The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

When “This Wasn’t the Plan” Becomes Your Reality as a Parent
What happens when the life I imagined for my children suddenly changes—and I can’t fix it the way I thought I could?
In this episode, I sit down with Tabitha deGrave for an honest conversation about parenting through diagnosis, uncertainty, and the kind of strength people often praise but rarely understand. We talk about what it feels like to raise one child with autism and another with tuberous sclerosis complex, and how those two paths can reshape a mother’s identity in ways no one really prepares you for.
Tabitha shares the guilt, grief, and constant questions that can come after a diagnosis. At the same time, she also speaks to the patience, advocacy, and deep awareness that can grow in that hard space. We also get into why labels can matter, how support can change a child’s future, and what many families wish someone had told them much earlier.
If you’re a parent, caregiver, educator, or someone trying to support a neurodivergent child, I think this conversation will meet you where you are. And if you’ve ever wondered how to keep showing up when life looks nothing like you expected, there’s something here for you.

About the Guest: Tabitha deGrave is a mother, advocate, and author who shares her family’s experience to help other families feel less alone after a diagnosis. She speaks openly about caregiving, community, and the reality of raising children with different support needs.

Key Timestamps
0:02 - I welcome Tabitha and ask who she was before diagnosis entered motherhood
2:46 - How her daughters’ autism and TSC diagnoses began to unfold
4:17 - The guilt that followed missing early autism signs
6:33 - What it felt like to hear a rare diagnosis for the first time
8:43 - What each child taught her about patience and the healthcare system
15:06 - The moment she realized this was more than “just a phase”
16:42 - Why she leaned into diagnosis instead of fearing the label
25:20 - The part of caregiving most people never see
27:04 - What strength really feels like on the inside
31:02 - Why she started sharing her story to help other families
36:27 - What she’d place in the hands of a mom in early uncertainty

Get you copy of the Anti-Planner - https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION
If this episode speaks to you, listen through to the end and share it with someone who needs that reminder: you’re not alone.
#AutismSupport #NeurodivergentConnection #ParentingSpecialNeeds #TSCawareness #CaregiverSupport

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 ADHD, Trauma, and “Whispers” Start Making Sense
In this episode, I sit down with Annie talk about what it feels like when your brain, body, and past are all trying to get your attention at once.
We get into Annie’s path from military service to trauma research, and how an ADHD diagnosis helped her make sense of years of feeling out of step with the world around her. Along the way, we talk about the subtle ways trauma can hide in plain sight, why some neurodivergent people experience the world more intensely, and what those quiet “whispers” from the body might really be saying.
If you’ve ever thought, maybe I’m fine, but something still feels off, this conversation will give you a new lens to look through. I’m also sharing why trauma doesn’t always look dramatic, how it can show up as personality, stress, or disconnection, and why that matters for neurodivergent people in everyday life.

About the Guest
Annie is a military veteran, metaphysical trauma researcher, and author who studies how trauma, nervous system patterns, and neurodivergence show up in real life.

Timestamps
0:02 - I welcome Annie and we begin with her military experience
2:33 - What an ADHD diagnosis changed when Annie looked back on her life
6:46 - Why some neurodivergent people process meditation and awareness differently
8:28 - The “cargo container” Annie carried without language for it
14:33 - Why people say they don’t have trauma, even when it shapes everything
17:40 - How trauma can show up in homes, habits, and relationships
24:19 - Using AI to better understand conflict, tone, and compassion
31:21 - Annie explains her “Black Room” method
33:08 - What “whispers” from the body can look like in daily life
36:32 - A real-life look at the 6 Layers of Belonging
Annies Website: https://oneemprima.com/
Pre-Order a copy of her book here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/trauma-whispers-before-it-roars-annie-emprima/1150805354?ean=9798995925538

Get you copy of the Anti-Planner - https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION
If this conversation speaks to you, listen to the full episode and share it with someone who needs a better way to understand ADHD, trauma, and neurodivergence.
#ADHD #TraumaHealing #Neurodivergent #AutismAwareness #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.

What If the Life You’re Living Was Never Really Yours?
In this episode, I sit down with Shruti Trivedi to talk about purpose, grief, mental health, and the quiet pressure of living by someone else’s script.
We explore what happens when life forces you to stop, question everything, and ask, Whose life am I living? Shruti shares how moving from IT into coaching changed the way she sees success, self-care, and what it means to live with peace instead of just performance.
We also talk about pregnancy loss, why so many hard experiences stay unspoken, and how small shifts in language can change how we carry pain. Then we turn to something every parent, educator, and caregiver will care about: the life skills kids aren’t always taught, from listening to handling emotions and building real human connection.
And just when the conversation seems grounded in the present, we look ahead to AI, the future of work, and what we can’t afford to lose as technology keeps moving faster.
If you’ve ever felt stuck, disconnected, or unsure what really matters anymore, this conversation may leave you with a few big questions you didn’t know you needed to ask.

About the Guest
Shruti Trivedi is a former IT professional turned coach who helps people reconnect with purpose, process grief, and create space for more honest, meaningful lives. Her work is shaped by her personal experience with pregnancy loss, therapy, parenting, and mental health advocacy.

Timestamps
0:03 - I welcome Shruti and we begin with purpose, education, and where humanity may be headed
7:35 - Shruti shares the personal experiences that changed her path
11:11 - We talk about the “template of life” and what it means to question it
13:39 - What Shruti had to unlearn in parenting, work, and relationships
15:26 - How her definition of success changed over time
17:28 - The life skills schools often miss
19:28 - The one skill every child should leave school with
22:21 - Why we spend more time learning how to do than how to be
27:58 - What excites and worries us about AI and the future
35:25 - Shruti’s message for anyone feeling trapped by society’s script

Get you copy of the Anti-Planner - https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION
If this episode speaks to you, listen through to the end and share it with someone who may need it. Subscribe for more conversations on mental health, purpose, parenting, education, and human connection.

#MentalHealth #Purpose #Parenting #AIandHumanity #LifeSkills

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 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.