The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

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.

What Independence Really Means When Home Starts to Feel Harder
What happens when stairs, bathrooms, or even getting out of bed start to change how someone sees their own life?
In this conversation, I sit down with Erica Sell to talk about mobility, home accessibility, aging, and the quiet grief that can come when daily life no longer feels simple. But this isn’t just about equipment or home changes. It’s about dignity, choice, identity, and what support can make possible before a crisis forces the issue.
Erica shares how a family emergency led her to build a business around people, not codes or insurance rules. Along the way, we talk about why so many families wait too long, why “independence” may mean something very different than we’ve been taught, and how the right support can bring someone back to the life they thought they were losing.
You’ll hear stories that stayed with me, questions more families should ask earlier, and why the real issue often isn’t the walker, the chair, or the bed. It’s what that support seems to represent.

About the Guest
Erica Sell is the founder of Harmony Home Medical and has spent years helping people find mobility and home access solutions that put the individual first. Her work focuses on helping clients stay safe, comfortable, and connected to the life they still want to live.

Key Timestamps
0:12 - How Erica saw a better way in 2008

2:48 - What frustrated her about the traditional model

6:46 - Why families often wait until crisis hits

11:24 - The emotional meaning behind beds, lifts, and home changes

15:24 - Why mobility is about more than getting from place to place

18:12 - The fear, grief, and pride people carry into these decisions

24:25 - How support can preserve independence, not replace it

39:43 - What customers taught Erica about listening

48:00 - Building a people-first business in a system built around codes

65:23 - What families should think about before they need to

Erica's Links: https://harmonyhomemedical.com/

If this conversation speaks to you, listen to the full episode and share it with someone thinking about mobility, aging in place, or caring for a parent.
#TheCuriousStoryteller #Mobility #HomeAccessibility #AgingInPlace #Caregiving

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.

Living Past the Label: What a Diagnosis Can Explain Without Defining You
A diagnosis can bring relief, but what happens if it starts to become the whole story?
In this episode, I sit down with Mike Meyer to talk about what it means to live past the label. We get into the tension so many neurodivergent people face: wanting the clarity that comes with a diagnosis without letting it shrink our identity, our choices, or our future.
Mike shares how labels can help us understand ourselves while also becoming a box if we’re not careful. We also talk about why language matters, how masking and self-advocacy can get tangled together, and why so many workplaces still expect people to fit into narrow ideas of “normal.” Along the way, I explore why detail matters to autistic minds, what gets lost when people reduce someone to a diagnosis, and how different thinking can become a real strength in leadership, work, and everyday life.
If you’ve ever wondered how to honor a diagnosis without being trapped by it, this conversation will give you a lot to think about.

About the Guest
Mike Meyer is an author, speaker, and business and technology leader who talks about neurocomplexity, leadership, and living beyond limiting labels. His work focuses on helping people understand themselves, communicate better, and lead with clarity.

Timestamps
0:03 - I welcome Mike Meyer and introduce the idea of living past the label

0:53 - Can a diagnosis help us and still hold us back?

5:45 - How do we honor a label without getting trapped inside it?

9:36 - Mike explains neurocomplexity and why he uses that term

17:33 - What gets lost when people reduce us to a diagnosis

23:18 - What comes after diagnosis and how identity can start to rebuild

36:08 - Why leadership matters for neurodivergent people

43:35 - What divergent thinkers bring to uncertain times

55:56 - What organizations need to change if they want different people to lead

65:02 - What I’d say to anyone who thinks leadership is for other people

Mikes Links:m31.global
Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION

If this episode speaks to you, listen through and share it with someone who needs this reminder: you are more than a label.
#Neurodivergent #Autism #ADHD #Leadership #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

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

What Success Doesn’t Fix: My Conversation with J.D. Barker on Writing, Doubt, and Staying the Course
I sat down with bestselling author J.D. Barker for a conversation that goes far beyond book deals and bestseller lists. In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to keep creating when self-doubt never fully leaves, and why success doesn’t always make the hard parts quieter.
J.D. shares how he went from a high-pressure career in finance to betting everything on writing, with one life-changing decision at the kitchen table. Along the way, I asked him about imposter syndrome, knowing when a book is truly done, and what happens when characters seem to take over the story. Some of his answers are reassuring. Others might catch you off guard.
We also get into collaboration, including what he learned from working with James Patterson, and the private cost of public success that most people never see coming.

About the Guest
J.D. Barker is a bestselling thriller author known for gripping fiction, major collaborations, and a career path that didn’t follow the usual script. He has written solo novels and co-authored books with James Patterson, building a wide readership around suspense, dark storytelling, and memorable characters.

Key Timestamps
0:10 - How J.D. left finance and bet on writing full-time

2:23 - Why self-doubt never really goes away

4:30 - When characters start making their own choices

6:18 - How to know when a book is finished

10:07 - What success actually felt like once it arrived

12:53 - The part of success nobody warns writers about

17:09 - What writing with James Patterson taught him

20:38 - The personal fears that sneak into fiction

23:37 - What writing gives him when everything else is stripped away

J.D's Website: https://jdbarker.com/
Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION

If you’ve ever questioned your work, your timing, or whether you’re really ready, I think this episode will stay with you. Listen now, and if it speaks to you, share it with someone else who needs the reminder.
#JDBarker #WritingLife #AuthorInterview #Storytelling #CreativeProcess
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.