NDV Podcast: Neurodiverse Voices Connect

What if creating a more inclusive world starts with changingthe spaces around us — rather than expecting people to adapt to environments that weren't designed for them?In this episode of the Neurodiverse Voices Podcast,Andreia is joined by Cherish Mapiro, Inclusive Interior Designer, Creative Wellbeing Facilitator and founder of a specialist design studio focused on creating environments where everyone can feel safe, supported andable to thrive.Together, they explore the powerful connection between inclusive design, neurodiversity and wellbeing — and why the spaces we live, learn, work and socialise in can have such a significant impact on our everyday experiences.Cherish shares her journey from high-end interior design tocreating more accessible and inclusive environments, and explains why good design should go beyond aesthetics to consider people's sensory, emotional and physical needs.The conversation explores how lighting, acoustics, clutterand the availability of quiet spaces can influence emotional regulation, concentration and wellbeing — and why sometimes the simplest adjustments can make the biggest difference.Andreia and Cherish also discuss the challenges families andschools face when trying to create neuroinclusive spaces, from financial barriers and limited awareness of available support to the importance of listening to lived experience and involving neurodivergent people in the designprocess.Together, they challenge the idea that inclusion is simplyabout good intentions, exploring why practical inclusion needs to be embedded from the beginning, why people are more than their diagnoses, and why everyone deserves access to environments that allow them to participatefully in everyday life.And in our Inner Journey, we get to know Cherishbeyond her professional work — from the inspiration she finds in her children and her love of hiking and creativity to overcoming self-doubt, finding confidence, embracing the journey and learning that we don't need anyone else'svalidation to recognise our own worth.🎧 In this episode, we explore:• The connection between inclusive interior design and wellbeing• How physical environments affect sensory and emotional regulation• Common design barriers for neurodivergent people• Simple, affordable changes that can make spaces more inclusive• Creating neuroinclusive homes, classrooms and public spaces• The importance of listening to lived experience and co-production• Financial barriers and access to inclusive design support• Moving from good intentions to practical inclusion• Challenging misconceptions and looking beyond diagnostic labels• Creativity, confidence and the power of recognising our own potentialGuest: Cherish Mapiro — Inclusive Interior Designer,Creative Wellbeing Facilitator & Founder of a Specialist Design StudioHost: Andreia — Neurodiverse Voices Podcast🔗 Links & ResourcesCherish Mapiro Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thisis_cherish/Cherish Bunuc Design Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/cherishbunucdesign/ 

What happens when body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs) and neurodivergence intersect? And how can understanding the brain help us move beyond shame towards more compassionate support?In this Season 6 Special of the Neurodiverse VoicesPodcast, Andreia is joined by Dr Allyson Parry, ConsultantNeurologist with a specialist expertise in adult ADHD, and Dr Alison Lenox, Consultant Neurodevelopmental Psychiatrist specialising in adult autism and ADHD.Recorded live at BFRB Con 2026, this insightful conversation explores the complex relationship between body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs), ADHD and autism.Allyson discusses how attention regulation, impulsivity,restlessness and reward-seeking may contribute to behaviours such as skin picking, hair pulling and nail biting, and why ADHD treatment can affect BFRBs differently from person to person.Alison explores the overlaps between BFRBs, autisticstimming, sensory experiences and compulsions, highlighting why the same behaviour can have different meanings depending on the individual and theircircumstances.Together, they challenge the tendency to view diagnoses inisolation and explore the importance of personalised care, accessible services and research that recognises the complexity of people's experiences.Above all, they remind us that understanding the personbehind the behaviour is essential to providing meaningful, compassionate support.Guests:Dr Allyson Parry — Consultant Neurologist, with aspecialist interest in adult ADHD.Dr Alison Lenox — Consultant NeurodevelopmentalPsychiatrist, specialising in adult autism and ADHD.Host: Andreia — Neurodiverse Voices PodcastRecorded live at BFRB Con, bringing togetherneurological and psychiatric perspectives to encourage greater understanding, curiosity and compassion.🔗 Links & ResourcesBFRB Con 2026 — Bringing together researchers,clinicians and people with lived experience to advance understanding, research and support for body-focused repetitive behaviours.https://www.bfrbcon.org/The Trich Prof — Professor Clare Mackay — Sharingresearch, lived experience and education to raise awareness and reduce stigma surrounding BFRBs.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetrichprof/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetrichprof

What if the biggest challenges facing neurodivergent entrepreneurs aren’t about their ability to run a business — but the systems they’re expected to navigate?In this episode of the Neurodiverse Voices Podcast, Andreia is joined by Gemma Johnson, Senior Manager, Business for Good at Small Business Britain and lead of the Lilac Centre, alongside returning guest Richard Liverman, neurodivergent entrepreneur, mentor and Lilac Centre ambassador.Together, they explore the work of the Lilac Centre and its mission to break down barriers for Disabled, d/Deaf and neurodivergent entrepreneurs.Richard shares his experiences as an ADHD entrepreneur, from overwhelming processes and inaccessible business support to the creativity and problem-solving strengths he sees across the neurodivergent business community.Gemma discusses how the Lilac Centre is using research, community and lived experience to create more accessible approaches to mentoring, events and business support — and why sometimes small adjustments can make a significant difference.The conversation also explores burnout, disclosure, inclusive events, the importance of flexibility and why accessibility should be designed in from the beginning rather than added afterwards.And in our Inner Journey, we get to know Gemma and Richard beyond their work — from family, gardening and adventures to music, superheroes, trusting the process and adding a little glitter along the way.🎧 In this episode, we explore:• The work of the Lilac Centre• Barriers facing neurodivergent entrepreneurs• Creativity and different thinking as strengths• Accessible mentoring and business support• Burnout, masking and disclosure• The importance of lived experience• Small changes that make businesses and events more inclusiveGuests:Gemma Johnson — Small Business Britain & Lilac CentreRichard Liverman — Neurodivergent Entrepreneur, Mentor & Lilac Centre AmbassadorHost: Andreia — Neurodiverse Voices Podcast🔗 Links & ResourcesThe Lilac Centre:https://lilaccentre.com/The Lilac Review & Reports:https://lilaccentre.com/lilac-review-reportsNeurodivergent Entrepreneurship in the UK:https://lilaccentre.com/neurodiversity-and-entrepreneurshipSmall Business Britain:https://smallbusinessbritain.uk/

What happens when ADHD and social anxiety intersect — and are we doing enough to understand the experience of young people living with both?In this episode of Neurodiverse Voices, Andreia is joined by Dr Kenny Chiu, clinical psychologist, researcher and co-founder of Beigi and Chiu Clinical Psychology, for an insightful conversation about ADHD, social anxiety and adolescent mental health.Kenny explores why social anxiety may look and feel different for young people with ADHD, from working memory and attention differences to fears of being negatively perceived by others. He explains the “maintenance factors” that can keep anxiety going and why understanding what is driving an individual young person’s anxiety matters when providing meaningful support.The conversation also explores the gaps that remain in research and existing treatments, including Kenny’s work investigating how common social anxiety is among adolescents with ADHD in the UK and how clinicians currently approach supporting these young people.Andreia and Kenny discuss masking, self-compassion, staying present, hyperfocus, burnout and the importance of creating environments where neurodivergent young people feel understood rather than constantly being expected to adapt. They also reflect on the strengths that can accompany ADHD and why recognising those strengths often requires looking beyond environments and expectations designed around the majority.Later, Kenny shares why young people themselves need to have a genuine voice in shaping research and the solutions intended to support them.And in our Inner Journey section, we get to know the person behind the research — from the role Kenny’s parents have played in his journey, to dogs, photography, Iron Man, resilience, innovation and the advice he would give his younger self.A thoughtful conversation about understanding before intervening, embracing individual differences, and building a future where support for ADHD and social anxiety is informed by both evidence and lived experience.🎧 In this episode, we explore:• What social anxiety can look like in young people with ADHD• Why ADHD may shape the experience of social situations and anxiety• Social anxiety, introversion, overwhelm and masking• The factors that can maintain anxiety over time• Current gaps in research and psychological treatment• How clinicians, schools and families can create more supportive environments• Recognising strengths in young people with ADHD• Why neurodivergent young people should help shape research• Self-compassion, resilience and finding environments where differences can thriveGuest: Dr Kenny Chiu — Clinical Psychologist, Researcher and Co-founder of Veggy and Chu Clinical PsychologyHost: Andreia — Neurodiverse Voices

Welcome to Season 6 of the NDV Podcast!In our first episode, Andreia is joined by Robert Annis, Co-Founder of NEURO — the Neurodiversity, Empowerment, Understanding and Resilience Organisation.Robert brings together his experience in organisational psychology with his lived experience of being diagnosed with autism and ADHD in his forties.Together, Andreia and Robert explore what it really means to create a neuro-inclusive society — and why awareness and good intentions alone may not be enough.They discuss Robert’s late diagnosis and the journey that led to NEURO, the need to move from individual adjustments towards systems change, the role of businesses and leaders in creating more inclusive environments, and how neuro-inclusion can benefit organisations as well as individuals.Robert also introduces the NEURO Standard, designed to move organisations beyond simply saying they are inclusive towards demonstrating meaningful and measurable change.The conversation also explores identity, wellbeing, connection and Robert’s hopes for the future of the neurodiversity movement.And when asked, “If your heart had a voice, what would it tell us?”, Robert leaves us with two powerful words:💜 “Don’t give up.”Featuring Robert Annis,Co-Founder and Organisational Psychologist at NEURO. Explore NEURO's work onneuroinclusion, cognitive diversity and organisational intelligence: https://www.youtube.com/@NEURO-YTu🔗 LINKS & RESOURCESNEURO – Neurodiversity, Empowerment, Understanding and Resilience Organisationhttps://www.neurocharity.org/The NEURO Standardhttps://www.neurocharity.org/the-standardNEURO Library & Resourceshttps://www.neurocharity.org/introduction-to-neurodiversityRobert Annis on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/robannis/💜 Follow and subscribe to the NDV Podcast to join us for the rest of Season 6, and please share the episode with anyone who might find this conversation valuable.

In the Season 5 finale of the NDV Podcast, Andreia speakswith Dr. Simona Skripkauskaite, an Economic and Social Research Council and Administrative Data Research UK Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Department of Experimental Psychology and lecturer in Clinical Psychology at theUniversity of Surrey. Simona’s research focuses on neurodiversity-informed childand adolescent mental health, exploring how neurodivergent young people interact with systems such as education, healthcare, and social services before the age of 12. By analysing linked administrative data from schools and theNHS, her work aims to identify where support pathways succeed—and where young people may be falling through the gaps. In this thoughtful and insightful conversation, Andreia andSimona discuss the gap between diagnostic frameworks and lived experiences, the challenges of translating research into real-world policy and practice, and why co-production with neurodivergent people and families is essential formeaningful change.They also explore the importance of self-identification,strengths-based approaches, and moving away from deficit-focused language in mental health systems, while highlighting the barriers that still exist in accessing timely diagnosis and support.This episode offers a powerful reflection on the future ofneurodiversity-informed research and the importance of bringing together researchers, policymakers, clinicians, and lived experience voices to create better systems for young people.A hopeful and inspiring conversation about research, systemschange, and the importance of listening to neurodivergent voices.Links:Simona SkripkauskaiteUniversity of Oxford – Department of ExperimentalPsychologyAdministrative Data Research UK (ADR UK)Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)University of Surrey – Clinical PsychologyCAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)EHCP Plans (Education, Health and Care Plans)

In this special episode of the Neurodiverse Voices (NDV) Podcast, we bring you a live recording of a public talk hosted by Andreia Costa, Founder and Managing Director of Neurodiverse Voices Connect and founder of the NDV Podcast, alongside her role as Project Manager for Training & Academic Career Development at the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre.This podcast-style panel brings together leading researchers from the University of Oxford to explore the intersection of neurodiversity and research. Featuring Prof Clare Mackay, Dr Eri Ichijo, and Dr Alice Quinton, the discussion focuses on how neurodivergent individuals can be more meaningfully included in brain and mental health research, and why it is essential to design research with neurodivergent communities in mind from the outset.Together, the panel reflects on what inclusive research looks like in practice, shares insights from their own work, and discusses the changes needed to create more accessible and representative research environments for the future .This episode offers valuable perspectives for researchers, clinicians, and anyone interested in building more inclusive approaches to science and healthcare.Links:NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Oxford HealthOxford Health NHS Foundation TrustUniversity of Oxford, Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Oxford, Department of Experimental PsychologyOxford Centre for Integrative NeuroimagingAndreia CostaProf Clare MackayDr Eri IchijoDr Alice Quinton

Welcome to a very special episode of the NDV Podcast, recorded live at the incredible KatieFest 2026 on Saturday, 25th April 2026 at Wallingford Rugby Club — a celebration of inclusive sport, community, and connection.This episode is a little different (and very on-brand 😅).Due to some classic Andreia technical moments, a few interviews were recorded on the phone… and yes, you might even spot part of the tripod making a surprise appearance. But honestly, KatieFest wouldn’t be KatieFest without Andreia having at least one technical issue with the podcast!Despite that, this episode is packed with powerful conversations and inspiring voices from across the inclusive sport space💛 About KatieFestKatieFest is more than just an event—it’s a movement. Created in memory of Katie, it brings together players, families, coaches, and communities to celebrate inclusive rugby and sport for all abilities.From players sharing how much they enjoy being active with friends, to organisers highlighting the growth of inclusive rugby clubs and the importance of visibility, the message is clear: sport should be accessible, welcoming, and enjoyable for everyone.And at its heart, KatieFest is about connection—bringing people together, breaking down barriers, and showing that we’re all more alike than different.Links: KatiefestCouncillor Nigel SimpsonSENtipedePlay Their WayWallingford WolvesAlex Wilson Athletics CoachingGosford All BlacksWitney Wolves

In this episode of the NDV Podcast, Andreia speaks with Joanna Gibbs, founder and CEO of SENsational Tutors, a specialist tutoring service supporting children and young people with SEND. Joanna shares her unique journey through education across the world—from working in the NHS and teaching internationally to building a company dedicated to truly understanding and supporting neurodivergent learners. Joanna also opens up about her late ADHD diagnosis,the internal stigma that can come with it, and how it has shaped both her personal life and professional mission. Together, Andreia and Joanna explore the realities of the current education system, the challenges families facewhen children experience trauma in school settings, and why listening to young people and parents is essential for meaningful inclusion.They discuss the importance of relationships in education,the power of one-to-one support, and the strengths neurodivergent children bring when their needs and interests are truly understood. Joanna also shares practical insights on confidence-building, celebrating mistakes as part oflearning, and creating environments where neurodivergent students can flourish.This conversation is an honest and thought-provoking lookat education, advocacy, neurodiversity, and the power of community.A powerful conversation about changing systems,celebrating different minds, and creating spaces where every young person can thrive.Links & Contacts:SENsational TutorsEmail (general enquiries): [email protected] (Joanna directly): [email protected] Tutors YouTube channelSia - Unstoppable

In this heartfelt episode of the NDV Podcast, host Andreiais joined once again by Leandra Hamblin — a parent, advocate, and founder of SENtipede — for an honest and powerful conversation about neurodivergent family life,resilience, and community.Leandra shares her lived experience as a parent to threeneurodivergent children, reflecting on early signs of autism and ADHD, the realities of navigating education systems, school avoidance, and the emotional toll of constantly having to “prove” your child’s needs. She speaks openlyabout burnout, crisis points, and the relentless nature of fighting systems that too often fail to listen to parents.The conversation also explores how these experiences ledLeandra to create SENtipede, a peer-support space rooted in lived experience, connection, and compassion. She talks about finding her voice, stepping into advocacy, the power of community coffee mornings, and what it means to movefrom surviving to roaring — embracing her inner “lioness”.This episode is a validating listen for parents and carers,a reminder of the importance of listening to lived experience, and a hopeful reflection on self-discovery, strength, and the future of the neurodivergent community.A deeply human conversation about being seen, being heard,and continuing to fight — together.Links:SENtipede FacebookSENtipede InstagramLeandra Hamblin LinkedInKaty Perry – Roar