The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

What Happens to Home, Identity, and Grief When You Build a Life Abroad?

What if starting over in a new country doesn’t just change your address, but brings you face to face with who you really are?
In this episode, I sit down with Melissa Parks to talk about living abroad, coming home, and the quiet emotional weight that can come with both. We explore what happens when the life you once wanted turns out to be harder than expected, especially for autistic and neurodivergent people trying to make sense of belonging, masking, grief, and identity.
Melissa shares how travel, culture, language, and big life transitions shaped the person she became, and why returning home can feel just as disorienting as leaving. Along the way, I also open up about my own experiences studying overseas, traveling alone, and trying to find comfort in unfamiliar places.
You’ll hear us unpack the difference between being unhappy and being uprooted, why grief is so often mistaken for failure, and what “home” really means when your heart lives in more than one place.

About the Guest
Melissa Parks is a writer, coach, and author of A Compassionate Mess. She works with people navigating life across borders, languages, and cultures, with a thoughtful focus on identity, belonging, and emotional well-being.

Key Timestamps
0:02 - I welcome Melissa Parks and we begin with her early picture of adulthood

1:06 - We talk about what “home” meant before life abroad

14:44 - Melissa shares when living abroad became real, not temporary

16:21 - We compare traveling to actually building a life in another country

19:27 - We explore whether living abroad changes us or reveals who we already are

27:13 - Melissa explains why people feel guilt when a chosen life feels hard

29:40 - We discuss how grief often gets mistaken for failure

35:36 - Melissa shares what people misunderstand about coming home

49:37 - We talk about her memoir, A Compassionate Mess, and the inner battles behind it

53:04 - We end with what “home” means today

Melissa's Resources:
Melissaparks.com

Find her on all social platforms except Tictok

If you’ve ever felt split between places, identities, or versions of yourself, this conversation will stay with you. Listen now, and if it speaks to you, share it with someone who needs the reminder that they’re not alone.
#NeurodivergentConnection #AutismAwareness #LivingAbroad #IdentityAndBelonging #Neurodivergent

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 Burnout, Trust, and Real Support Look Like for Neurodivergent Kids and Their Families
If you’ve ever wondered what real support actually looks like for a neurodivergent child and their family, this conversation will stay with you.
In this episode, I sit down with Antoinette Elliott to talk about the things many people miss: parent burnout, the quiet signs behind a child’s behavior, and why feeling understood can change everything. We get honest about what families carry, what trust really takes, and why some childcare spaces help children settle while others make things worse.

I’m also sharing a conversation that raises big questions around school fit, foster care, behavior support, and what happens when adults focus on control instead of connection. If you support a child with autism, ADHD, or other disabilities, you’ll hear why the “right” environment matters more than most people think—and what to notice before a crisis hits.

About the Guest
Antoinette Elliott is the founder of All Our Children and has spent years creating supportive childcare spaces for families, including those raising neurodivergent children and foster children. Her work centers on meeting children where they are and helping families feel seen, safe, and supported.

Key Timestamps
0:12 - What Antoinette saw families carrying behind closed doors

4:33 - What parent burnout looks like in real life

8:49 - What adults often miss when a child is struggling

15:49 - Why parents shouldn’t hide their child’s needs from schools

24:59 - What can change when a child finally feels understood

27:15 - The moment trust starts for overwhelmed families

29:46 - What an RBT does and why the right fit matters

40:05 - Regulation vs. control in childcare settings

42:14 - What foster families really need and why it’s rarely talked about

54:43 - Antoinette’s message for parents who feel worn down and alone

Antoinette's resources:
AOC Elite Childcare - The center’s website, mentioned as the main place to learn more, view events, and schedule a drop-in day. Visit aocelitechildcare.com.

If this episode speaks to you, listen through to the end and share it with a parent, educator, or caregiver who needs this reminder: there are people who care, and you’re not alone.
#NeurodivergentConnection #AutismSupport #ADHDAwareness #ParentBurnout #InclusiveChildcare

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 Life Stops You Cold: Andrea’s 101 Days in the Hospital and What Came After
One ordinary season turned into a fight for life, and in this conversation, I sit with Andrea as she shares what changed when her body could no longer keep going.
I wanted to tell this story with care because it speaks to something many of us carry quietly: the pressure to keep pushing, even when something feels deeply wrong. Andrea opens up about the medical crisis that led to sepsis, a coma, emergency surgery, and 101 days in the hospital. Yet this isn’t only about survival. It’s also about what happens to your mind, your identity, and your view of life when everything familiar falls away.
As we talk, you’ll hear how she moved through fear, confusion, grief, and the slow work of recovery. I also explore the quiet shifts that changed how she sees gratitude, vulnerability, and the way she wants to live now. There’s one moment involving sunlight and fresh air that says more than any long speech could.

About the Guest
Andrea is a life coach and workshop leader who helps people build a life with more meaning, appreciation, and purpose after hard seasons.

Timestamps
0:03 - I welcome Andrea and we go back to life before the medical emergency

4:03 - The moment she knew something was seriously wrong

7:52 - How she finally got answers after collapsing far from home

9:50 - What 101 days in the hospital did to her mentally and emotionally

15:07 - Waking up two weeks later from a coma

18:29 - The surprising moment that brought comfort in the ICU

22:27 - What helped her keep fighting on the hardest days

28:41 - How her relationship with her body changed

32:14 - What she had to let go of after surviving

40:45 - The message she hopes listeners carry into daily life

Andres Resources:
Website: Life Coaching by Andrea
Social: Life Changing by Andrea

If this conversation speaks to you, listen to the full episode and share it with someone who needs hope, perspective, or a reminder to slow down and pay attention.
#SepsisSurvivor #HospitalRecovery #MentalHealth #LifeAfterTrauma #TheCuriousStoryteller

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.

Are We Seeing Autism Clearly, or Through a Lens That Misses the Whole Person?
What if the way I’ve been taught to understand autism is also the thing that keeps me from seeing the full picture?
In this conversation, I sit down with Leila Freschin to talk about a question that doesn’t get asked often enough: when autism is filtered through clinical language, school systems, and service models, what gets lost? We talk about the gap between support on paper and support in real life, why language matters more than many people realize, and what changes when I stop looking at autistic people as a list of needs to manage.
You’ll hear us explore why families so often have to carry the weight of advocacy, where schools and care systems still fall short, and why technology may play a bigger role in care than many people expect. We also get into one assumption the field still holds onto that may be doing real harm.

About the guest: Leila Freschin works in autism care with a background in applied behavior analysis and a strong focus on collaboration, access, and practical support for families. She is also connected with Circathera and the Autism Directory, which aim to build stronger connections across the neurodivergent community.

If you’ve ever felt like autism support is too fragmented, too clinical, or missing the human side, this episode will give you a lot to think about. Listen in, then share it with someone who needs a better way to see the full person.

Timestamps
0:02 - Why the usual autism lens can miss the whole child

2:50 - How language shapes understanding, care, and identity

6:12 - A powerful reminder that every autistic person’s reality is different

9:04 - What schools capture well, and where they still fall short

12:35 - How education, healthcare, and funding shape real support

15:37 - The biggest gap between what professionals know and daily practice

16:48 - Why technology may help close the treatment gap

19:46 - What I’d change first if autism support centered on understanding

21:20 - One assumption about autism the field still needs to question

#AutismAwareness #Neurodiversity #AutismSupport #SpecialEducation #DisabilityInclusion

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 a Diagnosis Changes Everything: Parenting Autism, Finding Support, and Using Your Voice
What happens when you know something is different, but you still don’t have answers?
In this episode, I sit down with Missy Brown for an honest conversation about parenting a child with autism and ADHD, the fear and confusion that can come before a diagnosis, and what it really feels like when support is thin and judgment is loud.
As we talk, I explore the parts many families live through but don’t always say out loud: long waitlists, broken routines, public meltdowns, lost friendships, and the quiet guilt that can follow a hard day. At the same time, Missy shares how clarity changed things for her, why writing became part of her healing, and how advocacy grew out of everyday survival.

You’ll hear why trusting your instincts matters, what parents may need more of from professionals, and the small shift that can help when everything feels like too much. There’s also a powerful reminder here: your child is more than a list of challenges, and you are not failing because this is hard.

About the Guest
Missy Brown is an autism advocate, author of Soaring Over Skepticism, and a parent raising a neurodivergent child. She shares relatable, real-life support for families navigating autism, ADHD, anxiety, and the daily realities of caregiving.

Key Timestamps
0:25 - When Missy first noticed her child’s path might look different

2:45 - The fear, questions, and lack of support after diagnosis

7:16 - What she hoped therapy and support systems would provide

12:46 - The early surprises, hard moments, and strengths she saw in her child

15:41 - Why getting answers brought relief and clarity

16:34 - The moment parenting turned into writing and advocacy

21:39 - Why writing felt freeing and scary at the same time

28:12 - What she had to unlearn as a parent of an autistic child

32:41 - When she realized she was finding her voice

38:39 - What overwhelmed parents need to hold on to right now

41:19 - One small step parents can take this week

Missy's Resources:
Missys Book: Soaring Over Skepticism
You can find her on: LinkedIN and Facebook
and you can find out more about Circa Thera

If this conversation speaks to you, listen to the full episode and share it with a parent, educator, or caregiver who needs the reminder that they’re not alone.
#AutismSupport #ADHDParenting #NeurodivergentFamilies #AutismAdvocacy #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.