The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

ADHD at Work and at Home: Motivation, Masking, and Real Support with Dr. Saara Haapanen
What happens when an Olympic-level athlete-turned-psychologist maps ADHD from the inside—and shows us what actually helps?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Saara Haapanen to explore ADHD beyond stereotypes. You’ll hear how almost making the Olympics, years of elite sport, and a late ADHD diagnosis shaped her work helping individuals and organizations create environments where neurodivergent people can truly perform. I reveal the key questions I ask to shift shame into self-trust, while Sara shares a simple motivation model you can remember and use today.
You’ll discover why “just focus” backfires, what looks like laziness but isn’t, and the one feedback change workplaces can make that instantly eases RSD. We also get into perimenopause, parenting through a child’s assessment, and the very real emotional load adults carry—plus the small language tweaks that lower demand and raise follow-through.

By the end, you’ll be asking: Which part of motivation do I boost first? How do I request support at work without feeling exposed? And what would change if I spoke to myself like my own best friend?

About the Guest
Dr. Saara Haapanen is a sports and exercise psychology PhD, former elite diver ranked 30th in the world, and founder of Performance Is Haapanen. Since 2013, she’s coached high performers and advised schools, healthcare systems, and companies on neurodiversity, motivation, and well-being.

Key Timestamps
0:02 – Meet Dr. Saara Haapanen and her path from elite sport to health and performance

4:40 – Finland, near-Olympic selection, and the spark that led to sports psychology

11:26 – “I know what to do—why am I not doing it?” Motivation without a map

16:14 – From her own diagnosis to helping others thrive

24:09 – The most common misunderstanding about adult ADHD

27:46 – Inside the ADHD brain: floodlight vs. flashlight focus

33:35 – What looks like laziness but isn’t

35:41 – ADHD in a workplace not built for it: where things break down

44:10 – One feedback shift that reduces RSD on the spot

48:03 – The FUN.COM motivation model you’ll actually remember

53:42 – Do companies get it yet?

75:46 – A client story that changed a whole family’s trajectory

80:51 – “Nothing’s wrong with you”—what I want you to hear

82:27 – What I’d tell my younger self

84:38 – Where to find Dr. Saara

If this helped, share it with a parent, educator, or manager who needs it. Subscribe for more supportive conversations on neurodiversity, and tell me in the comments: Which part of FUN.COM do you need most this week?

Keywords: ADHD, neurodivergent, workplace inclusion, motivation, executive function, rejection sensitivity, perimenopause, body doubling, movement, positive psychology

#ADHD #Neurodiversity #WorkplaceInclusion #ParentingADHD #ExecutiveFunction

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: [email protected]

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

Non-Speaking Is Not Non-Understanding: Autism-Affirming Inclusion with Amanda Toren
Non-speaking doesn’t mean non-understanding. In this episode, I sit down with Amanda Toren to rethink communication and real inclusion.
Amanda is an autism mom, speech and behavioral therapist, clinical autism specialist, and inclusion specialist who runs an inclusive martial arts academy. Together, we get honest about what belonging looks like beyond words—and what schools and programs often miss.
You’ll hear how Amanda builds autism-affirming environments where communication is a human right, why regulation comes before compliance, and how small wins add up to big change. I also press into the question so many parents and educators ask: What does success look like for a non-speaking student—and how do we know it’s happening?
I reveal the shift that changes outcomes in both the dojo and the classroom, and you’ll discover the first small step any educator can put in place tomorrow. We also talk about the quiet grief parents carry, what to say instead of “I’m sorry,” and the moment a single bow on the mat changed everything.
If you’ve wondered how AAC fits into sports, what “autism-affirming” really looks like, or why inclusion isn’t just “sharing a room,” this one’s for you.

About the Guest
Amanda Toren is an autism mom and a speech and behavioral therapist with 14+ years of experience. She’s a clinical autism specialist and inclusion specialist who owns an inclusive martial arts school focused on AAC, regulation, and strengths-based coaching for neurodivergent kids.

Timestamps
0:02 – Welcome and who Amanda is

1:12 – The early emotions of parenting a non-speaking child

3:03 – Behavior as communication and the role of AAC

6:31 – Support gaps and what to say instead of “I’m sorry”

12:19 – Why martial arts and what it builds beyond kicks and punches

16:33 – Honoring communication beyond words

18:08 – Autism-affirming inclusion in practice

20:29 – What well-meaning programs often get wrong

26:37 – Regulation before compliance: the shift

29:23 – A small step educators can use tomorrow

30:55 – The power of small wins: one student’s breakthrough

38:23 – Taking inclusion beyond one academy (Amanda’s e-book)

41:46 – Where to find Amanda

If this episode helped you, share it with a parent, teacher, or coach who cares about doing inclusion well.
Subscribe for more real conversations on autism, ADHD, AAC, regulation, and creating communities where everyone belongs.
#Neurodiversity #AutismAcceptance #AAC #Inclusion #SpecialEducation

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: [email protected]

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

Seeing Ourselves in Fiction: Neurodivergent Characters That Actually Feel Real with Author Luna Westish
Representation isn’t just about labels—it’s about feeling seen. Today, I sit down with debut author Luna Westish to explore how fiction can shift how we understand Autism, ADHD, anxiety, and ourselves.
You’ll hear how Luna wrote a character readers either relate to deeply or find frustrating and why both reactions matter. I reveal the surprising moments that made me rethink labels, we compare “token” characters to fully human ones, and you’ll discover how inner monologue, sensory detail, and own voices storytelling can change empathy without turning pain into plot armor.
We also talk about growth that doesn’t erase struggle, the lines between honest depiction and drama, and why reading outside our comfort zones prepares us for real life at home, in classrooms, and in community.
If you’ve never seen yourself on the page, this conversation offers a starting point and a few questions that might change what you pick up next

About the Guest
Luna Westish is the author of Meet Me at the Ruins, a character-driven novel that threads anxiety, relationships, and messy growth with care. She’s also taught business to kids and adults, worked in federal policy, and made jewelry because one lane was never going to cut it.

Key Timestamps
0:03 – Why fiction can change how we see our own minds

2:06 – The first time a character felt “too familiar”

6:49 – What representation gets wrong (and what’s finally improving)

10:01 – Sensory layers that make characters believable

11:22 – Real vs. tokenized: the role of inner life

13:07 – Do labels help—or do subtleties matter more?

15:19 – Writing Meet Me at the Ruins: when representation found her

19:10 – Writing as healing (and why it can feel like therapy)

24:27 – Honoring struggle without exploiting it

29:04 – Showing growth without minimizing the hard stuff

32:50 – Why “just a story” isn’t just a story

44:14 – Readers who felt seen—and why that matters

51:46 – Where to find Luna’s book and connect

Resources: lunawestish.com • bookshop.org • Available via libraries on Hoopla and Libby
If this episode resonated, subscribe, rate, and share it with a parent, educator, caregiver, or friend. Your support helps our community grow.
#Neurodiversity #Fiction #MentalHealth #Autism #ADHD

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: [email protected]

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

Executive Function Isn’t Laziness: Rethinking “Motivation,” Shame, and Support with Coach Carrie Bonnet
Executive function isn’t laziness—it’s a brain thing. In this episode, I sit with coach Carrie Bonnet to reframe the struggle.
If you’ve ever wondered why smart kids (and adults) still miss deadlines, lose steam, or freeze at “start,” this conversation will feel like a breath out. I ask Carrie Bonnet—Executive Function Coach, veteran teacher, and adjunct instructor at the University of Portland—what this actually feels like from the inside and what support looks like when we remove shame and lead with the brain.
You’ll hear why paper beats apps when you’re new to planning, how time blindness fuels the last-minute cycle, and the key shift parents and teachers can make that changes everything. We also get into the messy middle: boredom that feels like torture, the myth of “I work best under pressure,” and why “not caring” often isn’t the story at all.

I reveal where I’ve struggled too, and Carrie shares simple, sustainable ways we can make the invisible visible—without giving a full step-by-step here. By the end, you’ll be asking different questions and seeing different outcomes.
Questions to listen for: What makes task initiation so hard? How does shame sneak in? And what small moves reduce overwhelm today?

About the Guest
Carrie Bonnet is an Executive Function Coach, veteran middle and high school teacher, and adjunct instructor at the University of Portland. She works with students, families, and early-career teachers. Carrie lives in Oregon and is a mom to two teens.

Key Timestamps
0:02 – Welcome and who Carrie is

2:11 – The sixth grader who changed how we saw “late work”

5:10 – When it clicked: not laziness, not a moral failing

9:23 – Life skills don’t teach themselves (and why that matters)

12:00 – Paper vs. digital calendars: which one first?

15:20 – Backward planning a massive project without burning out

18:08 – “I work best under pressure”… or do I?

19:59 – What executive function challenges feel like from the inside (“borchure”)

23:13 – Overwhelm, time blindness, emotional flooding

25:16 – Dopamine, tiny wins, and the short timer spark

26:41 – Not caring vs. not being able

28:13 – The parent shift: replace judgment with curiosity

30:35 – No-shame, brain-first: where shame sneaks in

34:40 – Why it can take longer to read, grasp, and process

36:49 – “Strategy shopping” and the wallet solution

47:49 – The missing link in schools

50:54 – When the system isn’t a fit for the brain in front of us

52:53 – Make the invisible visible: classroom wins

55:20 – Why it’s harder for some brains (and what to remember)

58:01 – For anyone who feels broken: you’re not

58:54 – Where to find Carrie’s resources

Resources: Grab Carrie’s Task Initiation Toolkit: carriebonnet.com/toolkit
If this helped you or someone you love, follow the show, share this episode with a parent or teacher, and leave a quick rating. Your support helps more of our community feel seen.
#Neurodiversity #ExecutiveFunction #ADHD #Parenting #Education

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

Late-Diagnosed at 65: Creativity, Compassion, and Coming Home to Yourself with Caroline Carey
I sit down with Caroline Carey, a creative, author, and grandmother who was diagnosed with AuDHD in her mid-60s—and everything started to make sense.

In this conversation, I open up about my own assessment experience while Caroline shares how a “you’re not depressed, you’re overwhelmed” moment changed her path. You’ll discover how she re-framed decades of school struggle, why dance became her nervous system’s anchor, and the unexpected support that finally let her ask for help in her business.

I reveal the questions I ask late-identified adults to spot patterns, while Caroline explains how she now sees rejection sensitivity, travel anxiety, and masking through a new lens. We also tease the spiritual thread that runs through her work—and the book she wrote once she realized what she’d been writing about all along.

By the end, you’ll be thinking about overwhelm vs. depression, what real support can look like, and how to tell when you’re “being you” versus blending in. And you might walk away asking: What if the world is finally coming to meet you?

About the Guest
Caroline Carey is a UK-based creative, author of “The Neurodivergent Soul,” soul cartographer, and longtime movement facilitator. She supports artists, writers, and difference-makers to express their stories with compassion and clarity.

Key Timestamps
0:02 – Welcome and late diagnosis at 65

5:08 – “Not depressed—overwhelmed” and the assessment that followed

9:21 – Who Caroline was 30 years ago and the dance that kept her steady

19:23 – What life felt like on the inside: love, exhaustion, overwhelm

23:26 – Masking, people-pleasing, and choosing authenticity

27:28 – The moment autism “clicked” and polarity made sense

30:32 – Writing “The Neurodivergent Soul” and naming the real story

40:12 – Travel anxiety, planning, and why “just relax” doesn’t help

53:22 – The UK grant that changed her business support

58:57 – Where to find Caroline’s work

If this episode helps you feel seen, share it with a parent, educator, or friend who needs it. Subscribe for more conversations that support our neurodiverse community.

Explore Caroline’s work: middleearthmedicine.com
#Neurodiversity #Autism #ADHD #AuDHD #LateDiagnosis

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: [email protected]

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