Neurodiversity Podcast

We're using the holiday break to retool our podcast and debut its new name in January - The Neurodiversity Podcast! In the meantime this is an encore presentation of episode 48, featuring Jen Merrill, who talks with Emily about the holidays. Shopping can be a headache, but choosing the right gifts for high-ability kids is extra-challenging. Between meal planning and decorating, Jen Merrill found t...

We're using the holiday break to feature some past guests, while we make some changes that will refocus the podcast just a little. When we return in January, Mind Matters will be known by a new name: the Neurodiversity Podcast. The new name better defines what we do, helps people recognize and understand what we're about, and hopefully makes us even easier to find. And, we'll be releasing episodes...

Kids have two primary areas where executive functioning skills are crucial - school work and responsibilities. Seth Perler , an executive function advocate and coach, talks with Emily Kircher-Morris about what many parents and professionals are getting wrong when trying to help their kids with executive function skills. ABOUT THE GUEST - Seth Perler calls himself a renegade teacher turned executiv...

What is the process of evaluating a child for autism ? What does the profile of an autistic twice-exceptional person look like? Why are girls' autism symptoms often missed? Dr. Alissa Doobay from the Belin-Blank Center joins us to talk about autism, on episode 70 of Mind Matters . ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Alissa Doobay received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from The University of Iowa in 2010. She...

What is intelligence? What myths do we need to let go of, and how can we better evaluate intelligence? Is there a way to measure intelligence across cultures and continents? Dr. Russell Warne is here to talk about his findings as he wrote his new book, " In The Know: Debunking 35 Myths About Human Intelligence ," on episode 69. ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Russell T. Warne earned his Bachelor's of Scienc...

With the death toll still rising from the coronavirus pandemic, it's especially easy for neurodivergent people to wax existential. They question life, worry about death, and generally ask, "what's it all about?" Our guest is Leon Garber , author of a blog called Leon's Existential Cafe , and we're diving deep on episode 68. ABOUT THE GUEST - Leon Garber is a philosophical writer, and a Licensed Me...

" Neurodiversity " is an umbrella term encompassing a variety of atypical diagnoses. Where do the gifted and twice-exceptional communities fit into that landscape? What are we learning about neurodiverse people? We'll talk with Dr. Michael Postma about those subjects, and the groundswell of new information from the field of epigenetics, on episode 67. ABOUT THE GUEST - Dr. Michael Postma is a teac...

When factual, peer-reviewed data is hard to find, or hidden behind paywalls, we often end up relying on pseudo-science or questionable information. In fact, some long-held beliefs in the area of neurodiversity are based on little more than anecdotal evidence. Erin Miller and Hope Wilson will be part of an NAGC conference panel in November examining pseudo-science in the area of neurodiversity. The...

The history of the term "twice-exceptionality" is not a long one. On episode 65 Emily Kircher-Morris talks with Dr. Susan Baum about her early experience with "green" kids, and how the term twice-exceptional was born. They also discuss ideas for parents and educators that will help them guide 2e kids to success. About the guest - Dr. Susan Baum is co-director of the International Center for Talent...

We're talking about creativity on episode 64. We define it, because there are some misconceptions, and we discuss ways to foster creativity in your kids or students. Are there connections between neurodiversity and creativity? We have Dr. Todd Kettler from Baylor University , author of Developing Creativity in the Classroom , to share what he's learned. About the guest - Dr. Todd Kettler is an Ass...

Kids who are both twice-exceptional and from culturally diverse populations have been dubbed "3e learners" by Dr. Joy Lawson Davis and others. On episode 63, Emily and Joy talk about identifying these students, and training educators to better help them reach their highest potential. About the guest - Dr. Joy Lawson Davis is a career educator with over 30 years of experience as a practitioner, sch...

Social norms, diverse personalities, and power dynamics, are some of the most valuable lessons of childhood. When children better understand bullies and how to stand up to them, they also better understand themselves. Amanda Morin joins Emily to talk about diverse personalities and power dynamics, and helping neurodiverse kids understand bullying, on episode 62. About the guest - Amanda Morin work...

College admissions in a post-Covid-19 world have changed, and many universities have stopped requiring SAT and ACT scores, at least for 2020-2021. We discuss testing and test prep with Mike Bergin and Amy Seeley , who help students prepare for testing and understand how it works. They are the hosts of the Tests and the Rest podcast, and are guests on episode 61 of Mind Matters . About the guests -...

Depending on what happens with Covid-19 this summer and fall, it's likely there will be some influence on plans for the 2020-2021 school year. Whether it's a delayed start, more online learning from home, or a different classroom setup, it looks like we'll be writing more new rules for education. On episode 60, Emily Kircher-Morris talks with FlexSchool's Jacqui Byrne about the future of online le...

Dyslexia is often misunderstood, and educators and parents sometimes mistake it for a simple reading deficit. Dr. Dan Peters joins Emily Kircher-Morris to talk about dyslexia , as well as dysgraphia , and dyscalculia ; their indications, where to go for diagnosis, and ways to help your child adapt. The basics of, and the often stealth nature of, dyslexia, on episode 59. About the guest - Dr. Dan P...

As part of our series on the coronavirus pandemic, on episode 58 we're delving into the trauma aspect. How will we respond to the pressure to venture out? How will the human species be affected, changed, challenged? What will we tell our grandchildren about the experience? We'll use Christine Fonseca and her new book, Healing the heart: Helping Your Child Thrive After Trauma , as a template for th...

It's no secret that gifted kids often see the world differently than neurotypical peers. They also see the coronavirus pandemic differently, and experience stress and anxiety in different ways. We talk with Dr. Edward Amend about life in a pandemic, how to talk with kids about this event, things we can do to minimize anxiety, and how counseling and therapy sessions are adapting to meet the require...

The world is at the same time both together and necessarily apart. We're all going through the same pandemic, and most of us are practicing "social distancing." How does that affect us? Some believe it can be a time for growth, and that's the subject of episode 56. Our guest is author and family therapist Chris Crutcher , and this is a conversation you and your family won't want to miss. About the...

There are social, academic, and personal obstacles inherent to boys, and when you add other features like giftedness, things can get complicated. How can we help boys understand social expectations, and learn to be themselves, often in spite of those expectations? Dr. Tom Hébert talks with us about the things he's learned as an educator, and as a trainer of educators working in gifted education. A...

What is Pathological Demand Avoidance and how does it manifest among the neurodiverse? What can we do to educate parents, teachers, and counselors about how to approach it? Understanding demand avoidance can completely transform the way you look at a child. Harry J. Thompson joins Emily Kircher-Morris for this important discussion about PDA , on episode 54. About the guest - Harry J. Thompson was...

Emily Kircher-Morris and Dr. Ellen Braaten discuss processing speed and why it's important. They also talk about when it's not so important, and why it varies so much from child to child. They discuss the impact it has on intelligence testing scores, and ways to help kids increase their processing speed. Dr. Braaten is coauthor of the book Bright Kids Who Can't Keep Up . About the guest -  Dr. Ell...

When a child asks a question, do you just give them the answer? If so, you're missing an opportunity to help them develop critical thinking skills. On episode 52 we are joined by Colin Seale , founder of ThinkLaw , an organization committed to helping educators teach critical thinking. We talk about how kids learn the skill, and how teachers can better teach critical thinking. About the guest - Co...

Why is there a bright line between academia and the arts? Between cognition and creativity? Where should that line break down? Or should it? And, why do educators and others think of creativity only in terms of art or music, when it also applies to problem solving and cognition? We talk with Dr. Jennifer Fisher , who is both a university assistant teaching professor and an art education coordinato...

On episode 50 we talk with Haley Taylor Schlitz , a 17-year-old first-year law student who began college at age 13. We discuss her education experience, some of the benefits and barriers of homeschooling, and we imagine what the perfect public school system would be like. About the guest - At age 17, Haley Taylor Schlitz has graduated from Texas Woman's University with a BS in Interdisciplinary St...

As we move into the 2020s, we look back at some of the conversations we had in the two years of our podcast's history. While we covered a variety of subjects, one seemed to pop up just above the fray. We're revisiting some of our best conversations about twice-exceptionality, on this special 49th episode of Mind Matters. You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patre...