The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

What happens when you spend years advocating for your autistic child…only to discover that you’re autistic too?In this special April episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Paul Cruz sits down with Julie Green to explore late autism diagnosis, motherhood, masking, and identity.This episode is also a milestone.It marks the first anniversary of the podcastAnd coincides with World Autism Awareness DayTogether, these moments create space not just for awareness—but for reflection, nuance, and deeper understanding.Julie shares how her understanding of autism evolved—from early stereotypes shaped by media to a deeply personal realization that reframed her entire life.This conversation is about more than diagnosis.It’s about moving from self-blame → self-understanding, and learning to extend that same compassion to the next generation.As we recognize World Autism Awareness Day this April, this conversation invites us to move beyond awareness toward:understandingacceptanceand systems-level changeIt also marks one year of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast—a year of centering lived experience, nuance, and meaningful conversations.Resources & LinksLearn more about Julie Green: https://juliemgreen.ca/Explore her memoir Motherness: https://juliemgreen.ca/books-1Follow The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-neurodiversity-voices-podcast/id1806028241Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1lI596bVmFi1rCwXHaVZaG?si=c582d74eddbb466aRSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/the-neurodiversity-voices-podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this reflective conversation, Paul sits down with Zack Yarde, neurodiversity researcher, systems thinker, and longtime leader in human services.Together they explore a question many neurodivergent people quietly carry:What happens when you realize the problem might not be you — but the system you're trying to exist inside?Zack shares insights from his work on workplace inclusion, leadership, and community spaces, including tabletop gaming environments that intentionally foster psychological safety.Rather than offering quick fixes, this episode invites listeners into a deeper conversation about curiosity, systems thinking, and the ways neurodivergent people are often asked to carry the burden of change alone.If you've ever questioned whether you're "too much," "not enough," or built differently than the systems around you, this episode is for you.Memorable Moments"We might get a good idea that helps one group — but when we apply it to everyone, we can accidentally exclude even more people.""Stop blaming yourself for being your own manifestation of neurodivergence.""True independence actually requires community."About the Guest:Zack Yarde is a neurodiversity researcher, leadership practitioner, and systems thinker focused on building more inclusive workplaces and communities.His work explores how organizational systems, leadership practices, and culture shape accessibility, psychological safety, and employee agency.Alongside his professional work, Zack is also involved in tabletop role-playing communities, where he facilitates collaborative storytelling spaces that support creativity and belonging.Connect With ZackLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackyarde/Subscribe & FollowFollow Neurodiversity Voices Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share the episode with someone who needs to hear it • Leave a rating or review to help more people find the showThe Neurodiversity Voices Podcast Centering lived experience. Amplifying diverse minds and building inclusive systems.Follow, rate, and review to help amplify neurodivergent voices.Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At what point do you stop asking "What's wrong with me?" and start asking "What's wrong with the system?"In this episode, Paul sits down with neurodiversity researcher Zack Yarde to unpack one of the most important mindset shifts for neurodivergent individuals: you are not the problem.Zach shares powerful insights on self-acceptance, the pressure to fit "typical" presentations of neurodivergence, and why organizations often fail at true inclusion. Together, they explore where inclusion efforts break down—systems, leadership, or culture—and why all three must work together to create meaningful change.This conversation is a reminder that authenticity isn't a weakness—it's a strength.The full episode of this conversation goes live on March 25.Make sure you're subscribed to The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast so you don't miss it—and be ready to join the conversation when it drops. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guest: Lisa Shanken, Executive Functioning Coach & Founder of Social BloomExecutive functioning isn't just about staying organized — it's about emotional regulation, follow-through, cognitive flexibility, and how we move through the world.In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Paul Cruz sits down with Lisa Shanken, executive functioning coach and founder of Social Bloom, to explore why implementation is harder than planning, how accountability changes outcomes, and why structured community may be the missing piece for neurodivergent adults navigating loneliness.Lisa shares practical strategies for breaking patterns of dysregulation, explains the gut-brain connection in real-life terms, and discusses how Social Bloom and Love Bloom are creating structured, supportive spaces for authentic in-person connection.This conversation is grounded, hopeful, and deeply practical.Key TakeawayPeople aren't broken. They need systems that work for their brains.Connect with Lisa ShankenWebsite: https://lisashanken.com Schedule a free consultation directly through her site.The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast Centering lived experience. Amplifying diverse minds. Building inclusive systems.Follow, rate, and review to help amplify neurodivergent voices.Website: www.neurodiversityvoices.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a late diagnosis doesn't just explain your past — it reshapes how you move through the present?In this episode, Paul Cruz talks with Erica about late-identified autism and ADHD (combined type), alexithymia, and the layered experience of unmasking while parenting a neurodivergent child. Erica shares the validation and clarity that came with diagnosis — alongside the grief for the younger self who navigated without support.We also explore how creative practice can become a lifeline: why poetry offered a "nonlinear" container for truth-telling, how nature and animals provide kinship and unconditional grace, and how activism can evolve into something sustainable through words, art, and care. Erica explains how tarot and spiritual frameworks can function as tools for self-understanding (and why "one-size-fits-all" approaches can harm neurodivergent people), and introduces her forthcoming book, The Autistic Arcana — a neurodivergent approach to tarot, magic, and the Major Arcana.If you've ever felt "too much," "not enough," or simply misunderstood — this conversation offers both language and permission.If this episode resonated, please follow/subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might feel seen by it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.