — The ABA pendulum: from constitutional right to human-rights concern; holding the centre.

• 20:46–22:31 — Listening to lived experience without losing nuance; avoiding extremes.

• 22:31–25:41 — Masking: definitional drift, social media lingo, and scientific clarity.

• 25:41–27:03 — Language shifting faster than research; diluted concepts (trauma, masking, PDA).

• 27:03–31:26 — Making UCD a neurodiversity-friendly campus: research stages, audits, surveys, action plans.

• 31:26–33:48 — "Everybody" inclusion vs. individual needs; special classes vs. mainstream.

• 33:48–36:32 — Future direction: interdisciplinarity, international collaboration, building a central hub for neurodiversity research.

• 36:32–41:37 — New book series with Routledge; emerging topics (mental health, higher education, criminal justice, gender, later life).

• 41:37–42:37 — The Neurodiversity journal; creating space for unheard voices; closing thoughts.

Resources mentioned

• UCD Neurodiversity Working Group

• Stanford Neurodiversity Project

• Rutledge (Routledge) Neurodiversity Book Series (new releases on mental health, higher education, criminal justice)

• Neurodiversity (journal, Sage)

• Baroness Cass Review (UK, gender and clinical care)

Pull quotes

• "Tension is inevitable—but it can be productive."

• "Co-production must be real, not performative."

• "If language shifts without clear definition, research can't keep up."

• "Systems under pressure can only firefight; they cannot innovate."

• "Everyone's needs are different, even when the labels look the same."

Credits

Host: Michele Van Valey Guest: Dr. Blánaid Gavin Producer: Ian Lawton Recorded for the Neuroconvergence Podcast.

Episode: Relaxed Performance, Representation & Disabled Lives in the Arts Guest: Eleanor Walsh — Autistic actor, writer, disability advocate; performer in Chronically Hopeful, Grace, Yellow, Daughter of God, and What I Don't Know About Autism at the Abbey Theatre; Youth Ambassador with AsIAm; featured in Be Inspired: Young Irish People Changing the World by Sarah Webb.

Host: Al Bellamy Producer: Ian Lawton

Episode summary

Eleanor Walsh joins Al Bellamy for a deep exploration of relaxed performance, autistic representation, and what it means to build a sustainable career in the Irish arts sector as a disabled professional. She shares her early discovery of relaxed performance, the influence of online autistic communities during the 2010s, and the realities of balancing masking, energy limits, and workplace culture in theatre. The conversation moves between personal history, sector-wide critique, and hopeful visions for genuine inclusion.

Key takeaways

• Relaxed performance removes rigid theatre conventions and centres human needs: movement, stimming, leaving/re-entering, adjusted lights and sound.

• Relaxed spaces support performers as much as audiences—visibility, unpredictability, and new forms of liveness.

• The arts sector often embraces neurodivergence rhetorically, but follow-through on accommodations is inconsistent.

• Disabled artists face extra hidden labour: deciding when to disclose, when to mask, and when to request support.

• Mainstream and accessible theatre remain separated worlds, a sign of incomplete inclusion.

• Online autistic communities (Tumblr, early blogs) offered representation and survival knowledge before social media mainstreaming.

• Intergenerational autistic visibility—kids seeing autistic adults thriving—remains transformative.

• Community requires actions, not just language; inclusion must extend beyond the stage to social spaces, networking, and rehearsal culture.

Topics & timestamps

• 00:00–02:25 — Introductions; friendship context; what relaxed performance is.

• 02:25–04:50 — Relaxed performance explained: conventions loosened; sensory and access adjustments.

• 04:50–09:00 — Early Irish context; learning from UK disability arts; relaxed performance as artistic form.

• 09:00–15:35 — What it feels like to perform relaxed: visibility, unpredictability, audience responses, cue work.

• 15:35–17:40 — Managing energy, physical limits, and the myth of "the show must go on."

• 17:40–20:20 — Social spaces (canteens, pubs) as hidden access barriers.

• 20:20–23:10 — Acceptance vs. tokenistic inclusion; being valued until one is "too autistic."

• 23:10–26:00 — Masking, disclosure, and adjusting accommodation requests with career progression.

• 26:00–29:20 — Working across mainstream and accessible sectors; navigating mismatched expectations.

• 29:20–32:45 — Childhood, diagnosis, Kilkenny's arts culture, and entering theatre.

• 32:45–38:25 — Pre-social-media autistic community: Tumblr, Geocities archives, foundational texts.

• 38:25–43:20 — Intergenerational autistic visibility; community survival; need for continuity.

• 43:20–46:30 — Shifts in language, identity-first terminology, and evolving disability culture.

• 46:30–48:15 — Closing; "one boring thing" prompt; food shopping confession.

Resources mentioned

• What I Don't Know About Autism by Jodie O'Neill

• Be Inspired: Young Irish People Changing the World — Sarah Webb

• John Elder Robison's writing ("Help, I Seem to Be Getting More Autistic")

• NeuroTribes — Steve Silberman

• Yellow — Bounce Disability Arts Festival

Pull quotes

• "Relaxed performance acknowledges that we're all human beings with human needs."

• "You can be autistic for people until you are autistic for people."

• "The fact that we have to talk about mainstream theatre and accessible theatre is pretty shocking."

• "Autistic kids seeing autistic adults — that's survival."

Credits

Host: Al Bellamy Guest: Eleanor Walsh Producer: Ian Lawton Recorded for the Neuroconvergence Podcast.

Episode: Understanding ADHD Across the Lifespan: Lived Experience, Leadership & Looking Ahead

Guest: Ken Kilbride — CEO of ADHD Ireland; advocate for national ADHD supports; parent of a multiply-neurodivergent adult; long-time collaborator with national organisations. Episode summary

Peter O'Brien speaks with Ken Kilbride about ADHD Ireland's mission, the realities of ADHD across the lifespan, medication and self-regulation, comorbidity, workplace culture, and the deeper human rights implications of ignoring adult ADHD. Ken shares personal motivations, organisational strategy, and why ADHD awareness must evolve into acceptance in schools, workplaces, and wider society.

Key takeaways

• ADHD is lifelong, not a childhood condition that disappears at 18.

• Public perception still frames ADHD as "naughty children" and poor discipline, which obscures the real challenges: executive functioning, emotional regulation, impulsivity, and chronic stress.

• Medication helps around 80% of people but requires careful titration with a clinician.

• ADHD rarely travels alone: 70–80% have at least one co-occurring condition; 30–35% have two; 10–15% have three.

• Emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity can be the hardest part for many adults.

• Stigma prevents disclosure in workplaces; cultural change is essential for inclusion.

• ADHD Ireland plans to expand national advocacy, representation, and public education over the next strategic cycle (2026–2029).

• ADHD is best understood as a different operating system, not a deficit or disorder.

Topics & timestamps

• 00:00–02:00 — Introductions; long-standing collaboration; ADHD diagnosis through Cloud Clinic.

• 02:00–05:10 — "Do you have ADHD?"; operating systems, Ferrari brains, and traits vs. disorder.

• 05:10–07:30 — Public misconceptions: discipline myths, "naughty kids," and stigma.

• 07:30–10:20 — Medication talk: stimulants, titration, timing, and lived experience of use.

• 10:20–15:00 — Combining lifestyle regulation with medication: cold-water swimming, yoga, dopamine balance.

• 15:00–17:30 — ADHD strengths: hyperfocus, innovation, reinvention, game-changing ability.

• 17:30–20:10 — Work life: unemployability, needing love for the work, being your own boss.

• 20:10–22:50 — Disclosure fears in workplaces; culture change; why acceptance matters.

• 22:50–25:00 — Emotional regulation and RSD; small criticisms becoming big storms.

• 25:00–27:50 — Invisible disability; why colleagues struggle to understand accommodations.

• 27:50–30:20 — ADHD in prisons, substance use, and the unknowns needing research.

• 30:20–33:40 — Human rights framing: suicide risk, self-harm statistics, and lack of services for adults.

• 33:40–36:10 — Personal story: raising a multiply-neurodivergent son; motivation for advocacy.

• 36:10–38:45 — ADHD Ireland's future strategy: national representation, social change, broader advocacy.

• 38:45–42:00 — Building partnerships across the neurodivergent sector; overlapping conditions.

• 42:00–46:20 — Schools: acceptance vs. awareness; teachers needing practical skills; parents being told to "fight."

• 46:20–47:45 — The power of understanding and belonging; closing thoughts.

Resources mentioned

• ADHD Ireland — national supports, advocacy, information, training.

• NICE Guidelines for ADHD — clinical recommendations for diagnosis and treatment.

• Cloud Clinic — assessment services referenced in conversation.

• Recent CSO Data — 2% self-reported ADHD diagnosis; 9% suspect they may have ADHD.

Pull quotes

• "ADHD isn't mild. It doesn't vanish on your 18th birthday."

• "It's not better, it's not worse—it's a different operating system."

• "Emotional dysregulation is the hardest part for a third of adults."

• "People with ADHD reinvent the world as they go."

• "We need acceptance, not just awareness."

Credits

Host: Peter O'Brien Guest: Ken Kilbride Producer: Ian Lawton Recorded remotely.

Tags

ADHD Ireland, adult ADHD, neurodivergence, workplace inclusion, emotional regulation, medication, stigma, human rights, Neuroconvergence

Episode: Autism, Advocacy & the Changing Landscape of Ireland Guest: Adam Harris — Founder & CEO of AsIAm; leading national advocate for autistic rights; writer, speaker, and policy influencer.

Episode summary

Adam Harris traces his journey from early childhood in Ireland—when autism was barely understood—to founding AsIAm, now the country's national autism organisation. He speaks openly about early school experiences, stigma, sensory and executive-function challenges, and autistic burnout. Adam and Peter explore the growing self-advocacy movement, the post-COVID cultural shift, structural barriers that persist, and why societal attitudes lag behind public awareness. The conversation moves into education, universal design, community life, and Adam's reflections on Neuroconvergence as a shared, cross-neurotype movement.

Key takeaways

• Ireland moved from little awareness to growing advocacy, but systemic change still lags behind.

• Adam's early life reflects societal attitudes of the 1990s: limited support, stigma, and confusion about autism.

• Inclusion is more than "a place"—it requires culture, quality, and understanding.

• Autistic teenagers often reject their identity due to stigma, assumptions, and disempowering attitudes.

• The autistic self-advocacy wave is the biggest driver of change—not institutions.

• COVID exposed societal fragility and highlighted long-standing autistic realities: isolation, unemployment, and overwhelm.

• Universal design benefits everyone and depends as much on attitudes as on architecture.

• Neuroconvergence offers a space for collective advocacy, cross-learning, and community connection.

Topics & timestamps

• 00:00–04:15 — Intro; Peter's gratitude; the origins of AsIAm's remit.

• 04:15–07:30 — Adam's early childhood: difference recognised, lack of understanding, early intervention in the late '90s.

• 07:30–09:30 — First autism class in Dublin; barriers to local schooling; special school years.

• 09:30–12:50 — Transition to mainstream; buddy systems; early inclusion efforts; culture vs. place.

• 12:50–16:10 — Teen years: stigma, identity, wanting to "blend in," anxiety, organisation challenges.

• 16:10–17:50 — Transition year as a turning point; understanding societal barriers.

• 17:50–19:10 — Family advocacy; Simon Harris's early political involvement rooted in autism access issues.

• 19:10–23:40 — When public awareness began shifting; comparing to other equality movements; self-advocacy timelines.

• 23:40–28:30 — COVID as a turning point: fragility, misinformation, and regression in some policy areas.

• 28:30–34:00 — Built environments, sensory design, and Magda Mustafa's ASPECTSS framework; universal design for campuses.

• 34:00–38:40 — Real-world inclusion: cinema, public reactions, visible stimming, invisible needs.

• 38:40–41:50 — Autistic burnout; stimming as regulation; needing solitude; adult life management.

• 41:50–46:20 — Personal story vs. structural change in advocacy; diversity of autistic experiences.

• 46:20–48:20 — Neuroconvergence as shared space: collaboration, misinformation defence, community offerings.

• 48:20–50:00 — Closing; March date update; gratitude; future plans.

Resources mentioned

• AsIAm — National Autism Charity of Ireland; resources, training, advocacy.

• ASPECTSS / Dr. Magda Mustafa — sensory-informed architectural framework.

• UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — environmental and attitudinal barriers.

• Neuroconvergence Events — Richmond Barracks, UCD; collaborative movement building.

Pull quotes

• "Accessibility requires change by others—not just awareness."

• "Being autistic isn't the barrier. The barrier is that most people aren't and don't understand."

• "The diagnosis movement is new; the self-advocacy movement is even newer."

• "We celebrate inclusion days, but how do we behave in the cinema when someone is distressed?"

• "Universal design isn't just architecture—it's attitude."

Credits

Host: Peter O'Brien Guest: Adam Harris Production: Ian Lawton Recorded remotely.

Tags

Autism advocacy, AsIAm, Irish autism movement, neurodivergence, inclusion, universal design, autistic adulthood, Neuroconvergence.

A clear, lived-experience guide to the Autistic SPACE framework—how sensory needs, predictability, acceptance, communication, and empathy transform care in clinics, hospitals, and classrooms.

Guests

• Dr. Mary Doherty — Autistic physician and researcher; lead author of the Autistic SPACE framework for healthcare.

• Elaine McGoldrick — Autistic educator and former special-education teacher; co-author on applying SPACE in schools.

• Host: Michele Van Valey • Producer: Ian Lawton

What we cover

• What "SPACE" means: Sensory needs • Predictability • Acceptance • Communication • Empathy Plus three supports: Physical space, Processing time, Emotional space.

• Healthcare realities: Barriers to access, why overhead lights, crowded bays, and unexpected touch derail care; simple fixes that work; adaptations for anaesthesia and other specialties.

• School realities: Masking, "fine at school, collapse at home," uniform policies as sensory traps; plan B/C for timetable changes; autonomy over compliance.

• Double empathy: Meeting in the middle by adjusting practitioner/teacher behavior rather than forcing autistic people to mask.

• Mental health and safeguarding: How normalization pressures damage self-concept and increase risk; why teaching autonomy matters.

• Implementation tactics: Small pilots, one issue at a time, consistent staff cues, pausing instead of filling silence, validating first.

Practical takeaways

• Flip first response: Lead with "You must have a good reason—tell me," then pause.

• Turn down the environment: Single rooms or curtained bays, lights off, quiet corners.

• Build predictability: Visual previews, clear next steps, agreed alternatives when plans change.

• Protect processing time: Ask once; wait; don't rephrase unless needed.

• Autonomy over coercion: Choices (red/blue shoes; partial attendance; blended learning).

• Whole-school/whole-team consistency: Shared one-page SPACE plan that any staff member can follow.

Suggested chapters

• 00:00 Intro & definitions

• 05:40 Sensory needs and environmental tweaks

• 07:30 Physical, processing, and emotional space

• 12:40 Pausing, silence, and communication differences

• 17:20 School refusal vs. system fit; reducing coercion

• 23:30 Practical school accommodations and plan B/C

• 27:20 Acceptance, identity, and mental health outcomes

• 39:00 Double empathy in action

• 44:40 Adoption paths: clinics, training, staff culture

• 49:20 Closing notes and where SPACE is spreading

Resources mentioned (for show page)

• Autistic SPACE framework paper (clinical settings)

• Adaptations for anaesthesia; social care; snow sports

• Lancet essay by Dr. Doherty on sensory overload and meltdown

Credits

Recording: Neuroconvergence Podcast Guests: Dr. Mary Doherty, Elaine McGoldrick • Host: Michele Van Valey • Production: Ian Lawton

Content warnings

Brief references to coercion in schools, ABA, and abuse risk.

The Neuroconvergence Podcast — Show Notes

Episode: Meeting Children Where They Are: Neuro-distinct Needs, School Stress & Strengths-Based Parenting Guest: Dr. John Sharry — social worker & psychotherapist; Clinical Director, Parents Plus; Adjunct Professor (UCD School of Psychology); Irish Times parenting columnist; author of 25+ books including Positive Parenting series; developer of the Parents Plus ADHD Children's Programme.

Episode summary

John Sharry explains why "diagnosis" frames neurodivergence as disorder, and offers a discovery-led, strengths-based approach. He maps common school attendance difficulties to unmet sensory, autonomy, and safety needs; shows how coercion backfires; and outlines practical, bespoke accommodations that reduce distress and rebuild connection. The conversation closes with how parents can support at home without punishment, and where to find further training.

Key takeaways

• Swap diagnosis for discovery: identify profiles, needs, contexts; use labels only when they help action.

• School refusal is often protective behavior. Start with curiosity, validation, and co-design a path back.

• Autonomy beats coercion: offer choices (time, route, uniform flexibility, blended days).

• Watch for hidden stress: kids who "cope" at school often decompress explosively at home. Plan buffers.

• Punitive removal of "pleasures" (tech, etc.) doesn't fix a nervous system problem. Create safety first.

• Expect bespoke solutions: late arrival, shorter days, quiet entry, preferred clothing, interest-based engagement.

• Parents need connection > control: "I'm on your side; we'll figure this out together."

Topics & timestamps

• 00:00–02:10 — Intro; role clarification; John's background.

• 02:10–06:30 — Why the word "diagnosis" is problematic; discovery/identity framing.

• 06:30–09:20 — Labels as tools vs. constraints; PDA framed as high-autonomy profile.

• 09:20–13:30 — Systems vs. child needs; uniform/sensory examples; empathy for "small" big things.

• 13:30–16:30 — Autonomy in micro-choices; involving the child in decisions.

• 16:30–21:50 — Media panic about "exposure" and "always/never"; pause, validate, de-escalate; avoid coercion trauma.

• 21:50–27:30 — Practical accommodations: late arrival, shorter days, blended learning; validate co-occurring health issues (pain, fatigue, hypermobility/EDS).

• 27:30–34:50 — "Fine at school, meltdown at home": white-knuckling, after-school buffer, reduce demands on arrival, earlier check-ins.

• 34:50–36:30 — Many thrive in school; aim is fit, not force.

• 36:30–41:00 — Why punishment and device bans don't work; build safety and relationship first.

• 41:00–50:00 — Tech hiccups, wrap-up; parent courses; upcoming workshops.

Resources mentioned (add links in publish)

• Parents Plus — evidence-based parenting programmes.

• SolutionTalk.ie — John Sharry's workshops (Parenting Exceptional Children; Motivating a Child with ADHD & Anxiety).

• ADHD Ireland — UMAP (Understanding & Managing Adult ADHD Programme).

• ASRS — Adult ADHD Self-Report Screener.

• Book: The Power of Small — Aisling & Trish Leonard-Curtin (values, toward/away moves, ACT skills).

Practical scripts

• Validate first: "You must have a good reason school feels unsafe. Tell me what's happening for you."

• Autonomy offer: "Two options: arrive at 9:30 when it's quiet, or do first class from home and go in at break."

• After-school buffer: "No instructions for 30 minutes; snack + quiet time before any requests."

Pull quotes

• "Start with discovery, not diagnosis."

• "If a child is 'fine' at school and explodes at home, they were coping beyond capacity."

• "Coercion creates trauma; autonomy creates engagement."

Credits

Host: Michele Van Valey Producer: Ian Lawton Guest: Dr. John Sharry Recorded remotely; segment completed via phone due to connectivity issues.

Contact / next steps

• Add links for Parents Plus, SolutionTalk.ie, ADHD Ireland/UMAP, ASRS, The Power of Small in the episode description.

• Tag: neurodivergent parenting, school attendance anxiety, PDA profiles, ACT-informed supports.

Show Notes — Neuroconvergence: Unity, Creativity, Collaboration Episode Title

"UMAAP, ACT, and the Power of Small: ADHD Support that Works"

Episode Summary

Host Michele Van Valey speaks with Aisling Leonard-Curtin, senior psychologist on ADHD Ireland's UMAAP programme, co-director of ACT Now: Purposeful Living, and co-author of The Power of Small. They unpack how UMAP (Understanding & Managing Adult ADHD) blends evidence-based psychoeducation with Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), why no formal diagnosis is needed to join, and how "toward vs. away" moves, values, and tiny, sustainable actions can transform day-to-day life.

Guests

• Aisling Leonard-Curtin — Senior Psychologist, UMAAP (ADHD Ireland/National Clinical Programme/UCD); Co-director ACT Now; Co-author The Power of Small.

• Michele Van Valey — Host; educator and advocate.

What You'll Learn

• What UMAAP is: a free, HSE-funded, 6-session online programme for adults in Ireland who self-identify as ADHD (diagnosis not required).

• Structure: weekly 90-minute Zoom sessions (+ optional 15-minute Q&A), breakout-room choices or alternatives, and one "if you do just one thing" takeaway each week.

• ADHD model used: Dr Thomas Brown's six areas (organising/activating, focus, energy, emotion regulation, hyperactivity/impulsivity, working memory).

• Self-care, the UMAAP way: the FREEZE acronym — Food, Rest, Exercise, Enjoyment, Socialisation — with >90% of participants who implement changes reporting benefits.

• ACT essentials: values-led action, present-moment skills, self-compassion, and psychological flexibility.

• Language that helps: swap "right/wrong" for "toward/away moves"; wanted/unwanted rather than good/bad emotions; "What's The Function?" (WTF) of an action.

• Common traps: DOTS — Distractions, Opting-out, Thinking traps, Self-defeating actions; striving vs. sustainable progress; perfectionism and masking.

• Community matters: neuro-affirming facilitation by neurodivergent practitioners; optional themed breakout rooms (AuDHD, parents, perimenopause, etc.).

UMAAP: Key Details

• Eligibility: 18+, resident in Ireland, self-identify as ADHD (with or without diagnosis).

• Format: 6 × 90-min live sessions on Zoom + 15-min optional Q&A; recordings available but live attendance predicts best outcomes.

• Cost: Free (HSE funded).

• Research: quantitative findings (lead: Dr. Christina Ciri) show statistically significant gains in psychological wellbeing; strong qualitative feedback on self-compassion and reduced masking.

Selected Highlights & Quotes

• "Two things that are opposite can both be true for ADHD—distractible and hyper-focused." — Aisling

• "Live sessions build camaraderie and follow-through in a way recordings rarely do." — Aisling

• "Toward vs. away moves reduces shame and keeps action values-led." — Aisling

• "Perfectionism can immobilise; small steps reduce overwhelm and build momentum." — Aisling

Chapters (approx.)

• 00:00 — Intro & Aisling's role

• 00:29 — What UMAAP is; partners (NCP, UCD Psychology, ADHD Ireland)

• 01:26 — Eligibility without formal diagnosis

• 02:11 — Brown's six areas of ADHD

• 04:20 — Programme format; FREEZE self-care

• 06:28 — Time commitment; why live attendance matters

• 07:53 — Community and breakout-room options

• 12:00 — Multi-neurodivergence and themed rooms

• 13:23 — Research outcomes & lived impacts

• 17:30 — ACT fundamentals; psychological flexibility

• 21:48 — Values and "toward/away" in practice

• 30:52 — Wanted vs. unwanted emotions; emotions as signals

• 32:57 — The power of small, sustainable change

• 36:37 — DOTS; distractions vs. intent

• 38:20 — Striving vs. workable progress

• 41:26 — "WTF: What's The Function?"

• 42:10 — How to take the ASRS, join UMAP, and get the book

• 44:30 — Close

Links

• UMAAP: https://adhdireland.ie/umaap/

• UMAAP Wait List: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=zsnC6EE400mftBbZbzdh5_EncnxqjABHiRnZA-2WuI5UQlk4VFFCVDVaQTZFRTkzSUVDUDFOSzBRNC4u&route=shorturl

• ADHD Screener (ASRS): https://add.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/adhd-questionnaire-ASRS111.pdf

• The Power of Small (Leonard-Curtin & Leonard-Curtin): audiobook on Spotify/Audible; print/ebook via major booksellers; request via libraries. Free resources: https://www.mypowerofsmall.com/

Credits

• Host: Michele Van Valey

• Guest: Aisling Leonard-Curtin

• Production: Ian Lawton

Call to Action

• If you're 18+ in Ireland and self-identify as ADHD, register for UMAAP via adhdireland.ie.

• Explore ASRS and the upcoming executive-function animation (to be released by UMAP).

• Read or listen to The Power of Small and try one toward move today.