The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

When Neurodivergence, Identity, and Spiritual Sensitivity Collide
What happens when a diagnosis doesn’t feel big enough to explain your experience of the world? In this episode, I sit down with Alice Dillon to explore that question from a deeply personal and thought-provoking angle.

We talk about what it means to live with labels like ADHD and neurodivergent while also feeling that something more personal, intuitive, or hard to name is going on underneath. Along the way, I challenge the role of diagnosis, belonging, masking, and the quiet pressure to fit into a world that often misunderstands difference.
Alice shares how she’s made sense of her own experience over time, why some labels help while others can feel limiting, and what she believes gets missed when we explain everything through a clinical lens alone. We also get into a bigger question I think many people in this community carry: What if the very traits we’ve been told to tone down are part of what the world needs most?

About the Guest
Alice Dylan is an author, teacher, and intuitive guide. She’s the author of Alone in a Sea of Normal and shares her work through Facebook and YouTube as @askalice9999.

Key Timestamps
0:14 - What it feels like when sensitivity gets a clinical name
3:41 - The tension between self-diagnosis, identity, and support
11:13 - How Alice understood herself before “neurodivergent” became common
16:31 - What belonging looked like without labels
23:48 - What “spiritual perception” feels like day to day
27:47 - The childhood moment that changed everything
30:18 - Holding science, diagnosis, and lived experience at the same time
35:41 - What could change if neurodivergent people didn’t have to keep fighting to fit in
48:07 - What might sit at the core of these experiences beyond labels
51:43 - Where to find Alice and her book

https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION
If you’ve ever felt caught between diagnosis, intuition, and the need to be understood, this conversation will give you a lot to think about. Listen in, then tell me what stood out to you most.
#Neurodivergent #ADHD #AutismAwareness #MentalHealthPodcast #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.

Why Connection Can Feel So Hard for Autistic Adults—and What Might Help
What if the problem isn’t a lack of interest in connection, but years of being misunderstood?
In this episode, I sit down with Trista to talk about autism, loneliness, safety, and why finding the right kind of connection can feel so complicated for autistic adults. We explore the gap between being around people and actually feeling known, and we get into the questions many families and professionals still avoid.

I’m sharing a conversation about friendship, dating, masking, independence, and the real risks that can come with rejection or manipulation. Trista also explains why she created Capable Hearts, an app designed to help autistic adults meet others in a space built with shared understanding in mind. More importantly, we talk about what true support should look like without taking choice away.
If you’ve ever wondered how to support an autistic adult without controlling them, or why “included” doesn’t always mean “connected,” this episode will give you a lot to think about.

About the Guest
Trista is a BCBA and the creator of Capable Hearts. She has spent years supporting autistic individuals and families, with a strong focus on communication, independence, and meaningful connection.

https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION

Key Timestamps
0:02 - I welcome Trista and ask how she first got into this work
4:48 - The person who changed how she understood autism
8:34 - Looking beneath behavior instead of judging what’s visible
14:53 - Why she felt autistic adults needed a different way to connect
20:25 - Why existing apps didn’t feel safe or supportive enough
24:15 - Isolation, misunderstanding, and autistic loneliness
26:38 - What Trista wanted the app experience to feel like
40:00 - Safety, vulnerability, and protecting independence
46:27 - How families can talk about relationships without shame
53:01 - What she wants autistic people to know after rejection

check out the app on the appstore or android store
https://capablehearts.com/

If this conversation speaks to you, listen to the full episode and share it with a parent, educator, caregiver, or autistic adult who may need it.
#Autism #Neurodiversity #AutisticAdults #DisabilitySupport #InclusiveRelationships

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.

How Catherine Hughes Turned a Family Crisis Into Advocacy, Belonging, and Hope
What happens when a parent asks for help and the system gets it painfully wrong? In this episode, I sit down with Catherine Hughes for a conversation that starts with heartbreak and grows into something every caregiver, educator, and neurodivergent person needs to hear.

Catherine shares the moment that changed her life as a young mother, and why that experience pushed her to speak up for families who feel blamed, dismissed, or left to figure it all out alone. Along the way, we talk about autism, advocacy, belonging, caregiver support, and the quiet power of being truly heard.
You’ll hear why “fitting in” isn’t the goal, what real belonging can look like at home, in schools, and in the community, and why stories often reach people in ways facts can’t. We also get into something many families carry in silence: the guilt of asking for help.

About the Guest
Catherine Hughes is an advocate, speaker, author, and leader in behavioral health. She supports caregivers and neurodivergent individuals through her work and through The Caffeinated Advocate, where she helps families find support, voice, and connection.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unseen, or unsure where to turn next, I think this conversation will stay with you. Listen through to the end, because Catherine shares a simple question that can change how we support each other.

Key Timestamps
0:02 - I welcome Catherine Hughes and ask about the life that shaped her

0:26 - Catherine shares the early signs she noticed in her son and the dismissal she faced

6:05 - The arrest, foster care, and the moment everything changed

10:20 - How that crisis led Catherine into advocacy and family support

16:25 - Why labels should never decide what someone is capable of

23:26 - When Catherine’s personal pain became a clear mission

27:36 - Why compassion matters more than compliance in care

32:16 - What belonging really means beyond inclusion

39:38 - Why public speaking didn’t come naturally, and what changed

55:19 - What caregivers need to remember about caring for themselves

62:50 - What schools, workplaces, and communities still need to change

69:31 - The everyday moments that still give Catherine hope

Catherines Resources:
Website:thecaffeinatedadvocate.com
Email:chughes@thecaffeinatedadvocate.com

If this episode speaks to you, listen, share it with someone who needs it, and stay connected for more conversations on neurodiversity, autism, ADHD, caregiving, and belonging.
#Neurodiversity #AutismAwareness #CaregiverSupport #Belonging #Advocacy

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 Advocacy Starts at Home: What Beth Silver Taught Me About Support, Labels, and Being Brave
What happens when a parent stops waiting for answers and starts building a way forward for their child?
In this episode, I sit down with Beth Silver for a deeply honest conversation about raising neurodivergent children, facing fear in real time, and learning how to ask for help without shame. Beth shares how motherhood pushed her from marketing and PR into advocacy, and why some of the hardest lessons came from school meetings, therapy rooms, and moments when no clear answer was in sight.
We talk about the weight parents carry, why the right diagnosis can matter more than people want to admit, and how support can change everything when it finally feels real. Beth also opens up about boundaries, burnout, self-care, and the quiet strength it takes to keep showing up when you’re running on coffee and courage.
If you’re parenting a neurodivergent child, supporting one, or trying to understand your own experience, I think this conversation will stay with you. You’ll hear stories that may feel familiar—and a few truths that might shift how you see advocacy, communication, and what being brave really looks like.

About the Guest
Beth Silver is a marketing consultant, advocate, and trusted support for families raising neurodivergent children. Through her work and community connections, she helps parents find clarity, resources, and a plan when life feels overwhelming.

Timestamps
0:46 - I welcome Beth Silver and ask who she was before advocacy became part of her life

3:12 - The first signs her son was experiencing the world differently

6:50 - Fear, school struggles, and learning how to ask for help

9:00 - When the hardest part becomes the world’s response

13:38 - Why support systems and boundaries matter more than most parents realize

16:56 - What survival mode looked like day to day

25:16 - How helping other families became part of Beth’s purpose

41:12 - How parenting changed the way Beth thinks about communication

52:15 - What Beth wants overwhelmed parents to hear right now

57:35 - The legacy she hopes her children carry forward

Beth's Resourses:
Website: doubetllc.com
Instagram: @bethwouldknow

If this episode speaks to you, listen all the way through and share it with someone who needs to hear they’re not alone.
#NeurodivergentConnection #AutismSupport #ADHDSupport #ParentAdvocacy #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.

When Co-Parenting Keeps You on Edge: Finding Peace After Divorce with Sol
I sat down with Sol for a deeply honest conversation about divorce, co-parenting, healing, and what it takes to stop living in constant reaction mode.
In this episode, I explore what life can feel like after a relationship ends, especially when you still have to stay connected as parents. Sal shares how overwhelm, conflict, and self-doubt shaped his early days after divorce, and how he slowly began to rebuild trust in himself. Along the way, we talk about boundaries, isolation, emotional triggers, and the quiet inner work that can change how you show up for your kids and for yourself.

What struck me most is how Sol turned a painful personal experience into something practical for other co-parents. I’m sharing how that idea took shape, why emotional distance can matter so much in high-conflict communication, and what many people miss about the real weight of co-parenting.

If you’re parenting through separation, supporting someone who is, or trying to understand how healing and neurodivergent traits can intersect with stress, this conversation will give you a lot to think about.

About the Guest
Sol is a creative entrepreneur and co-parent who built Best Interest, an app designed to help reduce conflict in co-parent communication using AI-supported message review.
Timestamps
0:02 - I welcome Sol and we begin before the divorce

2:38 - Sol reflects on having a brain that resists neat labels

4:19 - The moment he knew he couldn’t keep living this way

8:01 - Parenting young kids through divorce and COVID

10:01 - How creativity helped protect both him and his children

14:21 - What people don’t understand about co-parenting

15:46 - The isolation of high-conflict co-parenting

22:12 - The grounding practice that changed his healing

27:58 - How lived experience became the Best Interest app

36:19 - What feels most different about who he is now

41:46 - What Sal hopes others take from his story

If this episode speaks to you, listen through to the end and share it with someone who needs a little more support around divorce, co-parenting, healing, or neurodivergence.
#CoParenting #DivorceHealing #NeurodivergentSupport #ParentingAfterDivorce #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.