The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

From the Archives: What Happens When Healing Begins With Finally Being Yourself?What happens when healing begins not with changing who you are, but with finally understanding and accepting yourself?In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Dr. Craig Wells, D.O., for a conversation about Neurodivergent identity, unmasking, trauma recovery, relationships, parenting, burnout, and the lifelong process of self-discovery.Drawing from both lived experience and professional practice, Dr. Wells explores what can happen when Neurodivergent people spend years trying to adapt to systems, expectations, and relationships that do not always make room for the way they naturally think, communicate, feel, and connect.Together, Paul and Craig discuss the emotional cost of masking, the impact of burnout, the importance of communication and relationship repair, and what it can mean to reconnect with parts of ourselves that may have been hidden for years.At the heart of the conversation is a powerful idea:Healing is not necessarily about becoming someone new. Sometimes it begins with allowing yourself to become more fully who you already are.In This EpisodeAutism, ADHD, and Neurodivergent IdentityThe emotional impact of maskingUnmasking and authentic livingTrauma recovery and emotional healingNeurodivergent burnout and recoveryCommunication and relationship repairParenting Neurodivergent ChildrenBuilding meaningful and supportive relationshipsSpirituality, self-discovery, and personal growthChallenging common assumptions about NeurodivergenceReconnecting with identity after years of adapting to othersConnection CraftDr. Wells discusses Connection Craft, his relationship-centered approach to helping individuals and couples build stronger, healthier, and more supportive connections through Neurodiversity-affirming practices.The conversation explores how relationships can change when people move away from rigid expectations and toward greater curiosity, communication, understanding, and authenticity.Why This Conversation MattersMany Neurodivergent people spend years learning how to appear acceptable, capable, or “normal” while hiding the amount of effort it takes to do so.Over time, that can affect identity, relationships, emotional well-being, and the ability to recognize one's own needs.This episode asks what becomes possible when we begin moving away from masking and toward self-understanding, self-acceptance, and authentic connection.Featured TopicsInner Essence Activation and approaches to healingHypnosis and energetic alignment in conversations about Neurodivergent burnoutCommunication and repair in queer and Neurodivergent relationshipsSomatic approaches to changeThe intersection of spirituality, energetics, and modern medicineConnect with Dr. Craig WellsWebsite:connectioncraft.orgFree 15-Minute Discovery Call:connectioncraft.orgInstagram:@drcraigconnectioncraftTikTok:@drcraigconnectioncraftYouTube:@drcraigconnectioncraftFacebook:drcraigconnectioncraftKey TakeawayHealing can begin with self-discovery.For many Neurodivergent people, unmasking may be part of learning to recognize their needs, reclaim their identity, and build relationships in which they do not have to constantly perform to belong.If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone navigating Neurodivergent identity, relationships, burnout, or self-discovery.Topics: Autism, ADHD, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent identity, unmasking, burnout recovery, trauma healing, relationships, mental health, authenticity, self-discovery, Dr. Craig Wells, Connection Craft, The Neurodiversity Voices PodcastNow on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!Hosted by Paul Cruz.Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/joinWebsite: www.neurodiversityvoices.comLinkedIn • YouTube:@neurodiversityvoicespodcastDisclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a successful entrepreneur discovers, at 57, that he's been living with ADHD his entire life?In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Paul Cruz sits down with Mark Steiner, founder of GigSalad, to explore an extraordinary journey through entrepreneurship, late-diagnosed ADHD, leadership, and personal transformation.From working on the set of When Harry Met Sally to building an event marketplace serving performers and event organizers across North America, Mark's professional journey has been anything but conventional.But behind the business success is a deeply personal story.Mark shares how his ADHD diagnosis helped him better understand decades of experiences, how emotional intelligence shaped his approach to leadership, and why creating a workplace where people feel valued has always mattered to him.The conversation also explores his experience as an adoptee, his evolving relationship with self-worth, and the meaning behind his personal philosophy: Peace, Love, and Gigs.Together, Paul and Mark consider what it means to lead with empathy, embrace different ways of thinking, and discover a more authentic sense of self.In this conversation:Discovering ADHD later in lifeCreativity, entrepreneurship, and unconventional career pathsEmotional intelligence and human-centred leadershipBuilding workplaces that value NeurodiversityAdoption, identity, and belongingSelf-acceptance, purpose, and personal growthConnect with Mark:www.thinkupon.comwww.gigsalad.comBecause understanding Neurodiversity isn't just about recognizing differences. It's also about creating the conditions in which people can understand themselves, contribute meaningfully, and thrive.Join Us at Make Change Market — November 20, 2026!The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast is excited to announce that we'll be returning to Make Change Market, hosted by Employ to Empower!Join us for an evening of community connection, creativity, entrepreneurship, and meaningful conversations.📅 Friday, November 20, 2026🕔 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Pacific Time)📍 Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street, Vancouver, BC🎟️ Free AdmissionThis year's theme, Together We Build, celebrates the power of community, inclusion, and supporting entrepreneurs who face systemic barriers.Stop by The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast booth, say hello, and share your perspective on what Neurodiversity means to you.We're looking forward to connecting with listeners, meeting new people, and continuing important conversations about lived experiences, accessibility, and inclusion.Let's build empowered communities — together!🔗 Event details and free RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/make-change-market-tickets-2003380960382Now on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!Hosted by Paul Cruz.Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/joinWebsite: www.neurodiversityvoices.comLinkedIn • YouTube:@neurodiversityvoicespodcastDisclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to be genuinely known by another person?In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Paul Cruz sits down with author Pieter Niemann for a thoughtful conversation about identity, autism, dating, loneliness, authenticity, and meaningful human connection.Pieter is the author of Swiping for Something Real, a book about dating, connection, and the deeper questions people ask while looking for love. His writing grew out of recurring conversations with friends and others who kept returning to similar questions about relationships, identity, and belonging.The conversation begins with Pieter’s belief that questions can sometimes be more powerful than answers. Rather than telling people how to live, he is interested in helping them examine their own thinking and arrive at answers that fit their own lives.Pieter also reflects on receiving an autism diagnosis later in life. He explains how the diagnosis gave him language for earlier experiences involving communication, relationships, and belonging, while reinforcing his view that autism is an important part of who he is without defining his entire identity.A central theme of the episode is the difference between being wanted and being known.Pieter explores why attention, attraction, and validation can feel powerful without necessarily creating a genuine connection. Being known, he suggests, is slower and deeper. It involves curiosity, presence, shared experience, and a willingness to understand another person beyond the surface.Paul and Pieter also discuss why people sometimes pursue relationship titles instead of relationships themselves, how loneliness can shape dating choices, and what genuine curiosity about another person looks like in practice.The conversation then turns to authenticity. Pieter reflects on the difference between putting your best foot forward and performing a version of yourself to be liked. His example of pretending to enjoy hiking becomes a larger discussion about self-editing, acceptance, and the fear that our real selves may not be enough.The episode also explores the difference between loneliness and solitude, why being single should not be treated as a waiting room, and what Neurodivergent perspectives can teach the wider world about clearer communication, self-acceptance, and relationships.In this episodeQuestions as a tool for self-explorationIdentity beyond labelsReceiving an autism diagnosis later in lifeSelf-compassion and understanding past experiencesBeing wanted versus being knownAttention, validation, and genuine connectionWhy do people sometimes chase relationship titlesCuriosity as the foundation of connectionAuthenticity, performance, and self-editingLoneliness versus solitudeBeing single as a season rather than a waiting roomNeurodivergent communication and directnessSelf-acceptance and relationshipsAbout Swiping for Something RealPieter Niemann’s Swiping for Something Real explores dating, identity, connection, and the questions we ask ourselves while searching for love.The book launches Thursday, October 22, at 18:00 Zurich time / 12:00 New York time.This episode releases on October 21, one day before the launch.Connect with PieterWebsite: pieterniemann.comBook: Swiping for Something RealInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pieter_niemann_authorLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pieter-niemannNow on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!Hosted by Paul Cruz.Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/joinWebsite: www.neurodiversityvoices.comLinkedIn • YouTube:@neurodiversityvoicespodcastDisclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Recognition of ADHD Awareness MonthWhat if an ADHD diagnosis didn't change who you are—but finally helped you understand who you've always been?In this powerful episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz welcomes Daniel Curtis—author, educator, composer, speaker, and advocate—for an honest conversation about adult ADHD, autism, identity, and the lifelong journey of self-discovery.Diagnosed with ADHD as an adult after his son was diagnosed with ADHD and autism, Daniel reflects on growing up feeling different, navigating bullying, masking, anxiety, and low self-worth, and how receiving a diagnosis brought validation, self-compassion, and a deeper understanding of himself.Together, Paul and Daniel explore how labels shape identity, why so many neurodivergent people feel pressured to hide who they are, and what it truly means to live authentically. Daniel also shares how music became his safe place, why community is essential for healing, and how schools can better support neurodivergent students by listening to student voices and recognizing individual strengths.Whether you're neurodivergent, a parent, educator, mental health professional, or someone searching for greater self-understanding, this conversation offers hope, encouragement, and practical insights for embracing your authentic self.In This EpisodeReceiving an adult ADHD diagnosisUnderstanding masking and neurodivergent identityADHD, autism, and self-discoveryOvercoming bullying and rebuilding self-worthThe lasting impact of labels and criticismWhy community is essential for neurodivergent well-beingSupporting neurodivergent children in educationStudent voice and inclusive classroomsCreativity, confidence, and finding purposeParenting an autistic and ADHD childLiving authentically and embracing neurodiversityFeatured GuestDaniel Curtis is an author, educator, composer, speaker, and advocate whose work explores authenticity, neurodiversity, resilience, and personal growth. His upcoming memoir, Who Were You Before the World Told You Who to Be?, encourages readers to reconnect with their true identity beyond labels, expectations, and self-doubt.Website: www.danielcurtishq.comBook: Who Were You Before the World Told You Who to Be? (Available for pre-order) https://www.danielcurtishq.com/bookAdult ADHD • ADHD diagnosis • Adult autism • Neurodiversity • Neurodivergent • ADHD awareness • Autism awareness • ADHD in adults • Late diagnosis • Masking • Authenticity • Identity • Self-discovery • Self-acceptance • Mental health • Anxiety • Bullying • Self-worth • Emotional resilience • Parenting ADHD • Parenting autism • Neurodivergent parenting • Inclusive education • Student voice • Special education • Occupational therapy • Creativity • Personal growth • Community • Belonging • Daniel Curtis • Paul Cruz • The Neurodiversity Voices PodcastNow on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!Hosted by Paul Cruz.Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/joinWebsite: www.neurodiversityvoices.comLinkedIn • YouTube:@neurodiversityvoicespodcastDisclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Different by Design — Autism, Neurodivergent Identity & Self-Discovery with Tamsyn HawkenWhat happens when you stop trying to fit in and begin embracing who you truly are?In this archived episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz and former volunteer co-host Letara Couto sit down with Tamsyn Hawken, a mental health mentor supporting university students across the UK.Together, they explore autism, ADHD, identity, belonging, unmasking, representation, and the often complicated journey toward understanding yourself.Drawing from her lived experience as a queer neurodivergent woman, Tamsyn shares how growing up in a rural village shaped her understanding of herself and how limited representation contributed to a delayed recognition of her own neurodivergence.She reflects on receiving autism and ADHD diagnoses, learning to unmask, developing self-advocacy, and finding spaces where people can safely explore and embrace their identities.At the heart of the conversation is Tamsyn’s powerful metaphor of being a zebra among horses—an image that captures what it can feel like to move through a world built around expectations that don’t quite fit.But understanding that you are a zebra can change the story.What once felt like failure to fit in can become an opportunity for self-understanding, connection, empowerment, and belonging.In this conversation:• Autism, ADHD, and later self-discovery• Neurodivergent identity and unmasking• Queer Neurodivergent experiences• Representation and belonging• Self-advocacy and personal growth• Supporting Neurodivergent students in higher education• Systemic barriers within academia• Building inclusive and affirming communities• Self-kindness and self-acceptanceWhy We’re Replaying This ConversationMany Neurodivergent people spend years feeling different without having the language or representation to understand why.Tamsyn’s story is a reminder of the importance of community, representation, self-understanding, and spaces where people can explore their identities without judgment.It is also a conversation about moving away from the pressure to become someone else—and toward understanding the person who was there all along.This replay also recognizes the contribution of Letara Couto, who joined Paul as a volunteer co-host for the original conversation.About Tamsyn HawkenTamsyn Hawken is a mental health mentor supporting university students throughout the UK. Through mentoring, advocacy, and educational programs focused on self-advocacy and empowerment, she helps Neurodivergent individuals build confidence, navigate challenges, and celebrate their authentic selves.Key TakeawayYou may experience and move through the world differently from the people around you.Understanding those differences—and meeting yourself with greater kindness—can create space for advocacy, connection, belonging, and authentic living.If this conversation resonates with you, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the episode with someone navigating their own journey of Neurodivergent self-discovery.Featuring: Tamsyn HawkenHost: Paul CruzVolunteer Co-Host: Letara CoutoTopics: Autism, ADHD, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent identity, unmasking, self-discovery, belonging, queer Neurodivergent experiences, higher education, self-advocacy, Tamsyn Hawken, Neurodiversity VoicesNow on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!Hosted by Paul Cruz.Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/joinWebsite: www.neurodiversityvoices.comLinkedIn • YouTube:@neurodiversityvoicespodcastDisclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the Archives: What Happens When You Spend Years Advocating for Your Autistic Child—Only to Discover You’re Autistic Too?What changes when the understanding you built for your child begins to change the way you understand yourself?In this special April episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Julie Green for a deeply personal conversation about late autism diagnosis, motherhood, masking, identity, self-understanding, and acceptance.Julie reflects on spending years advocating for her autistic child before eventually recognizing parts of herself in what she was learning.Her understanding of autism evolved from media-driven stereotypes and narrow assumptions toward something much more personal, nuanced, and human.That shift changed more than how she viewed autism.It changed the way she understood her own history, her family, and many of the experiences she had previously interpreted through self-blame.At the heart of the conversation is a powerful question:What happens when the language you found for someone you love finally gives you language for yourself?A Special Milestone EpisodeThis episode marks two important moments:The first anniversary of The Neurodiversity Voices PodcastWorld Autism Awareness DayTogether, those milestones create space not only for awareness but for reflection.The conversation asks what awareness is actually for if it does not eventually lead to greater understanding, acceptance, inclusion, and meaningful change.In This EpisodeLate autism diagnosis in womenMotherhood and Neurodivergent IdentityAdvocating for an autistic childRecognizing autism in yourselfMasking and the hidden cost of fitting inSelf-discovery and self-acceptanceAutism stereotypes and misconceptionsReframing the past through an autistic lensMoving from self-blame toward self-understandingParenting autistic children with greater compassionRepresentation and why diverse autistic stories matterWhy awareness must lead to acceptance and changeWhy This Conversation MattersMany autistic women spend years—or decades—without recognizing themselves in traditional descriptions of autism.When representation is narrow, people whose experiences fall outside those stereotypes may remain unseen.Julie’s story reminds us why lived experience matters.There is no single way to be autistic.And sometimes understanding ourselves becomes one of the most meaningful forms of advocacy we can practice.About Julie GreenJulie Green is a writer whose work explores motherhood, identity, family, and lived experience.Her memoir, Motherness, reflects on the complexity of motherhood and the experiences that shape how we understand ourselves and the people we love.Connect with Julie GreenWebsite:juliemgreen.caExplore Motherness:juliemgreen.ca/books-1Key TakeawayUnderstanding yourself can change the meaning of your past.A late diagnosis cannot rewrite what happened before it.But it can offer language, context, and compassion for experiences that once felt confusing or personal.And sometimes the understanding we first learn to offer someone else eventually teaches us how to extend that same understanding to ourselves.If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone navigating autism, motherhood, late diagnosis, masking, identity, or self-discovery.Topics: Autism, late diagnosis, autistic women, Neurodiversity, motherhood, autism acceptance, masking, Neurodivergent identity, self-understanding, inclusion, Julie Green, Motherness, The Neurodiversity Voices PodcastNow on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!Hosted by Paul Cruz.Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/joinWebsite: www.neurodiversityvoices.comLinkedIn • YouTube:@neurodiversityvoicespodcastDisclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the Archives: People Aren’t Broken — They Need Systems That Work for Their BrainsWhat if executive-functioning struggles are not signs of laziness, failure, or lack of discipline—but signals that the systems around us are not working?In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with executive-functioning coach and Social Bloom founder Lisa Shanken for a practical conversation about ADHD, emotional regulation, follow-through, accountability, connection, and building systems that support the way a person’s brain actually works.Lisa explains that executive functioning reaches far beyond organization.It can affect how we start tasks, follow through, regulate emotions, shift between priorities, make decisions, adapt to change, and maintain relationships.Together, Paul and Lisa explore why knowing what to do is not always the same as being able to do it, why implementation can be harder than planning, and how accountability can help bridge the gap between intention and action.They also discuss loneliness and isolation among Neurodivergent adults and why a structured, supportive community can be an important part of wellbeing.At the heart of the conversation is a simple idea:People are not broken. Sometimes the system needs to change.About Lisa ShankenLisa Shanken is an executive-functioning coach and founder of Social Bloom.Through her coaching and community work, she helps individuals develop practical strategies for executive functioning while also creating opportunities for authentic connection, social confidence, and belonging.Her approach focuses on helping people understand their patterns and build systems that are realistic, supportive, and sustainable.Connect with Lisa ShankenWebsite:lisashanken.comA free consultation can also be scheduled through her website.Topics: ADHD, executive functioning, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent adults, emotional regulation, accountability, cognitive flexibility, community, loneliness, belonging, Social Bloom, Lisa Shanken, The Neurodiversity Voices PodcastNow on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!Hosted by Paul Cruz.Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/joinWebsite: www.neurodiversityvoices.comLinkedIn • YouTube:@neurodiversityvoicespodcastDisclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the Archives: What If the Problem Isn’t a Student’s Ability to Learn, but the Tools They’re Given?What changes when we stop assuming a struggling student lacks ability and start asking whether they have the right strategies, systems, and support?In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with Dr. Emily Levy, founder of EBL Coaching, for a practical conversation about executive functioning, ADHD, dyslexia, learning strategies, and building greater confidence and independence in Neurodivergent learners.Drawing on years of experience supporting students with ADHD, dyslexia, and executive-functioning challenges, Dr. Levy shares concrete approaches that parents, educators, and students can use to make learning more manageable and effective.The conversation moves beyond broad advice and into specific tools for organization, time management, reading, writing, planning, and self-awareness.At the heart of the episode is an important idea:Neurodivergent learners do not need lower expectations. They need better access to the tools that help them succeed.Why This Conversation MattersMany Neurodivergent students spend years being told to try harder when the real issue may be that the strategies they have been given do not match the way they learn.That mismatch can affect more than grades.It can affect confidence.It can shape identity.And it can lead students to believe they are less capable than they actually are.This episode asks what can change when support becomes more specific, practical, and individualized.Instead of asking:“Why can’t this student do it?”We can begin asking:“What tool, strategy, or support would make this task more accessible?”Who This Episode Is ForThis conversation may be especially useful for:Parents of Neurodivergent learnersEducators and classroom teachersLearning specialists and tutorsStudents with ADHD or dyslexiaSchool support staffProfessionals interested in executive functioning and learning differencesLearn More About Dr. Emily Levy & EBL CoachingWebsite:EBLCoaching.comThere you can find:Articles and educational resourcesProgram informationAdditional interviews and podcastsExecutive-functioning and learning support resourcesFollow EBL CoachingInstagram:@ebl_coachingFacebook:facebook.com/EBLCoachingLinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/emilylevyKey TakeawayA struggling learner is not necessarily an incapable learner.When students are given strategies that match how they process information, they can build stronger skills, greater independence, and more confidence in their ability to learn.The goal is not to reduce expectations.It is to remove unnecessary barriers between the learner and what they are capable of doing.If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with a parent, educator, student, learning specialist, or advocate.Topics: ADHD, dyslexia, executive functioning, Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent learning, education, learning strategies, Orton-Gillingham, organization, time management, parenting, teaching, Dr. Emily Levy, EBL Coaching, The Neurodiversity Voices PodcastNow on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!Hosted by Paul Cruz.Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/joinWebsite: www.neurodiversityvoices.comLinkedIn • YouTube:@neurodiversityvoicespodcastDisclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the Archives: What Happens When Society Decides Your Value Is Measured by What You Produce?What happens when productivity stops being something we do and becomes the measure of whether we are considered valuable?In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with author Helena St. George for a thought-provoking conversation inspired by her novel Shattered but Not Silenced.Through dystopian fiction, Helena explores questions that reach far beyond the world of the book:What makes a person valuable?Who gets to decide what contribution looks like?And what happens when systems begin measuring human worth primarily through productivity?Drawing from her lived experience as a parent of Neurodivergent children, Helena reflects on autonomy, advocacy, disability inclusion, belonging, and the pressures people can face when they do not fit conventional expectations around work, independence, or success.Together, Paul and Helena examine how fiction can give us another way to question the systems we take for granted—and imagine what might happen when productivity is valued more highly than humanity.At the heart of the conversation is a fundamental idea:A person’s worth cannot be reduced to what they produce.In This EpisodeThe inspiration behind Shattered but Not SilencedNeurodiversity and the future of workProductivity culture and human worthAutonomy, dignity, and belongingParenting Neurodivergent ChildrenAdvocacy and systems changeDisability inclusionHow societies define successQuiet resistance and individual agencyDystopian fiction as a way to examine real-world systemsThe difference between being valued as a person and being valued for outputCreating spaces where people can contribute without having to justify their humanityWhy This Conversation MattersMany Neurodivergent and disabled people spend significant parts of their lives being evaluated according to systems that prioritize measurable performance.Grades.Employment.Productivity.Independence.Efficiency.Those measures may tell us something about performance within a particular environment.They do not tell us the value of a human being.This episode asks what might change if success were understood more broadly.What if contribution could also include creativity, perspective, care, connection, presence, curiosity, or simply being part of a community?About Shattered but Not SilencedHelena St. George’s Shattered but Not Silenced uses dystopian fiction to explore autonomy, disability, human worth, advocacy, and resistance within systems that prioritize productivity.Through its characters and world, the novel asks readers to reconsider what society calls success—and what gets lost when human beings are valued primarily according to their usefulness.Connect with Helena St. GeorgeWebsite:helenastgeorge.comShattered but Not Silenced:helenastgeorge.com/shattered-not-silencedKey TakeawayHuman worth is not a productivity metric.A person does not have to earn dignity through output, employment, efficiency, or independence.People bring value through perspective, relationships, creativity, presence, individuality, and countless other forms of contribution that cannot always be measured.Sometimes meaningful systems change begins by questioning the measurement itself.If a system only recognizes productivity, perhaps resistance begins when we recognize that our humanity was never something we needed to earn.If this episode resonates with you, subscribe to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, leave a review, and share the conversation with someone interested in Neurodiversity, disability inclusion, advocacy, productivity culture, the future of work, or human dignity.Topics: Neurodiversity, autism, disability inclusion, advocacy, productivity culture, human worth, future of work, autonomy, belonging, dystopian fiction, systems change, Helena St. George, Shattered but Not Silenced, The Neurodiversity Voices PodcastNow on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!Hosted by Paul Cruz.Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/joinWebsite: www.neurodiversityvoices.comLinkedIn • YouTube:@neurodiversityvoicespodcastDisclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the Archives: What Happens When Losing Everything Becomes the Beginning of Discovering Who You Really Are?What if the collapse of the life you built became the beginning of understanding yourself more clearly?In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, hosts Paul Cruz and Tegan sit down with musician, advocate, and Neurodivergent entrepreneur Jon Hart for a deeply honest conversation about identity, late diagnosis, burnout, creativity, and the ongoing process of unmasking.Jon reflects on building a music business, losing it, and experiencing a mental health crisis that eventually led to the discovery of his ADHD and autism.What followed was not simply a return to the life he had before.Jon describes five years of transformation—a process of self-discovery, healing, and rebuilding that changed the way he understood his needs, his creativity, his work, and his identity.Together, Paul, Tegan, and Jon explore how Neurodivergence can shape creative work, why performance and productivity can sometimes hide deeper struggles, and what becomes possible when a person begins building a life around who they are rather than who they have been trying to appear to be.At the heart of the conversation is a powerful idea:Healing does not always mean getting back to who you were. Sometimes it means becoming more honest about who you are.Creativity as an “External Hard Drive”Jon describes creativity as an “external hard drive”—a place to process experiences, emotions, ideas, and internal states that may be difficult to hold or explain in other ways.For him, music and creative practice are not simply forms of output.There are ways of understanding.They can provide language for experiences that feel difficult to articulate, create space for emotional processing, and offer a path toward greater self-awareness.This perspective shifts creativity away from being only about productivity or performance and toward something more personal:a way of making sense of ourselves.Late Diagnosis and the Process of UnmaskingJon’s ADHD and autism diagnoses arrived after years of working, creating, adapting, and trying to navigate environments that did not always fit the way he functioned.The conversation explores how late diagnosis can bring both clarity and disruption.Understanding yourself differently may answer old questions, but it can also raise new ones:Which parts of my life were sustainable?Which parts were masking?Which expectations did I absorb from other people?What do I actually need now?What does success look like if I stop measuring myself by the old rules?Jon describes unmasking not as a single moment, but as an ongoing process of becoming more aware of what feels authentic and what no longer fits.Neurodivergence and the Music IndustryThe episode also examines the relationship between Neurodivergence and creative industries.The music world can reward intensity, irregular schedules, risk-taking, constant output, and high stimulation—traits or environments that may feel energizing at one stage and become difficult to sustain at another.Jon discusses the need for more accessible and supportive spaces for Neurodivergent musicians and creators.That includes thinking not only about representation, but also about:Working conditionsCommunicationSensory needsMental healthCommunityBurnout preventionSustainable creative careersConnect with Jon HartNeurodivergent Musicians Community:jonhartmusic.com/ndmAbout Jon Hart:jonhartmusic.com/aboutFacebook:facebook.com/jonhartmusicInstagram:instagram.com/jonhartmusicYouTube:youtube.com/jonhartmusicTikTok:tiktok.com/@jonhartmusicTopics: Neurodiversity, ADHD, autism, late diagnosis, Neurodivergent identity, burnout, mental health, creativity, music, unmasking, entrepreneurship, accessibility, advocacy, Jon Hart, Neurodivergent Musicians Community, The Neurodiversity Voices PodcastNow on Apple TV 4K! Our video podcast episodes are available to watch through Apple Podcasts on supported Apple TV 4K devices across Canada and internationally.We are also available to watch on Apple Podcasts on your phone or the web player. Watch now! Join us!Hosted by Paul Cruz.Join our Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/14218572/joinWebsite: www.neurodiversityvoices.comLinkedIn • YouTube:@neurodiversityvoicespodcastDisclaimer: This podcast shares educational content and personal perspectives and is not a substitute for professional, medical, psychological, legal, or other advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.