The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

What I Wish More Parents Knew After an Autism Diagnosis
When a child is diagnosed autistic, a lot can hit at once: fear, guilt, grief, confusion, and a hundred questions about what comes next. In this conversation, I sit down with Kristina and Herb Everett to talk about those first hard moments and what they learned raising their son through them.
We talk about the emotional weight many parents carry in silence, why behavior is often communication, and how easy it is for schools, systems, and even loving adults to miss what a child is really trying to say. I also get into the gap between meaning well and actually helping in ways a child can feel.
What stayed with me most is this: support doesn’t start with having all the answers. It starts with listening, noticing, and giving both your child and yourself more grace than you think you need.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re helping, pushing too hard, or missing something important, this episode will give you a lot to think about. And there’s one part near the end about acceptance that I think many families need to hear.

About the Guests
Kristina and Herb heagh Avritt are the couple behind Vibrant Family Education. Kristina spent 27 years in the classroom, and together they now help families think differently about education, support, and connection for children with unique learning and communication needs.

Key Timestamps
0:17 - Kristina shares her first feelings after her son’s autism diagnosis
4:58 - The moment autism changed how they understood their son
8:02 - What they would tell parents in those early, overwhelming days
10:01 - What raising an autistic child taught beyond any classroom
15:47 - Burnout, overstimulation, and what many kids carry home from school
22:10 - The pressure families put on kids and the cost of getting it wrong
34:47 - Early school challenges, IEP struggles, and missed support
44:12 - The hard balance between protection and independence
56:30 - How parents can support without asking a child to be someone else
59:34 - What real acceptance looks like in everyday life
78:09 - What they want every newly diagnosed family to hear

Their Links: Vibrant Family Education:https://vibrantfamilyeducation.com
You can find them all over the socials under their name.

Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION

If this episode speaks to you, listen through and share it with a parent, educator, or caregiver who needs the reminder that they’re not alone.
#AutismSupport #NeurodivergentFamilies #ParentingAutism #SpecialEducation #Neurodiversity

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.
🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

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Finding Belonging, ADHD, and the Search for Family with Gemma Reid
What if the answers you’ve been looking for weren’t lost at all—just waiting for the right moment to find you?
In this episode, I sit down with Gemma Reid for a deeply personal conversation about late-diagnosed ADHD, adoption, identity, and the quiet pull toward belonging. We talk about what it’s like to grow up feeling different, how that can shape the way you see yourself, and why finding the right language for your experience can change everything.
Gemma also shares how her search for her biological family led to surprising discoveries, emotional healing, and questions that go far beyond DNA. Along the way, we explore the link between neurodivergence, sensitivity, intuition, and what it means to trust yourself when the world has spent years telling you not to.

About the Guest
Gemma Reid is a therapist, medium, and advocate who speaks openly about ADHD, adoption, healing, and identity. Her work brings together mental health, grief support, and intuitive practice.
If you’ve ever felt out of place, underestimated, or unsure where you belong, this conversation will stay with you.

Key Timestamps
0:02 - I welcome Gemma and ask about life before diagnosis and before finding her biological family

4:52 - The early signs of ADHD and what was misunderstood about her

9:39 - Adoption, identity, and the lasting need to belong

14:19 - How her work as a therapist and medium began

23:59 - Neurodivergence, intuition, and sensitivity

35:14 - The question that reopened her search for her father

44:15 - Waiting for DNA results and what happened next

50:20 - What it felt like to find family and connection

71:05 - Was this really about finding her father, or finding herself?

75:14 - Where to connect with Gemma online

Gemma's Links
www.themediumtherapist.ca

TikTok:@TheMediumTherapist

Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION

If this episode speaks to you, listen through to the end and share it with someone navigating ADHD, adoption, or identity questions. #Neurodivergent #ADHD #AdoptionStory #Belonging #MentalHealth

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.
🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When You Look Fine on the Outside but Know Something Is Wrong at Home
From the outside, Christine Dillard’s life looked steady and successful. In this conversation, I sit with the private reality she was carrying for years.
We talk about what coercive control and gaslighting can feel like from the inside—especially when there are no visible bruises, and when the world around you keeps seeing a polished version of your life. Christine shares how self-doubt can grow slowly, how isolation can hide inside everyday moments, and why one small piece of outside validation can change what you’re finally able to see.
What stayed with me most is how hard it can be to trust your own memory when someone keeps shaping your reality for you. And yet, this conversation also holds something else: the quiet beginning of coming back to yourself.
If you’ve ever wondered how a capable, thoughtful person can question what they know deep down, I think this episode will stay with you.

About the Guest
Christine Dillard is the author of The Truth She Showed Me. She is also a Fortune 500 director with an MBA who now speaks openly about coercive control, healing, and learning to trust herself again.

Key Timestamps
0:11 - What life looked like inside the marriage

3:43 - Why hope can keep someone staying longer than others understand

5:04 - Succeeding at work while questioning reality at home

8:22 - The moment Christine knew things would not change

14:17 - What real gaslighting feels like when you’re living through it

23:10 - The hidden patterns of coercive control behind closed doors

31:43 - Learning to trust your own judgment again

36:17 - The meaning behind The Truth She Showed Me

44:42 - Christine’s message for anyone who sees themselves in this story

If this conversation speaks to you, listen to the full episode and share it with someone who may need to hear they’re not alone.
#TheCuriousStoryteller #ChristineDillard #CoerciveControl #Gaslighting #HealingAfterAbuse

You can learn more about Christine by searching: at The Truth She Showed Me

Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.
🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Why Autistic Job Seekers Are Still Being Screened Out Before They Can Show What They Can Do
If you've ever wondered why so many autistic people struggle to get hired even when they're fully qualified, this conversation will hit close to home.
In this episode, I sit down with Sean Sullivan to talk about the hiring barriers that often have nothing to do with actual job skills. We get into what interviews really measure, why disclosure can feel like a no-win situation, and how common hiring practices can shut out autistic candidates before they ever get a fair shot.
What stayed with me most is this: the problem usually isn’t ability. It’s the system. Sean shares what employers miss, what autistic workers bring to the table, and why small changes can make a real difference. We also talk about a hiring idea that could change everything for some candidates, but most workplaces still aren’t ready for it.

About the guest: Sean Sullivan is an autism advocate focused on employment access, inclusion, and disability rights. He also hosts Unheard Podcast, where he shares real stories and honest conversations from the disability community.
If you're autistic, support someone who is, or work in hiring, I think this episode will leave you looking at the process in a very different way.

Timestamps
0:02 - I welcome Sean Sullivan and we set the stage for an honest conversation
1:11 - Sean shares how his own job search led him to autism employment advocacy
3:13 - We talk about whether to disclose autism during the hiring process
11:30 - The interview questions that create the biggest barriers
16:24 - What employers often misunderstand about autistic candidates
17:00 - Sean shares a different interview model employers should consider
24:00 - What interviews are really measuring behind the scenes
28:30 - What companies lose when autistic people are filtered out
41:48 - What true inclusion at work actually looks like
45:03 - Why access to higher-paying jobs matters so much
53:22 - What Sean wishes employers understood about autistic job seekers
62:49 - Sean’s message to hiring managers listening right now

You can find all about Shawn Here: unheardpodcast.com
Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION

Listen in, and if this conversation speaks to you, share it with someone involved in hiring, education, or support work.
#AutismEmployment #Neurodiversity #DisabilityInclusion #AutisticAdults #WorkplaceInclusion

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.
🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When Trauma, Autism, and ADHD Start to Overlap
If you’ve ever wondered whether overwhelm, shutdowns, masking, or constant tension are coming from neurodivergence, trauma, or both, this conversation will give you a lot to think about.
In this episode, I sit down with Sharon LaFlamme to talk about the nervous system, childhood stress, sensory overload, and why so many Autistic and ADHD adults can feel unsafe even when they logically know they’re okay. We explore how early experiences may shape the body’s responses, why “just calm down” rarely helps, and what it can look like to build a greater sense of safety over time.
I’m also sharing a conversation that may raise big questions for parents, caregivers, educators, and neurodivergent adults alike: when does masking become chronic stress, what happens when support misses the full picture, and how can you start noticing your own warning signs before a meltdown or shutdown?

About the Guest
Sharon LaFlamme is a Somatic Experiencing practitioner who focuses on trauma, nervous system support, and body-based healing practices. Her work includes somatic tools, yoga, meditation, and education around emotional safety and regulation.

Key Timestamps
0:15 - What trauma can do to the nervous system over time
5:32 - Can childhood trauma affect you without you realizing it?
13:33 - Feeling different, misunderstood, and unsafe growing up
18:22 - Autism, ADHD, trauma responses, and where they may overlap
21:39 - How masking can add to chronic stress
28:53 - Sensory overload and why past stress can intensify it
38:17 - What Somatic Experiencing is and how it differs from talk therapy
44:11 - Why “calm down” often makes things worse
53:01 - What genuine emotional safety really feels like
57:35 - Forgiveness, boundaries, and letting go on your own terms

Sharon's Links
reatingserenitynow.com
makingfriendswithforgiveness.com
https://www.youtube.com/c/SharonLaflamme
Also you can find her on Facebook

Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION

If this episode speaks to you, listen through and share it with someone who needs more clear, caring conversations around trauma, Autism, ADHD, and nervous system regulation.
#NeurodivergentConnection #AutismAwareness #ADHDSupport #TraumaHealing #NervousSystem

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.
🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.