The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

What a Brain Injury Took, What Purpose Gave Back
What happens when the life you built disappears, and you have to figure out who you are from the ground up?
In this episode, I sit down with Herb for an honest conversation about traumatic brain injury, depression, identity loss, and the slow work of rebuilding a life that no longer fits the old rules. He shares what changed after a snowboarding accident, why invisible injuries are so hard to explain, and how he found his way back to focus, purpose, and hope.
We talk about the kind of struggle people often can’t see from the outside: the fear, the shutdown, the frustration of looking capable while feeling anything but. At the same time, Herb also shares the shift that helped him stop chasing his old life and start building a new one with meaning.
If you’ve ever felt like your future got knocked off course, or you support someone living through that kind of loss, I think this conversation will stay with you. You’ll hear the small wins that mattered most, the mindset that kept him moving, and the question many people in pain are quietly carrying.

About the Guest
Herb is an entrepreneur and brain training coach who helps people recover lost capacity after brain injury, stroke, and other life-altering setbacks. His work is shaped by his own lived experience of rebuilding after traumatic brain injury.

Timestamps
0:15 - Herb’s life before the brain injury and the business he was building
2:20 - How everything started falling apart after the accident
5:14 - The turning point that made him want to be alive again
12:17 - When traumatic brain injury became part of the story
15:40 - Why depression was harder than the physical pain
21:53 - What the early days felt like from the inside
30:21 - The first signs that brain training was changing daily life
42:41 - Letting go of the idea of “going back”
56:11 - What rebuilding really looked like in real life
79:52 - Why purpose mattered so much in recovery
86:06 - What Herb hopes others hear when their future feels lost

Herb's Links
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bringing-education-home/id1651695357
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/herbert.heaghavritt
Website: https://herb-brain-training.vibepreview.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawUrd5JleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBWJyaWQRMXp5a2doaGZkTEs5RnJVMVVzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeo69t99Xf--_wUo61TC09egmfKKxi4pYwLoybHg70szFNy3PBGERf8UA_4i4_aem_d7sNLV90HodgTDE0iMEi0g

Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION
If this episode speaks to you, listen to the full conversation and share it with someone who may need that extra bit of hope today.
#BrainInjuryRecovery #TraumaticBrainInjury #MentalHealthAwareness #PurposeAfterPain #InvisibleInjury

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

When Life Breaks the Old Map: Belonging, Labels, and Finding Yourself Again
I sat down with Sabrina D’Amato for a conversation that starts with loss and reinvention, then moves into something even deeper: what happens when the version of you that once made sense no longer fits.
In this episode, I explore Sabrina’s path from professional ballet dancer to breathwork coach and hypnotherapist, and how pain, identity shifts, and self-forgiveness changed the way she sees herself and the world. We talk about belonging, being seen as different, and why so many neurodivergent people wrestle with labels that explain something real but can also start to feel too small.
You’ll hear us get into the question that followed her for years, the moment she stopped letting old stories define her, and why “fitting in” may not be the goal after all. We also touch on consciousness,
healing, and the hidden ways people hold themselves back without even knowing it.
If you’ve ever felt out of place, boxed in by a diagnosis, or unsure how to reconnect with who you are beneath everyone else’s expectations, this one will stay with you.

About the Guest
Sabrina D’Amato is a breathwork coach, hypnotherapist, and mentor who shares conversations around the subconscious, metaphysics, and personal healing. Her work focuses on helping people reconnect with themselves and see value in the parts of life they once wanted to hide.

Key Timestamps
0:02 - I welcome Sabrina and ask how her “quest” has changed over the years

1:12 - When her old life stopped working after ballet and injury

5:53 - The question that followed her the longest: “Why am I here?”

10:16 - Feeling different and not fitting in from an early age

15:17 - What breathwork and hypnotherapy have taught her about people

20:35 - Her growing interest in psychic abilities and consciousness

29:39 - Belonging, neurodivergence, and the weight of labels

44:23 - The chapter of life she believes she’s living in now

48:27 - The detours that shaped her most, including injury and motherhood

55:02 - The one question she wants listeners to sit with after this conversation

Sabrina's Website: https://sabrinadamatomentor.com/
Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION
Help Bring Fearless Footsteps in the World: https://paypal.me/fullconversation?locale.x=en_US&country.x=US

If this conversation speaks to you, listen to the full episode and share it with someone who needs the reminder that they are more than any label placed on them.
#NeurodivergentConnection #Neurodiversity #Belonging #SelfAcceptance #Healing

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

How Simon Majumdar Found Home Through Food, Memory, and a Life Rebuilt
What if one meal could take you back home, while also pushing you toward a completely new life?
In this conversation, I sit down with Simon Majumdar to talk about the family table that shaped him, the cultures he grew up between, and the bold choice that changed everything after 40. We talk about food, yes, but we also get into identity, grief, belonging, love, and what it means to keep living fully when time feels more precious.
Simon shares how his Welsh and Indian roots shaped the way he sees the world, why certain dishes still carry the weight of memory, and how a single decision to leave publishing led to a life of travel, television, writing, and deep human connection. Along the way, he also opens up about illness, purpose, and the kind of meal that matters most when everything else falls away.

About the Guest
Simon Majumdar is a food writer, television personality, and the host of Eat My Globe. Many people know him from Food Network, but in this episode, I get to the person behind the public role: a curious, thoughtful cook whose story reaches far beyond the plate.

Key Timestamps
0:40 - Simon’s childhood table and the meals that still feel like home

8:22 - Growing up between Welsh and Indian cultures

11:50 - When he first realized his family was seen as different

26:41 - How food shaped his view of the world

40:28 - Losing his mother and what it changed

52:39 - Leaving publishing to go everywhere and eat everything

76:37 - Meeting his wife in Brazil

83:54 - What becoming an American citizen meant to him

95:54 - How Eat My Globe began

109:29 - The final meal he would choose

Simon's Links
Substack:simonmachondo.substack.com

Website:simonmajumdar.com

Podcast handle:@eatmyglobe

Find him on his socials under Simon Majumdar

Help me
Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION
Help Bring Fearless Footsteps in the World: https://paypal.me/fullconversation?locale.x=en_US&country.x=US

If this conversation speaks to you, listen to the full episode and come with an appetite for story, memory, and meaning. #SimonMajumdar #FoodHistory #CuriousStoryteller #IdentityAndBelonging #FoodAndMemory

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 Happens to My Child When I’m Gone? A Hard but Necessary Conversation
If you’ve ever quietly wondered what happens to your disabled child in the future, this conversation is for you.
In this episode, I sit down with Michael Ringel to talk about one of the biggest fears many families carry: how to plan ahead without making a costly mistake that affects benefits, housing, care, or long-term stability. We get into why so many families wait, what can go wrong with gifts or inheritance, and why “good intentions” can still create real problems later.
What stood out to me most is that this isn’t just about money on paper. It’s about reducing panic, creating more choice, and making sure support still works in real life. We also talk about ABLE accounts, special needs trusts, family communication, and the question many people avoid until it becomes urgent.
If you’ve felt overwhelmed by SSI rules, Medicaid concerns, or planning for adulthood and beyond, I think this episode will give you a clearer place to start while still leaving you with a few important questions to think through.

About the Guest
Michael Ringel works with families on long-term financial planning for disabled and neurodivergent loved ones. He focuses on helping families prepare for “two lifetimes” so future care, benefits, and financial support are better protected.

Key Timestamps
0:12 - The question many parents are afraid to ask out loud

3:04 - The mistake that can put benefits at risk

5:27 - Why support on paper can fail in real life

10:56 - Gifts and inheritance problems families often miss

15:19 - What ABLE accounts can and cannot do

20:04 - When a special needs trust may still matter

24:34 - Why these talks should happen before a crisis

32:34 - How to create a “playbook” for future caregivers

35:06 - When fear of losing benefits starts limiting life

38:48 - Where to find Michael’s book and resources

Michael's Resources:
Website:planningfortolifetimes.com

Book: Free download on the website, or purchase on Amazon for $5

Phone:917-734-4748

Email:mringle@strategiesforwealth.com

Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION
Help Bring Fearless Footsteps into the World: https://paypal.me/fullconversation?locale.x=en_US&country.x=US

If this episode speaks to where you or your family are right now, listen all the way through and share it with someone who needs this conversation too. #NeurodivergentConnection #SpecialNeedsPlanning #DisabilitySupport #ABLEAccount #SSI

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.

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

Late Diagnosis, Perimenopause, and the Career Questions No One Prepared Us For
What happens when your routines fall apart, your symptoms get louder, and a late diagnosis suddenly makes your whole life look different? In this episode, I talk with Gina Molinas about what it was like to be diagnosed during lockdown while also moving through perimenopause—and why that combination changed everything.
We talk about the grief, relief, anger, and clarity that can show up after a late diagnosis. Gina shares how old memories started to make new sense, why some workplaces drain neurodivergent people more than others, and what many professionals get wrong when they blame themselves for struggles that may be tied to environment, burnout, or masking.
We also get into career transitions, rejection sensitivity, and the question so many people quietly ask: Do I need a new job, or do I just need a workplace that fits me better? There’s a lot in this conversation that may leave you rethinking your own story.

About the Guest
Jeanna Malines is an ADHD coach and career transition guide who supports neurodivergent professionals. Through her company, Trajekta, she helps people better understand how they work, what they need, and where they can thrive.

Timestamps
0:02 - I welcome Gina and we get into her late diagnosis during lockdown

5:24 - What became easier to notice when routines disappeared

14:26 - The grief that can follow a late diagnosis

16:53 - How perimenopause complicated ADHD traits

20:15 - Rebuilding your identity after diagnosis

33:05 - What neurodivergent professionals struggle with during career transitions

46:42 - New career or wrong environment?

56:37 - What employers still misunderstand about neurodivergent workers

59:57 - Becoming the support you once needed

Jeanna;s Links:
Trajekta:https://www.trajekta.net

Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION
Help Bring Fearless Footsteps in the World: https://paypal.me/fullconversation?locale.x=en_US&country.x=US

If this episode speaks to you, listen to the full conversation and share it with someone who needs to hear they’re not broken—and they’re not alone.
#Neurodivergent #ADHD #LateDiagnosis #Perimenopause #CareerSupport

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.